Personal Finance Insider writes about products, strategies, and tips to help you make smart decisions with your money. We may receive a small commission from our partners, like American Express, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective. Terms apply to offers listed on this page. Read our editorial standards.
Review: Is the IHG Rewards Club Traveler card the best credit card for you?
The
New cardholders can earn
In addition to getting the fourth night free on award stays, you’ll also get a path to earn IHG Gold elite status when you spend $10,000 on purchases in a calendar year, and a 20% discount on IHG points purchased through Points.com.
Read more: Guide to the best hotel credit cards
The
But If you like staying at IHG hotels, you’ll get more meaningful benefits with the
Though there’s an annual fee of
Upcoming changes to the Chase IHG Traveler card
On March 24, 2022, the
- The card will be known as the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card and it will continue to have no annual fee
- Cardholders will earn 3x points (increased from 1x) on utilities, internet, cable, phone, and select streaming services purchases, 3x points (increased from 2x) on dining and gas purchase, and 2x points (increased from 1x) on all other purchases
- Cardholders will receive automatic IHG Silver elite status, and can qualify for IHG Gold elite status after spending $20,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year
- After spending $10,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year, cardholders will earn 10,000 bonus points
Comparison: IHG Rewards Club Traveler vs other Chase cards
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual fee |
|
|
|
|
Rewards rate |
5x points* at IHG Hotels and Resorts 2x points at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants 1 point per dollar on everything else |
10x points* on IHG purchases 2x points at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases |
3x* points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels 2x points on other travel purchases 1 point per dollar on everything else |
|
Welcome bonus |
|
|
|
|
Travel benefits |
Fourth reward night free on award stays of four or more nights IHG Gold elite status when you spend $10,000 or more on purchases in a calendar year |
IHG Platinum Elite status Fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a stay of four or more nights Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit |
15 elite night credits each calendar year |
|
Other card benefits |
Car rental insurance (secondary in the US, primary otherwise) Trip cancellation/interruption insurance Travel accident insurance Lost luggage reimbursement Baggage delay insurance Travel and emergency assistance services Purchase protection Extended warranty 20% discount on IHG point purchases with your card No foreign transaction fees |
20% discount when you purchase points with your card 10,000 bonus points after you spend $20,000 on purchases and make one additional purchase each account anniversary Car rental insurance (secondary in the US, primary otherwise) Trip cancellation/interruption insurance Travel accident insurance Lost luggage reimbursement Baggage delay insurance Travel and emergency assistance services Purchase protection Extended warranty No foreign transaction fees |
Lost luggage reimbursement Baggage delay insurance Trip delay reimbursement Purchase protection Visa Signature concierge No foreign transaction fees |
|
Review |
* Bonus points at IHG and Marriott hotels are in addition to the points members would normally earn from a stay
*** The
IHG Rewards Club Traveler card vs other hotel credit cards
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual fee |
|
|
|
|
Rewards rate |
5x points* at IHG Hotels and Resorts 2x points at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants 1 point per dollar on everything else |
7 points* per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels 5 points per dollar spent at eligible U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations 3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases |
5x points* at Wyndham hotels and on gas purchases 2x points at restaurants and grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart) and on purchases at Wyndham Timeshare properties Earn 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases (excluding Wyndham Timeshare resort down payments) |
|
Welcome bonus |
|
|
|
|
Travel benefits |
Fourth reward night free on award stays of four or more nights IHG Gold elite status when you spend $10,000 or more on purchases in a calendar year |
Hilton Silver elite status Upgrade to Gold status after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year |
Wyndham Gold elite status Discount on award redemptions Discount on paid rates at Wyndham hotels |
|
Other card benefits |
Car rental insurance (secondary in the US, primary otherwise) Trip cancellation/interruption insurance Travel accident insurance Lost luggage reimbursement Baggage delay insurance Travel and emergency assistance services Purchase protection Extended warranty 20% discount on IHG point purchases with your card No foreign transaction fees |
Secondary car rental insurance Global Assist Hotline Purchase protection Extended warranty Access to discounts and bonus points through Amex Offers** No foreign transaction fees |
7,500 bonus points each anniversary year if you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases No foreign transaction fees
|
|
Review |
*Bonus points at IHG, Hilton, and Wyndham hotels are in addition to the points members would normally earn from a stay
How to earn points from the IHG Rewards Club Traveler card
The
You’ll also earn 2 points per dollar at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
Read more: I haven’t paid for a hotel room in 10 years — here’s how I stay for free
How to use rewards
IHG points are easy to redeem for free hotel stays directly on IHG.com. You can search for a hotel by location, but keep in mind IHG doesn’t have an official award chart and award nights are dynamically priced. Prices vary by hotel, and can even fluctuate day-to-day, based on demand.
Read more: How to earn, redeem, and maximize IHG Rewards Club points
However, you’ll generally pay 10,000 to 25,000 points per night at budget-friendly hotels like Holiday Inn and Candlewood Suites, all the way up to 70,000 points per night for high-end brands like InterContinental and Kimpton. A few luxury resorts in Macau and the Maldives can cost 75,000 to 100,000 points per night.
You can stretch your points further with Points + Cash rates. Here too, redemption options vary, but you’ll need to use a minimum of 5,000 points with this option. It typically isn’t a great value but can be worth checking if you’re low on points or have an expensive stay planned.
You can redeem IHG points for merchandise, gift cards, magazine subscriptions, or digital rewards like games and e-books, but the value you’ll receive is usually much less than you’d get for a free hotel night. IHG also allows you to transfer your points to airline miles, but again, the ratio is poor and only worthwhile if you have a very specific reward in mind.
IHG allows you to transfer your points to another member at a rate of $5 per 1,000 points transferred, or donate them to one of its charity partners.
Benefits and features
Fourth reward night free
When you have the
Opportunity to earn Gold elite status
You can earn IHG Gold elite status when you spend $10,000 on purchases with your
Read more: 11 credit cards that get you hotel elite status just by having them in your wallet
For comparison, the
20% discount on points purchases
If you’re close to an award stay and need to purchase additional IHG points, you’ll get a 20% discount when you pay with your
Damage and theft purchase protection
New purchases made with your
Extended warranty protection
You can extend a US manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less when you pay for the purchase with your
Auto rental collision damage waiver insurance
When you pay for a rental car with your
Read more: The best credit cards with primary car rental insurance
Baggage delay insurance
When you pay for your fare with the
Lost luggage reimbursement
If you or an immediate family member check or carry on luggage that gets damaged or lost, you’re covered up to $3,000 per passenger per trip when you pay with your
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
If your trip is canceled or cut short because of sickness, severe weather, or another covered situation, you can get reimbursed up to $5,000 per person and $10,000 per trip for pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses like fares, tours, and hotels.
Read more: The best credit cards with travel insurance
Travel accident insurance
When you pay for air, bus, train, or cruise transportation with your
Fraud protection and alerts
Chase uses real-time fraud monitoring to protect your account. You can sign-up to receive a text, email, or call if there’s any unusual activity.
Fees and costs
The
Read more: The best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees
Like most other cards, the
IHG Rewards Club Traveler credit card — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What credit score do you need for the IHG Rewards Traveler credit card?
Most folks who are approved for the
Read more: What is a good credit score? It depends whether you’re asking VantageScore or FICO
If you’re not quite in that range yet, read our guides on improving your credit score and how using credit cards can help boost your score.
Is the IHG Traveler card worth it?
For most travelers who stay with IHG, the
But if you’re completely opposed to paying an annual fee and don’t stay with IHG often, the
Who is eligible for the IHG Traveler card?
The
However, you can have other IHG credit cards, like the
Is the IHG Traveler a Visa or Mastercard?
The
Powered by WPeMatico
