Our experts answer readers’ credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here’s how we assess credit cards). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.

• Chase is offering big elevated bonus offers on the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card, but they’re only available until the end of the day on April 5, 2023.
• The biggest bonus is on the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card: a record-high 175,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• You can redeem IHG points at brands like Holiday Inn, Staybridge Suites, Hotel Indigo, and Kimpton.
• Read Insider’s guide to the best travel rewards credit cards.

Earning points for free stays from any of the best hotel credit cards is a smart move if you find yourself on the road frequently. We’ve seen a handful of elevated hotel credit card offers recently, including whopper bonuses on two IHG credit cards from Chase.

Until the end of the day on April 5, 2023, new Chase IHG cardholders can earn the following:

• IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card: 175,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
• IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card: 120,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening

These offers join the already excellent bonus on the IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card of 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. While any of these cards is a good pick if you like IHG hotels, the right card for you depends on your spending habits, how often you stay with IHG, and whether or not you’re willing to pay an annual fee for upgraded benefits.

Here’s a look at all three cards to help you decide which is a good fit for you.

We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

Chase IHG Premier card: Record-high 175,000-point bonus

The IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card is the best choice for most frequent IHG guests. Although it charges a $99 annual fee, it’s packed with benefits that can easily get you a value many times that amount each year.

Its new welcome offer of 175,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening is the highest points bonus we’ve ever seen on the card, so if you’ve been considering applying, now is the time. Insider’s points and miles valuations peg IHG points value at 0.65 cents apiece, on average, making this bonus worth around $1,138 in travel.

Beyond the bonus, the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card offers an impressive list of perks you don’t often see on mid-tier hotel cards. The most noteworthy (and valuable) is the card’s free anniversary night each year, valid for use at any IHG hotel worldwide that costs up to 40,000 points per night — with the option to top up the certificate with points for more expensive hotels.

This benefit alone can easily offset the annual fee (and then some) and makes the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card a terrific long-term keeper card for award travelers.

The card also offers excellent travel and shopping perks, including:

• Automatic IHG Platinum elite status (room upgrades where available, late checkout, complimentary internet, a welcome gift, 60% bonus points on paid bookings) with an upgrade to top-level Diamond elite status after spending $40,000 on purchases in a calendar year and making one additional purchase
• Fourth night free on point stays of three or more consecutive nights (effectively a 25% savings on four-night award stays)
• Up to $50 per year in United Travel Bank cash
• 10,000 bonus IHG points and a $100 statement credit each account anniversary year you spend $20,000 on purchases (and make one additional purchase at least one day after you spend $20,000)
• Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit 
• 20% discount on IHG points purchases made with your card
• Secondary car rental insurance
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
• Travel accident insurance
• Lost luggage reimbursement
• Baggage delay insurance
• Purchase protection
• Extended warranty
• Travel and emergency assistance services
• No foreign transaction fees

Cardholders can also take advantage of $10 per month in Gopuff credits (through December 31, 2023) and a year of complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership (activation required by December 31, 2024). Here’s our full IHG Rewards Club Premier credit card review with all the details.

Chase IHG Traveler card: 120,000 points with no annual fee

If you’re completely opposed to paying an annual fee, or just don’t stay with IHG that often but still want to earn IHG points, the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card is worth considering, especially now. It’s offering 120,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening — worth about $780 in travel, based on Insider’s valuations. That’s a terrific deal for a no-annual-fee travel credit card.

The IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card doesn’t come with as many perks as its annual-fee counterparts, but it’s got decent benefits, especially considering it doesn’t have an annual fee. Although it doesn’t come with an anniversary award night, cardholders receive:

• Automatic IHG Silver elite status (late checkout when available, 20% bonus points on paid bookings) with an upgrade to Gold elite status after spending $20,000 on purchases in a calendar year and making one additional purchase
• Fourth night free on point stays of three or more consecutive nights 
• 10,000 bonus points when you spend at least $10,000 and make one additional purchase with the card
• 20% discount on IHG points purchases made with your card
• Secondary car rental insurance
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
• Travel accident insurance
• Lost luggage reimbursement
• Baggage delay insurance
• Purchase protection
• Extended warranty
• No foreign transaction fees

Like the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card, the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card also comes with $10 per month in Gopuff credits (until December 31, 2023) and a year of complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership (activate by December 31, 2024). Check out our IHG Rewards Club Traveler card review for a closer look at what the card offers.

Chase IHG Premier Business card: Earn 140,000 points

The welcome bonus offer on the IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card hasn’t changed. New cardholders can still earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening (worth about $910 in travel based on Insider’s valuations).

Just note that to qualify for a small-business card like this, you’ll need to have some sort of business venture — but side gigs like driving for Uber or freelancing can make you eligible.

With a $99 annual fee, it comes with most of the same benefits as the personal IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card, including an anniversary free night award worth up to 40,000 points. However, there’s an extra incentive to spend on the card — cardholders receive another free night award after spending $60,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase in a calendar year.

The card’s other perks include:

• Automatic IHG Platinum elite status with an upgrade to top-level Diamond elite status after spending $40,000 on purchases in a calendar year and making one additional purchase
• Fourth night free on point stays of three or more consecutive nights (effectively a 25% savings on four-night award stays)
• Up to $50 per year in United Travel Bank cash
• 10,000 bonus IHG points and a $100 statement credit each account anniversary year you spend $20,000 on purchases (and make one additional purchase at least one day after you spend $20,000)
• Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit 
• 20% discount on IHG points purchases made with your card
• Car rental insurance (primary car rental insurance when renting for business purposes, secondary otherwise)
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
• Purchase protection
• Extended warranty
• Travel and emergency assistance services
• No foreign transaction fees

This card also comes with a complimentary year of DoorDash DashPass (activation required by December 31, 2024). Be sure to read our IHG Premier Business credit card review to see if it’s the right choice for you.

Compare IHG credit cards

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of all three IHG credit cards for a quick look at the differences:

* Bonus points at IHG hotels are in addition to the points members would normally earn from a stay

What can you do with IHG points?

You’ll typically get the best return by using IHG points for stays at over 6,000 hotels across 18 brands worldwide. IHG doesn’t publish an award chart anymore, so the number of points required for a free stay will vary based on hotel, time of year, demand, paid price, and other factors.

Most hotels charge 10,000 to 70,000 points per night, though some high-end resorts can charge up to 120,000 points. IHG sometimes runs award sales that can save you up to 20% on these prices, and remember, if you have one of the IHG cards listed above, you’ll get the fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a stay of three or more nights.

IHG has other options for redeeming points, with varying values, including:

• Points and Cash awards
• Transfer to airline partners 
• Donate points to charity
• Redeem points for merchandise, magazines, gift cards, and digital rewards
• Use points for exclusive experiences like concerts and sporting events

Other options for earning IHG points

If you don’t want to lock yourself into a single loyalty program by opening an IHG credit card, there’s another, more flexible option. When you have a card that earns transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, you can transfer your points to IHG — along with over a dozen other hotel and airline partners — at a 1:1 ratio.

The ability to transfer to partners is why Insider values Chase Ultimate Rewards points as worth 1.8 cents apiece, on average. You can earn transferable Chase points from the following cards:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, $95 annual fee
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, $550 annual fee
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Earn 100,000 points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, $95 annual fee

In addition, IHG is a Bilt Rewards transfer partner. When you earn points by paying rent through Bilt or spending on the Bilt Mastercard®, you can transfer them to IHG at a 1:1 ratio.

Be sure to read Insider’s beginner’s guide to using credit card rewards for free travel for more ideas on how to see the world on the cheap.