Is the IHG hotel credit card worth it?

If you're loyal to IHG, having one of their cards can be a smart strategic move. They have several card options, but one really stands out:

• IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card ($0 annual fee): Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

• IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card ($99 annual fee): Earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.

• IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card ($99 annual fee): Earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

One free anniversary night (worth up to 40,000 points) at IHG from a $95 annual fee card is compelling. But, is the IHG Premier hotel credit card worth it? The card is loaded with other perks that could give a fair amount of value:

• Get a 4th night free when you redeem points for 3 nights

• Points earning

  • Up to 26x points on IHG stays

  • 5x points on travel, gas, and restaurants

  • 3x points on all other purchases

• Automatic Platinum Elite status, and ability to spend your way to Diamond Elite status

• Up to $50 in United Airlines TravelBank Cash each year

• Fee credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS

• No foreign transaction fees

  
  

Learn more about the IHG Premier card here. See the bottom of this post for a complete list of IHG brands, including InterContinental, Six Senses, Kimpton, and Hotel Indigo.

If after 12 months of having the card you don't wish to keep it, you could choose to downgrade to the $0 annual fee Traveler credit card.

IHG brands include: