Earn up to 150,000 bonus points with IHG Rewards credit cards

If you frequently stay at IHG brand hotels – such as Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza or Staybridge Suites – signing up for one of the IHG Rewards Club credit cards can be a great way to earn rewards points quickly.

Chase currently offers two different cards for users looking to rack up IHG points – the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card and the IHG Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card*. Whether you prefer a card without an annual fee or are willing to pay a bit more for extra perks, you can earn great rewards toward IHG hotel stays.

The IHG Premier card is currently offering a whopping 150,000-point sign-up bonus for cardholders who spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and the IHG Traveler a 60,000-point bonus for cardholders who spend $2,000 in the first three months. While IHG points are worth less than the average rewards point, both of these bonuses are enough to cover plenty of redemption options.

Which IHG Rewards card is worth more in the first year?

In addition to a generous sign-up bonus, the IHG Premier comes with extra benefits that boost its value. For example, you get a reward night at one of IHG’s eligible hotels every year on your account anniversary. You also get up to $100 as a statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. While the IHG Traveler card boasts a $0 annual fee, it doesn’t include these extra benefits.

	IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card	IHG Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card
Rewards rate	Up to 25 points per dollar on IHG hotel stays (10 points per dollar from the card and 15 points per dollar as an IHG Rewards Club member) 2 points per dollar on gas station, grocery store and restaurant purchases 1 point per dollar on other purchases	Up to 15 points per dollar on IHG hotel stays (5 points per dollar from the card and 10 points per dollar as an IHG Rewards Club member) 2 points per dollar on gas station, grocery story and restaurant purchases 1 point per dollar on other purchases
Sign-up bonus	150,000 points if you spend $3,000 in first 3 months	60,000 points if you spend $2,000 in first 3 months
Annual fee	$89 ($0 first year)	$0

While it is more than we estimate the average cardholder will spend in a year, you are also eligible for a 10,000-point bonus every year you spend $20,000 on purchases (and make one additional purchase) with the IHG Premier.

Recent changes to IHG Rewards Club cards

Both of these cards launched in 2018, offering generous sign-up bonuses from the beginning. The IHG Premier card has offered generous limited-time bonuses a few times in its history, and the current 150,000-point bonus surpasses the card’s previous highest-ever bonus of 140,000 points.

While the IHG Traveler card bonus has remained the same through most of its history, it has shown limited-time offers up to 100,000 points. Right now, the offer is on the lower side.

Who is eligible for the sign-up bonus?

The IHG Rewards Club cards are offered by Chase, and therefore fall under the bank’s 5/24 rule for card applications. If you have opened five or more credit cards with any issuer in the last 24 months, you probably won’t qualify for one of these offers. The sign-up bonuses are also limited to new cardholders. Current IHG Rewards Club cardholders or users who have earned a sign-up bonus on an IHG Rewards Club card in the last 24 months are not eligible for the offer.

Both the IHG Rewards Club Premier card and Traveler card are recommended for users with good to excellent credit (above 670), so make sure you meet the requirements before you apply.

Best ways to use the IHG Rewards Club cards’ sign-up bonuses

Like with many hotel rewards programs, IHG points are inflated. Even on the most valuable redemption option, your points are only worth about 0.55 cents per point. Though you have several redemption options for your IHG points, rewards nights get the most out of your sign-up bonus.

IHG Rewards Club cardholders also have the option to transfer to one of 39 travel partners. However, most partners have a horrible transfer rate of 5 IHG points to 1 partner point.

In a few cases, transferring points can still be valuable. Since IHG points are so inflated – and many airline miles are worth more than 1 cent per point – you might be able to stretch your points a bit further than many IHG redemption options. Rewards nights will always get you the best value, but transferring to some travel partners ekes more out of your sign-up bonus than booking travel through IHG’s portal or using points to buy merchandise.

Here is a selection of more valuable transfer options for IHG Rewards points. You can view a full list of IHG transfer partners and transfer rates on the IHG website.

Should you apply for an IHG Rewards Club card now?

Both IHG rewards cards are currently featuring generous bonuses, and the IHG Premier is at the highest in its history. If you want to earn more points toward your next IHG hotel stay and have been debating getting an IHG rewards card, now is a great time to apply.

*All information about the IHG Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card has been collected independently by CreditCards.com. The issuer did not provide the content, nor is it responsible for its accuracy.

See related: IHG Rewards Club Dining guide