Yearly, you need to consider what’s in your pockets and resolve which playing cards you are holding. Sometimes, it is best to make that call earlier than the following annual price is due.
Among the many issues you need to contemplate are how a lot the annual price prices and what sort of worth you are getting out of a card. And keep in mind, even when a card has a decrease annual price, that does not robotically imply it is value holding.
The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is a well-liked resort card with a $99 annual price — however is it value a spot in your pockets? This is what you need to know earlier than selecting.
Welcome supply
New candidates for the IHG Premier card can earn 165,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases on the cardboard within the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $825.
Word which you could’t get this bonus should you at the moment have a private IHG bank card (such because the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card) or should you’ve obtained a welcome bonus on any IHG private bank card previously 24 months.
Associated: The ultimate guide to credit card application restrictions
You may redeem your factors for luxurious stays at motels just like the InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort or budget-friendly properties just like the Vacation Inn Agra — town the place you may go to the Taj Mahal. The value you see when looking for motels would be the variety of factors required per night time.
Annual free night time award
On every account anniversary, you will obtain a free night award worth up to 40,000 points, legitimate for bookings with IHG One Rewards. If you wish to redeem it for a resort that prices extra, you can even purchase points.
Associated: How to use the IHG Rewards anniversary night certificate
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This free night time award can be utilized for $200 in worth with out a lot effort. Thus, this profit alone may justify the cardboard’s annual price of $99.
$50 in United TravelBank credit score
In January and July, you will obtain $25 credit to your United TravelBank steadiness. These funds can be utilized to buy flights operated by United and United Categorical. These funds can scale back your out-of-pocket prices when shopping for money fares though they do have limitations.
You may’t use these funds to pay taxes and fees on award travel, and you can’t combine TravelBank funds with vouchers from canceled flights. You can also’t use these funds for inflight purchases.
Automated standing
You may get pleasure from complimentary Platinum Elite status with the IHG One Premier card. That is the second-highest tier in IHG One Rewards.
Advantages at this stage embrace complimentary upgrades at check-in (primarily based on availability), assured room availability, a welcome amenity of snacks or drinks, early check-in, use of a precedence check-in desk and incomes 16 factors per greenback whole on paid stays with IHG.
TPG values Platinum Elite standing at $1,290 per 12 months.
Fourth night time free on award stays
IHG cardholders can also use the “fourth night time free” benefit when redeeming factors for award stays with IHG.
When utilizing factors to cowl a keep of 4 nights or extra, every fourth night time is free. The worth of this profit will differ, primarily based on how typically you utilize it and the worth of the motels the place you utilize it.
Different perks
On high of incomes 16 factors per greenback on paid stays at IHG (due to your Platinum Elite standing), you will additionally earn 10 factors per greenback at IHG when paying with the Premier card.
Moreover, you will earn 5 factors per greenback on journey, motels, fuel stations and eating (together with takeout and eligible supply companies) and three factors per greenback on different purchases. That quantities to a 5%, 2.5% and 1.5% return on spending, respectively, primarily based on our valuations.
Different key advantages embrace reimbursement (as soon as each 4 years) in your software price to Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus and a 20% low cost on factors purchases, although this cannot be added to different sales on IHG points.
You may additionally earn a $100 assertion credit score and 10,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000 on purchases in your card in a calendar 12 months.
The IHG One Premier card additionally affords helpful journey and purchasing protections. You may get pleasure from trip cancellation/interruption insurance, purchase protection, rental car insurance (which is secondary within the U.S. however main protection elsewhere), lost luggage reimbursement and extended warranty coverage.
Backside line
If you need to use this card’s perks for common worth (or higher), you should not have any downside justifying its annual price and holding it in your pockets.
But when your IHG stays are rare and you do not benefit from the cardholder advantages that include the IHG Premier card, then the $99 annual price is probably not value it for you.
Learn our full assessment of the IHG One Rewards Premier here.
Apply right here: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
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