Three years ago, I signed up for the IHG Rewards Select credit card for the first time. Since my husband also signed up for the card and earned a signup bonus, we scored quite the haul of points.
That first year, we used the bulk of our points to book a spring break stay at the Holiday Inn all-inclusive resort in Jamaica. From there, I was hooked.
While I don’t use my IHG Rewards credit card for regular purchases, I may keep it forever – and that’s true even though it charges an annual fee. Here are a few reasons why:
The Annual Fee Is Only $49
Where most travel credit cards charge an annual fee of at least $95, the annual fee on this card is only half of that. The benefits of this card can be worth well over $49 if you stay at IHG properties often.
You Get a Free Night Anywhere in the World Each Year
One of the biggest benefits of this card is the “free night” you get every year as a cardholder. You can use this free night at any one of their properties provided they have availability. This year, we’re using ours for two free nights at the InterContinental San Juan over winter break. This isn’t the fanciest IHG redemption in the world, but rooms are going for $250 per night while we’re there.
IHG Is A Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partner
Because I’m a huge Chase enthusiast, IHG has even more value. I can transfer points to top off my IHG account in 1,000 point increments at any time.
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IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card
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$0 intro first year
$49 annual fee |
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. Read Review » |
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The information for the IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card has been collected independently by FTG. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card |
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The information for the IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card has been collected independently by FTG. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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You Can Use “Points and Cash”
Another option I really like is that, most of the time, you can book a room with points and cash. This usually involves “paying” $70 for 10,000 points or $40 for 5,000 points, which is a stellar deal. At the Holiday Inn Resort in Jamaica, for example, you can book a free night for 35,000 points or 25,000 points plus $70.
I Like Staying in Cheap Holiday Inns
Although my family flies a lot, we also drive to see my in-laws a few times per year. When we do, we love staying at cheap Holiday Inns along the way. Like this year, we’re breaking up our trip with a stay in a 15,000 point Holiday Inn in Madison, Wisconsin. We’ve stayed there several times so we already know it’s nice, and the free breakfast easily saves us $30 or more.
You Get IHG Platinum Status
While IHG Platinum status doesn’t always get you anything, it can come in handy at certain resorts. At the Holiday Inn in Montego Bay, for example, we have gotten an upgrade for the last two years in a row based on our Platinum status. And they have a special check-in area just for Platinum members or better. So hey, at least that’s something.
Final Thoughts
Not all cards are worth keeping for the long haul, but I think the IHG Rewards Credit Card is worth its weight in gold. If you can maximize the free annual night and nothing else, this card will easily pay for itself. And if you love the fact that IHG partners with Chase or you love staying in cheap Holiday Inns like I do, this card is a no-brainer.
Do you have the IHG Rewards credit card? Why or why not?