The welcome offer on this card has gone up again, this time to 90,000+35,000 points. The additional 35,000 points require $4,000 in spending in the first 6 months, which is still quite doable. This offer expires on June 24. As for applications, I still recommend applying for the higher-offer IHG Premier first, then downgrading after a year (or keeping it long term for the free night certificate).

This is a very strong offer, and we’ve also added it to our best credit card welcome offers list.

Chase IHG Traveler Credit Card Review

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Full review

Chase IHG Traveler Credit Card

No annual fee IHG co-branded card

  • Welcome bonus: 90,000 IHG points (spend $2,000 in three months) + 35,000 IHG points (spend $4,000 in six months)
  • Rewards: 5x on IHG purchases; 3x at restaurants, gas stations, and on monthly bills (utilities, internet, phone, streaming); 2x on all other purchases
  • Redemption: Redeem for IHG hotels, valued at 0.6 cpp
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Apply now>>

Highlights

  • 4th night free on award stays: After you have this card, when you redeem IHG points for a consecutive 4-night stay, the 4th night is free. In other words, you only need 75% of the points for a 4-night stay.
  • 20% discount on buying points: When you buy IHG points on the IHG website, you get a 20% discount. This should stack with IHG’s regular points sales, letting you buy IHG points at an even lower cost. Summary of points purchase discounts
  • Complimentary IHG Silver status: If you spend $20,000 on the card in a calendar year, you can receive IHG Gold status. This gives you hotel perks such as bonus points on stays and room upgrades. You can also get extra savings on gas through Fuel Rewards.
  • Big spending bonus: Spend $10,000 and earn an extra 10,000 points + $100
  • No Foreign Transaction Fee (FTF): Most cards with no foreign transaction fee come with an annual fee, so it’s nice that this one has no annual fee. See also: What is an FTF?

IHG Points

  • Worth 0.6 cents per point: On average, IHG points are worth about 0.6 cents each when redeemed. That means a $60 hotel stay would cost about 10,000 IHG points.
  • Points Breaks can be an amazing deal: Each quarter, IHG releases a list of hotels bookable for as few as 5,000 points per night (equivalent to getting a night for about $30). Sometimes even top-tier InterContinental (IC) properties appear, which can be an outstanding deal if your plans line up. About Points Breaks

Drawbacks

  • IHG points are only worth about 0.6 cents each, so this is not a good everyday spending card unless you are staying at IHG hotels.

My Take

The biggest reason to apply for this credit card is probably the welcome bonus. The 4th-night-free benefit plus the 20% discount on buying points also make it a decent long-term keeper. However, if you’re an IHG loyalist, the premium version, IHG Premier, may be a better fit for you.

  • Chase IHG Premier (comes with an annual free night certificate capped by redemption level)

If you really like this card, my suggestion is still to apply for the annual-fee IHG Premier first, earn the larger welcome bonus, and then downgrade to this no-annual-fee card in the second year. In general, the difference between the two welcome bonuses is greater than the first-year annual fee.

Application

  • The minimum approved credit line for this card is $2,000.
  • Since this is a co-branded credit card with IHG, if you already have an IHG membership number, you can enter it when applying (otherwise one will be assigned automatically).
  • Having another version of an IHG credit card does not affect your eligibility to apply for this card or earn its welcome bonus.

Chase Credit Card Application Guide

  • Chase application status check link (login required). Or call: 888-338-2586
  • The 5/24 rule: if you have opened more than 5 new cards in the past 2 years (including cards from other banks), you will not be approved for a new Chase card
  • You can be approved for at most two Chase credit cards within every 30 days
  • If you have received the welcome bonus on this card within the past 24 months (48 months for the Sapphire family), your application will be automatically denied
  • You can call the reconsideration line (800-453-9719) to expedite card approval or request a review of a denied application.
  • Having a Chase Checking account can help with getting approved for a credit card
  • More on applying for Chase credit cards

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