My Wife and I Applied for the Same Hotel Credit Card This Year — Here’s Why

This year, my wife and I both applied for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, and it’s hands-down the best welcome offer for a hotel credit card I’ve seen in 2025. Right now, the card features this amazing welcome bonus offer:

• Earn 5 free nights after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months — and each free night certificate is valid for hotels worth up to 60,000 points.

Considering the $99 annual fee, we’re looking at spending roughly $200 in the first year for a total of 10 free nights as a couple.

Here’s how we’re turning this bonus offer into serious travel value — and why this card could be a total game-changer for couples and families who want to cover hotel stays for multiple trips.

IHG 5-Free-Night Welcome Offer

The math behind the current IHG Premier card welcome offer is straightforward and impressive. With both my wife and I earning 5 free night certificates each after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months, that gives us a total of 10 free night certificates — each good for hotels up to 60,000 points per night.

This is your last chance to score this best-ever welcome offer of 2025, which ends on July 23, 2025, at 9 a.m. ET.

On top of that, the card comes with an annual free night certificate (valid at properties up to 40,000 points), which means we will be able to combine certificates in the future to book 2-night stays that deliver way more value than the $99 we each pay in annual fees.

What really sets this strategy apart is the flexibility. Stacking certificates means we can plan trips on our own terms, choosing the hotels and dates that work best for us instead of being tied to a single property or timeframe.

Using 2 Free Nights at the Hotel Indigo Lima Miraflores

The brand-new Hotel Indigo Lima Miraflores, which just opened in June 2025, is conveniently connected to the more upscale InterContinental Lima Real Miraflores. Its prime location right on Lima’s seaside cliff promenade — the Malecón — makes it an ideal base for exploring the city’s vibrant culture and stunning coastal views.

For our upcoming Peru trip in November, we plan to use 2 of our free night certificates to book a weekend stay at this stylish new hotel since each night falls under the 60,000-point rate. The standard award rooms come with 2 queen beds to comfortably accommodate our family.

Booking those 2 nights with cash would have cost us over $500, but thanks to the IHG Premier card, we’re paying nothing out of pocket beyond the annual fees — just redeeming 2 free night certificates.

This stay perfectly illustrates how the card’s welcome bonus can turn into tangible savings that fund real travel experiences. And the best part? It’s only the beginning of what we plan to do with the rest of our certificates.

Maximizing IHG Certificates for 2025 and 2026 Travel

With another 8 free nights ready for use, we’re excited to plan multiple trips over the next year. This card gives us access to all of our favorite IHG brands, including InterContinental, Kimpton, and Hotel Indigo.

Because these brands often cost 40,000 to 60,000 IHG One Rewards points per night in many worldwide destinations, these certificates will provide a ton of value. Based on some IHG hotels I’m eyeing in Spain, New York City, and Puerto Rico, I’m estimating that I’ll easily save a few thousand dollars on lodging by redeeming these remaining 8 free-night certificates.

For instance, this summer, I plan to visit New York City for my twin daughters’ 12th birthday and can use 1 free night certificate to book the InterContinental New York Times Square for 55,000 points per night.

The cash rate during the dates I’m planning to visit is $433 on average, including taxes, so for a 4-night stay, redeeming free night certificates this way saves me nearly $2,000 in a pricey city like New York.

Whether it’s a weekend getaway or a longer family vacation, having multiple certificates means we can spread out stays, combine nights, or even book multiple hotels on the same trip.

Why This Strategy Works for Couples and Families

Couples or families who each apply for the card can multiply their certificates, unlocking 10+ nights annually. Even after the initial welcome bonus offer, the ongoing annual free night certificates (valid up to 40,000 points) can cover a 2-night weekend getaway yearly.

One of the ways we plan to use our annual free night certificates is by returning to a hotel that holds a special place in our hearts — the Kimpton EPIC in Downtown Miami, where we had our wedding reception. Every few years, we make it a point to go back and relive that unforgettable night.

Now that my wife and I both have the IHG Premier card and opened them around the same time, our anniversary free night certificates will be issued each year in sync.

That means we can easily combine our certificates for a 2-night stay at the 5-star Kimpton EPIC, creating a meaningful tradition that costs us nothing more than our annual fees since a free night can be had for 40,000 points per night, or sometimes less.

It’s just one more way this card continues to deliver real value, long after the welcome bonus.

Quick Tips for Finding High-Value IHG Redemptions

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.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

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

If you’re looking to squeeze the most value out of your IHG One Rewards points or free night certificates, here are a few tips that have worked well for me:

• Aim for hotels in the 40,000 to 60,000 point range. This is often where you’ll find some of the best redemptions — think upscale InterContinental and stylish Kimpton hotels in great locations.
• Book weekend nights or peak travel dates. That’s when cash rates tend to spike, so using a free night certificate during those times gives you the most bang for your buck.
• Watch for flash sales and utilize your fourth-night-free perk. While you usually can’t use free night certificates on these deals, they’re great for stretching your points when booking extra nights.
• Do a little research. Some properties cost fewer points but still offer great experiences in prime spots—you don’t always need a top-tier hotel to get great value.
• If a hotel costs more than your certificate’s point limit, you can cover the difference with IHG One Rewards points. Even better, you can transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards or Bilt Rewards at a 1:1 ratio to top off when needed.

A little planning can go a long way toward turning your points or free nights into memorable (and money-saving) stays.

Final Thoughts

The IHG Premier card has become a valuable addition to our travel toolkit. With both my wife and I picking it up during the current elevated bonus offer, we now have 10 free night certificates to use — and that’s already shaping the way we plan trips for the next year.

Even beyond the limited-time welcome bonus (which ends on July 23, 2025, at 9 a.m. ET), the fact that we’ll each receive an annual free night certificate means we can keep planning short, meaningful trips — like revisiting the Kimpton EPIC in Miami, where we had our wedding reception. That’s the kind of personal value that goes beyond cents-per-point math.