AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (Rates & Fees) is a solid hotel card with valuable benefits for anyone who stays with IHG at least a couple of times each year. Right now is a great time to get this card, with a new cardmember offer of up to 185,000 bonus points after you meet the minimum spending requirement.
But this card's value lies in more than just its welcome bonus. With automatic elite status and a fourth reward night free on award stays, the IHG One Rewards Premier Card card helps you get more value from every stay while enjoying elevated benefits along the way.
In this post, we'll break down the ongoing benefits to help you decide whether the Chase IHG Premier Card is a good fit for your upcoming travel goals and if it deserves a place in your wallet.
- Limited Time Offer! Earn up to 185,000 bonus points. Earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 35,000 bonus points after spending a total of $6,000 in the first 6 months from account opening.
- Enjoy an Anniversary Free Night at IHG® Hotels & Resorts. Plus, enjoy a fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG hotel stay.
- Earn up to 26 total points 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 cardmember
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $120 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, Hotel Indigo® & Holiday Inn®
- Member FDIC
- Earn up to 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 up to 6X points from IHG® with Platinum Elite Status, a benefit of having this card
- Earn up to 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG® One Rewards member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
Page Contents
- IHG Premier Card Pros
- IHG Premier Card Cons
- IHG One Rewards Premier Card Welcome Offer
- IHG Premier Card Benefits
- Anniversary free night
- Automatic IHG Platinum Elite status
- Earn IHG Diamond Elite status via spending
- Fourth night free on award stays
- 20% discount on points purchases
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS statement credit
- Earn 10,000 bonus points and $100 statement credit
- Earn $50 United® TravelBank Cash
- Travel and purchase protections
- IHG Premier Card Earning Rates
- Redeeming Points With the IHG One Rewards Premier Card
- Application Restrictions and Strategy
- Cards That Compete With the IHG Premier Card
- Bottom Line
IHG Premier Card Pros
- Complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status.
- Receive an annual free night certificate on each account anniversary.
- Fourth-night-free benefit on award stays.
IHG Premier Card Cons
- IHG points aren't as valuable as some other hotel points.
- $99 annual fee.
- The 20% discount on points purchases does not stack with IHG buy points promotions.
IHG One Rewards Premier Card Welcome Offer
Applicants for the IHG One Rewards Premier Card can earn up to 185,000 bonus points – 150,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening, plus 35,000 bonus points after spending a total of $6,000 in the first 6 months from account opening. Recent AwardWallet user redemptions put the value of IHG points in the middle of the hotel points pack at 1.44¢ per point, making this welcome offer worth around $1,250.
IHG Premier Card Benefits
The IHG One Rewards Premier Card comes packed with perks that can easily offset its annual fee for frequent travelers, from automatic elite status to valuable award stay benefits and a free night certificate on your card anniversary. Here's an overview of the benefits.
Anniversary free night
The IHG One Rewards Premier Card anniversary free night can be redeemed at hotels costing up to 40,000 points per night. You can also top off the certificate with points from your IHG account to book stays that exceed the 40,000-point cap.
This added flexibility makes the IHG free night certificate significantly more valuable, since it can be used at a much wider range of properties across the IHG portfolio when combined with additional points.
Just keep in mind that the reward night stay must be booked and completed within 12 months of the certificate's issue date. You’re also responsible for any incidental charges, including parking fees, as well as mandatory resort fees at properties where they apply.
Automatic IHG Platinum Elite status
While IHG elite status doesn't have quite the same luster as some other hotel rewards programs, IHG Platinum Elite status members receive 60% bonus points on paid stays, rollover nights toward next year’s status, complimentary room upgrades (subject to availability), and a welcome amenity at check-in. Plus, holding elite status ensures your IHG One Rewards points won’t expire.
Earn IHG Diamond Elite status via spending
You can spend your way to top-tier status with IHG, opening the door to premium perks like a choice of free breakfast, better upgrades, and 100% bonus points on paid stays. Cardmembers can earn IHG Rewards Diamond Elite status after spending $40,000 on qualifying purchases each calendar year.
Fourth night free on award stays
Cardholders of the IHG One Rewards Premier Card receive a fourth night free on all award bookings of four or more consecutive nights. What's more, the IHG fourth night free is included automatically at the time of booking, rather than offering the savings as a rebate. Therefore, you'll only require enough points for three nights in your account to take advantage of this benefit.
Combining this with the option to purchase IHG points at a 20% discount (explained below) can significantly lower the cost of acquiring IHG points and redeeming them for stays at less than the cash cost.
20% discount on points purchases
Cardholders can also purchase IHG One Rewards points at a 20% discount, bringing the everyday purchase rate down to as low as 0.8 cents per point. However, this benefit only applies to standard purchase points pricing and can’t be combined with promotions, such as IHG’s frequent offers to buy IHG points with up to a 100% bonus.
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS statement credit
If you already have a card that offers a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, this perk may not add much value, though you can still use it to cover a family member’s application fee by charging it to your card. The IHG One Rewards Premier Card provides a statement credit for a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee (up to $120 in value) every four years.
Earn 10,000 bonus points and $100 statement credit
IHG cardholders can earn 10,000 bonus points and a $100 statement credit after spending $20,000 on the card each year. While this card isn't one of the best everyday spending cards, this spending threshold bonus makes it more appealing to use the card.
Earn $50 United® TravelBank Cash
Cardholders of the Chase IHG Premier card and the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (Rates & Fees) can receive $50 in United TravelBank credit each year after registering their card with their MileagePlus account. The registration must be made through the cardmember's IHG One Rewards account. Registration is required, but only one time.
Travel and purchase protections
- Baggage delay insurance
- Lost luggage reimbursement
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
- No foreign transaction fees
- Purchase protection
For policy particulars, please refer to the Chase IHG Premier Benefits Guide.
IHG Premier Card Earning Rates
Factoring in card spending rates and elite bonuses, cardholders of the IHG One Rewards Premier Card will earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel, which breaks down to:
- 10X points for being an IHG One Rewards member (being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG loyalty program)
- 6X bonus points with IHG Platinum Elite Status — a benefit of having this card
- 10X points through spending on the IHG One Rewards Premier Card
Cardholders also earn:
- 5X points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, gas stations, and restaurants
- 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earnings for spending at IHG hotels can be a bit deceiving if you're comparing head-to-head with other cards. All IHG One Rewards members earn 10X on stays. But, particularly if you don't otherwise earn IHG status, the IHG One Rewards Premier Card does actually add 16X more earnings — 10X from spending on the card and another 6X from the Platinum Elite status that comes with the card.
Redeeming Points With the IHG One Rewards Premier Card
Reward nights
IHG One Rewards points are deposited directly into your account, making it easy to redeem points for free nights across IHG’s global portfolio of properties. The card’s fourth-night-free benefit and annual free night reward (up to 40,000 points) help stretch your points further, whether for longer stays or special trips. You can also combine points with cash if you’re a little short, and take advantage of IHG’s dynamic pricing, modifying a booking when the points rate drops lets you get points back and maximize their value.
For fancy vacations, use rewards to book nights at one of these luxury properties. Alternatively, stretch your IHG points for family travel at one of the thousands of Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels around the world.
Airline partners
You won't hear many people talking about transferring IHG points to one of IHG's nearly 40 airline partners, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. And the reason is the modest 5:1 transfer rate for most partners. Still, if you need a few extra airline miles, have a small IHG points balance, or face points that are about to expire, it's good to know you have an option.
Other ways to redeem IHG One Rewards
You typically won't get great value out of your points through these lesser-known redemptions, but IHG offers even more ways to use your points. Use your IHG rewards to enhance a trip through experiences or to gain exclusive VIP access at participating events. Additionally, shop through IHG's catalog, donate your points, purchase magazines, and more.
Application Restrictions and Strategy
Since the IHG One Rewards Premier Card is issued by Chase, there are a few rules you need to know about. First, the card is subject to the 5/24 policy, meaning you won't be approved for the card if you've opened five or more cards in the previous 24 months, based on what's showing on your credit report.
Moreover, you'll see these terms on the application page:
“This product is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of any IHG® Rewards credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of any IHG® Rewards credit card who received a new cardmember bonus for this credit card within the last 24 months.”
Therefore, if you have another IHG One Rewards credit card right now or received a welcome bonus on one in the past 24 months, you won't be eligible for this card. Additionally, if you've opened two credit cards with Chase in the past 30 days, it's unlikely that you'll be approved for another.
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
Cards That Compete With the IHG Premier Card
Before settling on the IHG One Rewards Premier Card, you may find it helpful to compare the card against some of its top competitors:
- If you want an IHG card with no annual fee, consider the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card (Rates & Fees). You'll earn a generous welcome bonus with a lower minimum spending requirement while still enjoying the fourth-night free benefit and won't pay an annual fee. While the IHG One Rewards Traveler Card doesn't come with an annual free night, it offers no foreign transaction fees, automatic Silver Elite status, and competitive earning rates at IHG properties.
- If you want to earn points you can use with IHG and other rewards programs, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees) is one of our top picks. Transfer the Ultimate Rewards points earned from this card to IHG, Hyatt, or Marriott, or book hotels in the Chase Travel℠ portal. You'll also enjoy a $50 annual hotel spending credit, as well as top-notch travel insurance and solid earning rates.
- If you want a premium hotel card with a more valuable free night and higher-end perks, consider the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (Rates & Fees). This card offers a free night award each year (often worth more than IHG One Rewards Points), automatic Marriott Bonvoy® Silver Elite status, and a path to Gold Elite status through spending. While it has a similar annual fee to the IHG Premier Card, it may offer better value if you prefer hotels participating in the Marriott brands or want a more flexible redemption portfolio.
- Earn up to 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 up to 2X points from IHG® with Silver Elite Status, a benefit of this Card
- Earn up to 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)
$95Rates & Fees
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
$95Rates & Fees
- 6X points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
- 3X points for every $1 spent on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases annually on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
- 2X points on all other eligible purchases
Bottom Line
The IHG One Rewards Premier Card offers lots of value for IHG loyalists. If you stay with IHG at least once each year, the anniversary reward night should easily cover the card's ongoing $99 annual fee. Once you factor in the fourth night free on award bookings and the benefits of complimentary elite status, it's easy to justify keeping this card for the long term.
Right now is an ideal time to add the IHG One Rewards Premier Card to your wallet and pick up up to 185,000 bonus points. That gives you plenty of time to test out the card's benefits — and lots of points to do it in style.
- Limited Time Offer! Earn up to 185,000 bonus points. Earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 35,000 bonus points after spending a total of $6,000 in the first 6 months from account opening.
- Enjoy an Anniversary Free Night at IHG® Hotels & Resorts. Plus, enjoy a fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG hotel stay.
- Earn up to 26 total points 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 cardmember
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $120 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, Hotel Indigo® & Holiday Inn®
- Member FDIC
- Earn up to 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 up to 6X points from IHG® with Platinum Elite Status, a benefit of having this card
- Earn up to 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG® One Rewards member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (Rates & Fees), IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (Rates & Fees), IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
