Chase
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Large welcome offer worth an estimated $840
- Annual fee
- $99
- Welcome offer
- ~$840
- Annual benefits value
- $1
- Est. 1st-year value
- $841
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Our review
The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is Chase's flagship personal card for the IHG loyalty program, and it ranks highly among mid-tier hotel cards because it packs an outsized set of ongoing benefits behind a modest annual fee. For travelers who stay at IHG brands such as Holiday Inn, Kimpton, InterContinental, and Six Senses even a few times a year, the card is built to pay for itself.
The centerpiece is an annual free night certificate, redeemable at properties costing up to 40,000 IHG One Rewards points, that arrives every year on your cardmember anniversary. Because a single anniversary night can frequently be worth more than the annual fee on its own, the value proposition is easy to understand: use the certificate once and the card has largely justified itself.
Beyond the free night, cardholders receive automatic IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status for as long as the account stays open, plus a fourth-reward-night-free benefit when redeeming points for stays of four nights or longer. Layered together, these perks reward brand loyalty rather than everyday spending.
Earning is strongest inside the IHG ecosystem, where the card and IHG membership combine for elevated points on paid stays, with additional bonus categories on travel, dining, and gas. Away from IHG, the return on ordinary purchases is unremarkable, which is typical for a co-branded hotel card.
This is a card for IHG loyalists first and foremost. If IHG is not your primary hotel program, a flexible travel card that earns transferable rewards will usually serve you better, but for regular IHG guests the Premier remains one of the more compelling low-fee hotel cards on the market.
Why we like it
- An annual free night certificate valid for properties costing up to 40,000 points, which can be topped off with additional points from your account for higher-priced hotels.
- Automatic IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status for as long as you hold the card, bringing bonus points on paid stays and space-available room upgrades.
- A fourth-reward-night-free benefit that automatically applies when you book award stays of four consecutive nights or longer.
- Elevated points earning on IHG stays, plus a statement credit toward the Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee.
Who it's best for
- IHG loyalists who stay at Holiday Inn, Kimpton, or InterContinental properties often enough to use the anniversary free night every year.
- Travelers who value automatic mid-tier hotel status without paying a premium annual fee.
- Anyone who can reliably redeem the annual certificate for a night worth more than the card's annual fee.
Welcome bonus
The card typically offers a sizable welcome bonus of IHG One Rewards points after you meet a minimum spending requirement within the first few months of account opening; see the estimated value shown above for a current approximation.
Welcome offers on this card change over time, so confirm the exact point total, spending requirement, and time window on the issuer's application page before applying.
New-cardmember eligibility rules apply, including a restriction if you have received a bonus on an IHG personal card within the prior 24 months, and the card is subject to Chase's 5/24 rule.
Using your rewards
Rewards are earned as IHG One Rewards points, a hotel loyalty currency that delivers its best value when redeemed for IHG stays.
IHG uses dynamic award pricing rather than a fixed chart, so award costs vary by property and date; the fourth-night-free benefit is one of the simplest ways to stretch points on longer stays.
Points can technically be transferred to airline partners, but the transfer ratios are poor, so these points are best kept for hotel redemptions.
Airport lounge access
This is a hotel co-branded card and does not include airport lounge access.
Foreign transaction fees
The card does not charge foreign transaction fees, making it a reasonable companion for stays outside the United States.
Major credits & annual benefits
An anniversary free night certificate each year, valid for properties costing up to 40,000 points and able to be topped off with additional points.
Automatic IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status while you remain a cardholder.
A statement credit that reimburses the application fee for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS, available once every four years.
A fourth-reward-night-free benefit on eligible award stays of four nights or more.
Insurance & protections
The card includes travel and purchase protections such as trip cancellation and interruption coverage and purchase protection.
Coverage terms, limits, and exclusions vary, so pay for the eligible travel or purchase with the card and review the current benefits guide before relying on any protection.
Fees & tradeoffs
The annual fee is low by hotel-card standards, and the anniversary free night alone can typically cover it if you use it each year.
The main tradeoff is brand dependence: earning and redemption value are tied to IHG, so the card makes the most sense for people who stay with IHG regularly.
Final verdict
For regular IHG guests, the welcome bonus plus the recurring value of the anniversary free night, automatic Platinum Elite status, and fourth-night-free benefit comfortably outweigh the modest annual fee.
If you rarely book IHG stays or want rewards you can use across many programs, a flexible travel card is the better fit, but IHG loyalists will find this an easy card to keep year after year.
Card details change often. Verify current rates, fees, welcome offers, credits, and benefit terms with the issuer before applying.
Is this card worth it for you?
Check the benefits you’d realistically use and see your personalized total value below. This is a personal estimate — actual value depends on your spending. Verify terms with the issuer.
- Selected benefits
- $200
- Welcome offer
- $840
- Annual fee
- −$99
- Estimated first-year net
- +$941
Welcome offer
Welcome offer value
Earn 140,000 points after $3,000 in spend within 3 months
$840
Spend requirements apply. Verify current offer with the issuer. How we calculate this
Benefits & credits
Total benefits & credits value
Estimated annual value of all tracked perks
$100
| Benefit | Frequency | Est. annual value |
|---|---|---|
Free Night Award (up to 40K pts) One free night certificate valued at up to 40,000 IHG points, issued on card anniversary each year. | Annual | $100 |
4th Reward Night Free Get every 4th reward night free when booking IHG stays with points. | Annual | $0 |
$100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee. | One-time | $100 |
Earning rates
Who it's for
Consider it if
- Large welcome offer worth an estimated $840
- Ongoing benefits can outweigh the annual fee if used
Maybe skip it if
- Verify current terms with the issuer before applying
Fees & details
- Annual fee
- $99
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Card network
- Varies
- Recommended credit
- Good to Excellent (690+)
- Rewards currency
- IHG One Rewards
- Last updated
- 2026-07-25
Details are estimates and may be out of date. View issuer terms. Verify all rates, fees, and offers with the issuer before applying.
How it compares
| Annual fee | $99 | $895 | $895 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome offer | ~$840 | ~$3,000 | ~$3,000 |
| Est. 1st-year value | $841 | $5,160.40 | $4,684 |
| Annual benefits value | $1 | $2,160.40 | $1,684 |
| Editor rating | 4.3 / 5 | 5.0 / 5 | 5.0 / 5 |
| Points earning structure |
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| Transfer partners | |||
| Lounge access | |||
| No foreign txn fee | |||
| Recommended credit | Good to Excellent (690+) | Good to Excellent (690+) | Good to Excellent (690+) |
