Rewards Plan
Sign up Bonus
Our Rating
0% Intro
Annual Fee
APR
- Big Rewards on all IGH purchases
- Quality sign-up bonus
- Not For Everyday Purchases
- Annual Fee
Rewards Plan
Up to 10X points from IHG® on stays for being an IHG One Rewards member. Up to 6X points from IHG® on stays with Platinum Elite Status. 5X total points on travel, dining, and at gas stations and 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Sign up Bonus
140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Our Rating
PROS
- Big Rewards on all IGH purchases
- Quality sign-up bonus
CONS
- Not For Everyday Purchases
- Annual Fee
APR
20.99% - 27.99% variable
Annual Fee
$99
0% Intro
N/A
Credit Requirements
Good - Excellent
The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has a great rewards rate on all IHG purchases, as well as other fantastic benefits for frequent IHG customers. IHG is the owner of a large group of hotels, including Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, StayBridge Suites, and others
IHG offers Up to 10X points from IHG® on stays for being an IHG One Rewards member. Up to 6X points from IHG® on stays with Platinum Elite Status. 5X total points on travel, dining, and at gas stations and 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases.. As a sign-up bonus, you'll earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Cardholders automatically attain Platinum Elite status, benefiting from room upgrades, welcome amenities, and a 60% bonus on paid stays. A unique feature is the fourth-night-free reward, allowing cardholders to pay zero points for every fourth night during four-night or longer award stays.
IHG One Rewards Premier cardholders also enjoy various general benefits like rental car insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty protection.
However, the card charges $99 as an annual fee, and individuals seeking more flexibility may consider a general-purpose travel rewards card.
What Purchases Don't Earn Points?
The IHG Rewards Club Premier card has a tiered reward structure, which means that you can earn points on practically any purchase. There are some exceptions, which are not uncommon across all credit card providers.
This includes cash equivalent purchases such as gift cards and topping up pre paid cards, interest fees and other similar charges.
How Much Are 10,000 Miles/Points Worth?
The points value for the IHG program can fluctuate in value depending on how you redeem them. Some hotel deals will cost more according to the cash value, demand and other factors.
Typically, you can expect a redemption value of $0.005 per point. This means that if you have 10,000 points, they will be worth approximately $50.
How's the IHG Hotel Network?
IHG has over 6,000 hotel locations across 100 countries. Here in the US, there are over 3,800 hotels and resort locations. This means that it should be quite easy to find an IHG location wherever you’re traveling.
When Should You Consider It?
As an IHG branded card, the card rewards are heavily weighted towards IHG stays and purchases with up to 25 points per dollar. So, if you’re brand loyal to IHG when you travel and want to still enjoy rewards for other purchases, this is a good card choice.
When Shouldn't You Consider It?
If you’re not particularly brand loyal to IHG and don’t have strong preferences about which hotel chain you use, there are other travel cards that have general categories, which can provide decent rewards.
These cards typically have a tiered structure, so you can also earn decent rewards on your everyday purchases.
In This Review..
Pros & Cons
Let's explore the advantages and disadvantages of the IHG One Rewards Premier Card to determine its suitability for your financial needs.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Even More Points Rewards on IGH Purchases | Specific to IHG Brand |
Sign-up Bonus | Annual Fee |
Fourth-Night-Free Reward | Not For Everyday Purchases |
Many Hotels to Choose From | IHG Redemption Limitations |
Automatic Platinum Status |
- Even More Points Rewards on IGH Purchases
When you use your IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card on any IHG purchase, you’ll earn Up to 10X points from IHG® on stays for being an IHG One Rewards member. Up to 6X points from IHG® on stays with Platinum Elite Status. 5X total points on travel, dining, and at gas stations and 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases..
You’ll net 25 IHG Rewards points per dollar spent on purchases at IHG hotels. This point earning breaks down as follows:
- 10 IHG Rewards points per dollar for paying with your credit card
- 10 IHG Rewards points per dollar as an IHG One Rewards Member
- 6 IHG Rewards points per dollar for being a Platinum Elite member
- Sign-up Bonus
When you apply and get approved for an IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, you automatically get 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Automatic Platinum Status
Automatic Platinum Elite status as long as you're an IHG Premier cardholder, providing perks like room upgrades, welcome amenities, and a 60% bonus on paid stays.
- Fourth-Night-Free Reward
Unique benefit allowing cardholders to pay zero points for every fourth night during award stays of four nights or longer, maximizing the value of IHG points.
- Many Hotels to Choose From
IHG is the owner of a large group of hotels, including Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, StayBridge Suites, and others.
This gives the card holder any different options when looking at hotels, and also gives them the freedom to stay in more places, as each hotel chain adds more locations than if it were just one single chain.
- Specific to IHG Brand
The card's benefits are primarily focused on IHG properties, making it less versatile for those seeking a broader range of hotel options.
- Annual Fee
This card does have an annual fee of $99 , with a variable APR of 20.99% – 27.99% variable.
You will also need good/excellent standing credit to have a chance at getting approved for the card.
- Not For Everyday Purchases
When the card does offer great perks for IHG purchases, the everyday purchases are average at best.
- IHG Redemption Limitations
IHG Rewards uses dynamic award pricing, which may limit redemption options for luxury properties, and some travelers find the program weak for award night availability due to potential limitations by hotels.
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What Can You Do With IHG Points Rewards?
IHG Rewards points can be used for a variety of redemptions within the IHG hotel portfolio. Here are some key ways to use IHG Rewards points:
Hotel Stays: The primary and most common use of IHG Rewards points is for free hotel stays. Points can be redeemed for standard rooms, suites, or even for Points & Cash bookings, where you use a combination of points and cash to book a room.
Points & Cash: IHG allows you to use a combination of points and cash to book a hotel room. This can be a good option if you want to stretch your points further or if you don't have enough points for a full redemption.
Transfer to Airlines: While not as versatile as some other loyalty programs, IHG Rewards points can be transferred to a variety of airline partners. However, the transfer ratios are not always favorable, so this option may not provide the best value.
Gift Cards: IHG offers the option to redeem points for gift cards from various retailers. However, the value per point for gift cards may not be as high as for hotel stays.
How It Compared To Other IHG Cards?
The IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card and the IHG Rewards Traveler Credit Card cater to different needs within the IHG loyalty program. While both cards offer points for IHG hotel stays, they differ in terms of benefits and annual fees.
The IHG Rewards Traveler Credit Card is a great budget-friendly option with no annual fee. While it doesn’t offer all the premium perks of the Premier card, it still comes with a solid sign-up bonus and good points earning potential, especially at IHG properties. This card is ideal for occasional IHG guests who want to earn rewards without the commitment of an annual fee.
On the other hand, the larger sign-up bonus of the IHG Rewards Premier and its elevated points earning at IHG hotels make it an attractive choice for frequent IHG guests. The card also comes with additional travel and purchase protections, adding to its overall value proposition.
Is the IHG One Rewards Premier Card Right for You?
In the end, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers exceptional travel rewards that are hard to beat compared to other cards in the market. With benefits like free nights, a generous sign-up bonus, and Platinum status, it's a solid choice for anyone looking to maximize their travel perks.
This card is certainly designed for IHG customers and larger IHG purchases, so if you are looking for a more versatile hotel or travel credit card, then this might not be the rught card for you.
With this being said, this card is certainly designed for IHG customers and larger IHG purchases and the rewards are limited to IHG trips, so someone looking for a rewards card with more rewards options will want to consider other cards.
Compare The Alternatives
There are more hotel cards – here are some good alternatives to the IHG One Rewards Premier card:
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|
World of Hyatt Credit Card | Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card | Hilton Honors American Express Card | |
Annual Fee | $95 | $95 | $0 |
Rewards |
1X – 4X
4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on purchases at all Hyatt hotels. Plus, 5 Base Points from Hyatt per eligible $1 spent for being a World of Hyatt member. 2x Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, local transit and commuting as well as fitness club and gym memberships. Plus, earn 1 Bonus Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
|
1x – 6X
6X points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® credit card. Plus, earn up to 10X points from Marriott for being a Marriott Bonvoy® member. Plus, earn up to 1X point from Marriott with Silver Elite Status. Earn 3X points for every $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining. Earn 2X points for every $1 you spend on all other purchases.
|
3X – 7X
7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio, 5x points at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery) U.S.supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and 3x points for each dollar on other eligible purchases
|
Welcome bonus |
60,000 points
Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points after qualifying purchases.
|
125,000 points
Earn 125,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening.
|
100,000 points
100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership
|
Foreign Transaction Fee | $0 | $0. | $0. See Rates and Fees. |
Purchase APR | 21.49%–28.49% variable | 21.49%–28.49% variable | 20.24% – 29.24% variable APR |
FAQ
While the IHG One Rewards Premier card does have a number of travel benefits, car rental insurance is not included in the list of perks. This means that even if you pay for your car rental with your card, you’ll not benefit from any supplemental insurance coverage.
The IHG Rewards program has a number of partner brands that allows you to redeem your points for flights. The list of partner airlines includes American Airlines, British Airways, Alaska Airlines, Delta, Emirates, Jet Blue, Qantas, and Virgin Atlantic. However, the point conversion ratio will depend on which partner program you choose.
There is no official guideline of what credit limit you can expect, but many customers have reported an initial credit limit of $2,000. However, if you have good creditworthiness and sufficient income, you may receive a higher initial credit limit
Your points will expire if there is 12 months of no account activity. So, you’ll need to earn points or redeem them at least once per year to avoid your points expiring.
Compare IHG One Rewards Premier Card
In our opinion, the IHG One Rewards Premier wins only if you plan to spend a significant amount on hotels. If not, the differences are minor.
IHG One Rewards Traveler vs. Premier: Side By Side Comparison
Both cards offer similar rewards ratio and hotel perks, so overall it comes down to which hotel chain you like better – IHG or Marriot?
IHG One Rewards Premier vs. Marriott Bonvoy Boundless: Side By Side Comparison
With this hotel rewards cards battle, the World of Hyatt Card is our winner as it offers a higher annual cash back for the average consumer
World of Hyatt Card vs IHG One Rewards Premier: Side By Side Comparison
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