What is the best IHG credit card bonus?

This question is about Best Hotel Credit Cards

FRANKIE SOLOMON, Member

@solosolosolo 08/05/20 This answer was first published on 08/05/20. For the most current information about a financial product, you should always check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by any company.

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The best IHG credit card bonus is 125,000 points for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months with the IHG Rewards Club Premier card. That’s one of the biggest hotel credit card bonuses on the market. The Premier card is not the only IHG card with a sizeable bonus, though. The IHG Rewards Club Traveler card offers 60,000 points for spending $2,000 in the first 3 months. When deciding between these two IHG credit card bonus offers, make sure to consider the cards’ annual fees. The Premier card has a $89 annual fee. The Traveler card charges $0.

Both IHG credit cards offer bonus rewards beyond their initial bonuses. The Premier card gives you a free night on each account anniversary. And both cards offer a free fourth night when you redeem points for a stay of four or more nights. In addition, the Premier card offers 25 points per $1 spent on IHG hotel stays, while the Traveler card gives 15. That includes the points you get for being a normal IHG Rewards Club member. Both cards provide 2 points per $1 spent on gas, grocery and restaurant purchases, too, along with 1 point per $1 on everything else.

It’s also useful to note that you don’t have to spend your IHG credit card bonus points at IHG-branded properties. You can also spend them at one of the many other chains IHG owns, like Holiday Inn or Crowne Plaza.

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IHG Premier Credit Card Benefits List:

Fourth Reward Night Free: Redeem points for an IHG hotel stay of 4 or more consecutive nights and get your 4th night for free.

Free Anniversary Night: get a free night at any IHG hotel with a point redemption level of 40,000 points or less.

125,000 points + 1 Free Night: spending $3,000 in the first 3 months will get you 125,000 points and a free night certificate.

Up to 25 Reward Points per dollar at IHG Hotels: you get 10 points / $1 at IHG Hotels and resorts as cardholder, plus up to an extra 10 points for your IHG Rewards Club membership and up to another 5 points for the Platinum Elite Status you benefit from automatically.

TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry Statement Credit: up to $100 credit every 4 years for TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry application fees.

Complimentary IHG Rewards Club Platinum Elite Status: late checkout, complimentary room upgrades, spa credits for eligible properties, and 50% extra bonus points on top of base points earned at IHG hotels.

20% off Points Purchases: purchased rewards points are at least 20% cheaper when charged to your IHG Premier.

$0 Foreign Transaction Fees.

The IHG Premier’s little brother, the IHG® Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card, comes with a similar (but lesser) list of benefits and keeps costs down with a $0 annual fee. IHG Traveler Card benefits include free fourth nights at hotels booked with IHG points, 20% off purchases of rewards points, 60,000 points for spending $2,000 in the first 3 months, $0 foreign transaction fees, Gold Elite status in the IHG Rewards Club after spending $10,000 in a calendar year, and 5 points / $1 spent at IHG hotels and resorts worldwide.

There are fewer free hotel stays with the IHG Traveler Card, but if you stay at IHG properties often, you’ll earn lots of rewards points that can be used for free hotel stays, among other things.

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