The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card provides many useful perks for frequent IHG vacationers and a giant welcome bonus. With an annual charge of $99, nevertheless, chances are you’ll not get sufficient ongoing worth from this card if IHG One Rewards is not your major lodge loyalty program. Card Ranking*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Card Ranking is predicated on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card provides loads of perks for vacationers who often stick with IHG. For instance, you may get computerized Platinum Elite standing so long as you are a cardholder. The cardboard additionally provides a singular fourth-night-free reward perk that permits cardholders to pay zero factors for each fourth evening when redeeming factors for award stays of 4 nights or longer.

With a stable sign-up bonus, stable return on IHG spending and loads of perks, IHG One Rewards loyalists will profit from this card. Even vacationers who solely stick with IHG a number of instances a yr might get ample worth from the IHG Premier Card.

However, one perk alone — the anniversary free evening annually, legitimate for an evening costing as much as 40,000 factors — can simply present sufficient worth so that you can justify paying the IHG Premier’s annual charge annually. Premier cardmembers also can high off their award nights with factors, permitting you to make use of the certificates to remain at higher-priced accommodations just like the Six Sense Laamu within the Maldives.

Word that the really useful credit score rating for this card is at the least 670. Now, let’s take a look at whether or not the IHG Premier Card is an effective alternative for you.

With the IHG One Premier Card, you’ll be able to earn 165,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening. TPG values IHG factors at 0.05 cents every, making this bonus value $825.

This is not fairly the greatest supply we have seen on this card (175,000 bonus factors), however it meets our standards for a proposal value leaping on.

Word, nevertheless, that you just will not be eligible for this card (or its bonus) for those who at the moment have any IHG private bank card or have earned a welcome bonus on one other IHG private bank card throughout the final 24 months. Nonetheless, this rule does not apply to holding the IHG One  Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card or bonuses earned on that card.

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The IHG One Premier Card carries a comparatively modest $99 annual charge. Nonetheless, the cardboard’s precise worth hinges on whether or not you may use the advantages often sufficient to justify that annual charge. This is an outline of the cardboard’s important IHG-related perks:

Anniversary free evening: Cardholders obtain a reward evening certificates legitimate for a one-night lodge keep at a property costing as much as 40,000 factors. This profit is annual, beginning on the primary account anniversary. Though IHG makes use of dynamic award pricing, discovering an interesting redemption choice in your certificates is not tough. For instance, I’ve redeemed anniversary free evening certificates for stays on the InterContinental Buenos Aires, InterContinental Madrid and Kimpton De Witt.

Word that you need to use a limiteless variety of factors to high off this certificates and use it for higher-priced properties. For instance, you’ll be able to ebook a room priced at 55,000 factors utilizing the free evening plus 15,000 factors out of your IHG One Rewards account.

Complimentary IHG Platinum Elite standing: IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite members take pleasure in 60% bonus earnings on paid stays when reserving straight with IHG One Rewards, room upgrades based mostly on availability at check-in, a welcome amenity and a number of different perks. There may be additionally a pathway to Diamond standing.

Fourth-night-free reward: Whenever you redeem factors for a keep of 4 nights or longer, you may pay zero factors for each fourth evening. If yow will discover 4 nights of consecutive award area at a property you want, this may be a good way to stretch your factors even additional. After all, the worth of this perk relies on how often you redeem IHG factors for stays of 4 nights or extra.

10,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000: You will earn 10,000 bonus factors and a $100 assertion credit score after spending $20,000 in a calendar yr. Based mostly on TPG’s valuations, these bonus factors are value $50; mixed with the assertion credit score, this bonus may be value as much as $150. Nonetheless, take into account whether or not you may realistically spend $20,000 in your card throughout your account anniversary yr — particularly for those who can in any other case put these purchases on an on a regular basis spending card with a greater incomes charge.

20% off when shopping for IHG factors: Save 20% in your buy of IHG factors while you pay together with your IHG Premier Card. Nonetheless, this low cost does not stack with different reductions when IHG places factors on sale. Additionally, these factors are thought-about non-qualifying and won’t rely towards elite qualification, so the worth will likely be minimal for many cardholders.

Moreover, IHG Premier cardholders take pleasure in the next basic perks when utilizing their card:

As different playing cards drop buying and journey protections, these advantages might be a severe issue when selecting a brand new bank card. Nonetheless, as mentioned within the subsequent part, you will not get a excessive return charge on most purchases with the IHG Premier Card.

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Resort bank cards are usually weak on the incomes entrance, however this card’s incomes charge at IHG accommodations is fairly stable.

You will earn 10 factors per greenback spent at IHG accommodations and resorts. And, while you mix the ten factors per greenback spent through the use of your card with the factors you may earn as an IHG Platinum Elite, you may earn 26 factors per greenback spent on most IHG stays.

As well as, cardmembers earn 5 factors per greenback spent on journey, eating and gasoline purchases, plus 3 factors per greenback spent on all different purchases. Based mostly on TPG’s valuation, this interprets to a 2.5% return when utilizing your IHG One Premier Card in these bonus classes — although on on a regular basis purchases, the 1.5% return is well overwhelmed by many different playing cards.

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IHG One Rewards doesn’t have an award chart. As an alternative, it makes use of dynamic award pricing. IHG’s web site states that nights begin at 10,000 factors, though we have seen nights priced as little as 5,000 factors. And though there is not any acknowledged most, the best I’ve seen is 120,000 factors per evening (excluding Six Senses and Mr and Mrs Smith properties, which do often value extra).

However, even with IHG’s dynamic award pricing, it is nonetheless potential to maximize IHG One Rewards redemptions. And, with just a little little bit of looking, you’ll be able to usually redeem IHG One Rewards factors for greater than TPG’s valuation of 0.5 cents per level.

You can also combine factors and money in your award stays. In some circumstances, this may increasingly present good worth. Whenever you ebook this manner, IHG sells you the additional factors after which debits your account for the total variety of factors. On this instance, you’d successfully buy IHG factors for 0.63 to 0.66 cents every. IHG often sells factors at this worth (or cheaper), which may be one other solution to high up your account.

It is also value mentioning the IHG Premier’s fourth-night-free reward perk once more. Whenever you ebook a reward evening of 4 nights or longer, each fourth evening of that keep will value zero factors. You need to use this perk limitless instances annually, however factors and money stays should not eligible.

TPG bank cards author Emily Thompson takes benefit of this perk as usually as potential to maximise her IHG One Rewards factors.

Lastly, some vacationers consider IHG’s coverage on blackout dates makes it one of many weaker lodge applications for award evening availability. The phrases and situations of the IHG One Rewards program word the next:

There aren’t any blackout dates for Reward Nights; nevertheless, room stock is proscribed and topic to prior sale. As well as, Members might not be capable of redeem Factors for Reward Nights at InterContinental Residences, IHG Military Motels, choose Six Senses Motels Resorts and Spas and choose Mr & Mrs Smith accommodations.

So, whereas there aren’t any blackout dates per se, accommodations can restrict the variety of rooms they make obtainable for award bookings.

Associated: Methods to redeem factors with the IHG One Rewards program

Transferring factors on the IHG One Rewards Premier

IHG One has over 40 airline switch companions, however we do not advocate utilizing your factors this manner. Factors switch at an almost 5:1 ratio, which is on the decrease facet. Plus, transfers from IHG have been recognized to take an prolonged time period.

You may also switch your factors to different IHG One Rewards members beginning at $5 per 1,000 factors, however these transfers are free for Diamond and IHG Enterprise Rewards Program members as much as 500,000 factors per calendar yr.

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For extra choices, take a look at our full checklist of the greatest lodge bank cards.

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For those who’re a loyal IHG traveler trying to profit from IHG One Rewards, having the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card is smart. In spite of everything, the cardboard gives perks like computerized Platinum Elite standing, a fourth-night-free reward on award stays of 4 or extra nights and a big bonus multiplier for IHG stays. Nonetheless, some may discover this is not the one for his or her journey and spending habits.

Apply right here: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card