It’s no secret that I am a fan of my IHG credit card. It has given me great value internationally in Dubai and Vietnam. In both of those places, I got suite upgrades! I also have used it to stay at beautiful Kimpton hotels in the USA. It makes a great card for families, too, at hotels like Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites. This post is all about IHG Credit Cards.

 

The Chase IHG Premier Credit Card

The Chase IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card has a welcome offer of 140,000 points + a free night certificate (no more than 40K/night property) after a minimum spend of $3,000 in 3 months. The annual fee is $99  and is not waived in the first year. Here is the bonus spend categories.

• 10x on IHG stays
• 5x on travel, gas stations, dining
• 3x on everything else

This makes it a great card for paying for gas which has skyrocketed lately. It is also a good card for eating out. Other great benefits include:

• Free annual night certificate at hotels that cost no more than 40,000 points/night
• Platinum Elite status as long as you have the card (has given me suite upgrades in Asia)
• Global Entry or TSA credit
• Fourth night free on reward stays – this is a huge benefit!!
• $50 United TravelBank Cash after enrolling ($25/semiannually)

 

I think that this is one of those cards whose benefits outweigh the annual fee. I keep it year after year. It is easily possible to use the free annual night certificate for a hotel that is worth over $200. Getting that fourth night free on reward stays also saves me a ton of money. The Chase IHG Premier Card is a card my husband and I have, and we have no intention of getting rid of it unless I decide to go for the signup bonus again in the future. Is it worth a 5/24 spot, though? If hotels are your main goal, yes. However, we always prefer to get more transferable points than co-branded cards.

A huge new perk is an option to use points to top off the value of the free night certificates. For example, if you have a free night certificate (valued at 40K points) and want to stay at a property that would cost 60K, you can pay the additional 20k with points! This is my favorite way that IHG recently revamped its credit cards!

 

The Chase IHG Rewards Traveler Credit Card

The Chase IHG Rewards Traveler Credit Card has a welcome offer of 120,000 points after a minimum spend of $2,000 in 3 months. It doesn’t have an annual fee and does not come with a free night certificate each year. I would only get this card if I wanted to increase my IHG points. 

 

 

Chase IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

The Chase IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card is a completely new card. Since business cards don’t count against your 5/24, we are happy to have the addition of this new card. I feel better recommending this card as it will not take a 5/24 spot. You can get a 140,000 welcome offer with this card after a minimum spend of $3,000 in 3 months. The annual fee is $99. This card will also get you that free night certificate we like so much! The bonus categories are:

• 10x on IHG stays
• 5x on travel, gas stations, dining
• 3x on everything else

Other perks include:

• Free annual night certificate at hotels that cost no more than 40,000 points/night
• Platinum Elite status as long as you have the card (has given me suite upgrades in Asia)
• Global Entry or TSA credit
• Fourth night free on reward stays – this is a huge benefit!!
• Ability to top off the free night award with points
• $50 United TravelBank Cash after enrolling ($25/semiannually)

 

 

What You Can Do With 140,000 IHG Rewards

If you are looking for a luxury hotel, look at the IHG Kimpton or Intercontinental brands. You could get 3-4 nights at one of these hotels, depending on the rate when you are looking.

 

IHG points are also great for family stays at Staybridge Suites. Free breakfasts, free laundry, pets welcome, and free bites in the evening from Monday-Wednesday. It really is so family-friendly. Wanting to go to Disney World? The Staybridge Suites: Orlando Airport is a great choice for families with two queen beds, a living area with a sleeper sofa, and a full kitchen. And I found nights for 25,000 points, so you could get 5 nights for 100,000 points!

 

Bottom Line

The IHG Premier Card is a great beginner card and comes with great benefits. It is one of my favorite cards that I keep year after year, and use my annual free night certificates that more than pay for my annual fee. It is a keeper in my wallet and one that I highly recommend. I will also be getting the new business card soon as I find my IHG cards very valuable.