IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card evaluation: Full particulars

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IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card overview

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card (see charges and charges) gives a number of helpful perks for frequent IHG company. Nevertheless, you could not get sufficient ongoing worth from this card if IHG One Rewards is not your major lodge loyalty program. Card score*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Card score 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 gives many perks for vacationers who regularly stick with IHG.

One perk alone — the anniversary free night time 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 charge every year.

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

We usually suggest that candidates have a credit score rating of no less than 670 to extend their possibilities of being accredited for this card.

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

IHG One Rewards Premier professionals and cons

Execs  Cons
  • Cheap annual charge
  • Free night time certificates every year
  • Fourth night time free on award stays
  • Complimentary Platinum Elite standing
  • International Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus assertion credit score
  • Bonus factors on IHG lodge stays, journey, gasoline and restaurant purchases
  • Has an annual charge
  • Poor worth exterior IHG stays
  • Weak switch charges to airline companions

IHG One Rewards Premier welcome provide

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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IHG One Premier card art
THE POINTS GUY

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

Observe that you simply will not be eligible for this card (or its bonus) should you presently 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 Enterprise Credit score Card (see charges and charges) or bonuses earned on that card. You additionally have to be beneath Chase’s 5/24 rule.

Associated: Wish to open a brand new Chase card? Here is how you can calculate your 5/24 standing

IHG One Rewards Premier advantages

The IHG One Premier Card carries a comparatively modest $99 annual charge. Nevertheless, the cardboard’s precise worth hinges on whether or not you will use the advantages regularly sufficient to justify that annual charge. Here is an summary of the cardboard’s predominant IHG-related perks.

Anniversary free night time

Cardholders obtain a reward night time 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 on your certificates is not tough. For instance, I’ve redeemed anniversary free night time certificates for stays on the InterContinental Buenos Aires, InterContinental Madrid and Kimpton De Witt.

InterContinental Madrid entrance
InterContinental Madrid. MATT MOFFITT/THE POINTS GUY

Observe that you should utilize an infinite variety of factors to high off this certificates and use it for higher-priced properties. For instance, you may e-book a room priced at 55,000 factors utilizing the free night time plus 15,000 factors out of your IHG One Rewards account.

Elite standing

IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite members get pleasure from 60% bonus earnings on paid stays when reserving immediately with IHG One Rewards, room upgrades based mostly on availability at check-in, a welcome amenity and several other different perks.

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

Fourth night time free

While you redeem factors for a keep of 4 nights or longer, you will pay zero factors for each fourth night time. If you’ll find 4 nights of consecutive award area at a property you want, this may be an effective way to stretch your factors even additional.

In fact, the worth of this perk is determined by how regularly you redeem IHG factors for stays of no less than 4 nights.

IHG hotel property on the beach
IHG HOTELS & RESORTS

Different noteworthy perks

  • 10,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000: You may earn 10,000 bonus factors and a $100 assertion credit score after spending $20,000 in a calendar yr. Primarily based on TPG’s September 2025 valuations, the bonus factors are value $50; mixed with the assertion credit score, this bonus will be value as much as $150. Nevertheless, take into account whether or not you will realistically spend $20,000 in your card through the calendar yr, particularly should you can in any other case put these purchases on an on a regular basis spending card with a greater incomes fee.
  • 20% off when shopping for IHG factors: You may save 20% in your buy of IHG factors whenever you pay together 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, that means the worth shall be minimal for many cardholders.
A hotel room overlooking the airport
IHG
  • Utility charge credit score for International Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus: You may get reimbursed as much as $120 each 4 years whenever you cost a International Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus software charge to your card.
  • United TravelBank money: You’ll be able to rise up to $50 in United TravelBank Money per calendar yr after linking your IHG Premier together with your MileagePlus account.
  • Journey and buy protections: You may get perks like journey cancellation/interruption insurance coverage and buy safety.

These advantages could possibly be a severe issue when selecting a brand new bank card. Nevertheless, as mentioned within the subsequent part, you will not get a excessive return fee on most purchases with the IHG Premier Card.

Associated: Final-minute methods for incomes IHG One Rewards elite standing

Incomes factors on the IHG One Rewards Premier

Resort bank cards normally aren’t nice for incomes factors, however this card does properly whenever you use it at IHG accommodations. Listed here are the incomes charges you may 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 gasoline stations
  • 3 factors per greenback on all different eligible purchases
a hotel pool and cabanas surrounded by palm trees
KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY

While 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. Primarily based 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 crushed by many different playing cards.

Associated: How one can earn IHG factors through stays, bank cards and extra

Redeeming factors on the IHG One Rewards Premier

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 said most, the best I’ve seen is 120,000 factors per night time (excluding Six Senses, which regularly prices extra).

Six Senses Laamu overwater bungalow
KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY

However, even with IHG’s dynamic award pricing, it is nonetheless attainable to maximise IHG One Rewards redemptions. And, with somewhat little bit of looking out, you may typically redeem IHG One Rewards factors for a better worth than 0.5 cents per level.

You can too combine factors and money on your award stays. In some instances, this will likely present good worth. While you e-book this fashion, IHG sells you the additional factors after which debits your account for the complete variety of factors.

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

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

There are not any blackout dates for Reward Nights, nevertheless, room stock is proscribed and topic to prior sale.

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

Associated: How one can 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 fashion. 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.

InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau
KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY

You can too 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 yr.

Which playing cards compete with the IHG One Rewards Premier?

In the event you’re loyal to IHG, a card from one other lodge model may not advantage your consideration. Nevertheless, one other card may higher fit your wants.

For added choices, try our full lists of the very best lodge bank cards and the very best playing cards for IHG stays.

Is the IHG One Rewards Premier value it?

In the event you’re an IHG loyalist, you will simply get sufficient from this card’s advantages to justify the $99 annual charge. The anniversary night time alone ought to cowl the annual charge. Nevertheless, those that solely often keep at IHG properties will doubtless favor a card with most versatile advantages.

Backside line

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card is a transparent winner for vacationers who keep at IHG properties with any frequency.

The annual free night time certificates alone can simply outweigh the $99 annual charge, and pairing that with computerized Platinum Elite standing and the fourth-night-free profit makes this card laborious to beat for loyalists. Add in a stable welcome bonus and elevated earnings at IHG accommodations, and frequent IHG company will see robust long-term worth.

That mentioned, should you hardly ever e-book IHG stays or need extra versatile rewards, you will doubtless be higher off with a common journey rewards card.


Apply right here: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card


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