How I’m Scoring 5 Free Hotel Nights This Summer With the IHG Premier Card

If you’re planning a summer 2025 vacation and want to book some fancy hotels, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has a new welcome bonus offer that should pique your interest.

For a limited time, eligible applicants of the IHG Premier card can earn 5 free nights (worth 60,000 points each) by spending $5,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

This matches the best welcome offer we’ve seen on this card since last summer, allowing for the possibility of redeeming up to 300,000 points by fully maximizing the welcome offer on higher end hotel redemptions.

I couldn’t pass up this fantastic new bonus offer, so I applied for the IHG Premier card with the goal of redeeming my free night certificates for an upscale hotel stay this summer.

IHG Premier Card: Earn 5 Free Nights

IHG free night certificates are rewards offered through IHG co-branded credit cards that allow you to book 1 night at select IHG hotels without needing any points or cash — just the certificate itself.

The welcome bonus offer of the IHG Premier card includes 5 free night certificates, worth up to 60,000 IHG One Rewards points each. We value IHG One Rewards points at 0.5 cents apiece, making this welcome offer worth up to $1,500 in hotel stays.

BEST OFFER OF 2025

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

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.

The perfect card for IHG fans, offering a free night every year, automatic Platinum Elite status, and your fourth night free on award stays.

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IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

The perfect card for IHG fans, offering a free night every year, automatic Platinum Elite status, and your fourth night free on award stays.

Welcome Offer

Earn 5 Free Nights – valued at up to 300,000 total points – after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Each Free Night is valued at up to 60,000 points.

5 Free Nights

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,500

Annual Fee

$99

APR

19.99% - 28.49% 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 cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

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

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Up to 26x points per $1 on IHG stays
• 5x points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants
• 3x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $99 annual fee
• Does not earn transferable points

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Card Highlights

• Our Best Offer of 2025! Earn 5 Free Nights
• Enjoy an Anniversary Free Night at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Plus, enjoy a fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG^® hotel stay.
• Earn up to 26 total points 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 cardmember
• Global Entry, TSA PreCheck^® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $120 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^®
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

That said, you can only use free night certificates for a single night — you cannot book multiple nights totaling 60,000 points. In addition, the free night awards earned from this welcome bonus offer cannot be topped off with additional points (or cash), but fortunately, there are plenty of properties that can be booked for under 60,000 IHG points.

Now that I’ve explained how IHG free night certificates work, here’s how I plan to use them for a 5-night trip at luxury IHG hotels this summer.

2 Nights in Picturesque New England

Manchester, Vermont, is a beautiful summer destination that offers outdoor activities such as hiking, zip-lining, and lovely lakes. And because Kimpton is my favorite IHG brand, I have been eyeing the Kimpton Taconic Hotel in Manchester for a family vacation.

This presents an excellent opportunity for me to maximize the value of my IHG free night certificate, as I see that award pricing for a family (more than 2 guests) in the summer falls under the 60,000-point mark.

When looking up cash rates during the high-demand summer months, I noticed that nightly rates can vary from $300 to more than $400, including taxes and fees. Therefore, redeeming my 60,000-point certificates is like saving around $1,200 on a 3-night stay.

3 Nights in the City That Never Sleeps

After spending a few nights in Vermont, our family plans to celebrate my twin daughters’ birthdays in New York City. For this portion of the trip, I’m seriously considering returning to the InterContinental New York Times Square.

I’ve stayed here before and appreciated how it balances luxury, convenience, and a fantastic Midtown Manhattan location — so close to the heart of Broadway, with easy access to Central Park, Hudson Yards, and attractions that are great for families.

I find this hotel even more appealing because of the value I get when redeeming IHG One Rewards points. During peak summer dates, cash rates at the InterContinental Times Square can easily run from $400 to over $700 per night.

With IHG’s dynamic pricing, I found several award nights under 60,000 points, and sometimes even less if I’m flexible over the summer. Cash rates average $406, resulting in a value of 0.6 to 1 cent per point. This is a great redemption that will save me over $800 for a 2-night reservation.

Overall, staying at the InterContinental Times Square for my daughters’ birthday in NYC makes a lot of sense. I find it an excellent way to use my free night certificates in a city where hotel prices skyrocket during the summer — and where being in a convenient Midtown location matters.

Final Thoughts

From city getaways to seaside luxury and boutique charm, IHG’s varied brands, along with the value of these certificates, make selecting a hotel for an upcoming summer vacation somewhat challenging — but it’s a wonderful dilemma to face. I’m excited to redeem these certificates for a late summer trip with my family.