A comparison of luxury hotel programs from credit card issuers: Amex, Capital One, Chase and Citi

2 days ago 3

The benefits of luxury hotel programs can feel pretty similar, as can their names. These programs have lots in common, so you could be forgiven for confusing them with each other.

However, there are important differences among Amex's Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection, Capital One's Lifestyle Collection and Premier Collection, Chase's The Edit by Chase Travel℠ and Citi's Hotel Collection and Luxury Collection programs.

Booking through one of these programs can get you elite status-like perks without actually having elite status at the hotel. Plus, you can receive these perks across many hotel brands, as long as they're featured in the program.

Let's examine these programs to understand their similarities and differences. We'll cover the benefits, how to book hotels correctly and who has access.

Luxury hotel programs overview

Amex Fine Hotels + ResortsAmex The Hotel CollectionCapital One Lifestyle CollectionCapital One Premier CollectionThe Edit by Chase TravelCiti Hotel CollectionCiti Luxury Collection
Who has accessAmerican Express cardholders with Platinum and Centurion cards (business and personal versions)American Express cardholders with Gold, Platinum and Centurion cards (business and personal versions)Holders of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Venture X Business, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Spark Miles for BusinessHolders of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X BusinessChase cardholders with Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), J.P. Morgan Reserve® and Chase United cards Cardholders with cards that earn ThankYou pointsThose with the Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees) and Citi Prestige® Card (no longer accepting applications)
Minimum stay requirementNoneTwo nightsNoneNoneNoneNoneNone
How to bookAmex Travel FHR portalAmex Travel Hotel Collection portalLifestyle Collection section within Capital One TravelPremier Collection section within Capital One TravelChase Travel portal website or Renowned Hotels website (if you're a Chase United cardmember)Citi Travel websiteCiti Travel website
Guaranteed benefits
  • Daily breakfast for two
  • Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
  • Elevated points-earning rates when using your Amex card to pay for these bookings
Elevated points-earning rates when using your Amex card to pay for these bookings
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
  • Elevated points-earning rates when using your card to pay for these bookings
  • Daily breakfast for two
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
  • Elevated points-earning rates when using your card to pay for these bookings
  • Daily breakfast for two
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
  • Daily breakfast for two
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
  • Daily breakfast for two
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
Potential benefits
  • Room upgrades if available at check-in
  • Noon check-in when available
  • Room upgrades if available at check-in
  • Late checkout when available
  • Noon check-in when available
  • Room upgrades if available at check-in
  • Early check-in and late checkout when available
  • Room upgrades if available at check-in
  • Early check-in and late checkout when available
  • Room upgrades if available at check-in
  • Early check-in and late checkout based on availability
Early check-in and late checkout when available
  • Room upgrades if available at check-in
  • Early check-in and late checkout when available
On-property credit$100 credit toward eligible charges$100 to spend on qualifying dining, spa and resort activitiesA $50 experience credit to use toward rooftop drinks, signature hotel restaurants, room service or other activities$100 credit; uses vary by hotel, and eligible expenses must be charged to your room to use the credit$100 property credit to be used on dining, spa treatments or other activities onsiteNone$100 credit; uses vary by hotel, and eligible expenses must be charged to your room to use the credit
Hotel loyalty program status and points-earningMaybe; some people do get elite status recognition, stay credit or earn points with a hotel program, but it's not guaranteedUnlikely, but some people do get stay creditsUnlikely, but some people do get stay creditsUnlikely, but some people do get stay creditsMaybe; some people do get elite status recognition, stay credit or earn points with a hotel program, but it's not guaranteedNot possible to add loyalty number when making booking; can inquire directly with the hotel but unlikely to receive benefitsNot possible to add loyalty number when making booking; can inquire directly with the hotel but unlikely to receive benefits
Reimbursement credit for these bookingsUp to $200 credit per calendar year with The Platinum Card® from American Express Up to $200 credit per calendar year with The Platinum Card from American Express No reimbursement, but Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders can use their annual $300 credit toward these bookings made through Capital One TravelNo reimbursement, but Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders can use their annual $300  credit toward these bookings through Capital One TravelNo reimbursement, but Sapphire Reserve cardholders can use their $300 in annual travel credits toward these bookings$100 hotel credit with the Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees) when spending at least $500; fourth night free with the Citi Prestige® Card$100 hotel credit with the Citi Strata Premier when spending at least $500; fourth night free with the Citi Prestige Card
Use of points/miles for these bookingsYes, at 1 cent per pointYes, at 0.7 cents per pointYes, at 1 cent per pointYes, at 1 cent per pointYes, up to 2 cents per point with eligible Points Boost bookingsYes, at 1 cent per pointYes, at 1 cent per point

Enrollment is required for select benefits.

The information for the Citi Prestige card and J.P. Morgan Reserve has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts

The FHR program doesn't have minimum stay requirements and features the most robust set of guaranteed benefits among all four programs. You'll have guaranteed daily breakfast for two people, a 4 p.m. late checkout and complimentary Wi-Fi during your stay. There's also the $100 on-property amenity as a guaranteed benefit on FHR stays.

The Whitley, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Atalnta Buckhead_FB

THE WHITLEY, A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL, ATLANTA BUCKHEAD/FACEBOOK

Only cardmembers of these four cards have access to Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings: The Platinum Card from American Express, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, The Centurion® Card from American Express and The Business Centurion® Card from American Express. Additionally, the latter two cards are available by invitation only.

The information for the Centurion and Business Centurion cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

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Another downside is that FHR bookings are often more expensive than booking directly with the hotel or its loyalty program. Add to this the fact that you can't split payment across multiple credit cards, which can be a negative if you have multiple Platinum cards with up to $200 in credits to use and can't combine these.

Related: Get free breakfast, upgrades and more with the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program

Amex The Hotel Collection

American Express has a second hotel program: The Hotel Collection.

More cardmembers have access to this program. Anyone with a Gold, Platinum or Centurion card, including personal and business versions of those cards, has access to THC bookings. The on-property credit is more predictable: It's a $100 credit to use for expenses charged to your room, typically good for spending at the hotel's restaurant or spa or on activities at the hotel.

As with Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings, Amex Platinum cardmembers can use up to $200 in annual hotel credits for bookings with The Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay). There's also the option to use Membership Rewards points to pay for stays. Enrollment is required.

Nobu Hotel Hilton

CHARLY SIMON/SMALL LUXURY HOTELS OF THE WORLD

However, point redemptions here are poor, providing just 0.7 cents per point in value. That's just over a third of the 2 cents-per-point value for Amex points in TPG's July 2025 valuations.

Related: How to use Amex's The Hotel Collection to snag extra perks on hotel stays

Capital One Lifestyle Collection

The Lifestyle Collection is "a curated selection of stylish hotels in inviting destinations," per Capital One. It includes boutique properties in popular locations, along with quality dining and unique entertainment access. The collection includes brands like Virgin Hotels, The Standard, Design Hotels and The Line, as well as boutique hotels.

The Standard Singapore

KATHRYN ROMEYN FOR THE POINTS GUY

It's not quite as nice as the Premier Collection, but it offers cardholders some value, including a $50 experience credit to use toward rooftop drinks, signature hotel restaurants, room service or other activities, complimentary Wi-Fi, and room upgrades, early check-in and late checkout, when available.

Related: Capital One's Lifestyle Collection for hotels

Capital One Premier Collection

An interesting aspect of this program is the possibility of combining Premier Collection and hotel program benefits, depending on whether the hotel honors your rewards program benefits in addition to the Premier Collection benefits.

If this works, it would allow you to book a Six Senses property that participates in IHG One Rewards, add your loyalty number to this booking and receive appropriate benefits like bonus points on your stay or suite upgrades, depending on what status level you hold.

However, it's not guaranteed. Hotels are not obligated to recognize your status on bookings in those programs, as they are considered third-party reservations.

A room at Six Senses La Sagesse

JOHN ATHIMARITIS/SIX SENSES

There are no mandatory minimum reservations in the program, unless a hotel imposes its own minimum stays. Plus, there is a quality amount of guaranteed benefits: daily breakfast for two, a $100 property credit, Wi-Fi and bonus points earned on these bookings if paying with your eligible card instead of redeeming Capital One miles. If you choose to redeem miles, this can be done at the standard rate of 1 cent apiece.

Related: Get free breakfast, experience credits and room upgrades on hotel bookings with Capital One Premier Collection

The Edit by Chase Travel

With The Edit, there is no minimum stay requirement (though certain properties may have their own minimums) and that Wi-Fi and daily breakfast are guaranteed benefits. There's also a guaranteed on-property credit of $100.

Another strength of The Edit by Chase Travel is that it is available to far more people than the other programs. You have access to The Edit if you have one of the following cards:

Sapphire Reserve and J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders can access The Edit by Chase Travel through the Chase Travel portal. However, those with Chase United cards book through Renowned Hotels.

lounge chairs in front of hotel pool, hotel building behind

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

You can redeem Ultimate Rewards points on these bookings with a Chase Sapphire Reserve, which offers up to 2 cents per point on certain redemptions through Points Boost.

Other drawbacks include the lack of annual statement credits that can offset your spending (however, Sapphire Reserve cardholders can use their $300 in annual travel credits toward these bookings), mixed results on trying to get stay credit with hotel loyalty programs on these nights and no guarantee for early check-in or late checkout.

Related: Your guide to The Edit by Chase Travel

Citi Hotel Collection

There is relatively open access to this program. As long as you have a Citi credit card that earns ThankYou points, you have access.

Moreover, there are no minimum stay requirements for HC reservations. And you'll get two guaranteed benefits: daily breakfast for two people and complimentary Wi-Fi. Early check-in and late checkout privileges may be offered, subject to availability at the hotel.

Chairs and tables in a colorful hotel lobby

AXIOMHOTEL.COM

However, there are drawbacks. You can't add your hotel program loyalty number within Citi's travel portal. Thus, you won't earn points with the hotel's rewards program and likely won't receive any benefits associated with your elite status, if any.

There are no dedicated spending credits for these bookings, either. However, you can apply your fourth-night-free benefit or $100 hotel credit to these reservations, depending on what cards you have.

On top of sacrificing your elite status benefits, you also might trade convenience for redemption value. You can use Citi ThankYou points to pay for these bookings, but your points will be worth just 1 cent each. That's far below TPG's July 2025 valuation of 1.85 cents per Citi point.

Citi Luxury Collection

Citi's premium offering is more exclusive. Only those with Citi Strata Premier Card or Citi Prestige cards can access the Luxury Collection (LC), and the Prestige card is no longer open to new applicants.

On top of the Hotel Collection perks (daily breakfast for two and complimentary Wi-Fi), you'll also get a $100 on-property credit to use during your stay. What this covers will vary by property, however. It may be valid for on-property restaurants at some hotels, but it may have more uses at others, such as resort activities or parking. Additionally, benefits based on availability include room upgrades at check-in, early check-in and late checkout.

A hotel pool surrounded by empty lounge chairs

HYATT.COM

Citi's LC has many of the same drawbacks as its lower-tier program.

You can't add your hotel rewards program number to these bookings, so it's unlikely your elite status will be recognized. It's also unlikely that your stay will count toward the nights you need to earn elite status.

Related: Get free breakfast and premium perks with Citi's Hotel Collection and Luxury Collection

Bottom line

There are many similarities among the luxury hotel programs offered by American Express, Capital One, Chase and Citi.

The Edit by Chase Travel and Citi's Hotel Collection are available to the widest range of cardholders. Amex's Fine Hotels + Resorts program has the most guaranteed benefits, but Amex's The Hotel Collection is open to more cardholders than FHR. Capital One's two programs are working hard to offer integration with hotel loyalty programs. Citi's Luxury Collection has the broadest mix of access and benefits.

When it's time to make your next hotel booking, reference the information above to ensure you know exactly what is and isn't included so you can book through the best program for you.

Related: 9 things to consider when choosing to book via a portal vs. booking directly

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