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Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in o...
With a degree in media and journalism, Stella has been in the points and miles game for more than 6 years. She most recently worked as a Corporate Communications Analyst for JetBlue. Find her work in ...
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IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry
experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates
and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.
We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
3.5
80,000 points plus up to $50 in IHG® statement credits
$0
Good to Excellent (670-850)
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Earn up to 17x when you stay at IHG hotels, 3x on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants, and 2x on all other purchases.
U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry
experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates
and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.
We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
If you’re someone who is looking to enhance your IHG stays by earning more points and benefits, without paying an annual fee, then the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card might be the perfect fit for you.
In this guide, we will provide a detailed view of what the card can offer so you can decide if it makes sense to add to your wallet.
Card Details
Card Snapshot
Welcome Bonus & Info
Earn 80,000 bonus points plus up to $50 in IHG® statement credits.
No Annual Fee
Earn up to 17 points total 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®
You stay at IHG hotels when you travel, but not often enough to justify the premium version of the card
You want to earn more IHG Rewards points without paying an annual fee
Don’t Get If
You want a card that offers more benefits like automatic elite status and a free night certificate
You don’t stay at IHG hotels
IHG Traveler Card — Is It Worth It?
The IHG Traveler card will be most worth it to those who are looking to earn more IHG Rewards points during their stays, along with receiving a few card benefits, all without an annual fee.
Since the card earns 5x points per $1 on IHG stays, in addition to the 12x points per $1 you’ll earn as an IHG Silver Elite member, you’ll earn a total of 17x points per $1 during your stays when paying with the IHG Traveler card.
Additionally, the IHG Traveler card allows you to get your fourth night free on award stays — a huge benefit for those who often stay at least 4 nights.
Beyond that, you get a handful of great card protections, automatic Silver Elite status, and a 20% discount when purchasing IHG Rewards points.
If this all sounds great to you, then the IHG Traveler card likely would be very worth it to you.
IHG Traveler Card Top Benefits
Fourth Night Free on Award Stays
Perhaps the best benefit of the card is the ability to get the fourth night free on award stays. This effectively gets you a 25% discount on all 4-night stays when redeeming points.
In our view, this certainly makes it well worth it to save up your points until you have enough for a 4-night redemption, as this will boost the value of your IHG Rewards points even further.
Automatic Silver Elite Status
The card comes with automatic IHG Silver Elite status, which is IHG’s lowest status level but earns you 20% bonus points during your IHG stays, giving you 12x for being a Silver member and 5x for paying with your card, for a total of 17x points per $1.
Plus you’ll have the ability to spend your way to IHG Gold Elite status after spending $20,000 on the card in a calendar year.
Discount on Purchased Points
If you find yourself just short of the number of points you need for a certain award, using your IHG Traveler card to purchase IHG Rewards points will give you a 20% discount when doing so.
Card Protections
Cardholders receive the following protections to help keep them covered in the event that things go wrong:
Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance: If your trip is canceled or cut short by a covered situation, you can be reimbursed up to $5,000 per person and $10,000 per trip for non-refundable travel expenses.
Purchase Protection: Items purchased with your card are covered for 120 days from the date of purchase against damage or theft, for up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
How To Earn and Redeem IHG Rewards Points
If you’re just starting out in points and miles, you might think that staying at IHG hotels is the only way to earn IHG Rewards points. However, in addition to adding a co-branded product like the IHG Traveler card, there are tons of great ways to earn IHG Rewards points.
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
The perfect card for IHG fans, offering a free night every year, automatic Platinum Elite status, and your fourth night free on award stays.
The perfect card for IHG fans, offering a free night every year, automatic Platinum Elite status, and your fourth night free on award stays.
Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn up to $100 in IHG® statement credits on purchases at IHG® Hotels and Resorts during the first 12 months from account opening.
140,000 points plus up to $100 in IHG® statement credits
If you regularly visit IHG hotels throughout the year, then the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is probably a perfect card to have in your wallet.
The IHG Premier card offers a great bundle of perks and benefits, including automatic Platinum elite status, an annual free night certificate, and travel protections.
Pros
Up to 26x points per $1 on IHG stays
5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants
3x points per $1 on all other purchases
Automatic Platinum Elite status, and the ability to spend your way to Diamond Elite status
Free anniversary night certificate
Fourth-night free on award stays
20% off when buying IHG Rewards points
Up to $50 in United Airlines TravelBank Cash each year
Earn a $100 statement credit and 10,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on the card in a calendar year
Cons
$99 annual fee
Does not earn transferable points
Earn 140,000 Bonus Points plus up to $100 in IHG® statement credits.
Enjoy an Anniversary Free Night at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Plus, enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG® hotel stay.
Earn up to 26 points total 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 card member
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $100 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®
While it does charge an annual fee, it also comes with significantly more benefits. For starters, you’ll earn up to 26x when using the card to pay for your IHG stays.
Not only will you earn more points, but you’ll receive automatic IHG Platinum Elite status, which gets you all the benefits of Gold Elite status plus 50% bonus points on stays, complimentary room upgrades, and guaranteed room availability.
You’ll also still receive your fourth night free on award stays, travel protections, a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS credit, and an annual free night certificate usable at any IHG hotel costing up to 40,000 points per night — a benefit that more than covers the expense of the annual fee.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
For those looking for a more well-rounded travel rewards card, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better option than the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card is one of the best travel rewards cardson the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.
Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.
Pros
5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
5x points on select Peloton purchases over $250 (through March 31, 2025)
5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
2x points on all other travel worldwide
$50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
6 months of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024), plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024
Excellent travel and car rental insurance
10% annual bonus points
No foreign transaction fees
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs like United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt
Complimentary Spot Club Platinum status with The Parking Spot for 2 years, 20% off of your first reservation, and points for 1 free day of parking (enroll by October 26, 2023)
Cons
$95 annual fee
No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. 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, 2024.
You’ll earn 5x points per $1 on travel purchased through the Chase travel portal and 2x points per $1 on all other travel purchases. Plus, earn 3x points per $1 on dining, online grocery purchases, and select streaming purchases.
The card also includes a bevy of card protections, a $50 annual hotel credit through the Chase travel portal, a 25% bonus in point value when redeeming your points through the Chase travel portal, and access to the Chase transfer partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
This depends on what you’re looking for out of your card. If you’re simply looking for a card that will help you earn more IHG Rewards points during your stays and doesn’t charge an annual fee, then the IHG Traveler card might be the best option for you.
On the other hand, if you’re someone who stays at IHG hotels often, and is looking for a card that offers more benefits like automatic elite status, boosted point earning, and an annual free night certificate, then you should go for the IHG Premier card.
No, the IHG Traveler card does not charge an annual fee.
There is no set credit score that will guarantee approval for the IHG Traveler card, as there are many factors that are taken into consideration. That being said, as long as your credit score is at least 670 or better, you should feel reasonably confident about your odds of getting approved.
Beyond earning IHG Rewards points for every dollar you spend, the top benefit of the IHG Traveler card is that it offers you a fourth night free on award stays, a 20% discount on point purchases, automatic Silver Elite status, and the ability to spend your way to Gold Elite status.
The IHG Traveler card does not offer rental car insurance.
Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times.
Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.
2 comments
Az
May 30, 2023
Can the points be redeemed for statement credit as well?
This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.
2 comments
Az
May 30, 2023
Can the points be redeemed for statement credit as well?
Chris Hassan
May 30, 2023
No, the points get transferred directly to your IHG Rewards account. They cannot be redeemed as statement credits.
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