IHG® One Rewards is one of the most underrated hotel programs for travelers. As of 2024, IHG had the 4th largest global footprint. On family road trips, bucket list trips, and even after we saw the Eras Tour – we’ve often chosen IHG. Whether you’re looking for easy family hotels on road trips (Holiday Inn Express or Staybridge Suites OR bougie resorts like Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa (Cayman Islands), or even some nights near Disneyland – there are options for you! Here’s why we love IHG:

Easy to Earn Points – With great credit card welcome offers, it’s easy to earn a huge chunk of valuable points.
4th Night Free – When you book an IHG hotel on points, the 4th consecutive night is free for most cardholders.
Bank Transfers from Chase & Bilt – Flexible ways to boost your points balance, if you choose.
Annual Free Night Certificate – Some credit cards offer an annual free night certificate – up to 60,000 points per night depending on the card!
Elite Status – Free upgrades, late checkout, and other perks.

The IHG® One Rewards program offers incredible value.

Which IHG Personal Card Should You Get?

There are 3 personal cards – including a new premium card. Now we have the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, the IHG One Rewards Credit Card, and The Brand New IHG One Rewards Premier Select Credit Card. For most, I recommend the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, but if you travel a lot and stay in IHG hotels often, or are just looking for a new flashy card and you’ve recently had the others, you may be interested in looking at this new IHG Premier Select Card!

Let’s Compare:

The perks:

• 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 24X total points on stays at IHG Hotels & Resorts
• Earn 5X points on flights booked directly, car rental agencies, at gas stations, grocery stores (new!) and restaurants. Earn 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Automatic Gold Elite Status as long as you remain an IHG One Rewards Premier cardmember. Plus, get 15 Elite Night Credits each year (new!)
• NEW! Enjoy up to $100 in Food & Beverage Rewards annually at IHG Hotels & Resorts

My take: If I were debating between 2 personal IHG cards – this is the one I would choose! The IHG One Rewards Premier offers an annual Anniversary Free Night Certificate, worth up to 50,000 points. You can top this certificate off with additional points of your own, if needed. This anniversary free night certificate, is worth well more than the annual fee, in my opinion.

The IHG One Rewards Credit Card is worth it if you need some points and the bonus is elevated. With this card, you don’t automatically get 4th night free on award stays – you’ll need to spend $5,000 in a calendar year to unlock this benefit. Find this card with an elevated offer and and it may well be worth snatching with it’s no annual fee.

The Perks:

• No Annual Fee
• Earn up to 17X total points on stays at IHG Hotels & Resorts
• Earn 3X points on dining, at grocery stores (new!) and gas stations. Earn 2X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
• No Foreign Transaction Fees
• Automatic Silver Elite status as long as you remain an IHG One Rewards cardmember. Plus, enjoy 5 Elite Night Credits annually (new!)

My Take: I would pass on this card and go for one that has an annual free night certificate.

NEW ONE!! The Brand New IHG One Rewards Premier Select Credit Card. Worth it if it’s elevated and if you travel IHG at least once a year. With this card, you don’t automatically get 4th night free on award stays – you’ll need to spend $5,000 in a calendar year to unlock this benefit. Find this card with an elevated offer and and it may well be worth snatching with it’s no annual fee.

The Perks:

• Automatic Platinum Status
• Free night up to 60k points annually
• $200 Airline Credit
• $300 IHG food and beverage credits
• Earn up to 28X total points on stays at IHG Hotels & Resorts
• No Foreign Transaction Fees

My Take: If you use the perks, and stay in IHGs, it’s totally worth it. As always, I think that with an elevated offer, this card is worth it for AT LEAST a year, more if you use the perks!!

Let’s Talk Business

The IHG One Rewards Business Credit Card is a great business card option! The annual free night certificate is worth more than the annual fee, and by applying for a business card, you are not filling a 5/24 slot (read more about the 5/24 Rule here).

More Random Things to Know about IHG® One Rewards program and cards:

• You cannot hold both IHG personal cards at the same time.
• You can receive a welcome offer from a personal IHG card every 24 months. This is the date that you receive the welcome offer – not the date you apply for the card.
• You can receive a welcome offer from a business IHG card every 24 months. This is the date that you receive the welcome offer – not the date you apply for the card.
• You can hold a personal IHG card and a business IHG card simultaneously.

In Conclusion

We have each held the IHG One Rewards Premier and I’m sure The New IHG One Rewards Business Card is in our future! Any hotel card that comes with an annual free night certificate, in my opinion, is worth the annual fee and something I will keep in my wallet year after year!