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Offers for the IHG® Rewards Select Credit Card are not available through this site. Some offers may have expired. Please see our card marketplace for available offers
The IHG® Rewards Select Credit Card is no longer available to new applicants. Check out our IHG credit cards post to see currently available offers.
One of the best hotel rewards cards on the market, the IHG® Rewards Select Credit Card offers a stellar list of perks for a small annual fee. Highlights of the card include an anniversary free-night certificate valid at any IHG property worldwide, complimentary Platinum Elite status with IHG Rewards Club, and you’ll earn points redeemable at over 5,000 hotels across the globe.
5,000 Points for Adding an Authorized User
While premium cards charge you a fee to add an authorized user, the IHG Select Card throws a 5,000 point bonus your way when you add an authorized user and make a purchase on the card in the first three months from account opening. With AU cards not attracting a fee, this is straight money in the bank (or should we say points in the account.)
Unrestricted Anniversary Free Night Certificate Every Year
The annual free-night certificate is where the IHG Select Card truly shines. One of the most valuable and versatile anniversary free-night perks of any card, the IHG free night is all the more remarkable as it's not category restricted! You can use the IHG free night certificate at any of IHG’s 5,000+ properties, including world-famous resorts like the InterContinental Bora Bora & Thalasso Spa in Bora Bora, or the Intercontinental Sydney looking out over Sydney’s Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
The IHG Select Card annual free-night certificate is hands-down one of the best value perks in the points and miles game and reason enough to hold onto the card year-in-year-out. Especially when you take into account the card has an annual fee of just $49, which is waived for the first year!
Complimentary IHG Rewards Club Platinum Elite Status
Another cardholder benefit is an upgrade to Platinum Elite status for as long as you hold the card. While IHG’s Platinum isn’t as valuable as the mid-tier elite status from Hilton Honors or Marriott, it still provides modest benefits like higher earning potential, and the chance of an upgrade if you wear a smile and put your best foot forward.
Note: IHG points expire after 12 months of no account activity. The exception to this rule is members with IHG elite status, whose points don’t expire. The IHG Select Card provides members with complimentary Platinum Elite status. So, as long as you’re a cardmember, your points won’t expire.
10% Rebate When Redeeming Points with the IHG Rewards Card
Just for holding the IHG Select Card you’ll receive a 10% rebate on redemptions up to 100,000 points per year. That’s a significant boost to your points, putting 10K IHG Rewards points back in your pocket for every 100K you redeem.
Earning Potential of the IHG Rewards Card
One feature where the IHG Select Card lacks in comparison to its competition is the everyday earning potential. Cardholder's earn:
- 5 points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG® hotels
- 2 points per $1 spent on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
With IHG points worth roughly half that of higher value flexible currencies like Ultimate Rewards or SPG points, you'll get more value from everyday spend using other cards. You can potentially earn more points using the IHG Select Card if it ties into one of the many promos released each year, for example, the recent Accelerate promo offered an additional 1,500 points for using the IHG Select Card to pay for a stay. But we wouldn't recommend it as your everyday spend card.
Redeeming IHG Rewards Points for Maximum Value
The best use of IHG points is redeeming them for hotel stays. IHG has a huge footprint, particularly in Asia and Europe, and although the majority of its 5,000+ hotels are on the lower end of the luxury spectrum, they still offer good value in places you may not otherwise be able to use points.
IHG also runs a quarterly promo called PointBreaks, listing a bunch of hotels all over the globe for just 5,000 points per night. The hotels are not always in the easiest to reach locations, but if they match up with your travel plans, you can bag a hotel room for roughly $35 a night.
Additional Perks and Benefits
The IHG Select Card offers a bunch of other perks and benefits, including:
- Purchase Protection
- Price Protection
- Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance
- Baggage Delay Insurance
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement
You can catch all the details on the Visa Signature benefits that come with the card in the Benefits Guide; keep in mind if you want a card with the best travel insurance you should look elsewhere.
Final Thoughts
One of the best hotel rewards cards available to points and miles fans, the IHG Select Card offers an automatic upgrade to IHG Platinum Elite status, the best value free-night certificate of any card on the market, and a small annual fee.
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