InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has over 5,800 hotels across nearly 100 countries. With popular brands like Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and more, it’s no surprise that IHG is one of the largest hotel companies in the world.
If you frequently stay at IHG properties, getting an IHG credit card can help you earn rewards faster for free hotel nights. IHG offers three co-branded credit cards with Chase to choose from.
In this blog post, we will compare the top IHG credit cards to help you decide which is best for your needs.
Overview of the Best IHG Credit Cards
Here’s a quick look at how the IHG credit cards compare:
IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card
- Best for frequent IHG guests
- $99 annual fee
- Earn up to 26X points total per $1 spent at IHG hotels
- Complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status
- Annual free night certificate
The IHG Rewards Traveler Credit Card
- Best no annual fee IHG card
- $0 annual fee
- Earn up to 17X points total per $1 spent at IHG hotels
- IHG Silver Elite status
IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
- Best for small businesses
- $99 annual fee
- Earn up to 26X points total per $1 spent at IHG hotels
- Complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status
- Annual free night certificate
Next, we’ll take a closer look at each of these cards and how they compare.
IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card
The IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card is the best IHG card if you stay at IHG properties frequently.
With a $99 annual fee, this card offers the highest earn rate and most valuable benefits.
Earning Rewards
You’ll earn:
- 26X points total per $1 spent at IHG hotels
- 5X points per $1 on purchases at gas stations, restaurants, and flights
- 3X points per $1 on all other purchases
Redeeming Rewards
You can redeem IHG points for free nights at over 5,800 IHG hotels worldwide. Redemptions start at just 5,000 points per night at Holiday Inn Express locations.
This card also lets you redeem points for a fourth night free when booking an award stay of four nights or more. This can help you stretch your points further.
Benefits
With the IHG Premier card, you’ll enjoy these benefits:
- Annual free night certificate – Each cardmember year you’ll get a free night certificate valid at IHG hotels that cost up to 40,000 points per night. This benefit alone can more than offset the annual fee.
- IHG Platinum Elite status – You’ll enjoy perks like room upgrades, welcome amenities, late checkout and more.
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit – Get up to $100 back every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee.
- Cell phone protection – Get up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year against damage or theft when you pay your cell phone bill with the card.
- Rental car insurance – Coverage for damage due to collision or theft is included when you rent a car and decline the rental company’s collision insurance.
- Purchase protection – Eligible new purchases are covered against damage or theft for 120 days, up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Welcome Bonus
New cardmembers can earn 165,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
Based on valuations, those 165,000 points are worth around $825 toward hotel stays.
Drawbacks
- $99 annual fee
- Foreign transaction fee
IHG Rewards Traveler Credit Card
The IHG Rewards Traveler card is the best option if you want an IHG credit card with no annual fee.
While the rewards rate and benefits are lower than the premium IHG Premier card, you’ll still enjoy nice perks for free.
Earning Rewards
With this no annual fee card, you’ll earn:
- 17X points total per $1 spent at IHG hotels
- 3X points per $1 on gas stations, groceries, dining out, and select streaming services
- 2X points per $1 on all other eligible purchases
Redeeming Rewards
This card has the same IHG redemption options as the Premier version. You can book free hotel nights starting at just 5,000 points or get a fourth night free on award stays of four nights or longer.
Benefits
Cardholders enjoy these benefits:
- IHG Silver Elite status – Perks include priority check-in, 10% bonus points on stays, late checkout and more. Spend $20,000 on the card in a year to get IHG Gold Elite status.
- Cell phone protection – Up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year against damage or theft when cell phone bills are paid with the card.
- Rental car Insurance – Primary coverage for rental cars damaged by collision or theft.
- Purchase protection – Eligible new purchases have 120 days of coverage against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Welcome Bonus
New cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
Based on IHG point valuations, those 100,000 points are worth around $500 in hotel stays.
Drawbacks
- No annual free night certificate
- Lower earn rate than the Premier card
- Foreign transaction fee
IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
Frequent IHG business travelers may benefit most from the IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card.
It has a $99 annual fee and offers the same earning rates and many of the same benefits as the personal IHG Premier card.
Earning Rewards
Cardholders earn:
- 26X points total per $1 spent at IHG hotels
- 5X points per $1 on travel, gas stations, restaurants, and cell phone protection
- 3X points per $1 on all other eligible purchases
Redeeming Rewards
This card has all the same redemption options as the other IHG cards. You can book free nights starting at 5,000 points or redeem points for a fourth night free on stays of four nights or longer.
Benefits
Key benefits of this business credit card include:
- Annual free night certificate – Valid at IHG hotels costing up to 40,000 points per night
- IHG Platinum Elite status – Gives you perks like room upgrades, welcome amenities, late checkout and more.
- Cell phone protection – Up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year against damage/theft when cell bills are paid with the card.
- Rental car insurance – Primary coverage for rental cars damaged by collision or theft.
- Purchase protection – New purchases have 120 days of coverage against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Welcome Bonus
New cardmembers can earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
Based on valuations, those 140,000 points are worth around $700 in hotel stays.
Drawbacks
- $99 annual fee
- Foreign transaction fee
Tips to Choosing the Best IHG Credit Card For You
Here are some key factors to consider when deciding which IHG credit card is right for your needs:
How often do you stay at IHG hotels?
If it’s more than once per year, the annual free night perk that comes with the IHG Premier personal and business cards can more than offset the $99 annual fee.
Do you want airport lounge access?
Only the IHG Premier personal card includes complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status, which gives you free visits to IHG’s club lounges at some airport locations when you have a same-day boarding pass.
Are you a small business owner?
The IHG Premier Business card is ideal if you want to earn IHG rewards for your business spending.
What category bonuses match your spending?
See which card’s bonus categories fit best with your regular spending. The IHG Premier cards offer 5X on gas, flights, restaurants, and cell phone bills.
Do you want a free card?
The $0 annual fee IHG Traveler card can make sense if you only stay at IHG hotels occasionally but still want to earn rewards.
Do hotel elite benefits matter to you?
The IHG Premier personal card includes complimentary Platinum Elite status. The IHG Traveler card comes with Silver Elite status and an upgrade to Gold by spending $20,000 in a year.
Alternatives to IHG Credit Cards
IHG co-branded credit cards can be great if you’re loyal to IHG hotels. But they aren’t your only options.
Here are some other cards to consider:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- $95 annual fee
- Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 60,000 point welcome bonus worth around $750 in travel
- Points can transfer 1:1 to airline and hotel partners like Hyatt, United, and Southwest
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- $395 annual fee
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all purchases
- 75,000 mile welcome bonus worth $750 in travel
- Transfer miles to Air Canada and other airline partners
Citi Premier® Card
- $95 annual fee
- Earn 3x on travel, gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets, and more
- 60,000 point welcome bonus worth around $750 in travel
- Points transfer to airline partners
Conclusion
IHG has three co-branded credit cards to choose from, issued by Chase. The best option depends on your annual IHG hotel spend, desire for luxury benefits, business or personal use, and redemption goals.
The IHG Rewards Premier Card is best for frequent IHG guests who can maximize the annual free night and elite status perks. The IHG Rewards Traveler Card makes sense if you want to earn IHG points with no annual fee. And small business owners may benefit most from the IHG Rewards Premier Business Card.
Before applying, think about your hotel habits and credit card preferences. And consider if a flexible travel rewards card could be a better option than locking into a single hotel chain.
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