The IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card from Chase is one of those rare hotel cards that’s genuinely worth keeping for the long term. If you’re eligible under Chase’s 5/24 rule.
I think it’s an especially strong choice for anyone getting started with points and miles. The sign-up bonus is solid, the spending requirement is reasonable, and IHG generally makes it easy to find award nights without major frustration. Plus, with thousands of properties worldwide, you’re rarely far from a place where your points will work.
Of course, this isn’t a card that’s going to land you a huge suite upgrade or deliver over-the-top elite perks. And the included “free night” certificate only covers hotels costing 40,000 points or less. But before I talk myself out of recommending it, let’s look at what the IHG Rewards Premier Mastercard actually offers—and why it’s still a great long-term value.
IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card
Annual Fee – $99 per year
Sign Up Benefits
If you’d like to sign up for the card, we usually ask you to use our referral link. If you do, we may receive a bonus at no additional cost to you — and we truly appreciate the support.
Currently, the referral offer earns 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 within the first three months from account opening, which matches the current public offer.
IHG has historically rotated between large point bonuses and “free night” offers, but at the moment, 140,000 points is the standard best-available offer for new cardholders.
Spending Bonus Categories
The IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card earns the following bonus points on purchases:
- 10X points on purchases made at IHG Hotels & Resorts
- 5X points at gas stations, on travel purchases, and at restaurants
- 3X points on all other eligible purchases
IHG points aren’t the most valuable loyalty currency out there, but earning elevated multipliers in several everyday categories makes it easier to build your balance throughout the year.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
As you’d hope from a card designed for use at IHG hotels around the world, the IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card charges no
foreign transaction fees.
That makes it a reliable option for international travel or any stay outside the United States.
Automatic Platinum Elite Status
Cardholders receive IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status for as long as they keep the card. This status level normally requires 40 qualifying nights per year.
Platinum Elite isn’t IHG’s most powerful tier, but it does include a 60% bonus on base points earned during stays, priority check-in, and the possibility of complimentary room upgrades and extended checkout. As always, those last two perks are subject to availability — so don’t count on them being honored at every property.
Free Reward Night on Four or More Night Stays
When you book an award stay of four nights or more, every fourth night is free. Another way to think about this benefit is as a built-in 25% discount on four-night award stays (or on stays that are multiples of four).
Most hotel co-brand cards offer a fifth night free on award bookings, so IHG’s fourth-night-free perk is one of the most generous long-stay benefits in the industry.
Global Entry, NEXUS or TSA Pre-Check Credit
The IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card now provides up to a $120 statement credit every four years to cover the application fee for
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, and NEXUS.
This enhancement makes the IHG Premier one of the only non-premium hotel credit cards to offer a travel security credit of this size, and it removes one more excuse for putting off applying for these programs.
Anniversary Free Night
Each year on your account anniversary, you’ll receive a Free Night certificate valid at IHG properties costing 40,000 points or less per night.
If the hotel you want costs more than 40,000 points, you can simply add points from your account to cover the difference — with no cap on how many additional points you can use. This flexibility makes the certificate far more useful than it may initially sound.
Free Night certificates must be booked and the stay completed within 12 months of issuance.
$50 United TravelBank Cash
After linking your United MileagePlus account to your IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card, you’ll receive $25 in United TravelBank Cash twice per year, for a total of $50 annually.
The credits do expire if unused, but there’s often a short window where both $25 deposits overlap — giving you the chance to combine them for a single $50 use. Here’s how the timing usually works.
Spending Threshold Bonuses
The IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card offers additional perks if you put significant spending on the card each calendar year:
- Spend $20,000: Earn a $100 statement credit plus 10,000 bonus points.
- Spend $40,000: Earn IHG Rewards Diamond Elite status through the end of the following year.
While these thresholds won’t make sense for everyone, they can be worthwhile if you’re already planning to put heavy spend on the card and want to lock in higher elite status.
Final Thoughts
The IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card remains one of the strongest long-term values among hotel co-branded cards. Benefits like automatic Platinum Elite status, the fourth-night-free perk on award stays, a $120 credit for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA Pre-Check, and $50 in annual United TravelBank Cash all help offset the modest $99 annual fee before you even factor in the card’s generous sign-up bonus.
I value IHG points at roughly 0.5 cents each, which makes the 40,000-point Anniversary Free Night worth at least $200 on its own. With that certificate alone covering more than the annual fee, everything else the card provides is effectively gravy.
If you stay at IHG properties even a couple of times a year—or just want an easy keeper card that consistently delivers outsized value—the IHG Rewards Premier is absolutely worth a spot in your wallet.
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