InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is chanye's favorite and most frequently used hotel chain. Its co-branded credit card, Chase IHG, is also one of chanye's favorite cards.

【5/14 update】According to milestomemories, current cardholders of this old card will receive a link to upgrade to the new IHG Premier credit card. After upgrading and making a purchase, you can get 5,000 IHG points, and the upgrade must be completed by June 30. The biggest advantage of the new card over the old one is that IHG spending becomes 10x, along with a stay-three-get-one-free benefit on award stays (equivalent to 25% off). The old card's advantages are the lower $40 annual fee (the new card is $89) and 10% points back on stays. In addition, it is estimated that after upgrading, the next IHG free night certificate (FN) will become a restricted FN that can only be used at IHG hotels priced under 40,000 points. You can decide whether to upgrade based on your own situation. I personally would not upgrade; instead of upgrading, I would apply for another IHG Premier credit card, which still comes with an 85,000-point sign-up bonus.

Image from MilesToMemories

【5/4 update】IHG's Twitter account announced some good news: the FreeNight earned by existing cardholders before May 2019 next year is still uncapped and can be used at any IHG hotel worldwide. Since this card could not be applied for before May 2018, new applicants can also get one uncapped free night certificate after paying the annual fee in the second year. Take advantage of this last chance and stay at InterContinentals in major cities while you can~

Chase IHG Co-branded Credit Card Introduction

Application Link

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Key Features

  • Sign-up bonus: 60,000 IHG Points (spend 1,000 in three months) + 5,000 (for adding an authorized user)
  • Earn IHG points on spending: 5x points/$ at IHG; 2x at restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations; 1x on all other purchases
  • Points redemption: can be used directly for IHG hotel stays
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • $49 annual fee (first year free)

Highlights

  • One free night every year; extremely worthwhile to keep: This card gives you one night each year at any IHG hotel. In popular areas, an IC can be worth as much as $400. With an annual fee of only $49, it is genuinely a very worthwhile card to keep.
  • Points Break redemptions are a great deal: Every quarter, IHG releases a batch of hotels that can be booked for as few as 5,000 points per night (equivalent to $30 a night). Sometimes even top-tier InterContinental hotels (IC) appear, and if you happen to catch one, it is an amazing deal. Points Break introduction
  • 10% rebate on point redemptions: After you hold this credit card, all activities that redeem IHG points can receive a 10% rebate. For example, redeeming hotel stays, transferring airline miles, or redeeming premium memberships.
  • Complimentary IHG Platinum status: Enjoy hotel perks such as bonus points on stays and room upgrades. You can also get extra Fuel Rewards discounts on gas.
  • Authorized user bonus: Add an authorized user to this card and make a purchase to get an extra 5,000 points. For more on authorized users, see: Full guide to credit card authorized users

Drawbacks

  • IHG points are worth only 0.6 cents each, so this card is not suitable as a general everyday spending card

Introduction to IHG Points

  • Point value: The average value is about 0.6 c/p, so 100 IHG = $0.6 (Points Value and Analysis). In other words, a hotel night worth $60 would generally require about 10k IHG points.
  • How to redeem: You can search and book directly on the IHG.com website. Hotels are divided into 11 award tiers, with redemption rates ranging from 10k to 70k points. Cash + Points redemptions are also available. If you have the IHG Premier credit card, when redeeming points for three consecutive nights, you can get the fourth night free. That means four nights cost only 75% of the points normally required.
  • IHG Points Break: Points Break is a member promotion unique to IHG. Each quarter, around 100 hotels are selected from IHG’s 5000 properties worldwide and offered at redemption rates of 5000, 10000, or 15000 points per night. Based on the common valuation of IHG points at 0.6 cents per point, that means you can redeem a free night at these hotels for the equivalent of just $30/$60/$90. Sometimes this is far below the normal cash rate, so popular properties are often snapped up as soon as bookings open. See also: Introduction and Analysis of IHG Points Break
  • Point expiration: If there is no activity in your IHG account for 12 months, your points will expire. If you hold a co-branded credit card or have IHG Gold status or higher, your points will not expire.
  • My take: If you want to get strong value from IHG points, they are often best used for hotels near major attractions or during special high-demand periods, such as New Year’s Eve in Times Square, New York. IHG’s strength is its broad footprint and large number of properties across the U.S., so it is usually easy to put your points to use. Points Break awards can be as low as 5k points per night, which can be an excellent deal if you can take advantage of them.
  • Related credit cards: Chase IHG Premier , Chase IHG Rewards Club (older version)
  • Detailed analysis: Introduction to IHG Points and Elite Status

My Take

This card is one of the most worthwhile hotel cards out there. The annual free night alone is enough to offset the relatively low annual fee ($49). Add in the 10% discount on award bookings, and for people who like to travel there is basically no reason not to have this card. In addition, IHG has a wide footprint and spans the full range from budget to luxury, so there is no shortage of ways to use IHG points. Combined with IHG's Points Break, the points become even more valuable!

Matching the Sign-up Bonus (YMMV)

According to Chase's sign-up bonus matching policy, sign-up bonuses other than targeted offers can be matched. So when you apply, you can choose the offer that best fits your needs. If you think you want the other offer, you can also contact Chase to switch to it.

A reader previously applied for the 60,000-point offer and successfully matched to 80,000. Here is a summary of the steps:
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  • You should receive a reply within 1-2 business days, similar to the example below (there is a high chance Chase will not match the $50, but will match 80,000, and there is also a small chance the representative will give you the $50 as well.)
Thanks to the reader for the screenshot
  • Do not delete this message. Spend $2,000 on the IHG credit card within three months. After the charges have posted, reply to this message and say that you have met the requirement.
  • Customer service will then add it for you within a certain period of time. Usually it will post together with the next statement as 60,000+20,000.
  • In fact, matching is better than getting 80,000 directly, because the matched 20,000 counts as IHG qualified points earned. As long as you earn 75,000 in a year, you can upgrade to the top-tier Spire status.
  • If you applied for the 60,000-point link within 90 days, you should be able to match according to Chase's sign-up bonus matching policy.
  • In addition, if you applied for the 50,000 + $100 sign-up bonus, you can also match it to 80,000.

Apply

  • Application difficulty: Average. Once you are in Chase's ecosystem, approvals come quickly. Minimum credit limit is 2000.
  • Application status: Click here to check; automated status line: 888-338-2586
  • Notes:
    • Please read Chase bank characteristics before applying. This card is currently not subject to the Chase 5/24 rule
    • Applicants who have not received the welcome bonus on this card in the past 24 months are eligible for the welcome bonus. See “Introduction to Churn” for details.
    • If you are not instantly approved, call 888-245-0625 to speed up reconsideration. See “Reconsideration Tips” for details.
    • Because this card is an IHG co-branded credit card, if you already have an IHG number, you can enter it when applying (if not, one will be assigned automatically).

Application Link