InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is chanye’s favorite hotel chain and also the one he stays with most often. Its co-branded credit card, the excellent Chase IHG card, is also one of chanye’s favorite cards in the hotel space.

【5/14 Update】According to milestomemories, existing holders of this old card will receive a link to upgrade to the new IHG Premier credit card. After upgrading, make one purchase to earn 5000 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, and it also offers a fourth-night-free benefit on award stays (effectively 25% off). The old card’s advantages are the lower annual fee by $40 (the new card is $89) and the 10% rebate on redeemed points for stays. In addition, it is likely that after upgrading, your next IHG FN will become a restricted FN that can only be used at IHG hotels costing 40,000 points or less. You can decide whether to upgrade based on your own situation. Personally, I will not upgrade. Rather than upgrading, I’d rather apply for another IHG Premier credit card and get the 85,000-point welcome bonus.

Image from MilesToMemories

【5/4 Update】IHG’s twitter account announced some good news: FreeNight certificates earned by existing cardholders before May 2019 will still have no category restriction and can be used at any IHG hotel worldwide. Since this card could no longer be applied for after May 2018, newly approved users who pay the annual fee in their second year should also still receive one unrestricted free night certificate. Take advantage of this last opportunity and book InterContinental stays in major cities soon~

Chase IHG Co-Branded Credit Card Review

Application Link

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Key Features

  • Welcome bonus: 60,000 IHG Points (after spending 1,000 in three months) + 5,000 (for adding an authorized user)
  • Earn IHG Points on spending: 5x points/$ at IHG; 2x at restaurants, grocery stores, and gas stations; 1x on all other purchases
  • Redeeming points: Can be redeemed directly for IHG hotel stays
  • No foreign transaction fee
  • $49 annual fee (waived the first year)

Highlights

  • 1 free night every year, making it well worth keeping: This card gives you one free night each year at any IHG hotel category. At popular InterContinental properties in prime locations, this can be worth as much as $400. With an annual fee of only $49, it is truly a keeper card.
  • Points Break redemptions can be fantastic: Each quarter, IHG releases a batch of hotels that can be booked for as few as 5000 points per night (roughly like paying $30 for a night). Sometimes even top-tier InterContinental (IC) properties show up, which can be an amazing deal if you catch one. Points Break introduction
  • 10% rebate on points redemptions: After you hold this credit card, all activities that redeem IHG points can receive a 10% rebate. For example: hotel stays, airline mileage transfers, and elite status redemptions.
  • Complimentary IHG Platinum status: Enjoy bonus points on stays, room upgrades, and other IHG hotel benefits. You can also get extra savings on gas with Fuel Rewards.
  • Authorized user bonus: Add an authorized user to this card and make one purchase to earn an extra 5,000 points. For more on authorized users, see: Complete Guide to Credit Card Authorized Users

Drawbacks

  • IHG points are worth only about 0.6c each, so this card is not ideal as an 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 is a genuinely high-value hotel card. The annual free night certificate is enough to cover the modest annual fee ($49). Add in the 10% rebate on award stays, and for people who enjoy traveling, there is basically no reason not to have this card. IHG also has a broad footprint across budget, mid-range, and upscale properties, so it is easy to find good uses for IHG points. And when combined with IHG’s Points Break, the points can be even more valuable!

Match the Welcome Bonus (YMMV)

According to the Chase match policy for sign-up bonuses, welcome bonuses other than targeted offers can be matched. So when applying, you can choose the offer that suits you best, and if you later prefer another public offer, you can contact Chase and ask to have it changed.

Some readers previously applied for the 60,000-point offer and then successfully matched to 80,000. Here is a summary of the process:
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  • You should receive a reply within 1-2 business days, similar to the example below. In most cases, Chase probably will not match the $50 part, but will match to 80,000. There is also a small chance the representative will include the $50 as well.
Thanks to a reader for providing the screenshot
  • Do not delete this Message. Spend $2,000 on the IHG credit card within three months. After all charges have posted, reply to this Message and indicate that you have met the requirement.
  • Customer service will then add the bonus within a certain period of time. Usually you will see the 60,000 + 20,000 post together on the next statement.
  • In fact, matching is even better than directly getting 80,000, because the matched 20,000 counts as IHG qualified points Earned. If you reach 75,000 in a year, you can be upgraded to top-tier Spire status.
  • If you applied through the 60,000 offer within the past 90 days, according to the Chase match policy for sign-up bonuses, you should be able to get a match.
  • Also, if you applied for the 50,000 + $100 welcome bonus, you may also be able to match to 80,000.

Application

  • Application difficulty: Average. Once you get in with Chase, approvals can come easily. The minimum credit line is 2000.
  • Application status: Check here; automated status line: 888-338-2586
  • Things to note:
    • Before applying, please read about Chase’s application rules and characteristics. This card is temporarily not subject to the Chase 5/24 rule.
    • Applicants who have not received a welcome bonus on this card in the past 24 months are eligible for the welcome bonus. See: Introduction to Churn
    • If you are not instantly approved, call 888-245-0625 to speed up reconsideration. See: Reconsideration Tips
    • Because this is an IHG co-branded credit card, if you already have an IHG account number, you can enter it during the application process (otherwise one will be assigned automatically)

Application Link