IHG One Rewards Traveler Card Review: Plentiful Points and No Annual Fee
The Bottom Line
3.2
Although this card's points don't have an especially high individual value, you get a lot of them when you book a stay. If you refuse to pay a fee for a hotel card, it's worth a look.
Rates, fees and offers
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-17x
Bonus offer
Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Intro APR
N/A
Ongoing APR
APR: 20.99%-27.99% Variable APR
Cash Advance APR: 29.74%, Variable
Penalty APR: Up to 29.99%
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
$0
More details from Chase
- Limited Time Offer! Earn 100,000 Bonus Points
- No Annual Fee
- Earn up to 17 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts
- Earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Redeem 3 Nights, Get the 4th Night Free
- IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
- Member FDIC
Pros and Cons
Pros
No annual fee
High rewards rate
Luxury perks
Cons
No free anniversary night
Rewards have limited flexibility
Detailed Review
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card presents you with the same value trade-off as some other hotel chains' $0-annual-fee credit cards: It won't cost you anything to carry it, but you won't get an automatic free night's stay every year.
Even so, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card gives you a nice pile of points for each dollar you spend at IHG's hotel brands — including Holiday Inn, InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Kimpton, EVEN and Indigo — as well as a bump toward elite status and a good-size sign-up bonus. No, it's not as generous as its $99-a-year cousin, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card. But did we mention there's no annual fee?
If your travel style takes you (or could take you) to IHG on the regular, but not so often that you'd be willing to pay an annual fee, it's an option worth a look. But if you prefer far-flung destinations or you just want to use credit card rewards for something besides hotel stays, a card with wider-ranging redemption options could be a better companion.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card: Basics
Card type: Hotel.
Annual fee: $0.
Sign-up bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Rewards:
Up to 17 total points per dollar spent when you stay at an IHG hotel. Those 15 points come from these sources:
5 points per dollar from using the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card.
Up to 10 points per dollar from your IHG Rewards Club membership. If you're not already a member of the program, you'll be automatically enrolled when you're approved for the card. Exceptions: When you stay at Staybridge Suites or Candlewood Suites, you'll earn only 5 points per dollar from the loyalty program.
Up to 2 points per dollar from automatic IHG Silver Elite status.
3 points per dollar spent on monthly bills, gas stations and restaurants.
2 points per dollar on all other purchases.
Points will expire if you go 12 months without activity in your IHG rewards account. (Using the card counts as activity.)
NerdWallet values IHG points at 0.5 cent each. This is drawn from real-world data, but it's not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer 0.5 cent or more in value from your IHG points.
Perks:
Get the fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a stay of four nights or more. Terms apply.
Automatic Elite Silver status as long as you hold the card.
Earn Gold Elite status when you spend at least $20,000 on your card in a calendar year. Once earned, this status is good through the end of the current year and the next full calendar year. Gold Elite status comes with a 40% bonus on base points earned through your IHG Rewards Club membership (not points earned with the card), and extended checkout and priority check-in when available.
Interest rate: The ongoing APR is 20.99%-27.99% Variable APR.
Foreign transaction fees: None.
Traveler vs. Premier
If you're committed to IHG, consider the extra value you'd get from the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card. The free night every year can more than make up for the annual fee all by itself, you'll rack up more points per dollar on hotel stays, and you'll enjoy the additional perks of Platinum Elite status automatically. Here's a side-by-side comparison of the two cards:
| IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card | IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
Annual fee | $0. | $99. |
Sign-up bonus | Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. | Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. |
Rewards rate |
|
|
Other perks | Fourth night free when redeeming rewards for four or more nights. Earn Gold status when you spend $20,000 or more on your card in a calendar year. |
|
Foreign transaction fees | None. | None. |
Compare to Other Cards
Benefits and Perks
Solid sign-up bonus
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card comes with a pretty generous welcome offer for a $0-a-year card: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. You could turn that bonus into a multiday stay or combine it with cash for a night at one of the fancier hotels in the portfolio.
Great rewards rate
Use your IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card to book an eligible IHG hotel room and you'll earn 5 points per $1 spent. On top of that, you get 10 points per dollar spent for being an IHG Rewards Club member. (If you aren't already a member, you'll automatically be signed up when you're approved for the card). It's worth noting that stays at Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites will net you only 5 extra points per dollar, rather than 10. Finally, you'll earn an additional 2 points per $1 spent for having Silver Elite status.
Free night potential
Redeem points for a stay of four or more nights at the same property, and you'll get the fourth night free.
Drawbacks and Considerations
Lower point value
A low individual point value isn't necessarily bad if you earn enough points per dollar to make up for their lesser value. But it's still something to keep in mind when comparing hotel loyalty programs. This card can earn you a pile of points, but they may not go as far as the points from other hotel rewards programs or travel rewards cards.
Limited use of your rewards
If you're considering a particular hotel card, take into account how much you'll benefit from the loyalty program. If you don't see yourself spending most of your travel nights at an IHG property, then this isn't the card for you. Although it's possible to transfer points to one of IHG's airline partners, you won't get great value going this route, nor with options such as merchandise, gift cards or donations.
Possible alternatives
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
If you'd appreciate greater flexibility, consider a general-purpose travel rewards card whose points aren't locked into a particular loyalty program. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, for example, earns the following:
5 points per $1 spent on all travel purchased through Chase.
3 points per $1 spent on dining (including eligible delivery services and takeout).
3 points per $1 spent on select streaming services.
3 points per $1 spent on online grocery purchases (not including Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).
2 points per $1 spent on travel not purchased through Chase.
1 point per $1 spent on other purchases.
It also comes with a generous sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. With the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards® for travel through Chase at a 25% increase in value, making points worth 1.25 cents each — far more valuable than an average IHG point. The annual fee is $95.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
The IHG portfolio includes more than 5,600 hotels and resorts, but if you want even greater variety for both earning and redeeming hotel rewards, consider the Marriott network of over 7,000 properties. Marriott offers multiple cards, but if you're looking to avoid an annual fee, check out the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card. It pays 3 points per dollar spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties, plus 2 points on:
Grocery store purchases.
Rideshare purchases.
Select streaming, internet, cable and phone services.
It, too, comes with a sign-up bonus: Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. NerdWallet estimates the value of Bonvoy points at 0.9 cent apiece.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
If tracking points and values sounds like more work than it's worth, a no-fuss option like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card could be your best bet. You'll earn 2 miles per dollar spent, and you can use your miles to pay for any travel expense — any flight, any hotel, etc. It does have an annual fee, but it comes with an impressive sign-up incentive that can be enough to cover the cost of ownership for years. Plus, you'll also get an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck every four years, something you won't find on the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card.
How To Decide If It's Right For You
If you get your shut-eye at hotels multiple times a year and an IHG property is your preferred place to do it, this card is a great way to rack up the rewards without any carrying costs. But if you can stomach the annual fee of $99, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers a high enough rewards rate and value-added extras to offset the cost of ownership.
However, if your travel is literally all over the map, pick a more flexible rewards card that lets you choose how to use those earnings.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card lets you use your rewards for an adventure of your choosing — including airfare, cruises and rental cars at a 25% increase in value. Cash back, merchandise or gift cards are also options. It has an annual fee of $95.
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Methodology
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