If you stay in hotels frequently and don't mind sticking to a particular chain, Gonzalez at CardHub recommends two cards that offer generous bonus points and lots of upgrades, exclusives and other perks.

IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card grants 5 points per $1 you spend at any IHG property, including Intercontinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites hotels.

Meanwhile, at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants, you'll rack up 2 points per dollar. And if you put $1,000 on the card in the first 3 months, you'll earn 60,000 points redeemable for up to 12 free nights in participating hotels. The annual fee is $49 after a free first year. An added bonus for those who frequently travel abroad: There's no foreign transaction fee.

For $75 a year, Club Carlson Premier Rewards Visa Signature Card offers similar rewards to travelers who often stay at Radisson, Park Plaza, Park Inn, Quorvus Collection or Country Inn and Suite hotels.

"They group a lot of hotels together which ups your chances" of finding a room in your preferred destination, says Gonzalez.

Plus, Club Carlson adds 50,000 points with your first purchase and another 35,000 if you spend $2,500 in the first 90 days. After a year, you get another 40,000 points for renewing. All told, those 125,000 bonus points are enough for 13 free nights at their hotels.

A 3% fee is levied on foreign charges, though, so you might not want to use this card abroad, says Gonzalez.