Chase Bank's IHG One Rewards Credit Cards welcome bonus is up to 300,000 points — an almost unprecedented bonus for hotel rewards cards

In a nutshell

Two IHG hotel credit cards now offer vastly improved welcome bonuses worth potentially $1,000 or more in travel.

• The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card’s bonus is worth up to 300,000 points.
• The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card’s bonus is worth 100,000 points.
• IHG points are typically worth around 0.7 cents each.

IHG One Rewards welcome offer

With more than 6,000 properties in over 100 countries, IHG is one of the most ubiquitous hotel chains in the world. You’ll recognize roadside brands, such as Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites, but IHG also offers upscale resorts like Six Senses and Kimpton. That is all to say that IHG points can easily play into just about every traveler’s trip planning strategy.

That’s why it’s such big news that IHG has launched massive limited-time welcome bonuses for the card_name and the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card. These bonuses are worth between $700 and $2,100, on average.

Here’s what you need to know about these new offers.

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

The card_name charges a $99 annual fee now offers five free nights — worth 60,000 points each — after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. That’s up to 300,000 points in value, which is virtually unprecedented for a hotel credit card.

The IHG Premier Card previously offered 140,000 points after meeting minimum spending requirements.

The card is also good for earning points for everyday purchases. You’ll get:

• Up to 10 points per dollar with IHG.
• Five points per dollar on travel, dining and at gas stations.
• Three points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

In other words, it’s not difficult to replenish your stash of points after you’ve spent the welcome bonus.

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

The $0 annual fee card_name offers 100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Prior to this limited-time bonus, the card offered 80,000 bonus points after meeting minimum spending requirements.

The IHG Traveler Card isn’t quite as fancy as the annual fee-incurring IHG Premier Card. Its benefits are fewer, and its earning rate isn’t as strong:

• Five points per dollar with IHG.
• Three points per dollar on dining, utilities, select streaming services and at gas stations.
• Two points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

The card_name also comes with a few additional IHG-specific benefits that, while not outstanding, are also very fair for a no annual fee credit card.

Benefits of the IHG One Rewards cards

Both of these IHG credit cards offer perks like travel insurance and discounts on purchased points. You’ll even get the fourth night free on stays of four or more consecutive award nights (though this doesn’t apply to Free Night certificates such as the ones offered by the IHG Premier Card).

The more premium card_name comes with perks like a yearly Free Night worth up to 40,000 points after each account anniversary, as well as a $100 statement credit and 10,000 points after spending $20,000 in a calendar year. You’ll even get IHG One Platinum elite status, which comes with perks like bonus points on paid IHG stays, free room upgrades when available and a welcome amenity at check-in. All of these benefits can handily offset the card’s $99 annual fee.

The card_name offers 10,000 bonus points after spending $10,000 on purchases within a calendar year. It also comes with automatic IHG One Silver elite status, which confers benefits like bonus points on paid IHG stays, 2 p.m. late checkout (when available), and free internet during your stay.

The AP Buyline roundup

Both the IHG Premier Card and IHG Traveler Card are offering some welcome bonus whoppers worth between 100,000 and 300,000 points, though these promotions are for a limited time only.

If you only find yourself wiping your feet on the doormat of an IHG hotel once every couple of years, the no-annual-fee IHG Traveler Card may be the best fit for your lifestyle. For those that travel more often, the IHG Premier Card is the easy choice.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Which is the best IHG credit card offer?

The best IHG credit card offer comes with the card_name. You’ll receive five Free Nights worth up to 60,000 points each after meeting minimum spending requirements. The opportunity to earn the equivalent of 300,000 hotel points from a single welcome bonus doesn’t come around often.

How much are IHG points worth?

Because IHG points value isn’t tied directly to the cash price of a hotel, the return you receive from them depends entirely on the hotels for which you redeem them. You can generally expect to receive a value of 0.7 cents per point.

What credit score do you need for an IHG One Rewards card?

To give yourself the best shot at approval, you should have a “good” credit score before you apply for an IHG One Rewards credit card. FICO defines a good credit score as 670 or above.