Earn accelerated points, hotel stays and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit.
- Get this card if you frequently stay at IHG hotels.
- Pick something else if you don’t want to pay an annual fee, or if you want an intro APR period.
- Apply with a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher.
| Product Name | IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card |
|---|---|
| Card type | Mastercard |
| Annual fee | $89 |
| Purchase APR | 18.24% to 25.24% variable |
| Balance transfer APR | 18.24% to 25.24% variable |
| Balance transfer fee | $5 or 5% of the transaction, whichever is greater |
| Cash advance rate | 27.24% variable |
| Cash advance fee | $10 or 5% of the cash advance amount, whichever is greater |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
| Interest free period | Up to 21 days |
| Late payment fee | Up to $39 |
| Returned payment fee | Up to $39 |
| Rates & fees | rates & fees |
| Minimum Age | 18 years of age |
|---|
| Welcome Offer | 125,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, 10,000 points after spending $20,000 and making an additional purchase each account anniversary |
|---|---|
| Rewards | 25x points at IHG hotels and 4x on other purchases for the first year. From the second year, 10x at IHG and 2x on gas, groceries and dining and 1x on all other purchases |
| Base Rewards | 1x points |
The basics
If you often stay at Holiday Inn, InterContinental or any other hotel in the IHG portfolio, then getting the IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card is a no brainer. You can earn accelerated points on your IHG stays and on everyday purchases like gas and groceries. Also, earn a generous welcome offer worth several reward nights — plus every year on your card anniversary you get a reward night.
An alternative hotel card
The perks
- Reward points.
Earn 25x points at IHG hotel stays for the first year. After that, you’ll earn 10x points at IHG. For the first year you’ll also earn 4x points on all other purchases. Starting the second year, you’ll earn 2x points at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants. Earn 1x points on everything else you buy.
- Signup bonus.
Spend $3,000 on purchases within your first 3 months of card membership and earn 125,000 bonus points. Plus, earn 10,000 bonus points when you spend $20,000 and make an additional purchase each account anniversary year.
- Anniversary Free Night.
Get a reward night each year on your card anniversary in a hotel of 40,000 points redemption level or less.
- Fourth reward night free.
Redeem your points for four or more nights and get an additional reward night.
How much rewards can I earn with IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card?
| Where you spend | How much you spend | Total points |
|---|---|---|
| IHG hotels | $6,000 | 60,000 |
| Restaurants | $3,000 | 6,000 |
| Gas stations | $3,000 | 6,000 |
| Grocery stores | $3,000 | 6,000 |
| Everything else | $3,000 | 3,000 |
| Total | $18,000 | 81,000 |
If your annual spending looks similar to this and you clear the signup bonus for the first year, you would earn a total of 161,000 points. Depending on which hotel you redeem your points at, points can be worth up to 1 cent each. In this scenario, according to the IHG website as of December 2018, after you pay the annual fee your rewards for the first year would be worth up to 15 nights.
From the second year, the same 81,000 points would be worth up to eight nights. And if you use your annual Anniversary Free Night, you could add another $100 or more.
How much do I have to spend to make the annual fee worth it?
You’ll have to pay an annual fee of $89. However, the reward night you get each year is enough to offset the fee.
You’ll also like …
- Platinum Elite status.
As long as you own the card and your account is in good standing, you’ll have a Platinum Elite status. This gives you extras like 50% more points on IHG stays and complimentary room upgrades.
- No foreign transaction fee.
You won’t pay any foreign transaction fees when using this card outside of the US.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit.
Once every four years get Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit when you pay for your application using your card.
What to watch out for
- Annual fee.
You’ll have to pay an $89 annual fee for the card. But this is easily offset by the reward night you get every year on your card anniversary.
- Signup bonus eligibility.
You can’t get the signup bonus if you already have this card or if you’ve owned it and received a signup bonus in the last two years. However, if you’ve used the old card or the IHG® Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card, you may be eligible to get the bonus.
- Minimum credit line.
Your credit line is determined by several factors, but the minimum you can get with this card is $2,000. This is low compared to similar hotel cards where the minimum is $5,000.
- No intro APR period.
This card has no intro APR period. If that’s what you’re looking for in a card, consider a 0% intro APR card.
What is the best hotel credit card?
Compare travel rewards credit cards
What should I know before I apply?
To apply for the card, you must be a US citizen and at least 18 years.
In your application form, you need to provide your:
- Full name, phone number and address.
- Date of birth and Social Security number.
- Annual income and source of income.
What credit score do I need?
You can apply with a good credit score of 670 or higher. As with most credit products, a higher credit score will likely get you a lower APR and a higher credit limit.
What do customers say about IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
Satisfied cardmembers love the signup bonus, they love the earning rate and especially the Global Entry and TSA PreCheck credit they get once every four years.
The Better Business Bureau rates JP Morgan Chase with an A+. Most complaints on the BBB website revolve around the bank’s poor customer service. If you’d like to avoid calling customer service, the IHG website has a comprehensive FAQ and virtual assistant.
How to apply for the IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
- Go to the Chase website and find the IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card. Click Apply now.
- Fill out the application form with all of the required details, including your personal and income information.
- Review your application and submit it.
How long will it take to get my IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card?
You can get a decision in less than a minute. If Chase requires additional information, you may have to wait up to 30 days.
Once approved, your card should arrive in seven to 10 business days.
I got the card. Now what?
- Download Chase Mobile app. Monitor your account, pay your bills, send wire transfers, use Zelle to send money, find ATMs near you and more.
- Download IHG: Hotel Deals & Rewards app. Get mobile exclusive rates, review and redeem your points and more.
- Avoid interest. Your due date is at least 21 days after the close of each billing cycle. To avoid paying fees and high interest, pay your bill before it’s due.
- Customer service. For questions call support at 800-432-3117 or check the FAQ on IHG’s website.
How do I redeem rewards from IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card?
Log in to your IHG® Rewards Club account to redeem your points. Your options include:
- Hotel stays, starting from 10,000 points.
- Combine points and cash toward reward nights.
- Experiences, such as concerts, sporting events or vacations.
- Travel redemption, including flights, hotels and car rentals.
- Shopping.
- Gift cards.
- Digital rewards like ebooks, games and software.
- Transfer points to another account.
- Donate to charity.
Bottom line
The IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card can be a great choice if you often stay at Holiday Inn, InterContinental or any other hotel under the IHG umbrella. With this card you earn accelerated points on IHG stays, at gas stations, restaurants and grocery stores. In addition, you get free night every year and if you redeem for four nights or more, you get another free night.
Not certain whether this could be a great card for you? Look into other travel credit cards and compare your options.
Frequently asked questions
Disclaimer
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.
