Is an IHG credit card worth it?

This is a matter of personal preference. If you are loyal to IHG hotel brands when you travel, it is worth considering one of the cards. Whether or not you need the higher-level IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card depends on your travel spending. If you’d rather have more flexibility with how you redeem travel points, a general rewards card might be a better option.

Can you add an authorized user to an IHG credit card?

You can add up to five additional authorized users to your account.

Do the bonus points from your IHG credit card expire?

Your IHG Rewards Club account will not expire as long as there is IHG Rewards Club program activity within 12 months. You will lose all points that haven’t been transferred to IHG Rewards Club if you close your card, or if your card account is closed for program misuse, fraudulent activities, failure to pay, bankruptcy or other reasons described in the terms of the Rewards Program Agreement.

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Best IHG Credit Cards in December 2024

Q: Can you have both IHG credit cards?

You can, but there really would be no benefit to having both cards as the rewards structure is the same.

Updated on:

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IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

While the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has an annual fee, it also has a better sign-up bonus and more points-earning potential than other IHG cards, making it the best IHG credit card.

For frequent travelers who enjoy staying at IHG hotel properties, being part of IHG® One Rewards can help you earn free nights, perks and privileges. One of the best ways to accumulate those points is by getting one of Chase’s co-branded IHG credit cards: the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card or the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card. Business owners and entrepreneurs can also earn valuable IHG rewards with the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card. And while these cards are similar, they all feature differing annual fees, sign-up bonuses and rewards rates.

Choosing between the IHG cards really depends on how much traveling you do, and whether achieving status in the IHG Rewards Program is important to you.

Top 4 IHG credit cards

(Winner) Best IHG credit card for elevated benefits and status: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Best IHG card with no annual fee: IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Best IHG business credit card: IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
Best IHG travel rewards card: Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

Find your perfect card in 30 seconds. Check your approval odds so you can shop smarter.

Compare the best IHG Credit Cards

Credit Cards	Our Ratings	Annual Fee	Rewards Rate	Welcome Offer
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card* Learn More	3.6 Best for elevated benefits and status	$99	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 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	Learn More
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card* Learn More on Chase's secure site	3.0 Best for no annual fee	$0	Earn up to 17 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.	Earn 100,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.	Learn More on Chase's secure site
IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card Apply Now on Chase's secure site	3.6 Best for business owners	$99	Earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel. Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, select advertising, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.	Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	Apply Now on Chase's secure site
Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card Apply Now on Chase's secure site	4.7 Best for travel rewards	$95	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.	Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.	Apply Now on Chase's secure site

*The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms Apply.

Best IHG credit card for elevated benefits and status

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card*

LendingTree's Review

3.6

LendingTree's Review

3.6

Learn More

IHG 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.

Large sign-up bonus
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS fee credit
Automatic Platinum Elite status
$100 statement credit and 10,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 each year
Earn free night (40,000 points) on your account anniversary
Redeem three nights and get the fourth night free

$99 annual fee
Earns very few points on everyday spending

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is the best of the IHG cards for frequent IHG travelers, and its perks begin with its significantly large sign-up bonus: Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

On top of that, you’ll get automatic Platinum Elite status and an anniversary free night of up to 40,000 points, with the opportunity to qualify for Diamond Elite Status if you spend at least $40,000 in a calendar year. You’ll also earn 10,000 bonus points and a $100 statement credit after spending $20,000 each year. And if you stay with IHG enough, you can make this card well worth its $99 annual fee.

Earn 140,000 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 ($120 starting 10/1/24) 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

*The information related to the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.

Best IHG card for no annual fee

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card*

LendingTree's Review

Learn More

on Chase's secure site

IHG rewards: Earn up to 17 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.

$0 annual fee
Valuable sign-up bonus
Bonus points on IHG, gas and dining purchases
Automatic Silver Elite Status
10,000 bonus points after spending $10,000 each year
Redeem three nights and get the fourth night free
$0 foreign transaction fee

High spending threshold for sign-up bonus
Minimal perks compared to other IHG cards

The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is a decent $0-annual-fee option for people who occasionally travel to IHG properties. It offers a high rewards rate on hotel stays, plus a smattering of points on monthly bills, gas stations and purchases. You’ll also get Silver Elite status, a discount on points purchased with the card and 10,000 bonus points after $10,000 in yearly spending.

The main incentive to apply is the card’s sign-up bonus, which is one of the best offers currently available for a no-annual-fee card. You’ll earn 100,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Other than that, you’re likely better off either paying the annual fee for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card to get much better perks, or applying for a general travel credit card.

Limited Time Offer! Earn 100,000 Bonus Points
No Annual Fee
Earn up to 17 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts
Earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Redeem 3 Nights, Get the 4th Night Free
IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
Member FDIC

*The information related to the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.

Best IHG card for business owners

IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

LendingTree's Review

3.6

IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

LendingTree's Review

3.6

Apply Now

on Chase's secure site

IHG rewards: Earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel. Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, select advertising, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Large sign-up bonus
Automatic Platinum Elite status
Free night every cardmember anniversary
Redeem three nights and get the fourth night free
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck^®/NEXUS application fee statement credit
No foreign transaction fees

$99 annual fee
High sign-up bonus spending threshold
Doesn’t offer the chance to earn Diamond status through spending

The IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card can help business owners save if they frequent IHG hotels for work — there are plenty of rewards from this card if you travel often. Its distinguishing perks include automatic Platinum Elite status and an additional free night (up to 40,000 points) each account anniversary year. Plus, you can also use existing points from your IHG One Rewards account to redeem your Anniversary Night at hotels above the 40,000 point redemption level.

It comes with the same benefits as the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, including a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS fee credit.

Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
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 and Resorts
Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, select advertising, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
Automatic Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier Business cardmember
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $100 ($120 starting 10/1/24) every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card
IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at hotels such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
Member FDIC

Best IHG card for travel rewards

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

LendingTree's Review

4.7

Chase Sapphire Preferred<sup>®</sup> Card

LendingTree's Review

4.7

Apply Now

on Chase's secure site

Rewards: 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.

Large sign-up bonus
Valuable points
Redeem points through Chase Travel^SM for a 25% bonus
Transfer points to several hotel and airline loyalty programs, including IHG
Strong travel protections

$95 annual fee
No IHG-specific benefits
No Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS fee credit

If you don’t frequently stay with IHG, or don’t care about hotel perks and just want to earn points for hotel nights, the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card is a better option.

Ultimate Rewards^® points are two to four times more valuable than IHG points, depending on how you use them. They’re also more flexible: You can redeem them for a variety of travel options through Chase Travel^SM for a 25% bonus, including stays at any hotel. You can also transfer points to several hotel loyalty programs, including IHG, World of Hyatt and Marriott Bonvoy.

Further, you can take advantage of its generous sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
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.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
Member FDIC

Which IHG credit card should you choose?

Choosing a hotel credit card should always start by figuring out your needs.

Choose the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card if ...

You want to earn rewards to put toward occasional hotel stays and you have a brand loyalty to IHG hotels, but don’t want to pay an annual fee.
Choose the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card if ...

You want to achieve tier status in IHG® One Rewards, and plan to travel enough to take advantage of the extra card benefits and outearn the annual fee.
Choose the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card if …

You’re a business owner or entrepreneur who wants to take advantage of business spending to earn rewards you can put towards hotel stays at IHG hotels.
Choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card if …

You need flexible travel rewards to book hotels outside of the IHG umbrella.

The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card vs. the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card: Which personal IHG credit card is better?

The best way to describe how the two personal IHG cards compare is to think of the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card as an introductory product, and the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card as an upgrade for luxury perks. The IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card is nearly identical to the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, but geared toward business owners.

For those who plan to get away a few times per year and enjoy IHG properties, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card should suffice. On the other hand, frequent travelers who want to score higher-end VIP travel perks will find the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card well worth the annual fee. Business owners can earn the same higher-end perks and rewards with the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card.

Here’s how the card features match up:

Winner: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

Both IHG cards award points in the same categories (with the exception of monthly bills), but their earning rates on IHG Hotel & Rewards purchases differ. With the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, you can earn up to 17 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, meanwhile, allows you to 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.

Winner: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

Sign-up bonuses are typically a big draw for co-branded hotel cards. The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card lets you earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers a better bonus, but with a higher spending threshold: You’ll earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Winner: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

Another often-available hotel card perk is an annual bonus or a free room night certificate. The entry-level IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card only offers a bonus of 10,000 points after you spend $10,000 each calendar year.

Compared to this, the higher-tier IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card stand out. Cardholders get a free night certificate on their card anniversary each year. Plus, these cards also offer a $100 statement credit and a 10,000-point bonus if you reach $20,000 of spending on the card each year.

Winner: IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card doesn’t charge an annual fee. But while the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card both have an annual fee, that fee could be worthwhile for certain types of spending styles. The free anniversary night on its own practically cancels it out — assuming that you use the certificate.

Both cards offer a higher sign-up bonus worth more than the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, which essentially covers the annual fee for three years. Note that you’ll also need to consider if you can meet a higher spending minimum to activate that bonus.

Deciding if paying the annual fee is worth it really comes down to whether you stay often enough at IHG hotels to take advantage of either card’s higher earning rate on hotel stays and hotel benefits.

Winner: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card offers automatic Silver Elite status, which unlocks benefits like a 20% points bonus and points that don’t expire.

Of course, the higher the IHG elite-status tier, the better the perks and benefits. Both the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card offer automatic Platinum Elite status, with no spending threshold required. This gives members access to all of the same Silver and Gold Elite benefits plus additional perks like complimentary room upgrades and 60% bonus earnings on base points.

In addition, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers the opportunity to earn Diamond Elite status when you meet the annual spending requirement.

Status chasers will be well served by the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, whereas those who don’t plan on using such benefits might opt for the no-fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card.

Winner: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

All three IHG cards offer the fourth night free when you redeem points on a stay of four or more nights. IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card also get travel protections including baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, purchase protection and trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance.

However, only the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus credit. This benefit won’t be available to IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card cardholders.

How much are IHG points worth?

IHG points are worth approximately 0.5 cents each.

The value of your IHG points can vary depending on how you choose to redeem them. With hotel co-branded credit cards, you’ll typically get the most value by redeeming them for award stays.

How many IHG points are needed for a rewards night?

The points needed to book a free night at an IHG hotel or resort will vary based on the property and other factors. You can book a room at select IHG properties for as little as 5,000 IHG points in some cases.

IHG hotel brands

IHG is home to 19 hotel brands at over 6,000 destinations around the world. Brands cover a multitude of travel needs and accommodation types from luxury and all-inclusive resorts to extended-stay suites and economy hotels. IHG brands include:

Atwell Suites
Avid Hotels
Candlewood Suites
Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts
EVEN Hotels
Garner Hotels
Holiday Inn Club Vacations
Holiday Inn Express
Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts
Hotel Indigo

HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts
Iberostar Hotels & Resorts
InterContinental Hotels and Resorts
Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants
Regent Hotels and Resorts
Six Senses Hotels Resorts and Spas
Staybridge Suites
Vignette Collection
Voco Hotels

Tips for using an IHG credit card

To make the most of the IHG credit cards’ benefits, try to do the following:

Spend the minimum amount required to earn the sign-up bonus for the card you choose, as it’s the biggest upfront reward you can get. Ideally, you should time your card application with a large purchase you were planning to make anyway.
Use the card to book stays at IHG hotels and make purchases on the properties.
If you don’t have other rewards cards with better rates on gas, groceries and restaurants, consider using the card for those purchases as well.
Take advantage of perks and benefits (like the anniversary night on the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, or the fourth night free offer on both).
If you’re a business owner, you can earn points faster by providing your employees with additional cards at no cost.

Is a co-branded IHG credit card right for you?

An IHG credit card isn’t necessarily right for everyone.

If you’re a frequent traveler or someone who prefers to stay at IHG properties when you do travel, an IHG card is a great option for earning and redeeming points for free stays.

It can also help you gain access to valuable travel and IHG brand benefits.

But if you aren’t a fan of IHG, or prefer to keep your options open, a general travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card makes more sense. The points that you earn with a flexible travel card can be used for travel with any hotel or airline — not just IHG.

Frequently asked questions

Before you apply for one of the IHG credit cards, here are some other things to know.

None of the IHG credit cards charge foreign transaction fees.

This is a matter of personal preference. If you’re loyal to IHG hotel brands when you travel, it’s worth considering one of the cards. However, whether or not you need the higher-level IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card will depend on your travel spending.

If you’d rather have more flexibility with how you redeem travel points, a general rewards card might be a better option.

You can — but there really would be no benefit to having both cards, as the rewards structure is the same.

Yes, you can add additional authorized users to your IHG credit card.

As long as you’re an Elite Member, your IHG points won’t expire. If you’re a club level member, your IHG points will not expire as long as there is IHG® One Rewards program activity within 12 months. You will lose all points that haven’t been transferred to IHG® One Rewards if you close your card, or if your card account is closed for program misuse, fraudulent activities, failure to pay, bankruptcy or other reasons described in the terms of the Rewards Program Agreement.

Methodology: How we chose the best IHG credit cards

To bring you the list of best credit cards for IHG, we use an objective rating and ranking system that compares features across a large set of credit cards (over 200 of them from over 50 issuers). We use calculations to estimate the value of each card for the average cardholder, based on LendingTree and U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics.

We rank cards based on the following criteria:

Average value over two years (80% of rating): We calculate the value of rewards and perks for the average cardholder using Bureau of Labor statistics data and an annual spend of $20,000, minus the annual fee. This value includes the card’s sign-up bonus, annual bonus (including free night certificates) and travel perks like lounge access and travel credits. We look at the average rewards earned over two years to balance out a card’s ongoing value with its first-year value.
Flexibility of rewards (15% of rating): We consider how easy the rewards are to use, looking at factors like expiration dates, minimum thresholds to redeem, blackout dates and the availability of flexible redemption options like travel statement credits and cash back.
Other features (5% of rating): We also compare a card’s benefits, such as purchase protections, travel protections and elite status benefits against benefits from other cards.

Note, that our ratings are a starting point for comparing and choosing the best credit card for IHG. However, your needs may be different from the average cardholder’s. You should consider the amount you’re likely to spend in a card’s bonus categories and which benefits you value to choose the best card for you.

The information related to the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.

The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.

Kevin Payne

Kevin Payne is a personal finance and travel writer. His work has appeared on websites like Forbes Advisor, Investopedia, Credit Karma and FinanceBuzz. He is the family travel and budget expert behind FamilyMoneyAdventure.com. Kevin lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with his wife and four kids.

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