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Fans of the IHG One Rewards program have multiple credit cards to choose from — each offering a different range of perks and benefits to help you enjoy your next stay or pad your points balance. In addition to lucrative opportunities to earn a new cardmember bonus, these co-branded cards from Chase come with a range of perks to help justify their annual fees and keep them in your wallet.
The great thing about the IHG credit cards is that each one is well-suited for a different type of traveler. From the modest IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card with no annual fee to the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card with built-in elite status and an award night certificate, it's easy to find a card that provides value in a way that matches your travel style.
In this post, we'll break down the perks and benefits to help you decide which IHG Rewards credit card is right for you.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card: A No-Annual-Fee Option With Perks
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has no annual fee, which is part of why it's so popular. Just because you don't pay anything to keep the card in your wallet every year doesn't mean it's devoid of benefits. In fact, Chase and IHG have added additional benefits to this card in recent years, making it an excellent choice for those who want a few modest benefits without having to pay an annual fee to receive them.
- Earn 80,000 bonus points
- No Annual Fee
- Earn up to 17 points total per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts
- Earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Redeem 3 Nights, Get the 4th Night Free
- IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
- Member FDIC
- 17X points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 3X points per $1 spent on dining, utilities, select streaming services, and at gas stations
- 2X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 5X points for being a IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Cardmember
- Earn 2X points from IHG® with Silver Elite Status, a benefit of this Card
- Earn 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG® Rewards Club Member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
IHG One Rewards Traveler Card feature benefits
- Automatic Silver Elite status (lowest tier) is included with card membership.
- Earn Gold Elite status by spending $20,000 on the card each calendar year.
- Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $10,000 on the card each year.
- 20% discount when buying IHG points (doesn't apply to purchasing IHG points with a bonus or discount).
- Fourth night free on award stays as a cardmember perk.
- Travel protections like baggage delay insurance, travel accident insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance.
- Purchase protection for 120 days against damage or theft on items purchased with the card.
- One year of complimentary DashPass membership with DoorDash to save on delivery fees.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Despite not having an annual fee, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Card is not without perks that justify keeping the card. While it lacks the higher status tiers and free night awards that come with other IHG credit cards, you still get important travel benefits and insurance coverage, as well as access to “fourth-night free” award bookings — a benefit that can save thousands upon thousands of IHG Rewards points each year. Our full review of the IHG One Rewards Traveler Card has more details.
Related: Redeem IHG Rewards Points and Free Nights for Maximum Value
IHG One Rewards Premier Card: Elevated Perks for IHG Loyalists
The IHG One Rewards Premier Card has perks that are appealing to IHG loyalists, but these benefits also make sense for travelers who stay at IHG hotels a few times a year and want extra perks during these stays. The perks you will get from this card should outweigh the $99 annual fee, such as complimentary elite status, an annual award night certificate, $50 in United TravelBank, and a fourth night free on points stays.
- Earn 140,000 Bonus Points
- Enjoy an Anniversary Free Night at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Plus, enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG® hotel stay.
- Earn up to 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts
- Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Automatic Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier card member
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $100 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card
- IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
- Member FDIC
- Earn 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 5X points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, gas stations, and restaurants
- 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 10X points for being a IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card member
- Earn 6X points from IHG® with Platinum Elite Status, a benefit of having this card
- Earn 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG® Rewards Club Member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
IHG One Rewards Premier Card feature benefits
- Automatic IHG Platinum Elite status (third of four tiers).
- Ability to earn top-tier Diamond status after spending $40,000 on the card in a calendar year.
- Annual award night certificate that can be used at hotels that cost a maximum of 40,000 points per night.
- Ability to pay points on top of this free night award to stay at hotels that cost more.
- 20% off IHG points purchases (doesn't apply to purchasing IHG points with a bonus or discount).
- Fourth night free on award stays as a cardmember perk.
- Travel protections like baggage delay insurance, travel accident insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance.
- Purchase protection for 120 days against damage or theft on items purchased with the card.
- $50 in United TravelBank credit each year after linking your card to United TravelBank.
- Up to $100 reimbursement every four years to offset your Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee.
- One year of complimentary DashPass membership with DoorDash to save on delivery fees. Enrollment ends on December 31, 2024.
- No foreign transaction fees.
For those looking for elite perks, the IHG One Rewards Premier Card has them. While there is a $99 annual fee, the card's perks and earning structure should offset this. It could be quite easy to maximize these benefits to make this a negative-cost credit card each year. Even if you only stay at IHG properties a handful of times each year, you may find that the benefits you receive justify the annual fee. More details are available in our full review of the IHG One Rewards Premier Card.
Related: Do IHG One Rewards Points Expire?
IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card: Great Perks for Business Travelers
Before you scroll past an offer on a card that says “business,” you may be surprised to learn that you qualify for a small business credit card. If you generate income outside of the paycheck from your contracted place of employment, your freelance, side hustle, or gig may qualify you for a small business credit card.
The IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card has a strong balance between perks and earning rates on one side with a modest annual fee on the other side. If you stay at IHG hotels a few times a year, it's easy to come out ahead on the $99 annual fee each year. Perks like an award night certificate, automatic Platinum status, and annual credits should make this card a negative-cost addition to most wallets.
- Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy a Reward Night after each account anniversary year at eligible IHG hotels worldwide. Plus, enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for a consecutive 4-night IHG® hotel stay.
- Earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels and Resorts
- Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, select advertising, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Automatic Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier Business card member
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $100 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card
- IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at hotels such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
- Member FDIC
- Earn 26x total points per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 5X points per $1 spent on travel, dining, social media search engine advertising, and at office supply stores and gas stations
- 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 10X points for being a IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card member
- Earn 6X points from IHG® with Platinum Elite Status, a benefit of having this card
- Earn 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG® Rewards Club Member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
IHG One Rewards Business Card feature benefits
- Automatic IHG Platinum Elite status (third of four tiers).
- Ability to spend your way to top-tier Diamond status by spending $40,000 on the card each calendar year.
- Earn 10,000 bonus points and a $100 statement credit after spending $20,000 on the card each year.
- Annual award night certificate that can be used at hotels that cost a maximum of 40,000 points per night.
- Earn a second award night certificate after spending $60,000 on the card in a calendar year.
- Fourth night free on award stays as a cardmember perk.
- Up to $100 credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee every four years.
- $50 in United TravelBank credit each year after linking your card to United TravelBank.
- Purchase protection for 120 days against damage or theft on items purchased with the card.
- Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance.
Diving the $100 application fee reimbursement across four years gives a $25 annual value. Adding $50 in annual United TravelBank credit means you only need to redeem your award night certificate for $25 in value to come out ahead of the $99 annual fee on the IHG One Rewards Business Card. Check out our full review of the IHG One Rewards Business Card for more details.
Related: Everything You Need to Know About IHG One Rewards
How Does the $50 in United TravelBank Credit Work?
Note that the United TravelBank credit comes in the form of two $25 deposits into your TravelBank account. The first deposit of $25 will occur in early January of each year, and this credit will expire on July 15. A second deposit of $25 in United TravelBank credit will occur in your account in early July. This credit will expire on the following January 15. You must register once to begin receiving this benefit.
This benefit is available to those with the IHG One Rewards Premier Card and IHG One Rewards Business Card but not the IHG One Rewards Traveler Card.
Who’s Eligible for the IHG Credit Cards?
If you're a current cardholder — or you received a sign-up bonus on one of these cards in the previous 24 months — you won’t be eligible to get that same card. You'll see this on the personal credit cards:
“This product is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of any personal IHG® Rewards Credit Card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of any personal IHG® Rewards Credit Card who received a new cardmember bonus for any personal IHG® Rewards Credit Card within the last 24 months.”
This means you're ineligible for the bonus on the IHG One Rewards Traveler Card if you currently have the IHG One Rewards Premier Card (and vice versa) or received a welcome bonus on any IHG personal credit card in the past 24 months. This also applies to the IHG® Rewards Select Credit Card, which is no longer open to new applicants. If you currently have an IHG personal credit card, you'll need to close it before you can open one of the other cards.
For the IHG One Rewards Business Card, you'll see this rule:
“This new cardmember bonus offer is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of this business credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of this business credit card who received a new cardmember bonus for this business credit card within the last 24 months.”
Thus, holding IHG's personal credit cards doesn't affect your eligibility for the business card, but you must follow the 24-month rule on bonuses. And, if you currently have the card, you'll have to close it before you can open a new one.
Like all Chase cards, the IHG credit cards are subject to Chase’s 5/24 policy. If you’ve opened five or more personal credit cards in the previous 24 months, you probably won't be approved for any of these cards.
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
Our Take
IHG co-brand credit cards allow you to bank a substantial balance of IHG Rewards points, plus you'll get access to some fantastic perks and benefits when staying at IHG hotels. If you infrequently stay with IHG but still want access to the “fourth night free” award nights perk, then the IHG One Rewards Traveler Card is probably your best bet. Those looking for elite perks would do well with the IHG One Rewards Business Card. However, if you aren't eligible for a small business card, then you can consider the IHG One Rewards Premier Card as a second option. With all three cards, it's easy to justify keeping them year after year, because the benefits should outpace the annual fee if you put just a little effort into using them.
Whether you’re an IHG loyalist or simply looking to diversify your points portfolio, it's likely that one of the IHG credit cards will suit your travel style and your budget.
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Currently hold the Select and Premier cards would it be possible to apply for the business Premier and get 3 free nights after paying annual fees
The IHG Business Card terms doesn’t restrict current *personal* cardholders from applying. And yours is the situation my wife and I are in: We both had the Select and Premier. Katie just recently applied for and got approved for the IHG Business. So you also should get able to have all three at the same time!
WOW that’s great 3 nights for less than a hundred dollar a night is excellent value thanks JT