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If you’re expecting to be on the road in 2023, there’s a good chance you’ll be staying at a hotel chain at some point. And if you’re like most people, you’ve probably already stayed at a Holiday Inn at least once in your life, if not regularly.
It may not be the most glamorous hotel brand in the world, but Holiday Inns are ubiquitous, with over 1,200 properties worldwide, Holiday Inn itself is owned by InterContinental Hotels Group, or IHG, which also owns 13 other hotel brands such as InterContinental, Kimpton, Crowne Plaza, Staybridge Suites and others.
So if you expect to stay at a Holiday Inn or other IHG property in the near or distant future, you’ll want to consider having one of the two IHG Rewards credit cards — either the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. or the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. — to not only earn as many points as possible, but also score elite VIP benefits before and during your stay.
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Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That’s 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards?, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO? credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
IHG Rewards credit cards
There are a lot of differences between these two IHG credit cards, so let’s take a look at the key details of them side-by-side and see how they stack up.
| IHG Traveler | IHG Premier | |
|---|---|---|
Sign-up bonus
| 80,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
| 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
|
Earning at IHG Hotels & Resorts worldwide
| 5 points per dollar spent (in addition to points earned by being an IHG One Rewards member)
| 10 points per dollar spent (in addition to points earned by being an IHG One Rewards member)
|
Earning at restaurants
| 3 points per dollar spent
| 5 points per dollar spent
|
Earning at gas stations
| 3 points per dollar spent
| 5 points per dollar spent
|
Earning on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery)
| 3 points per dollar spent
| 5 points per dollar spent
|
Earning on all other purchases
| 3 point per dollar spent
| 3 point per dollar spent
|
Complimentary anniversary night
| No
| Yes
|
Elite status
| Automatic Silver, upgraded to Gold if you spend $20,000 on the card within the calendar year
| Platinum, upgraded to Diamond if you spend $20,000 in purchases in a calendar year (complimentary)
|
Fourth night free on reward redemptions
| Yes
| Yes
|
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Fee Credit
| No
| Yes
|
Annual spend bonus
| 10,000 bonus points when you spend $10,000 and make one additional purchase each calendar year
| 10,000 bonus points and $100 statement credit when you spend $20,000 on your card and make one additional purchase each calendar year
|
Discount on point purchases
| Yes
| Yes
|
Foreign transaction fee
| 0%
| 0%
|
Annual fee
| $0
| $99
|
Right away you’ll notice that the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. carries $99 annual fee, while the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. has no annual fee at all. While that’s obviously a significant difference in terms of the cost of each card, the benefits that come with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. are considerably better than the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . And for most people, those perks can more than make up for the annual fee.
First, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. earns up to a whopping 26 points for every dollar you spend on the card when staying at an IHG property. That includes up to 10 points per dollar for being an IHG One Rewards member, 6 points per dollar for having IHG Platinum elite status (which you get automatically with the card) and 10 points per dollar for using the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. as your form of payment.
With the no-annual-feeIHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , you’ll only earn up to 17 points per dollar spent on IHG stays. That includes up to 10 points per dollar spent for being an IHG One Rewards member, but only 5 points per dollar by using the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. as your form of payment and up to 2 points per dollar with IHG Silver status (and you won’t get Platinum elite status with this cheaper card either).
The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. has one of the best returns you’ll find on any credit card for stays at IHG hotels, including Holiday Inns, and the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. isn’t far behind. However, neither card is a great choice to use for other daily expenses at home when you’re not on the road, since you can earn more points (and more valuable points) with other credit cards.
IHG credit card sign-up bonuses
The current sign-up bonus for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. ?is?140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Being an IHG card holder also means you’ll get your fourth-night free on all your IHG reward redemptions, so this sign-up bonus can potentially be worth even more, since your points will go even further on longer night stays.
For example, the Holiday Inn Resort Aruba — which is a beachfront property right on the two-mile-long Palm Beach strip — typically costs 50,000 points a night (although with the variable pricing structure, there are times it’s less or more). This means you can book a four-night stay for just 150,000 points since the fourth night is free, and then tack on a fifth night with the anniversary night certificate you earn each anniversary year.
The?IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. currently features a less-enticing offer of?80,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Plus, you’ll also earn up to $50 in?IHG statement credits on purchases at?IHG Hotels and Resorts during the first 12 months from account opening. This is still a decent sign-up bonus for a no-annual-fee card.
That being said, the?IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. comes with the same fourth-night free benefit, so the -point offer can still get you a four-night stay at a hotel that only costs up to 26,000 points a night.
IHG credit card benefits
Both IHG credit cards come with the opportunity to earn IHG elite status, but the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. has the upper hand by offering card holders complimentary Platinum status. Although this status level doesn’t compare with the elite benefits you’ll receive at some other hotel chains, your points will never expire when you’re a Platinum elite. Otherwise, IHG points typically expire after 12 months with no account activity.
Starting with your second year having the card, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. also comes with a reward night certificate every year on your card holder anniversary. This certificate can be used at any IHG hotel that would otherwise cost up to 40,000 points for a night. There are no restrictions on what day of the week or time of the year the certificate can be used, but it does expire one year after it’s deposited into your account.
With the anniversary certificate being worth as much as $200 if you use it at a property that would otherwise cost 40,000 points, that can easily offset the card’s $99 annual fee each year, and that’s before even factoring in the other card benefits.
Unfortunately, there are no reward night certificates that come with the no-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. .
To be fair, there are some perks that come with both cards. Our favorite is the previously mentioned fourth night free when redeeming points. This discount applies immediately when booking, which means you only need to have 75% of the points normally required to book a four-night stay.
You also get a 20% discount on IHG point purchases when you purchase points with either card, and you can get IHG elite status with both cards, but in different ways. We already mentioned that the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. comes with complimentary Platinum status, while the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. comes with complimentary Silver status or requires that you spend $20,000 on the card in a calendar year to earn Gold status. Unfortunately, Gold status isn’t as worthwhile as Platinum, so it’s probably not worth spending $20,000 on the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. to get it.
Aside from the major perks, both IHG credit cards offer extended warranty protection, purchase protection, car rental insurance (as secondary coverage), trip cancellation/interruption insurance and no foreign transaction fees.
What could be better on the IHG credit cards?
The biggest downside of the two IHG credit cards are the points themselves. Since IHG points aren’t as valuable as many other airline and hotel points, you won’t get as much value on your everyday spending with either the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. or IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. .
For instance, both cards earn between 3 and 5 points per dollar on bonus categories such as restaurants, gas stations and travel, and 3 points per dollar on everything else.
You’d be much better off with a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred? Card, which earns 2 points per dollar on travel (or 5 total points if purchased through Ultimate Rewards?), 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and select online grocery purchases and 1 point per dollar on everything else. Since Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth significantly more than IHG points — about 2 cents per point based on The Points Guy’s valuations — that’s a much higher 4% return in the bonus categories and 2% on everything else.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred? has an annual fee of $95, but if you’re looking for a card with no annual fee, you might consider the Chase Freedom Flex?* or Chase Freedom Unlimited?, which both offer cash back on some great bonus categories. You can even combine the rewards you earn with either of those two cards with a Chase Sapphire Preferred later down the line and get even more value for them.
*The information for the Chase Freedom Flex? has been collected by CNN Underscored Money. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Should you get the IHG Premier or IHG Traveler credit card?
If you expect to make a Holiday Inn or other IHG hotel a regular stop when travel resumes broadly, then having one of the two IHG cards is a no-brainer. Thanks to all its benefits, we recommend the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. over the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . With a large sign-up bonus, automatic Platinum status and more, the $99 annual fee is well worth the cost.
With that being said, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is one of the better no-annual-fee cards when it comes to benefits. So if you really don’t think you’ll get enough value from the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. to cover the annual fee, you’ll still get your fourth night free on IHG award redemptions with the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. .
And if you don’t expect to consistently stay at any IHG properties in the next year, you might be better off with a different card. If that’s you, check out our list of the best travel credit cards to find an option that better fits your lifestyle.
All information about IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines, hotel chain, or other commercial entity and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of such entities.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended and should not be understood to constitute financial, investment, insurance or legal advice. All individuals are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified financial professional before making any financial, insurance or investment decisions.
Note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed or may no longer be available.
