With a massive, worldwide footprint and properties ranging from the affordable (Holiday Inn Express) to the luxurious (Regent and Intercontinental), you can probably stay at an IHG hotel on any trip you take, and Chase’s IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card can improve every aspect of your experience.
Limited Time Offer: The Chase IHG Premier card usually offers 80,000 points after you spend $2,000 in the first three months, and it still does, but for a limited time, they’ll also throw in an extra 40,000 points if you spend $5,000 total in the first six months. If you wanted to stretch this out to the extreme, you could use those points on 5,000 point PointsBreak nights, and combine them with the fourth night free promotion (more on that later), and stay at a hotel for 30 nights on your welcome bonus alone.
Free nights at IHG properties start at 10,000 points, and range up to 70,000 points, with the exception of a rotating quarterly cast of PointsBreak properties, which start at 5,000 points. The company has announced that it will institute variable pricing in the future, and it’s unclear if that ceiling or floor will change. You can also use a combination of points and cash to book a variety of rooms, which is great when you don’t have enough in your account for a totally free night.
With the Chase IHG Premier card, you’ll earn a whopping 10 points per dollar on IHG purchases, plus two points at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants, and one point on all other purchases. The Points Guy only values IHG points at .5 cents each, so with the exception of IHG purchases, most of your spend would probably be better spent elsewhere, after you get your welcome bonus.
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The Chase IHG Premier card will earn you 80,000 IHG rewards points after spending $2,000 in the first three months, worth approximately $400 based on the above valuations. That value will vary though based on how you redeem them.
The card will cost you $89 per year, and that fee is not waived in your first year. That’s pretty typical for non-premium hotel cards, and the perks (which we’ll get to below) should make it an easier pill to swallow.
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Perks are where the IHG Premier card really shines. The headliner here is a fourth night free benefit on award stays. Just use points to book a four night stay at any IHG property, and you’ll only have to pay the points required for three nights. Stay eight nights, and you’ll pay for six. If you play your cards right, this can be incredibly lucrative.
You’ll also enjoy complimentary Platinum Elite status, which allows you to earn bonus points on paid stays, free room upgrades (based on availability), priority check-in, late check out, a $30 in-room spa credit, and even two free Kindle ebooks per quarter.
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And finally, every year on your cardmember anniversary, you’ll get a free night certificate good for any room priced at 40,000 points or less. The value of that perk will vary based on how you use it, but according to TPG’s valuation, that’s worth around $200, more than enough to cover that $89 annual fee.
IHG rewards points may not be worth much compared to, say, World of Hyatt points, but that doesn’t mean the Chase IHG Premier card isn’t worth adding to your collection. I probably wouldn’t recommend putting much spend on it, since you can get so much more value from transferrable currencies like Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards, but the perks carry this card despite its relatively low annual fee.
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Gizmodo Media Commerce has partnered with The Points Guy Affiliate Network for our coverage of credit products. Gizmodo Media Group and The Points Guy may receive a commission from card issuers.
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