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You may be familiar with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, one of the best credit cards for travel rewards, but did you know there is an alternative option that comes with no annual fee? The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card earns up to 17x total points per $1 spent at IHG properties, along with some other exciting benefits.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card Benefits
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card comes with the following IHG travel benefits:
- Reward night when you redeem points for any stay of 4 or more nights
- Earn up to 17x total points per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- Earn 3x points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, gas stations, and restaurants
- Plus, earn 2x points per $1 spent on all other purchases
This card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.
As long as you earn or redeem your IHG points within a 12-month period, your IHG points balance will not expire.
Signup Bonus
New IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
What Doesn’t the IHG Traveler Card Offer?
When you hear the phrase “IHG credit card” getting a reward hotel night certificate might be one of the first thoughts that enter your mind. While it’d be awesome to get a reward IHG night for each card anniversary, that isn’t the case.
Compared to the more elite IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, you won’t get these benefits:
- Reward anniversary night certificate
- Upgraded membership status
- TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee reimbursement
With the basic IHG Traveler credit card, you’ll only have entry-level IHG membership status. This lets you book discounted Your Rate nights when you pay with cash. You need to make at least $10,000 in total card purchases to upgrade to IHG Gold status for the rest of this year and all of next year to enjoy additional benefits.
These include things like late checkout, welcome amenities, and point redemption bonuses.
Should You Apply for the IHG Traveler Card?
How often do you stay at IHG properties? To help you better answer that question, here is a list of IHG hotels:
- Six Senses
- Regent
- InterContinental Hotels and Resorts
- Kimpton
- Hotel Indigo
- Even Hotels
- Hualuxe
- Crowne Plaza
- Voco
- Holiday Inn
- Holiday Inn Express
- Avid
- Holiday Inn Club Vacations
- Staybridge Suites
- Atwell Suites
- Candlewood Suites
- IHG Rewards Club
If your answer is, “Not often, but enough to own a credit card to earn bonus points,” then the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card might be a good option for you.
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is best at earning bonus IHG points on top of your regular stays and ensuring your points balance never expires. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about any annual fees, which is a great added bonus.
Is It Better to Try for the IHG Premier Card Instead?
If you want more IHG benefits, you might enjoy the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, which offers more travel benefits. You get:
- Reward Night after each account anniversary year at eligible IHG hotels worldwide
- Enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for any stay of 3 or more nights
- IHG Platinum Elite status
- TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS application fee credit (up to $100)
These additional benefits are a bargain for even the most casual IHG travelers. You can learn more in our IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card Review.
New IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card cardholders can earn 5 Free Nights after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
The annual fee is $99.
You will earn up to 26x points total per $1 spent at IHG properties. You will also earn 5x points at gas stations, travel, and restaurants and 3x points per $1 on everything else.
Member FDIC
Bonus: IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
This IHG business card, the latest addition to the IHG family, can be a great option for business owners. For one, the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card earns up to 26x total points per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel. Additionally, IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card cardholders earn:
- 5x points per $1 spent on purchases on:
- Travel
- Gas stations
- Select advertising
- Restaurants
- 3x points per $1 spent on all other purchases
Enjoy an Anniversary Free Night at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Plus, enjoy a fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG® hotel stay.
As long as you remain a Premier Business card member, you will have Platinum Elite status.
This card also includes Platinum Elite status and Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or a NEXUS Statement Credit.
New IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card cardholders can earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
The annual fee is $99.
Summary
If you want to earn points without having to worry about foreign transaction fees or any annual fees, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card may be best. Plus, don’t forget that signup bonus. New IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
If you currently have the $49 IHG Select card and want to apply for the Traveler card you can maintain Gold status without needing to spend $10,000 by downgrading the Select card to the no annual fee IHG Classic card.