IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card review: Full d...

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (see rates and fees) gives a number of helpful perks for frequent IHG visitors. 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 score*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Card rating relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card gives many perks for vacationers who regularly stick with IHG.

One perk alone — the anniversary free night every year, 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 price every year.

You will additionally get computerized Platinum Elite standing so long as you are a cardholder. And you will get a singular perk: a free fourth evening when redeeming factors for stays of 4 nights or extra.

We usually suggest that candidates have a credit score of a minimum of 670 to extend their possibilities of being accredited for this card.

Now, let’s take a look at whether or not the IHG Premier Card is an efficient selection for you.

New IHG One Premier Card cardholders can earn 165,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

TPG’s September 2025 valuations peg IHG factors at 0.5 cents every, making this bonus value $825.

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This limited-time provide is best than the usual 140,000-point bonus, however removed from the best offer we have seen on the cardboard, which supplied 5 free nights (valued at 60,000 factors every).

Observe that you just will not be eligible for this card (or its bonus) if you happen to at present have any IHG private bank card or have earned a welcome bonus on one other IHG private bank card inside the final 24 months.

Nevertheless, this rule would not apply to holding the IHG One  Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (see rates and fees) or bonuses earned on that card. You additionally should be below Chase’s 5/24 rule.

Associated: Want to open a new Chase card? Here’s how to calculate your 5/24 standing

The IHG One Premier Card carries a comparatively modest $99 annual price. Nevertheless, the cardboard’s precise worth hinges on whether or not you will use the advantages regularly sufficient to justify that annual fee. This is an outline of the cardboard’s predominant 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 every year.

Though IHG makes use of dynamic award pricing, discovering an interesting redemption possibility in your certificates is not troublesome. For instance, I’ve redeemed anniversary free evening certificates for stays on the InterContinental Buenos Aires, InterContinental Madrid and Kimpton De Witt.

Observe that you should 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 guide a room priced at 55,000 factors utilizing the free evening plus 15,000 factors out of your IHG One Rewards account.

Elite standing

IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite members take pleasure in 60% bonus earnings on paid stays when booking directly with IHG One Rewards, room upgrades primarily based on availability at check-in, a welcome amenity and several other different perks.

There may be additionally a pathway to Diamond Elite standing by means of the top of the following calendar 12 months after spending $40,000 on the cardboard in a calendar 12 months.

Fourth evening free

If you redeem factors for a keep of 4 nights or longer, you will pay zero points for every fourth night. If you will discover 4 nights of consecutive award house at a property you want, this may be an effective way to stretch your factors even additional.

After all, the worth of this perk will depend on how regularly you redeem IHG factors for stays of a minimum of 4 nights.

Different noteworthy perks

• 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 12 months. Based mostly on TPG’s September 2025 valuations, the bonus factors are value $50; mixed with the assertion credit score, this bonus may be value as much as $150. Nevertheless, contemplate whether or not you will realistically spend $20,000 in your card throughout the calendar 12 months, particularly if you happen to can in any other case put these purchases on an everyday spending card with a greater incomes price.
• 20% off when shopping for IHG factors: You will save 20% in your purchase of IHG points while you pay along with your IHG Premier Card. Nevertheless, this low cost would not stack with different reductions when IHG places factors on sale. Observe that these factors are thought of non-qualifying, so they will not depend towards elite qualification, which means the worth shall be minimal for many cardholders.

• Utility price credit score for World Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus: You will get reimbursed as much as $120 each 4 years while you cost a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus utility price to your card.
• United TravelBank money: You may rise up to $50 in United TravelBank Money per calendar 12 months after linking your IHG Premier along with your MileagePlus account.
• Journey and buy protections: You will get perks like trip cancellation/interruption insurance and buy safety.

These advantages may very well be a severe issue when choosing a new credit card. Nevertheless, as mentioned within the subsequent part, you will not get a excessive return price on most purchases with the IHG Premier Card.

Associated: Last-minute strategies for earning IHG One Rewards elite status

Incomes factors on the IHG One Rewards Premier

Lodge bank cards normally aren’t nice for incomes factors, however this card does properly while you use it at IHG accommodations. Listed below are the incomes charges you’ll be able to count on:

• 10 factors per greenback spent on IHG stays
• 5 factors per greenback on all different journey
• 5 factors per greenback on eating (together with takeout and eligible supply providers) and at fuel stations
• 3 factors per greenback on all different eligible purchases

If you mix the ten factors per greenback spent through the use of your card with the factors you will earn as an IHG Platinum Elite member, you will earn 26 factors per greenback spent on most IHG stays. Based mostly on TPG’s September 2025 valuations, this equates to a return on spending of 13% on IHG stays, 2.5% on journey and 1.5% on all different purchases.

These are respectable returns for these bonus classes, however are simply overwhelmed by many other cards.

Associated: How to earn IHG points via stays, credit cards and more

And though there isn’t any said most, the best I’ve seen is 120,000 factors per evening (excluding Six Senses, which regularly prices extra).

However, even with IHG’s dynamic award pricing, it is nonetheless doable to maximise IHG One Rewards redemptions. And, with just a little little bit of looking, you’ll be able to typically redeem IHG One Rewards points for a larger worth than 0.5 cents per level.

You too can combine factors and money in your award stays. In some circumstances, this may occasionally present good worth. If you guide this manner, IHG sells you the additional factors after which debits your account for the total variety of factors.

TPG publication and partnerships editor Emily Thompson takes benefit of this perk as typically as doable to maximise her IHG One Rewards factors.

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

There aren’t any blackout dates for Reward Nights, nevertheless, room stock is restricted and topic to prior sale.

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

Associated: How to maximize award redemptions with the IHG One Rewards program

Transferring factors on the IHG One Rewards Premier

IHG One has 35-plus airline switch companions, however I do not suggest utilizing your factors this manner. Factors switch at an almost 5:1 ratio, which is on the decrease aspect. Plus, transfers from IHG have been identified to take an prolonged time period.

You too can switch your factors to different IHG One Rewards members, beginning at $5 per 1,000-point block. Nevertheless, these transfers are free for Diamond and IHG Enterprise Rewards Program members for as much as 500,000 factors per calendar 12 months.

For extra choices, try our full lists of the perfect hotel credit cards and the perfect playing cards for IHG stays.

That stated, if you happen to hardly ever guide IHG stays or need extra versatile rewards, you will seemingly be higher off with a general travel rewards card.

Apply right here: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card