Introduction to the IHG One Rewards Traveler Card
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is a decent option if you stay at IHG hotels occasionally and don't want to pay an annual fee (rates and fees). The card earns bonus IHG points on paid stays, and provides a fourth night free benefit when you redeem your points for award stays.
Business Insider's personal finance team evaluated this card against the best hotel credit cards available right now and found it slightly below par compared to its sibling, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, which offers superior benefits overall, but comes with an annual fee of $99.
For casual travelers who still want IHG privileges, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card allows you to enjoy some brand perks without paying for them.
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$0
N/A
19.99% - 28.49% Variable
Earn 80,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is a decent option if you stay at IHG hotels occasionally and don't want to pay an annual fee. However, you'll get a much better deal with the annual-fee personal Chase IHG card, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit CardIHG One Rewards Traveler Card Overview
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card earns 5 points per dollar spent at IHG hotels. In addition to up to 10 points per dollar you earn for being an IHG member and up to 2x points for having Silver elite status from the card, that's up to 17x points total for IHG stays.
The card also comes with decent travel and purchase coverage, such as trip delay and cancellation insurance and purchase protection on items bought with the card. These benefits are nice to have on any card, especially from a no-annual-fee travel card.
IHG Traveler Card Rewards
Welcome Bonus
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is currently offering a welcome bonus of 80,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. This isn't the highest bonus we've ever seen on this card, but based on Business Insider's points and miles valuations of IHG points at 0.65 cents each, it's worth around $520 in hotel stays.
Earning Points with the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
New cardholders can earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. That's worth around $520 in hotel stays, based on Business Insider's valuation of IHG points at 0.65 cents each — though it's possible to get an even higher rate of return.
Cardholders also earn 5 points per dollar spent at IHG hotels in addition to points you'd normally earn from a stay, 3 points per dollar on dining, gas stations, utilities, internet, cable, phone, and select streaming services, and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases. There's no annual fee, and you won't pay foreign transaction fees for making purchases abroad.
In addition to receiving automatic IHG Silver elite status, you'll also get a path to earn IHG Gold elite status when you spend $20,000 on purchases and make one additional purchase in a calendar year, and a 20% discount on IHG points purchased through Points.com.
You'll also earn 3 points per dollar at gas stations, restaurants, utilities, internet, cable, phone, and select streaming services, and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.
Keep in mind not all streaming services are eligible for bonus points. Qualifying subscriptions are:
- Apple Music
- Apple TV
- Disney+
- ESPN+
- Fubo TV
- HBO Max
- Hulu
- Netflix
- Pandora
- Paramount+
- Peacock
- Showtime
- SiriusXM
- Sling
- Spotify
- YouTube Premium
- YouTube TV
- Vudu
Redeeming and Maximizing IHG Points
It's easy to redeem IHG points for free hotel stays directly on IHG.com. You can search for a hotel by location, but keep in mind IHG doesn't have an official award chart and award nights are dynamically priced. Prices vary by hotel, and can even fluctuate day-to-day, based on demand.
However, you'll generally pay 10,000 to 25,000 points per night at budget-friendly hotels like Holiday Inn and Candlewood Suites, all the way up to 70,000 points per night for high-end brands like InterContinental and Kimpton. A few luxury resorts in places like Macau and the Maldives can cost 75,000 to 120,000 points per night.
You can stretch your points further with Points + Cash rates. Here too, redemption options vary, but you'll need to use a minimum of 5,000 points with this option. It typically isn't a great value but can be worth checking if you're low on points or have an expensive stay planned.
You can redeem IHG points for merchandise, gift cards, magazine subscriptions, or digital rewards like games and e-books, but the value you'll receive is usually much less than you'd get for a free hotel night. IHG also allows you to transfer your points to airline miles, but again, the ratio is poor and only worthwhile if you have a very specific reward in mind.
IHG allows you to transfer your points to another member at a rate of $5 per 1,000 points transferred, or donate them to one of its charity partners.
IHG Traveler Card Benefits and Fees
Fourth Reward Night Free
When you have the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, any time you redeem IHG points for reward nights, you'll get the fourth night free on stays of three or more nights. This benefit can be used an unlimited amount of times.
Automatic IHG Silver Elite Status
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card cardholders get automatic IHG Silver elite status, which is the chain's lowest status tier. Silver members get a handful of perks, including 20% bonus points on paid stays and late checkout when available. In addition, having and maintaining any level of IHG elite status means your points won't expire.
Opportunity to Earn Gold Elite Status
You can earn IHG Gold elite status when you spend $20,000 on purchases and make one additional purchase with your IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card in a calendar year. Your Gold status will be valid until December 31 of the following year.
Gold is the next tier up from IHG Silver and includes perks like 40% bonus points on paid stays and late checkout when available.
For comparison, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card comes with automatic Platinum elite status — the second-highest tier of status — with no additional spending required. You can also earn top-tier Diamond status if you spend $40,000 on the credit card in a calendar year.
10,000 Bonus Points Each Year If You Meet a Spending Threshold
Each calendar year when you spend at least $10,000 and make one additional purchase with your IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, you'll receive 10,000 bonus points.
20% Discount on Points Purchases
If you're close to an award stay and need to purchase additional IHG points, you'll get a 20% discount when you pay with your IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card. Note that you can purchase a maximum of 150,000 points per calendar year.
Damage and Theft Purchase Protection
New purchases made with your IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card are covered against damage and theft for 120 days, up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Extended Warranty Protection
You can extend a U.S. manufacturer's warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less when you pay for the purchase with your IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card.
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver Insurance
When you pay for a rental car with your IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card and decline the rental company's collision insurance, you're covered for theft and collision damage. In the US, coverage is secondary to your personal insurance, but is primary insurance abroad.
Baggage Delay Insurance
When you pay for your fare with the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, if your baggage is delayed over six hours, you can get reimbursed for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing up to $100 a day for three days.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement
If you or an immediate family member check or carry on luggage that gets damaged or lost, you're covered up to $3,000 per passenger per trip when you pay with your IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card.
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
If your trip is canceled or cut short because of sickness, severe weather, or another covered situation, you can get reimbursed up to $5,000 per person and $10,000 per trip for pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses like fares, tours, and hotels.
Travel Accident Insurance
When you pay for air, bus, train, or cruise transportation with your IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, you can get accidental death or dismemberment coverage up to $500,000.
Complimentary DoorDash DashPass Membership
When you have the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, you can activate a complimentary one-year DoorDash DashPass membership. DashPass offers free delivery and discounted service fees on orders of $12 or more with DoorDash and Caviar delivery services, and usually costs $9.99 per month. You'll need to activate the benefit by December 31, 2024.
Fraud Protection and Alerts
Chase uses real-time fraud monitoring to protect your account. You can sign-up to receive a text, email, or call if there's any unusual activity.
IHG Traveler Card Annual Fee and Other Costs
Annual Fee and Foreign Transaction Fees
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, so it's an ideal card to keep long-term and carry abroad. It's always a good idea to have at least one card with no foreign transaction fees.
APR
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has a variable APR of 19.99% - 28.49% Variable, depending on your creditworthiness.
Other Fees
Like most other cards, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card charges fees for cash advances, late payments, and returned payments.
$0
N/A
19.99% - 28.49% Variable
Earn 80,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is a decent option if you stay at IHG hotels occasionally and don't want to pay an annual fee. However, you'll get a much better deal with the annual-fee personal Chase IHG card, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit CardIHG One Rewards Traveler Card Comparison
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card vs. IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
If you like staying at IHG hotels, you'll get more meaningful benefits with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card. With the Premier card, you'll earn up to 26 points per dollar spent at IHG hotels: 10x points from the card, 10x points for being an IHG member, and 6x points from the automatic Platinum elite status that comes with the card. You'll also get a free award night worth up to 40,000 points on every cardmember anniversary.
Though there's an annual fee of $99 for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, the anniversary free night award is easily worth more. The card also has a welcome offer of 140,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, which is much more than what the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card offers.
Cardholders get Platinum elite status, the second-to-highest tier available through IHG, and can earn top-tier Diamond status after spending $40,000 on the card in a calendar year. Elite status can get you room upgrades and late checkout when available, on top of bonus points for paid stays. For most IHG loyalists, it's a better option than the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, even after factoring in the annual fee.
Here's our Chase IHG Premier credit card review for comparison.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is Business Insider's top choice credit card for travel rewards thanks to top-tier benefits coupled with a low annual fee of just $95.
New cardholders can earn a welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Chase Ultimate Rewards points are some of the most valuable rewards you can earn, with more than a dozen Chase Ultimate Rewards point transfer partners.
Cardholders also get up to $50 in annual statement credits toward hotel stays booked through Chase, and a 10% anniversary point bonus based on the dollar amount you spend each year.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers some of the best complimentary travel insurance you can get from any credit card, not just from travel cards in its annual-fee price tier. Its trip cancellation/interruption benefit covers up to $10,000 per person, and $20,000 per trip on prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses. You'll also get up to $3,000 per traveler when your luggage is damaged or lost in transit on a trip you paid with this card.
Read more about our top-choice travel rewards credit card in our Chase Sapphire Preferred card review.
$0
N/A
19.99% - 28.49% Variable
Earn 80,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is a decent option if you stay at IHG hotels occasionally and don't want to pay an annual fee. However, you'll get a much better deal with the annual-fee personal Chase IHG card, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit CardIHG Traveler Card Frequently Asked Questions
What credit score do you need for the IHG One Rewards Traveler credit card?
Most folks who are approved for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card have a credit score in the good to excellent range. This means a FICO score of at least 670.
Does the IHG One Rewards Traveler card have an anniversary free night?
No, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card does not come with a free night on your card anniversary. Only the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card offer this benefit for stays at IHG hotels.
Is the IHG One Rewards Traveler card worth it?
For most travelers who stay with IHG, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is a better deal than the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, even though it charges a $99 annual fee. The anniversary free night you get with the card can more than offset the yearly cost, and additional benefits like automatic Platinum elite status and a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, or NEXUS application fee credit make the card even more valuable.
But if you're completely opposed to paying an annual fee and don't stay with IHG often, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card could be worth it. Just remember you'll get more flexibility by earning Chase Ultimate Rewards® points or Bilt Rewards Points (which transfer to IHG at a 1:1 ratio) from cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Bilt Mastercard®, so be sure to check out those options as well. Here's our guide to the best Chase cards.
Who is eligible for the IHG One Rewards Traveler card?
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is subject to the Chase 5/24 rule, which means if you've opened five or more credit cards from any bank (excluding some small-business cards), you won't be approved for the card. You're also not eligible if you already have any personal IHG card open, including the legacy IHG Rewards Club Select card (no longer available to new applicants), or earned the welcome bonus from one in the past 24 months.
However, you can have the small-business IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card and still qualify for a personal IHG card like the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card.
Is the IHG One Rewards Traveler a Visa or Mastercard?
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is a World Mastercard, which means it comes with good travel insurance and purchase protection, along with other perks.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed the IHG One Rewards Traveler Card
The credit card team at Business Insider evaluated the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card against other IHG credit cards as well as no-annual-fee hotel credit cards from chains like Hilton, Marriott, Wyndham, and Choice.
We considered several factors in our review:
- Ease of use — Is the card's rewards program straightforward, or are there complex rules and award charts to navigate?
- Earning potential — Does the welcome bonus offer a good value and is it competitive with similar cards? Are there useful bonus categories that make the card valuable for both travel and everyday spending?
- Fees — Even no-annual-fee cards may sting you with other fees or charges that can diminish the value of your rewards, such as foreign transaction fees or a high APR. With annual-fee cards, we consider whether or not the perks justify the cost.
- Benefits — Does the card have perks that save you money and time, or make your travels more comfortable?
Read about how we rate credit cards at Business Insider to learn more about our methodology.
For rewards and benefits of the Bilt Mastercard, please click here.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
**Enrollment required.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
