
Being a normal IHG client, then you should look into the IHG Rewards Club Traveler credit card. This will allow you to gain and redeem rewards at more than 5,400 hotels globally. This would be a great earning opportunity and it even includes your fourth night free with many other perks.
If you want a larger rewards earning rate and bonus offers, then you should view the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit card. However, if you aren’t a loyal customer of IHG, then you should look into a different general travelling rewards credit card elsewhere.
IHG Rewards Club Traveler Card Summary
Bonus Available | Receive 60,000 bonus points once you make a minimum of $2,000 in expenses in the first 3 months of opening your account. |
Bonus Value | $300 |
Travel Credit | No travel credit |
Ongoing Rewards/Benefits | Earn 15 points for each $1 used for IHG purchases, 2 points for each $1 used for gas, groceries, and dining, and 1 point for each $1 used for other qualifying expenses.
Fourth award night free if you redeem points for a stay for at least 4 nights. Save 20% when you buy points with your card. |
Foreign Transaction Fees? | No |
Elite Status | Gain Gold Elite status when at least $10,000 in expenses for every calendar year. |
Annual Fee | $0 |
Recommended Free Credit Score (Get Free Score)
690 – 850 (Good – Excellent)
*IHG Rewards Traveler is issued by Chase Bank. Compare this card to other Chase bonuses.*
Pros
- Bonus points
- 4th night free
- Discount on points purchases
- Transfer partners
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Good-Excellent credit needed to qualify
- Low per-point value
Editor’s Alternate Pick
![]() The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card offers 3 Free Night Awards up to a 150,000 Total Point Value (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. You'll earn: • Up to 17X total points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy • 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining. • 2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchase • 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend. You gain an automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year. Path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year. You'll receive 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year & an additional Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary. This card does carry a $95 fee; there are no foreign transaction fees. |
IHG Rewards Traveler Card 60,000 Bonus Points Offer
Make use of the IHG Rewards Club Traveler card’s introductory offer of: 60,000 bonus points. The evaluation for these points will be worth about $300 (more on that below).
You must charge your card with a minimum of $2,000 in the first 3 months of having your account open to be able to qualify for this bonus points offer.
Here are some ideas on meeting the spending requirement:
What are IHG Club Points Worth?
Compared to other hotel branded credit cards, depending on how you choose to use your points with reflect their value. Each IHG Rewards Club point will be worth about $0.005. In other words, building up to 60k points would only be worth about $300.
Like lots of other hotel rewards cards, they have a common small individual point value. Hence, why each point that you gain for every $1 is typically larger than the non-hotel branded rewards credit card.
Your IHG Rewards Club points can be used for:
- Hotel stays
- Flights
- Car rentals
- Merchandise
- Gift cards
- Member-only access to events
- Digital downloads
- Donations
You’ll even be able to transfer your points to qualifying IHG airline partners (more on that below).
To receive the best value for your points, it’s best to redeem them towards IHG hotel rooms. Using the other categories will only decrease the value of your points.
IHG Properties
InterContinental Hotels Group properties include hotels such as:
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts | InterContinetal Alliance Resorts | Kimpton Hotels |
Crowne Plaza | Hotel Indigo | Holiday Inn |
Holiday Inn Express | Holiday Inn Resort | Holiday Inn Club Vacations |
Staybridge Suites | Candlewood Suites | EVEN Hotels |
HUALUXE | Avid Hotels |
IHG Rewards Club Traveler Card Top Features
Get a free hotel award night when your points are redeemed towards a hotel stay that’s at least 4 days long with the same property. However, this credit card will not allow you to get a free hotel night for your account anniversary year like the IHG Rewards Club Premier would.
Receive 20% off your points expenses. Using this discount, it would be a great opportunity to purchase more points when you don’t have enough to complete a redemption process.
Gain Gold Elite status by charging at least $10,000 to your card in a calendar year. With the membership, you will be able to gain an additional 10% bonus point for your starting earnings with lots of other elite perks included.
The IHG Rewards Premier card also includes an immediate Platinum Elite status with Gold Elite perks and more.
Here is a list of IHG Rewards Club’s qualifying airline partners. Remember that transferring ratios towards these loyalty programs will differ depending on the program you transfer to.
Aeromexico | Aeroplan | Air China |
Air France | Air Miles | Air New Zealand |
Alaska Airlines | Alitalia | All Nippon Airways |
American Airlines | Asiana Airlines | British Airways |
Cathay Pacific | China Eastern | China Southern Airlines |
Delta | El Al Israel Airlines | Emirates |
Etihad Airways | Gulf Air | Hainan Airlines |
Hawaiian Airlines | Iberia Airlines | Japan Airlines |
Jet Airways | JetBlue | KLM |
LATAM Airlines | Avianca Airlines | Lufthansa |
Malaysia Airlines | Qantas Airlines | Saudi Arabian Airlines |
Singapore Airlines | South African Airways | TAP Air Portugal |
Thai Airways | United Airlines | Virgin Atlantic |
Virgin Australia |
Buy things overseas without having to stress about any foreign transaction fees with the IHG Rewards Club Traveler credit card.
Bottom Line
The IHG Rewards Club Traveler credit card would be a great match for customers who are loyal to the hotel group. They will offer you 15x points for IHG expenses, this will make up for the small value in the IHG Rewards Club points. It will even include a free fourth night for award stays and gaining the Gold Elite status quicker. See IHG Rewards Club program for more information.
If you are a regular IHG customer that is able to pay for the annual fee of $89, then you should consider the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card instead. This card will offer you double the rewards for IHG expenses, annual free nights, Global Entry or TSA Precheck credit and you will get an immediate Platinum Elite status.
If IHG isn’t catching your eye, then you should look into a non-branded rewards credit card.
What’s the Competition?
There are some of IHG Rewards Club Traveler credit card’s top competitors listed below.
![]() The Chase Freedom FlexSM offers a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR. You'll earn: • Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! • 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more • 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service • Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases You cash back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back. This card has no annual fee. |
![]() The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card offers $200 Cash Back after spending $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies You'll earn: • 1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day with no rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards. • Unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply. This card comes with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees which makes this card a viable option for your go-to everyday card. |
![]() The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers a one-time bonus of 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel. You're able to earn: • 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. • 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection This card does come with a $95 annual fee. Enjoy no foreign transaction fees and receive up to $120 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔®. |
![]() The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. You'll earn: • 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM • 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries • 2x on all other travel purchases • 1x on all other purchases • $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027. Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase TravelSM This card carries a $95 annual fee. |
Other popular hotel cards include:
![]() The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card offers 3 Free Night Awards up to a 150,000 Total Point Value (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. You'll earn: • Up to 17X total points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy • 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining. • 2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchase • 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend. You gain an automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year. Path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year. You'll receive 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year & an additional Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary. This card does carry a $95 fee; there are no foreign transaction fees. |
![]() The Hilton Honors American Express Card offers 70,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/29/2025. You'll earn: • 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio. • 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations. • 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card. Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold status through the end of the next calendar year. This card comes with $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, so you can enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad. (See Rates & Fees) Terms Apply. |