If you travel with your dog and aren’t using hotel credit cards, you’re leaving money on the table. Pet fees, room rates, and all those extras add up fast — but the right cards can offset most of it with points, free nights, and elite status perks.

Here’s what I use and recommend for pet travelers.

Jump to:

• Why Hotel Cards Make Sense
• The Hilton Combo
• Hilton Aspire
• Hilton Surpass
• Hilton No Fee
• For Kimpton: IHG & Chase
• Marriott Alternative
• Which Card Should You Get?

Why Hotel Cards Make Sense for Pet Owners

Most pet-friendly hotels charge $50–$150 per stay in pet fees. You can’t avoid those (yet), but you can make the room itself free by booking with points. And with elite status, you get perks like room upgrades, late checkout, and free breakfast — all of which make traveling with a dog way easier.

I haven’t paid for a hotel room in years. I use Hilton points from my credit cards, and the free night certificates cover the rest.

My Setup: The Hilton Combo

I’m loyal to Hilton because their pet policies are solid (most properties allow dogs up to 75 lbs with no breed restrictions), and their credit cards are some of the best in the game.

💎 Hilton Honors American Express Aspire

The premium option for serious travelers.

This is the card if you’re serious about hotel travel. Diamond status gets you room upgrades, executive lounge access, and late checkout — all super helpful when traveling with a dog.

That 175,000-point bonus alone is worth around 2–3 free nights at most Hilton properties. Combined with the annual free night certificate, you could have a week’s worth of hotel stays from day one.

Key perks:

• ✈️ Up to $200/year in flight credits ($50/quarter)
• 🏨 Up to $400/year in Hilton resort credits ($200 every 6 months)
• 🚀 Up to $209/year CLEAR credit
• 🛎️ $100 credit at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties
• 💳 14x points at Hilton, 7x on dining and flights, 3x everything else

💡 Pro tip: You don’t have to book flights to use the flight credit. Buy airline gift cards or add funds to your travel bank (Delta, Southwest, etc.) — they count toward the credit and don’t expire for 5 years. Easy way to bank the $200 even if you’re not flying soon.

How the $550 fee pays for itself:

Even if you only use half of these, you’re coming out ahead.

🥇 Hilton Honors American Express Surpass

The sweet spot for most pet travelers.

This is the sweet spot for most travelers. Gold status gets you the 5th night free on award stays, plus a daily food & beverage credit or free breakfast at most properties.

The sign-up bonus is easier to hit than the Aspire ($3k vs $6k), and 155,000 points is still enough for multiple free nights.

Key perks:

• 🏨 Up to $200/year in Hilton credits ($50/quarter)
• 💳 12x points at Hilton, 6x on dining/groceries/gas, 3x everything else
• 🌙 Free night after $15k spend

💡 Pro tip: The quarterly $50 credit works on any purchase at a Hilton property — you don’t have to be a guest. Grab dinner or drinks at a Hilton restaurant near you, and you’ve used your credit. Do that 4 times a year and you’ve made back more than the annual fee.

How the $150 fee pays for itself:

Just by using the $50 quarterly credit, you’re $50 ahead before you even count the points you’re earning. If you hit the $15k spend for the free night certificate, that’s another $200+ in value.

I carry both the Aspire and Surpass. Between them, I get 2–3 free night certificates per year, plus enough points from everyday spending to cover several more nights.

🆓 Hilton Honors American Express (No Annual Fee)

The risk-free starting point.

If you’re just getting started, this is a no-risk way to begin earning Hilton points. You won’t get a free night certificate, but you still get the 5th night free benefit on award stays, which is a 20% discount on any points redemption of 5+ nights.

100,000 points for just $2,000 in spending — with no annual fee — is one of the best entry points into hotel rewards.

Key perks:

• 💳 7x points at Hilton, 5x on dining/groceries/gas, 3x everything else
• 🆓 No annual fee
• 🌙 5th night free on award stays

For Kimpton Travelers: IHG & Chase Cards

Kimpton has the best pet policy in the industry — no fees, no weight limits, no breed restrictions. If that’s your priority, you’ll need IHG points (Kimpton is part of IHG).

I don’t carry these cards yet, but they’re worth considering if Kimpton is your target.

🏨 IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

Best if you’ll stay at IHG/Kimpton regularly.

That 140,000-point bonus is enough for 2-4 free nights at most Kimptons.

Key perks:

• 💳 26x points at IHG properties
• 🌙 4th night free on award stays (book 4, pay for 3)
• 🎁 Annual free night certificate

How the $99 fee pays for itself:

🆓 IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

The no-risk IHG option.

If you’re not sure how often you’ll stay at Kimpton/IHG, this gets you started with no commitment.

Key perks:

• 💳 17x points at IHG properties
• 🍽️ 3x on dining, gas, and groceries
• 🌙 4th night free on award stays (yes, even with the no-fee card)

💳 Chase Sapphire Preferred

Best for flexibility across multiple hotel programs.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer 1:1 to IHG — and to Hyatt, Marriott, and 10+ airline partners. If you don’t want to commit to one hotel chain, this is the move.

Key perks:

• 💳 3x on dining, select streaming, and online groceries
• ✈️ 2x on travel
• 🔄 Points transfer to 14+ airline and hotel partners

💡 Pro tip: If you already have Hilton cards and want to add Kimpton as an option, the Sapphire Preferred is a good complement. Transfer to IHG when you find a Kimpton you want, keep your Hilton setup for everything else.

Full breakdown: How to Book Kimpton Free with Points

The Alternative: Marriott

🏨 Marriott Bonvoy Boundless

Best for Marriott loyalists.

That sign-up bonus is huge — 3 free nights at properties up to 50,000 points each. That could cover a long weekend at a solid Marriott property right out of the gate.

Key perks:

• 💳 Up to 17x points at Marriott properties
• 🍽️ 3x on dining, groceries, and gas (first $6k/year)
• 🌙 Annual free night certificate
• ⭐ 15 Elite Night Credits per year

How the $95 fee pays for itself:

The free night certificate alone is worth at least double the annual fee at most Marriott properties. You can also top it off with up to 15,000 additional points to book nicer hotels.

Marriott’s pet policies vary more by property than Hilton’s, so always check before booking. Some Marriott brands (like Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites) tend to be more consistently pet-friendly.

Which Card Should You Get?

How I Booked Panama City Beach for Free

For my recent 5-night trip to Panama City Beach, I used:

• ✅ Hilton points (earned from my Surpass card)
• ✅ The 5th night free benefit (book 4 nights with points, get the 5th free)

Total out of pocket for the room: $0

I still paid the $125 pet fee (5+ nights), but that’s a lot easier to stomach when the room was free.

Quick Comparison

The Bottom Line

Pet travel gets expensive fast. The right credit cards won’t eliminate pet fees, but they can make the room free — and that’s a huge win.

The annual fees on these cards look scary at first, but once you factor in the credits and free nights, most of them pay you back more than you put in. Start with whichever card fits your budget and travel frequency, and build from there.

I’ve been running this setup for years, and it’s saved me thousands. If you’re road tripping with your dog anyway, you might as well do it for free.

Questions about which card is right for you? Reach out — happy to help.

Read next: Quiz: Which Hilton Credit Card Is Best for Dog Travelers? | Why Hilton for Pet Travelers | How to Book Kimpton Free with Points