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The New IHG One Rewards Credit Card: Review [2026]
Jarrod West
Jarrod West
Senior Writer & Series Lead
803 Published Articles1 Edited Article
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Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 8 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in o...
Michael Y. Park is a journalist living in New York City. He’s traveled through Afghanistan disguised as a Hazara Shi’ite, slept with polar bears on the Canadian tundra, picnicked with the king and que...
Tiffany first caught the travel bug after a study abroad experience to Italy while still in college. She continued to travel frequently over the years and slowly learned about how credit cards and mil...
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The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs 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.
Earn up to 17x when you stay at IHG hotels, 3x on dining, gas stations, and grocery stores, 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 ins and outs 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 want to enhance your IHG stays with more points and benefits but don’t want to pay an annual fee, consider the IHG One Rewards Credit Card.
This guide provides a detailed overview of the card, including rewards rates and cardholder benefits.
Card Details
Welcome Bonus & Info
Limited Time Launch Offer! Earn 125,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
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.
Automatic Silver Elite status as long as you remain an IHG One Rewards cardmember. Plus, enjoy 5 Elite Night Credits annually (new!).
No Foreign Transaction Fees
IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental®, Kimpton®, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza®, EVEN® Hotels, & Holiday Inn®
3 points per $1 on dining, gas stations, and grocery stores
2 points per $1 on all other purchases
Fourth night free on award stays (after spending $5,000 annually on the card, starting in 2027)
Automatic IHG Silver Elite status, plus the ability to spend your way to IHG Gold Elite status
5 Elite Night Credits annually
Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year
30% discount on IHG point purchases
Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance
Purchase protection
No foreign transaction fees
$0 annual fee
Cons
Not as rewarding as the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
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Great Card If
You stay at IHG hotels when you travel, but not often enough to justify the premium version of the card.
You want automatic Silver Elite status with IHG.
You want to earn more IHG One Rewards points without paying an annual fee.
Don’t Get If
You want a card that offers more benefits, like higher automatic elite status and a free night certificate.
You don’t stay at IHG hotels.
IHG One Rewards Credit Card: Is It Worth It?
The IHG One Rewards Credit Card is worth it if you want to earn more IHG One Rewards points when you stay with IHG and receive card benefits without paying an annual fee.
The card earns 17 points per $1 total on IHG stays: 5 points per $1 with the card and 12 points per $1 as an IHG Silver Elite member. It also earns 3x points on dining, gas stations, and grocery stores, and 2x points on all other purchases.
Cardholders get automatic Silver Elite status, a 30% discount when purchasing IHG One Rewards points, and 5 Elite Night Credits each calendar year. They can unlock a fourth night free on award stays after spending $5,000 on the card each year.
IHG One Rewards Card Top Benefits
Fourth Night Free on Award Stays
After you spend $5,000 on the card in a calendar year (starting in 2027), you can get a fourth night free on award stays. This effectively gets you a 25% discount on all 4-night stays when redeeming points.
Automatic Silver Elite Status
The card comes with automatic IHG Silver Elite status, which 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.
You can earn IHG Gold Elite status after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, and cardholders get 5 Elite Night Credits each 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 One Rewards card to purchase IHG One Rewards points gives you a 30% 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 and interruption insurance: If your trip is canceled or cut short by a covered event, you can be reimbursed up to $5,000 per person and $10,000 per trip for nonrefundable 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 One Rewards Points
Staying at IHG hotels is one way to earn IHG One Rewards points, and you can earn more if you pay with your IHG One Rewards card. There are numerous great ways to earn IHG One Rewards points.
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs 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.
An excellent card for IHG fans, offering a free night every year, automatic Gold Elite status, and your fourth night free on award stays.
An excellent card for IHG fans, offering a free night every year, automatic Gold Elite status, and your fourth night free on award stays.
Earn 180,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
180,000 points
$900
$150
19.24% - 27.74% Variable
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
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: 19.24% - 27.74% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None
The IHG Premier card has an annual fee, but it offers significantly more benefits than the IHG One Rewards card. It earns up to 24x when you use the card to pay for your IHG stays.
Cardholders receive automatic IHG Gold Elite status, which gets you all the benefits of Silver Elite status, 40% bonus points on stays, and 2 p.m. late checkout when available.
It also offers a fourth night free on award stays, travel protections, up to $100 in annual food and beverage rewards at IHG properties ($25 each quarter), up to $100 in annual airline statement credits, up to $50 United TravelBank cash annually ($25 semiannually), and an annual free night certificate usable at any IHG hotel costing up to 50,000 points per night — a benefit that more than covers the expense of the annual fee.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a well-rounded travel rewards card with flexible rewards points.
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs 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 great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
75,000 points
$1,500
$95
19.24% - 27.49% Variable
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
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), gas, EV charging, vacation home rentals with top brands, and streaming services.
It offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and strong travel insurance coverage, including primary car rental insurance. If you travel a few times a year and spend on dining, the card is likely to be a good choice, but it’s hard to justify if you don’t dine out or travel often.
Pros & Cons
Pros
5x points on all travel booked via Chase Travel
3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), gas, EV charging, vacation home rentals with top brands (such as Airbnb and Vrbo), and select streaming services
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Emergency Evacuation and Transportation and more
Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 – a value of $156.
Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for 12 months when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck® or NEXUS application.
Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
You can earn 5 points per $1 on travel purchased through the Chase travel portal, 3 points per $1 on vacation homes like Airbnb and Vrbo, and 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases. Plus, you can earn 3 points per $1 on dining, gas, and EV charging, online grocery purchases, and some streaming purchases.
The card also includes travel and shopping protections, a $100 annual hotel credit through the Chase travel portal, a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee statement credit every 4 years, access to point value bonuses when redeeming your points through the Chase travel portal with a Points Boost offer, and access to the Chase transfer partners.
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