Why I’m Keeping My IHG Premier Card and Spending at Least 15K on It

This October, Chase and IHG completely revamped their line of co-branded credit cards, adding a third personal card and changing the benefits, earnings, and fees for their business card and existing 2 personal cards, including the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card.

I’ve had the IHG Premier card ard for a few years now, and it’s one of the most valuable cards in my wallet. Despite the changes and the annual fee increase, I’ll be hanging on to the card — and ensuring I spend at least $15,000 on it annually.

Here’s why I’m keeping the card and how I plan to adapt my spending habits to maximize its benefits.

What’s New With the IHG Premier Card

On October 1, 2026, IHG completely changed its IHG Premier card. The card now comes with a  $150 (up from $99 formerly) and has a host of brand-new benefits.

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The New IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

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An excellent card for IHG fans, offering a free night every year, automatic Gold Elite status, and your fourth night free on award stays.

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The New IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

An excellent card for IHG fans, offering a free night every year, automatic Gold Elite status, and your fourth night free on award stays.

Welcome Offer

Earn 180,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

180,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$900

Annual Fee

$150

APR

19.49%- 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

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 Gold elite status, an annual free night certificate, and travel protections.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Up to 24x points on IHG stays
• 5x points on flights booked directly and car rental agencies, dining, gas stations, and grocery stores
• 3x points on all other purchases

Cons

• $150 annual fee
• Does not earn transferable points

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Card Highlights

• Limited Time Launch Offer! Earn 180,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• 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.
• Get an Anniversary Free Night each year. Plus, redeem 3 nights, get 4th night free when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG hotel stay.
• NEW! Enjoy up to $100 in Food & Beverage Rewards annually at IHG Hotels & Resorts.
• This card offers over $700 in value your first year!
• Automatic Gold Elite Status as long as you remain an IHG One Rewards Premier cardmember. Plus, get 15 Elite Night Credits each year (new!).
• IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental^®, Kimpton^®, Hotel Indigo^®, Crowne Plaza^®, EVEN^® Hotels, & Holiday Inn^®
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.49%- 27.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Some of these include an increased cap on the anniversary night, some new statement credits, and unfortunately, a status downgrade from Platinum to Gold.

Why I’m Definitely Keeping the Card

Despite the $51 annual fee increase, it’s easy to find value in the refreshed IHG Premier card. Here’s why it’s staying in my wallet until further notice.

It’s My New Flight-Booking Card

While the card always had $50 in annual United TravelBank Cash (paid as 2 deposits of $25 each into your United MileagePlus account — note that a MileagePlus membership and a one-time registration are required), it now includes 2 brand-new key perks that might mean I’ll be booking my future flights (or at least some of them) on it:

1. Earn 5X points on flights booked directly.
2. Get a $100 annual airline statement credit for tickets bought directly from any airline costing over $250.

Ideally, I’d like to book at least 1 pricey international flight on the card. This way I can get the $100 credit and get 5x on the purchase. Those 5x points on flights booked directly are the highest bonus category for flights on all the 11 cards I own (thought I will point out that IHG points are less valuable and offer less flexibility than say, Chase Ultimate Rewards points or Capital One miles).

Another reason I would book flights on the IHG Premier card is because its solid travel protections haven’t changed. If I book a flight on the card, I get trip cancellation and interruption insurance (up to $5,000 per traveler and $10,000 per trip), including passenger fares, tours, and hotels, if my trip has to be canceled or cut short by illness, severe weather or other covered circumstances.

It comes with travel accident insurance (up to $500,000), travel and emergency assistance, lost luggage reimbursement (up to $3,000 per traveler), and baggage delay insurance, which offers up to $100 per day for essential purchases (up to 3 days if baggage is delayed for more than 6 hours).

I’m usually a Oneworld flyer, but if I bought a fare more than $250 on United, I could apply my $25 credit, get my $100 airline credit, and earn 5x points — not bad at all.

Better Annual Free Night Awards

I was finding it increasingly difficult to use my free anniversary night, which was formerly valid for hotels 40,000 points and under. I did get luckier this year and was able to redeem my latest free night just a few weeks before the card refresh for a stay at the InterContinental Athenaeum in Athens in December (off-season), but it did take some effort. Although I could always top off the stay using points (and still can), maybe I won’t have to in the future, as the limit is now 50,000 points per night.

I’ll Be Dining and Drinking at IHG Properties

The IHG Premier card has just added a new perk that will easily encourage me to drink and eat at IHG properties: a $100 food and beverage credit, split out into $25 quarterly. Unfortunately, the $25 credit expires each quarter if I don’t use it, but since I have a few IHG hotel stays on the books over the next year, I know I’ll be able to use at least most of them. Even though one of my stays is at an all-inclusive Iberostar property in Mexico, I’ll happily put the credit toward a premium bottle of wine.

Topping Off My IHG One Rewards Account Just Got Cheaper

I don’t buy points too frequently, but the ability to do so can be extremely helpful if I’m slightly short on a redemption. Usually, I’ll move Chase Ultimate Reward points to IHG if I don’t have enough IHG One Reward points, but occasionally, if I’m fresh out of that points currency, buying points is my last resort.

The most recent card update took the 20% discount on buying points to a 30% discount, which makes it more affordable to top off my points balance if or when I need to do so.

The Annual Fee Is Higher, but It’s Easy To Offset

It’s true that the annual fee is higher now at $150, but the card now has significant money-saving perks. I get a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application credit of up to $120 every 4 years, a $100 flight credit for flights over $250, the 15 elite night credits annually, a 30% discount on points purchases (up from 20%), an Anniversary Free Night cap that climbs to 50,000 points, $50 in annual United TravelBank Cash, and $100 in annual Food & Beverage Rewards, so it’s incredibly simple to outweigh the annual fee.

Gold Status Is Better Than No Status at All

The former automatic Platinum status (which I’ll still retain through December 31, 2026) was almost too good to be true for a card with such a low annual fee. I’m sad but not surprised this perk was changed to automatic Gold status, though I estimate I got thousands of dollars in value from it over the years, especially in room upgrades.

Getting Gold status still offers perks (and I would have to stay for 20 qualifying nights or earn 40,000 elite-qualifying points in a calendar year to obtain it otherwise). I get benefits like 40% more bonus points, late 2 p.m. checkout (when available), and elite rollover nights.

I’ll Spend at Least $15,000 (Maybe Even $40,000) on My IHG Premier Card

My goal is to spend at least $15,000 on my card, and maybe up to $40,000, starting in 2027, and here’s why:

I Can Reach Platinum Status

The IHG Premier card elite status downgrade to Gold hurts, but the ability to spend $15,000 for Platinum status feels within reach. Here’s my plan: Since my Platinum status is valid through December 31, 2026, I’m aiming for a high-value purchase in January or February 2027, where I can meet or at least get close to that spending threshold. My first IHG stay in 2027 is in March, which gives me 3 months to plan and meet the minimum.

The upgraded Platinum status is valid in the year in which it was earned plus the following year, which means if I earn it by early 2027, I can hold onto my Platinum status through the end of 2028.

I Get Bonus Points and a Elite Night Credits

Starting now for new cardholders and in 2027 for exisiting cardholders, the refresh includes a bonus for hitting $15,000 in spending: 15,000 bonus points and 5 elite night credits.

Could I Reach Diamond Status?

Cardholders of the IHG Premier card now have the ability to spend $40,000 and earn Diamond status. Although I doubt I’ll be able to meet that spending minimum, it’s always good to have another goal to aim for.

Final Thoughts

Most of the changes to the IHG Premier card are good ones, though I’m not so happy about losing automatic Platinum status or having to pay a higher annual fee. Still, I find the annual fee easy to offset by using the card’s many valuable benefits, and if I spend $15,000 around just the right time, I can get Platinum status again — and hold it for nearly 2 years. I’ll definitely be keeping the card in my wallet and working to hit that spending threshold in early 2027.