IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card overview
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card (see charges and costs) is IHG’s no-annual-fee card choice. With this card, you might earn as much as 17 factors per greenback spent at IHG accommodations and resorts. Plus, cardholders can even earn elevated reward charges at gasoline stations, on a few of their month-to-month payments and at eating places. Nonetheless, whereas the IHG Traveler Card presents some helpful IHG-related perks, it will not be your best option. Card Score*: ⭐⭐½
*Card Score relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.
IHG presents two private cobranded Chase playing cards to assist prospects rack up factors and maximize their stays.
Certainly one of these is the no-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card. It is geared toward vacationers who need to earn IHG factors on their purchases with out incurring an annual price. Nevertheless, if you happen to continuously keep at IHG properties, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card (see charges and costs) is probably going a greater choice.
We suggest candidates have a credit score rating of 670 or greater to extend their possibilities of approval. Let’s take a better have a look at the IHG One Traveler Card so you possibly can resolve if it is best for you.
Associated: Earn additional factors at your favourite eating places with IHG One Rewards Eating
IHG One Rewards Traveler execs and cons
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IHG One Rewards Traveler Card welcome supply
For a restricted time, new candidates for the IHG Traveler Card can earn 120,000 bonus factors after spending $2,000 on purchases on the cardboard within the first three months after opening an account. This supply ends July 23.
In keeping with TPG’s Could 2025 valuations, IHG One Rewards factors are value 0.5 cents every, making this bonus value $600.
This matches the best supply we have seen on this card, which was final supplied two years in the past.
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We suggest making use of anytime the welcome supply is above 80,000 factors, so if you happen to’ve been interested by 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 welcome bonus) if you happen to fulfill all the following necessities:
- You do not at the moment have a private IHG One Rewards card (although the IHG Premier Enterprise card is OK)
- You have not earned a sign-up bonus on a private IHG card within the final 24 months
- You are below Chase’s 5/24 rule
Associated: The last word information to bank card utility restrictions
IHG One Rewards Traveler advantages
As with the finest no-annual-fee playing cards, the IHG One Traveler Card does not supply many luxurious perks. This is a fast overview of the cardboard’s important advantages and perks.
Fourth reward night time profit
Every time you redeem factors for a keep of 4 or extra nights, each fourth night time will price zero factors. As soon as you are a cardholder, this low cost will probably be mechanically utilized once you redeem IHG factors for eligible stays.
Save 20% on level purchases
You may get a 20% low cost everytime you purchase IHG factors along with your card. However you possibly can’t mix this low cost with different promotions, similar to when IHG factors are on sale. And IHG generally presents a a lot better 100% bonus once you buy factors.
So, though I typically purchase IHG factors when the 100% bonus drops the acquisition worth to 0.5 cents per level, I do not discover the 20% low cost interesting.
Computerized 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 resort stays and factors that do not expire.
As well as, you should purchase your method to Gold Elite standing by means of the tip of the following calendar yr once you spend $20,000 in your card every calendar yr. This tier features a 40% bonus on resort stays and rollover elite nights for standing the next yr.
No overseas transaction charges
Many mid-tier bank cards do not cost overseas transaction charges; nonetheless, there are only a few playing cards on that listing that do not cost an annual price. When you journey overseas continuously, it is value having at the very least one bank card that does not cost overseas transaction charges.
Associated: Methods to maximize longer resort stays by utilizing a free night time profit
Incomes factors on the IHG One Rewards Traveler
Once you use your IHG One Traveler Card to make purchases, you may earn:
- 5 factors per greenback spent at IHG accommodations and resorts, plus 10 factors for being an IHG One member and a couple of factors with the Silver elite standing (17 factors complete, which is 8.5% return, based mostly on TPG’s Could 2025 valuations)
- 3 factors per greenback spent at gasoline stations, utilities (web, cable, telephone and choose streaming providers) and eating, together with eligible takeout (1.5% return)
- 2 factors per greenback spent on the whole lot 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 price playing cards that provide stable perks on prime of nice incomes charges, which equate to larger returns on spending, in varied classes.
For instance, the $95 annual price Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card (see charges and costs) earns 2 factors per greenback spent on journey purchases, whereas the $95 annual price Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card earns 2 miles per greenback spent on virtually 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 offers a 1.5% return at gasoline 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 costs) — supply a 2% return on all purchases (1% once you purchase and 1% once you pay).
Associated: The perfect bank cards for every bonus class
Redeeming factors on the IHG One Rewards Traveler
There are various choices for redeeming IHG One Rewards factors. Not surprisingly, you may get the perfect worth out of your factors once you redeem for IHG resort stays.
TPG’s Could 2025 valuations peg IHG factors at simply 0.5 cents every, which is paltry when you think about that options just like the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked card earn factors value over 2 cents apiece.
Nevertheless, it is doable 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 — that 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 it’s best to 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 probably the most sense to e book stays of 4 nights or longer to make the most of the fourth reward night time profit.
You may also e book stays utilizing a mix 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 primarily shopping for the additional factors wanted to finish the redemption. So, if you happen to cancel your room, your refund will probably be given solely in factors. I hardly ever e book Factors + Money charges because it’s often a greater worth to make use of simply factors. Nevertheless, it is value checking whether or not the maths 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 (see charges and costs), he will get the fourth night time free on award redemptions.
He often targets Vacation Inn and Vacation Inn Categorical properties to stretch his factors, however sometimes splashes out on a Kimpton or InterContinental property.
Associated: Methods to earn IHG factors through stays, bank cards and extra
Transferring factors on the IHG One Rewards Traveler
IHG One has 35+ airline switch companions, however we suggest avoiding this redemption choice when doable, as factors switch at a virtually 5:1 ratio, which is on the decrease aspect.
The switch course of may be cumbersome, particularly if you happen to’re calling the IHG One Rewards Service Heart that can assist you type out a switch. IHG is mostly gradual to course of transfers, with some reporting that it took as much as six weeks for his or her factors to switch.
You may also 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 yr.
Associated: 7 methods to earn extra IHG One Rewards factors to your subsequent redemption
Which playing cards compete with the IHG One Rewards Traveler?
When you do not thoughts paying an annual price, think about these options to the IHG One Traveler card.
For added choices, try our full lists of the perfect resort bank cards and the perfect playing cards for IHG stays.
Is the IHG One Rewards Traveler value it?
When you keep at IHG properties a couple of instances per yr however need elevated perks when touring, this card could also be a pleasant addition to your pockets. Because it does not have an annual price, this card is a no brainer if you’re under 5/24 and wish entry-level IHG One standing and the fourth night time free when reserving with factors.
Backside line
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card is not a nasty choice for the occasional IHG visitor, as you may get a couple of IHG-related perks for no annual price. Nevertheless, if you happen to’re searching for additional perks throughout your IHG stays, you may be disenchanted with this card’s restricted advantages.
Apply right here: IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card