IHG Rewards Traveler Credit score Card assessment: Full particulars

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card overview

The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card is IHG’s no-annual-fee card possibility. With this card, you can earn as much as 17 factors per greenback spent at IHG lodges and resorts. Plus, cardholders may also earn elevated reward charges at fuel stations, on a few of their month-to-month payments and at eating places. Nonetheless, whereas the IHG Traveler Card affords some helpful IHG-related perks, it is probably not your most suitable option. Card Ranking*: ⭐⭐½

*Card Ranking is predicated on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

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IHG affords two private cobranded Chase playing cards to assist prospects rack up factors and maximize their stays.

One in every of these is the no-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card. It is aimed toward vacationers who wish to earn IHG factors on their purchases with out incurring an annual charge. Nevertheless, if you happen to ceaselessly keep at IHG properties, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card is probably going a greater possibility.

We suggest candidates have a credit score rating of 670 or greater to extend their probabilities of approval.

Now, let’s take a better take a look at the IHG One Traveler Card so you may determine whether or not it’s best for you.

Associated: Earn additional factors at your favourite eating places with IHG One Rewards Eating

IHG One Rewards Traveler execs and cons

IHG One Rewards Traveler Card welcome supply

New candidates for the IHG Traveler Card can earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $2,000 on purchases on the cardboard within the first three months from account opening.

In line with TPG’s January 2025 valuations, IHG One Rewards factors are price 0.5 cents every, making this bonus price $500.

The best-ever supply we have seen on this card was 120,000 bonus factors after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening (not accessible).

We suggest making use of anytime the welcome supply is above 80,000 factors, so if you happen to’ve been fascinated with making use of for the cardboard, now is a good time to take action.

You might be eligible for the IHG One Traveler Card (and its sign-up bonus) if you happen to fulfill all the following necessities:

• Do not at the moment have a private (not enterprise) IHG One Rewards card
• Have not earned a sign-up bonus on a private IHG card within the final 24 months
• Are beneath Chase’s 5/24 rule

Associated: The last word information to bank card software restrictions

IHG One Rewards Traveler advantages

As with even the greatest no-annual-fee playing cards, the IHG One Traveler Card would not supply many luxurious perks. Here is a fast overview of the cardboard’s most important advantages and perks.

Fourth reward evening profit

Every time you redeem factors for a keep of 4 or extra nights, each fourth evening will price zero factors. As soon as you are a cardholder, this low cost can be mechanically utilized if you redeem IHG factors for eligible stays.

Save 20% on level purchases

You will get a 20% low cost everytime you purchase IHG factors along with your card. However you may’t mix this low cost with different promotions, corresponding to when IHG factors are on sale. And IHG typically affords a a lot better 100% bonus if you buy factors.

So, though I typically purchase IHG factors when the 100% bonus drops the acquisition value to 0.5 cents per level, I do not discover the 20% low cost interesting.

Automated Silver standing (with a path to Gold)

IHG One Traveler cardholders get pleasure from computerized Silver Elite standing within the IHG One Rewards program. This tier features a 20% bonus on lodge stays, precedence check-in and factors that do not expire.

As well as, you should buy your technique to Gold Elite standing if you spend $20,000 in your card every calendar 12 months. This tier features a 40% bonus on lodge stays and rollover elite nights for standing the next 12 months.

No overseas transaction charges

Many bank cards do not cost overseas transaction charges; nonetheless, there are few playing cards on that listing with out an annual charge. Should you journey overseas ceaselessly, it is price having at the least one bank card that does not cost overseas transaction charges.

Associated: Methods to maximize longer lodge stays by utilizing a free evening profit

Incomes factors on the IHG One Rewards Traveler

While you use your IHG One Traveler Card to make purchases, you may earn:

• 5 factors per greenback spent at IHG lodges and resorts (2.5% return, based mostly on TPG’s January 2025 valuations)
• 3 factors per greenback spent at fuel stations, month-to-month payments and eating places (1.5% return)
• 2 factors per greenback spent on all the pieces else (1% return)

These returns aren’t nice, even in comparison with different no-annual-fee playing cards.

Nonetheless, there are a number of sub-$100 annual charge playing cards that provide stable perks on prime of nice incomes charges, which equate to better returns on spending, in numerous classes.

For instance, the $95 annual charge Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card earns 2 factors per greenback spent on journey purchases, whereas the $95 annual charge Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card (see charges and charges) earns 2 miles per greenback spent on nearly all purchases.

The IHG One Traveler Card additionally is not a sensible choice for on a regular basis purchases. In spite of everything, it solely gives a 1.5% return at fuel stations and eating places, plus a 1% return on different purchases. A number of cash-back bank cards — just like the no-annual-fee Citi Double Money® Card (see charges and charges) — supply a 2% return on all purchases (1% if you purchase and 1% if you pay).

Associated: The perfect bank cards for every bonus class

Redeeming factors on the IHG One Rewards Traveler

There are a lot of choices for redeeming IHG One Rewards factors. Not surprisingly, you may get the most effective worth out of your factors if you redeem for IHG lodge stays.

TPG’s January 2025 valuations peg IHG factors at simply 0.5 cents every, which is paltry when you think about that alternate options just like the Chase Sapphire Most popular card earn factors price over 2 cents apiece.

Nevertheless, it is attainable to maximize redemptions with the IHG One Rewards program and get worth out of your factors. Listed below are a couple of methods you are able to do so.

IHG has dynamic award pricing — which means that the price of reserving a reservation fluctuates with demand and seasonality — however there are some good offers to be discovered. Nevertheless, one draw back to dynamic pricing is that you must extra rigorously think about when to make use of your factors versus money for a keep.

At TPG, we attempt to use our factors after we know we are able to get higher than face worth for any given redemption. With a card just like the IHG Traveler, it makes essentially the most sense to ebook stays of 4 nights or longer to make the most of the fourth reward evening profit.

You may as well ebook stays utilizing a mixture of Factors + Money. For a given room, you may sometimes see a chart with reductions from the complete nightly award price in increments of 5,000 factors.

On a Factors + Money reserving, you are basically shopping for the additional factors wanted to finish the redemption. So, if you happen to cancel your room, your refund can be given solely in factors. I not often ebook Factors + Money charges because it’s often a greater worth to make use of simply factors. Nevertheless, it is price checking whether or not the mathematics works out on every reserving.

TPG contributing editor Matt Moffitt likes to make use of his IHG One Rewards factors for four-night award stays. Since he has the IHG One Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card, he will get the fourth evening free on award redemptions. He often targets Vacation Inn and Vacation Inn Specific properties to stretch his factors however sometimes splashes out on a Kimpton or InterContinental property.

Associated: Methods to earn and redeem factors with IHG One Rewards companions

Transferring factors on the IHG One Rewards Traveler

IHG One has greater than 40 airline switch companions, however we suggest avoiding this redemption possibility when attainable as factors switch at an almost 5:1 ratio, which is on the decrease facet.

The switch course of might be cumbersome, particularly if you happen to’re calling the IHG One Rewards Service Heart that will help you type out a switch. IHG is mostly sluggish to course of transfers, with some reporting that it took as much as six weeks for his or her factors to switch.

You may as well switch your factors to different IHG One members beginning at $5 per 1,000 factors and free for Diamond and IHG Enterprise Rewards Program members as much as 500,000 factors per calendar 12 months.

Which playing cards compete with the IHG One Rewards Traveler?

Should you do not thoughts paying an annual charge, think about these alternate options to the IHG One Traveler card.

For extra choices, try our full listing of the most effective lodge bank cards.

Associated: The perfect bank cards for IHG stays

Is the IHG One Rewards Traveler price it?

Should you keep at IHG properties a couple of instances per 12 months however need elevated perks when touring, this card could also be a pleasant addition to your pockets. Because it would not have an annual charge, this card is a no brainer in case you are beneath 5/24 and wish entry-level IHG One standing and the fourth evening free when reserving with factors.

Associated: 7 methods to earn extra IHG One Rewards factors on your subsequent redemption

Backside line

The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card is not a nasty possibility for the occasional IHG visitor, as you may get a couple of IHG-related perks for no annual charge. Nevertheless, if you happen to’re searching for additional perks throughout your IHG stays, you may be disillusioned with this card’s restricted advantages.

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Apply right here: IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card

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