Best Western Rewards® Mastercard®

Checking-In to the Best Western Rewards Mastercard®  

The Best Western Rewards Mastercard® is a reliable hotel rewards card from First Bankcard (a division of First National Bank of Omaha). The card offers impressive earnings on Best Western hotel stays, with cardholders earning up to 13x points per dollar spent when they use their card for bookings. New cardholders also receive up to 32,000 bonus points: 16,000 points when they use their card to make a first purchase, as well as an additional 16,000 points after their first stay with Best Western. 

How it Works 

Earning Points: 

• Earn Points with Best Western Stays: Best Western Rewards Mastercard® holders earn  a very healthy 13x points on Best Western Stays. 13x points breaks down as 10x points for being a Best Western Rewards member and 3x points for using their Best Western Rewards Mastercard®. 
• Earn Points On Every Other Purchase:  Every other purchase made with the card also earns a decent rewards rate: two points for every dollar spent.

Redeeming Points: 

• Hotels: The simplest way to redeem points is through free nights with Best Western – especially as free nights start from as low as 8,000 points.
• Gift Stays to Loved Ones: Best Western Rewards lets members share their rewards points with loved ones, meaning you can gift free nights to friends or family.
• Gift Cards:  Points are also redeemable for gift cards from leading restaurants, merchants, travel companies, and other vendors. 

Today’s Bonus Offer 

New cardholders receive up to 32,000 bonus points with their new Best Western Rewards Mastercard®: 16,000 points when they make their first purchase with the card and an additional 16,000 points after their first stay with Best Western. Free night rewards with the chain start from as low as 8,000 points, with premium rooms at around 36,000 points, meaning this initial reward could be as valuable as two free nights. 

Getting Under the Sheets with the Best Western Rewards Mastercard® 

• Annual Fee: The Best Western Rewards Mastercard® has no annual fee, which is an excellent bonus for this versatile card. 

Hotel Perks: 

• Gold Elite Status: Cardholders receive complimentary enrollment in Best Western’s Gold Elite membership status. Gold Elite status entitles members to a range of perks, including no blackout dates, early check-in/late check-out, room upgrades, an exclusive reservations line, and an additional 10% in points earning over regular members. 

Cardholder Protections: 

• Credit Monitoring Tools: Cardholders receive free access to their FICO score each month. FICO provides credit score information to help consumers make better-informed decisions about how they apply for – and use their credit cards.
• Zero Fraud Liability: Cardholders never have to worry about fraudulent or unauthorized purchases on their cards, as they’ll receive Mastercard’s Zero Liability Protection. 

“Suite” Perks That Make the Best Western Rewards Mastercard® Worthwhile: 

• Bonus Points: The Best Western Rewards Mastercard® might not have as many perks as other higher-end hotel rewards credit cards, but the prospect of 32,000 points – suitable for up to two free nights – is nothing to scoff at.  
• Earning Potential: Earning 13x points for Best Western stays is excellent – especially with the added benefit of a 10% discount when selecting the “rewards rate” at BestWestern.com. 

“Reservations” About the Best Western Rewards Mastercard®:  

• None, really: The Best Western Rewards Mastercard® may lack many of the hotel perks found in higher-end hotel reward cards, but that isn’t a fair criticism. After all, the card isn’t designed towards an ultra-high-end boutique chain demographic. 

Time to Check-Out 

Overall, the Best Western Rewards Mastercard® is a good hotel rewards card for those loyal to the Best Western Brand. As previously mentioned, the card lacks many of the prestigious perks found in the rewards cards of high-end luxury chains but this isn’t a card for this demographic. The Best Western Rewards Mastercard® is for those loyal to the Best Western brand.  

Best Western is a great hotel that offers real value for money – something this card does in spades. The rewards on offer aren’t the highest, but they are good for up to two free nights with an initial purchase and subsequent Best Western stay. Gold Elite status is also complimentary, providing a suite of nice perks that may not turn heads on paper, but go a long way to make hotel stays more pleasant in the real world.

Editorial Disclosure — The opinions expressed on HotelCards’ reviews, blogs, and all other content on or relating to the website are solely those of the content’s author. They are not reflective of any card issuer or financial institution and have not been reviewed or approved by these entities unless otherwise noted. Further, HotelCards lists credit card offers that are updated daily with information believed to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.