Review
Updated
Hotels are one of the biggest expenses when it comes to vacationing -- but with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card in your pocket, it won't take you long to get to a free hotel stay. This is a hotel credit card favorite for good reason: It comes with a generous sign-up bonus, a great rewards rate, and perks like hotel status and annual free nights. Discover all the travel benefits of this card in our IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card review.
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Best
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= Excellent
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= Good
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= Fair
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= Poor
= Best
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Credit Score
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR N/A
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
21.49% - 28.49% Variable
Rewards 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.
Earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts
Annual Fee N/A
$99
Welcome Offer Earn 165,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn 165,000 bonus points
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This card has a very lucrative bonus you can earn after opening an account, and allows you to rack up tons of point on hotel stays.
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- Big sign-up bonus
- Free night award
- Automatic elite status
- Bonus IHG® rewards
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee
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- Limited Time Offer! Earn 165,000 Bonus Points
- 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 $100 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, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
- Member FDIC
Full IHG Rewards Premier Card review
This credit card is a good fit for: Travelers who want to earn free nights and get special perks at IHG® hotels.
Top perks
140,000-point sign-up bonus
Spending at least $3,000 in the first 3 months will earn you 140,000 bonus points and a free night. This is a very competitive sign-up bonus for the annual fee.
Free night every anniversary
Every year on your card anniversary you'll be gifted a free night that can be used at any IHG® hotel that's worth 40,000 points per night or fewer.
Platinum Elite status
Cardholders are automatically upgraded to IHG® Rewards Club Platinum Elite status, which comes with a few useful perks. You'll get 20% off point purchases, the anniversary free night, and a fourth reward night free. The latter benefit gives you a free reward night every time you book an award stay of four nights or more.
No foreign transaction fees
For those who travel abroad frequently, it's important to have a credit card with no foreign transaction fee. The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card does not charge one.
Alternatives to consider
- If you're looking for a hotel credit card that will earn you luxury stays: It's hard to beat the The World of Hyatt Credit Card. Hyatt points are the most valuable hotel points of any major hotel loyalty program, and although Hyatt's footprint is smaller giants like Hilton and Marriott, the company owns some of the most beloved luxury properties in the world. This card also comes with a generous sign-up bonus and an annual free night award.
- If you want to earn more flexible travel points or don't want to stay brand-loyal: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns Ultimate Rewards® points, which can be redeemed for a range of different travel expenses that include flights, hotels, tours, transportation, and cruises. You can also transfer your points to a long list of airline and hotel partners, making this credit card a great option for travelers who want a more flexible rewards program. Plus, you'll earn extra points on all travel and dining spending, so you don't have to stay loyal to one hotel brand.
Read more: Best Hotel Credit Cards
As of Apr. 16, 2024
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IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card |
The World of Hyatt Credit Card |
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card |
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
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Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
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Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
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Welcome Offer: Earn 165,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Earn 165,000 bonus points |
Welcome Offer: Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent. Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points |
Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. 60,000 bonus points |
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Rewards Program: 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. Earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts |
Rewards Program: Earn up to 9 points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4 Bonus Points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5 Base Points per $1 you can earn as a World of Hyatt member Up to 9 points total per $1 spent at Hyatt |
Rewards Program: Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases |
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Intro APR: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A |
Intro APR: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A |
Intro APR: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A |
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Regular APR: 21.49% - 28.49% Variable |
Regular APR: 21.49% - 28.49% variable |
Regular APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable |
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Annual Fee: N/A $99 |
Annual Fee: N/A $95 |
Annual Fee: N/A $95 |
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Highlights:
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Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
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The information related to The World of Hyatt Credit Card has been collected by The Ascent and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.
What could be improved
Annual fee
The $99 annual fee is lower than many travel credit cards, but it's not waived the first year. The annual free night is offered as an incentive to keep the card and pay the fee, but because the annual free night can be redeemed only at hotels valued at 40,000 points or below, there is a limit to how much value you can get from it.
Transfer partners
If you're looking to redeem your points for something other than a stay at an IHG® hotel, you won't have much luck. While this credit card does offer plenty of options for transferring your points to various airlines, most of them transfer at a rate of 10,000 points for 2,000 miles, meaning even the 140,000-point sign-up bonus isn't enough for a round-trip flight on most airlines.
Low value points
While the sign-up bonus and rewards rate on this card are massive, the points you earn are worth less than most other hotel points. We calculate that IHG® points are worth $0.005 each on average.
Read more: Best Travel Cards With No Annual Fee
Find the best credit card for your needs
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
Suggested credit score
Applicants with excellent credit (a FICO® Score of at least 670) have a great chance of approval for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card.
The IHG Rewards Premier Card is right for you if:
The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is a very high-value card for people who stay in IHG® hotels regularly, and even for those who just want to travel more often and enjoy IHG® properties. Even though there's an annual fee, we calculate the sign-up bonus on this card to be worth at least $625 in hotel spending.
In addition, if you travel regularly, you'll still find the card worthwhile beyond the sign-up bonus. The Global Entry statement credit saves you $100 every four years. And the annual free night perk alone makes the annual fee worth it if you already have plans to stay in a qualifying IHG® hotel the following year.
Our credit card methodology
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
FAQs
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The minimum starting credit limit for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is $2,000. Credit limits vary depending on the applicant's creditworthiness, and some cardholders have reported much higher limits of $15,000 or more.
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No, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card isn't free. It has a $99 annual fee.
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No, points earned with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card don't expire as long as your card remains active. Cardholders are automatically upgraded to IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card status, and points don't expire when you have elite status. Without elite status, points would expire after 12 months of no account activity.
Our Credit Cards Expert
Elizabeth is a personal finance writer specializing in credit cards, debt repayment, and small business. Her work has appeared on The Motley Fool, MSN Money, Yahoo! Finance, and Business Insider. She’s an avid credit card points collector and perpetual traveler currently living in Costa Rica.
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JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Discover Financial Services is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Elizabeth Aldrich has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase and Target. The Motley Fool recommends Discover Financial Services, Hyatt Hotels, InterContinental Hotels Group Plc, and Marriott International. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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