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- Chase is offering big elevated bonus offers on the
IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card - Product Name Only andIHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card - Product Name Only , but they're only available until the end of the day on April 5, 2023. - The biggest bonus is on the
IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card - Editorial Name Only : a record-highIHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card - Intro Bonus . - You can redeem IHG points at brands like Holiday Inn, Staybridge Suites, Hotel Indigo, and Kimpton.
- Read Insider's guide to the best travel rewards credit cards.
Earning points for free stays from any of the best hotel credit cards is a smart move if you find yourself on the road frequently. We've seen a handful of elevated hotel credit card offers recently, including whopper bonuses on two IHG credit cards from Chase.
Until the end of the day on April 5, 2023, new Chase IHG cardholders can earn the following:
IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card - Product Name Only :IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card - Intro Bonus IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card - Product Name Only :IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card - Intro Bonus
These offers join the already excellent bonus on the
Here's a look at all three cards to help you decide which is a good fit for you.
We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Chase IHG Premier card: Record-high 175,000-point bonus
The
Its new welcome offer of
Beyond the bonus, the
This benefit alone can easily offset the annual fee (and then some) and makes the
The card also offers excellent travel and shopping perks, including:
- Automatic IHG Platinum elite status (room upgrades where available, late checkout, complimentary internet, a welcome gift, 60% bonus points on paid bookings) with an upgrade to top-level Diamond elite status after spending $40,000 on purchases in a calendar year and making one additional purchase
- Fourth night free on point stays of three or more consecutive nights (effectively a 25% savings on four-night award stays)
- Up to $50 per year in United Travel Bank cash
- 10,000 bonus IHG points and a $100 statement credit each account anniversary year you spend $20,000 on purchases (and make one additional purchase at least one day after you spend $20,000)
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit
- 20% discount on IHG points purchases made with your card
- Secondary car rental insurance
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- Travel accident insurance
- Lost luggage reimbursement
- Baggage delay insurance
- Purchase protection
- Extended warranty
- Travel and emergency assistance services
- No foreign transaction fees
Cardholders can also take advantage of $10 per month in Gopuff credits (through December 31, 2023) and a year of complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership (activation required by December 31, 2024). Here's our full IHG Rewards Club Premier credit card review with all the details.
Chase IHG Traveler card: 120,000 points with no annual fee
If you're completely opposed to paying an annual fee, or just don't stay with IHG that often but still want to earn IHG points, the
The
- Automatic IHG Silver elite status (late checkout when available, 20% bonus points on paid bookings) with an upgrade to Gold elite status after spending $20,000 on purchases in a calendar year and making one additional purchase
- Fourth night free on point stays of three or more consecutive nights
- 10,000 bonus points when you spend at least $10,000 and make one additional purchase with the card
- 20% discount on IHG points purchases made with your card
- Secondary car rental insurance
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- Travel accident insurance
- Lost luggage reimbursement
- Baggage delay insurance
- Purchase protection
- Extended warranty
- No foreign transaction fees
Like the
Chase IHG Premier Business card: Earn 140,000 points
The welcome bonus offer on the
Just note that to qualify for a small-business card like this, you'll need to have some sort of business venture — but side gigs like driving for Uber or freelancing can make you eligible.
With a
The card's other perks include:
- Automatic IHG Platinum elite status with an upgrade to top-level Diamond elite status after spending $40,000 on purchases in a calendar year and making one additional purchase
- Fourth night free on point stays of three or more consecutive nights (effectively a 25% savings on four-night award stays)
- Up to $50 per year in United Travel Bank cash
- 10,000 bonus IHG points and a $100 statement credit each account anniversary year you spend $20,000 on purchases (and make one additional purchase at least one day after you spend $20,000)
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit
- 20% discount on IHG points purchases made with your card
- Car rental insurance (primary car rental insurance when renting for business purposes, secondary otherwise)
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- Purchase protection
- Extended warranty
- Travel and emergency assistance services
- No foreign transaction fees
This card also comes with a complimentary year of DoorDash DashPass (activation required by December 31, 2024). Be sure to read our IHG Premier Business credit card review to see if it's the right choice for you.
Compare IHG credit cards
Here's a side-by-side comparison of all three IHG credit cards for a quick look at the differences:
Annual fee | |||
Rewards rate | 10x points at IHG Hotels and Resorts* 5x points for travel, dining, and at gas stations 3x points for all other eligible purchases | 5x points* at IHG Hotels and Resorts 3x points on utilities, internet, cable, phone, and select streaming services 3x points on dining and at gas stations 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases | 10x points at IHG Hotels and Resorts* 5x points on travel and at gas stations, dining, social media and search engine advertising, and at office supply stores 3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases |
Welcome bonus | |||
Card benefits | Automatic IHG Platinum Elite status Diamond elite status after spending $40,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year with the card Annual free night award worth up to 40,000 points 10,000 bonus points and a $100 statement credit after spending $20,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year Up to $50 in United TravelBank Cash each calendar year Fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a stay of three or more nights Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit 20% discount when you purchase points with your card Car rental insurance (secondary in the US, primary otherwise) Trip cancellation/interruption insurance Travel accident insurance Lost luggage reimbursement Baggage delay insurance Travel and emergency assistance services Purchase protection Extended warranty No foreign transaction fees $10 per month in Gopuff credit through December 2023 One-year free DoorDash DashPass membership (activation required by December 31, 2024) | Automatic IHG Silver elite status Gold elite status after spending $20,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year with the card Fourth reward night free on award stays of three or more nights 10,000 bonus points each year you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases and make one additional purchase Car rental insurance (secondary in the US, primary otherwise) Trip cancellation/interruption insurance Travel accident insurance Lost luggage reimbursement Baggage delay insurance Travel and emergency assistance services Purchase protection Extended warranty 20% discount on IHG point purchases with your card No foreign transaction fees $10 per month in Gopuff credit through December 2023 One-year free DoorDash DashPass membership (activation required by December 31, 2024) | Automatic IHG Platinum Elite status Diamond elite status after spending $40,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year with the card Annual free night award*** An additional free night each year you spend $60,000 on purchases and make one additional purchase each calendar year Fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a stay of three or more nights Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit Up to $50 in United TravelBank Cash each calendar year 10,000 bonus points and a $100 statement credit after spending $20,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year 20% discount when you purchase points with your card Car rental insurance (primary when renting for business purposes in the US) Trip cancellation/interruption insurance Travel and emergency assistance services Purchase protection Extended warranty No foreign transaction fees One-year free DoorDash DashPass membership (activation required by December 31, 2024) |
Review |
* Bonus points at IHG hotels are in addition to the points members would normally earn from a stay
What can you do with IHG points?
You'll typically get the best return by using IHG points for stays at over 6,000 hotels across 18 brands worldwide. IHG doesn't publish an award chart anymore, so the number of points required for a free stay will vary based on hotel, time of year, demand, paid price, and other factors.
Most hotels charge 10,000 to 70,000 points per night, though some high-end resorts can charge up to 120,000 points. IHG sometimes runs award sales that can save you up to 20% on these prices, and remember, if you have one of the IHG cards listed above, you'll get the fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a stay of three or more nights.
IHG has other options for redeeming points, with varying values, including:
- Points and Cash awards
- Transfer to airline partners
- Donate points to charity
- Redeem points for merchandise, magazines, gift cards, and digital rewards
- Use points for exclusive experiences like concerts and sporting events
Other options for earning IHG points
If you don't want to lock yourself into a single loyalty program by opening an IHG credit card, there's another, more flexible option. When you have a card that earns transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, you can transfer your points to IHG — along with over a dozen other hotel and airline partners — at a 1:1 ratio.
The ability to transfer to partners is why Insider values Chase Ultimate Rewards points as worth 1.8 cents apiece, on average. You can earn transferable Chase points from the following cards:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Product Name Only : EarnChase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Intro Bonus ,Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Annual Fee annual feeChase Sapphire Reserve® - Product Name Only : EarnChase Sapphire Reserve® - Intro Bonus ,Chase Sapphire Reserve® - Annual Fee annual feeInk Business Preferred® Credit Card - Product Name Only : EarnInk Business Preferred® Credit Card - Intro Bonus ,Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card - Annual Fee annual fee
In addition, IHG is a Bilt Rewards transfer partner. When you earn points by paying rent through Bilt or spending on the
Be sure to read Insider's beginner's guide to using credit card rewards for free travel for more ideas on how to see the world on the cheap.