New IHG credit card offers: Earn up to 165,000 points for a limited time

These IHG credit card bonuses aren’t the highest we’ve seen, but they’re an improvement over the previous offers. Let’s look at each IHG credit card offer to see if it’s worth applying now.

IHG credit card offer details

Earning IHG points from one of the Chase IHG credit cards is a good strategy if you enjoy staying at properties under the IHG One Rewards loyalty program umbrella. With over 6,000 locations worldwide across 19 brands, you can find IHG hotels just about anywhere you go. IHG brands include familiar favorites such as Holiday Inn, Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites, and more luxe accommodations with Kimpton, Six Senses and Hotel Indigo.

IHG prices its award nights dynamically, which means the number of points you’ll need for a free night varies depending on demand, time of year and other factors. You may be able to stay for fewer than 15,000 IHG One Rewards points per night at budget-friendly brands. Fancy resorts, on the other hand, may charge upwards of 100,000 points per night, or may not be available to book with points at all.

Either of the new IHG credit card offers could get you multiple award nights at modestly priced locations, or a shorter stay at a pricier hotel.

IHG Premier Card: Earn 165,000 points

The IHG One Rewards Premier, with a $99 annual fee, is the best hotel credit card whether you stay at IHG hotels a handful of times a year or are a loyal road warrior. The elevated welcome bonus is 25,000 points higher than the previous offer, though it’s not quite a record high — we’ve seen the bonus skyrocket to 175,000 points in the past.

Cardholders receive a valuable range of benefits, including automatic IHG Platinum Elite status, the fourth night free on points stays of at least four consecutive nights and high earning rates at IHG hotels and gas stations, as well as on other travel and dining.

But perhaps the most valuable card perk is the annual free night you’ll receive after each card anniversary, worth 40,000 points. You can add IHG points from your account to use the award at hotels that cost more than that. Using the IHG anniversary night at its full value can more than offset the annual fee.

This card’s travel perks include a TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS application fee credit worth up to $100 every four years, and a $100 statement credit and 10,000 bonus points when you spend $20,000 or more in a calendar year. It also offers substantial travel and purchase protections, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, car rental insurance, baggage delay insurance, and extended warranty.

IHG Traveler Card: Earn 120,000 points

Most recently, the IHG One Rewards Traveler offered 100,000 points after meeting minimum spending requirements, so the new offer is worth an additional 20,000 points. That’s a very good deal for a no-annual-fee credit card, but you won’t get as many benefits compared to the IHG One Rewards Premier.

Still, the card is worth considering if you want to earn IHG points on your everyday spending without committing to an annual fee. It offers respectable earning rates at IHG hotels and gas stations and on dining, utilities and select streaming services, and comes with automatic IHG Silver Elite status. You’ll also get the same fourth-night-free benefit as you’ll find on the IHG One Rewards Premier, plus impressive travel and purchase coverage for an entry-level card.

However, you won’t earn a free night on your card anniversary, which is a major downside to this card. It doesn’t come with a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit or a statement credit for meeting a spending threshold, either (although cardholders can earn 10,000 points for spending $10,000 or more in a calendar year).

Are the IHG credit cards worth it?

Most travelers will do better by paying the annual fee on the IHG One Rewards Premier because of the valuable anniversary free night and upgraded perks. But if that’s a no-go for you, the IHG One Rewards Traveler could be a good fit.

When comparing the IHG Premier and IHG Traveler cards, carefully consider your spending habits and travel style. IHG loyalists, for example, could get a solid value from the IHG One Rewards Premier’s automatic Platinum Elite status, which comes with complimentary room upgrades where available and award night discounts, among other perks that you won’t get with Silver Elite status from the IHG One Rewards Traveler.

Keep in mind there’s an IHG business credit card available, too, but it doesn’t have an elevated welcome bonus right now. The IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card offers 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, and has similar benefits to the IHG One Rewards Premier.

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the two IHG personal credit cards to help you decide which is better:

IHG credit card alternatives

If you want to earn hotel points but don’t want to lock yourself into the IHG One Rewards program, you have other options. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points you can transfer to IHG One Rewards, along with over a dozen other hotel and airline partners such as Marriott, Hyatt, United Airlines and Southwest.

These Chase credit cards are ideal if you prefer flexibility, and right now they’re offering sizable welcome bonuses:

• Sapphire Preferred: 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• Sapphire Reserve: 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening: 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening