#3 Among Hotels
Point Value
0.60 ¢
Hobby Score
8.0
IHG is our “utility” hotel points system. If you just need a night or two, and aren’t looking for glitz and glamor, IHG points go a long way.
The best way to earn IHG One Rewards is through paid stays at one of their properties. If you book an IHG property through an online travel agency like Expedia or Booking.com, you will not earn IHG points. There are also three co-branded credit cards to earn points for stays at IHG properties. Chase and Bilt are also IHG transfer partners, so you can use points from either of those systems to top up or book stays.
IHG, or the InterContinental Hotels Group, includes many different properties. From mid-tier hotels like Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza, to extended stay options like Candlewood and Staybridge Suites, to luxury hotels like InterContinental, Kimpton, and Six Senses, there are a variety of properties to earn IHG One Rewards.
If you have elite status with IHG, you will receive a bonus on points earned through stays:
IHG currently has three co-branded credit cards — two personal and one business card. They have varying signup bonuses, annual fees, benefits, and perks. Two of the three cards are keepers in our book, particularly if you stay at an IHG property at least once per year.
IHG is transfer partners with both Chase and Bilt, so any Chase Ultimate Rewards points or Bilt points you earn through their programs can be transferred to IHG at 1:1 ratios. These are nice for topping up or booking entire stays provided you can find a good redemption. Most in the hobby who use Chase points for hotel bookings transfer to Hyatt because the value is typically better, but there are decent opportunities at IHG.
All three IHG cards have a big spend bonus, but we don’t recommend spending to get any of them:
Special Offers Related to IHG One Rewards. Click the arrow to see more.
Awesome Limited Time offer on the IHG Premier card. Get 175,000 Bonus Points after spending $8000 in 6 months. 100,000 Points after spending $3000 in 3 months and another 75,000 Bonus Points after spending $8000 total in the first 6 months of opening the account.
Hurry up - Deal ends December 4, 2023!!!
IHG has the best offer yet of 175,000 points after spending $3000 in the first 3 months. The IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card has a $99 annual fee that is not waived. This is the highest sign up bonus we have ever seen for IHG cards.
3 IHG Credit cards are offering some amazing sign up bonuses, these points can get you hotels on every continent:
1. IHG Reward Traveler - Get 120,000 Points after spending $2000 in 3 months - no annual fee.
2. IHG Rewards Premier - Get 140,000 Points after spending $3000 in 3 months, free anniversary night - $99 annual fee.
3. IHG Rewards Premier Business Business - Get 140,000 Points after spending $3000 in 3 months, free anniversary night + more, $99 annual fee.
Very nice sign up bonus on a brand new IHG Business card. Right now, earn 140,000 points after spending $3000 in 3 months.
Booking stays at IHG properties is the best use of your IHG One Rewards points. While redemptions start at 5,000 points per night at the lowest-tier properties, this is uncommon and rarely available in major cities or tourist destinations. Because IHG covers a wide range of brands, award prices can reach 150,000–200,000 points points per night.
Notes on best redemption options:
IHG also offers a cash+points booking option on all stays. Since award prices are dynamically set, these combinations vary widely. You’re effectively “buying” points when choosing this option, so always check the math:
Discover your points' highest-value redemption options. Use the filters to find the optimal sweet spot for your next trip.
If you have an IHG credit card, you get a 4th night free on award bookings, and you can leverage it for use on a night where the stay is priced high - either a high cash price for a prominent hotel or during a holiday where the 4th night is elevated.
You can sometimes get outsized value by doing a cash+points booking. Always do the math for these types of booking. You could find a good deal and book it with no intention of staying, then cancel. You will be refunded completely with points and will have gotten them at a discount
While award redemptions tend to be higher than a program like Hyatt (to be fair, most hotel programs can say the same), there is still solid value to be had with IHG One Rewards. It’s a good utility system, and with IHG’s huge global footprint, you can almost always find a property to redeem points at. The variety and sheer number of hotels are major perks of the program.
IHG also has two very strong co-branded credit cards, and we recommend holding at least one if you stay at an IHG property at least once per year. The value from either IHG One Premier card — personal or business — is well worth the $99 annual fee. And because IHG partners with Chase Ultimate Rewards, it’s easy to top up when necessary. It’s an easy-to-understand rewards program, and while rooms are dynamically priced, there’s still something to be said for simplicity.
There are five IHG elite status tiers, including IHG One Rewards Club Member, which you earn simply by signing up.
IHG One Rewards members receive:
The other four elite tiers are earned by staying a certain number of qualifying nights per year or earning a set number of qualifying points. You can also earn status by holding an IHG co-branded credit card.
Here are the elite status levels for IHG One Rewards, what it takes to reach each level, and benefits of each. The last two are elite-type programs that are separate from the top 4 status tiers
You can also earn rewards outside of the different status levels by staying at IHG properties a certain number of qualifying nights per year
If you have one of the IHG Premier credit cards and stay at an IHG property at least once per year, don't cancel it. The $99 annual fee is worth the free night (up to 40,000 points). You also receive Platinum Elite status, which means your points never expire.
If you cancel any of your cards, your points will expire after 12 months of inactivity, so use them before losing them. The two IHG Personal cards follow the IHG Personal 1/24 Rule, The business card follows the 24 From Bonus Rule. If it’s been over two years since you earned the bonus from any of these cards, canceling and reapplying may earn you another bonus. If you’re in good standing with Chase, wait at least 30 days before applying again.
