Have you heard of the IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card? It’s a bit of a relic, but in the best way possible. Chase stopped offering the card back in 2018 and replaced it with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if you or someone you know still carries the Select card. It’s like a time capsule, with all the perks and benefits of the past.
For starters, the card still has the same $49 annual fee that I did when it was replaced. For that, you receive the following benefits.
- Automatic Platinum Elite Status
- 10% rebate on IHG® Rewards Club point redemptions
- Anniversary Free Night
That’s an amazing set of benefits for just $49. The 10% rebate applies to all redemptions, regardless of how long you stay. Additionally, it can be combined with the 4th-night free benefit from the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card. Although the anniversary-free night is limited to rooms costing 40,000 points or less, this mainly excludes top-tier hotels and popular weekend stays.
Chase has not expressed any intention to discontinue the Select card, but I’ve been wondering if it’s worthwhile to keep it. That’s because it’s becoming more difficult to use the 40,000-point free night award each year.
I’ve always been able to find somewhere to use them but it hasn’t been easy. Here are some of the places we’ve stayed recently:
- Crowne Plaza Dulles Airport
- Staybridge Suites Plano – Legacy West
- Holiday Inn Express Walnut Creek
- Holiday Inn NYC – Lower East Side
- Holiday Inn Club Vacations – Cape Canaveral Beach Resort
As I glance over the list, I can’t help but marvel at the fact that we were able to stay at so many different hotels using a card that only costs $49. None of the hotels on this list were priced below $150 per night, including taxes. So, it’s safe to say that the card is still a pretty good deal.
However, I am a bit skeptical about the ongoing availability of hotels costing less than 40K points, which is why I’m keeping my IHG Select card on probation. It’s kind of exciting to hunt for these reasonably priced rooms to use the free night, but I am curious about how long I will find it fun. When the novelty wears off, I might lose interest in trying to find a good use for them. And when that happens, it will be time to bid farewell to this card and send it straight to the shredder.
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