Chase and Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) launched new limited-time welcome offer bonuses on Thursday – allowing travelers to earn up to 175,000 bonus points.
You can currently earn 175,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months of card membership on the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card. You can also earn 120,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in the first three months of card membership on the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card.
Both offers are the biggest we have ever seen and are worth your attention. While these offers are only available for a limited time, we don’t yet know the end date. Act fast if you are thinking about applying.
But remember: Credit cards are serious business. You should never apply for a credit card if you’re already in debt, and never charge more to a credit card than you can afford to pay off immediately. If you can’t spend to meet the bonus responsibly, you shouldn’t try.
Read on for everything you need to know about Chase’s IHG credit cards and these new record-setting limited-time offers.
Click Here to learn more about the IHG® Rewards Premier Card.
Click Here to learn more about the IHG Rewards Traveler Card.
Full Benefits of the IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card
- Welcome Offer Bonus: You can now earn 175,000 IHG points after spending $3,000 within the first three months. That’s a sizable bonus for a hotel card with a $99 annual fee. This is a limited-time offer!
- Earn 5x points per dollar spent on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants
- Earn 3x points per dollar spent on all other purchases
- Free night award certificate starting in your second year of card membership
- Link your United MileagePlus account and get up to $50 of United TravelBank cash each calendar year.
- Receive 10,000 IHG bonus points and a $100 statement credit after spending $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year
- Automatic IHG Platinum Elite status
- IHG Diamond Elite status after spending $40,000 and making one additional purchase each calendar year
- Up to a $100 Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Fourth Night is Free with booking with points
- Cell Phone Protection Coverage
- $99 Annual Fee
Click Here to learn more about the IHG® Rewards Premier Card.
Full Benefits on the IHG Rewards Traveler Credit Card
- Welcome Offer Bonus: You can now earn 120,000 IHG points after spending $2,000 within the first three months. That’s a sizable bonus for a hotel card with no annual fee. This is a limited-time offer!
- Earn 3x points per dollar spent on utilities, internet, cable, phone, and select streaming services purchases
- 3x points per dollar spent at gas stations & restaurants
- 2x points per dollar spent on all other purchases
- Automatic IHG Silver Elite status
- Receive 10,000 IHG bonus points after spending $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year
- Fourth Night is Free with booking with points
- Cell Phone Protection Coverage
- No Annual Fee!
Click Here to learn more about the IHG Rewards Traveler Card.
Our Analysis
As noted, these are the best offers we have ever seen on both the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card and the no-annual-fee IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card.
Both of these cards were revamped in March of last year and perhaps the best new benefit is how the anniversary free night certificate you’ll receive in your second year with the Premier card works.
For years, IHG Anniversary Free Night certificates had been capped for properties costing 40,000 points. You get one of these certificates each year you renew your card, starting in year two.
Now, IHG Rewards Premier cardholders are able to add an unlimited amount of IHG Rewards points to redeem those certificates at hotels above the 40,000-point redemption limit. That means you could book a 50,000-point-per-night award stay using a certificate and kicking in another 10,000 points. Or put in another 30,000 points to book a 70,000-point award stay.
It was a very positive change that makes IHG free night certificates much more flexible and valuable. Add in the annual $50 United TravelBank cash you’ll get each year, and we think the Premier card is a no-brainer as that can easily wipe out half of your annual fee.
It’s important to note that Chase’s 5/24 rule does apply to these cards. If you have opened more than five credit cards from any bank (not just Chase) in the last 24 months, you will not be eligible for card approval.
Read More: Master Guide to Credit Card Applications: All the Rules You Need to Know, Bank by Bank
Bottom Line
Chase and IHG have increased the offers on both the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card and the no-annual-fee IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card.
Both offers are the biggest we have ever seen but are only available for a limited time.