IHG Credit Cards Review: Maximize Your Hotel Stays

Earn IHG Rewards Club points with two credit card options.

By Gabrielle Olya October 3, 2018 Compare Rewards Cards

The two IHG Rewards Club credit cards — IHG Rewards Club Premier card and IHG Rewards Club Traveler card — allow you to earn IHG Rewards Club points that can be redeemed for reward nights, shopping, access to exclusive events and vacation experiences, cash, flights, car rentals, digital entertainment, airline miles, charity donations and more. Reward nights can be redeemed at IHG hotels worldwide, which include InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton hotels and Holiday Inn properties.

Keep reading this IHG Rewards credit card review to determine which one is the best hotel credit card for you.

IHG Rewards Club Credit Cards at a Glance
Card	IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card	IHG Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card
APR	17.74% to 24.74%	17.74% to 24.74%
Intro APR	N/A	N/A
Annual Fee	$89	$29
Foreign Transaction Fee	None	None
Rewards	10 points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG hotels 2 points per $1 spent on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases	5 points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG hotels 2 points per $1 spent on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
Sign-Up Bonus	100,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening	60,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
Pros	Anniversary free night Automatic Platinum Elite status Fourth reward night free Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee credit	Earn Gold Elite Status when you spend $10,000 on purchases with your card each calendar year Fourth reward night free
Cons	High annual fee and no intro APR	Fewer points on IHG stays and fewer perks than the Premier Credit Card
Best for	Earning free hotel stays quickly and regularly	Earning free hotel stays without having to pay a high annual fee
Information accurate as of Sept. 26, 2018.

Read: I Got Over 100 Free Hotel Nights Using My Credit Card

IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card

Although the IHG Premier credit card has a higher annual fee than the IHG Rewards Club Traveler card, the perks could be worth it. You’ll get twice as many points for every dollar spent on IHG hotel stays, plus a free hotel stay every year and up to $100 every four years as reimbursement for the Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee. You can also earn 40,000 more bonus points as part of the sign-up offer.

Another perk of the IHG Rewards Club Premier card is automatic Platinum Elite status, which entitles you to dedicated customer service phone assistance, no blackout dates for reward nights and complimentary room upgrades. You’ll also gain access to exclusive events and have added protections on travel and purchases, including lost luggage protection and extended warranty protection.

Learn More: 50 Things Your Hotel Will Give You for Free

IHG Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card

The IHG Traveler credit card has a low annual fee of only $29. You’ll earn IHG Rewards Club points with every purchase, including five points for every $1 spent on IHG hotel stays. When you spend $10,000 in a calendar year, you’ll be upgraded to Gold Elite status, which entitles you to no blackout dates for reward nights, extended checkout and complimentary internet. The card also includes travel, purchase and fraud protection.

Click through to learn about the best travel credit cards.

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This content is not provided by the companies mentioned. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the InterContinental Hotels Group.

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About the Author

Gabrielle Olya

Gabrielle joined GOBankingRates in 2017 and brings with her a decade of experience in the journalism industry. Before joining the team, she was a staff writer-reporter for People Magazine and People.com. Her work has also appeared on E! Online, Us Weekly, Patch, Sweety High and Discover Los Angeles, and she has been featured on “Good Morning America” as a celebrity news expert.