IHG Credit Cards: New Welcome Bonus (Limit-Time)

IHG and Chase have just introduced more lucrative welcome offers for all three co-branded cards — and it’s really worth it, whether you’re a regular IHG customer or just looking for great deals for your next trip. Below, I’ll break down each offer, the important ongoing benefits, and the type of traveler each card is best suited for.

The New Welcome Bonuses at a Glance

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card (personal, $0 annual fee)

Up to 125,000 bonus points: 90,000 bonus points after $2,000 in 3 months + up to 35,000 bonus points after total of $4,000 in 6 months by earning an additional 3x on purchases, except at IHG Hotels & Resorts, in the first 6 months from account opening on up to $10,000 spent. You also earn up to 17x total at IHG when stacking member + Silver status (included with the card) + card earn.

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (personal, $99 annual fee)

Up to 185,000 bonus points: 150,000 points after $3,000 in 3 months + 35,000 points after $6,000 in 6 months — a clear bump versus prior public offers. Ongoing earn is up to 26x total at IHG stays (member + automatic Platinum from the card + card earn), 5x on travel/dining/gas, and 3x everywhere else.

These offers are time-limited, so if one of them fits your plans, apply before they expire.

What You Actually Get Beyond the Headline Number

Anniversary Free Night (Premier & Premier Business).
Each year you keep the card, you receive a Free Night Certificate worth up to 40,000 points, now with a top-off option — add points from your account if a hotel prices above 40k. Paired with IHG’s frequent off-peak pricing, this is often worth more than the $99 fee on its own.

Fourth Reward Night Free (Premier & Premier Business).
Redeem points for 4 consecutive nights and the 4th night is free — a powerful multiplier when you’re stretching a big welcome bonus.

Automatic elite status.
Traveler comes with Silver Elite; Premier and Premier Business come with Platinum Elite as long as you hold the card—these stack into the “up to 17x/26x” totals at IHG stays and include perks like bonus points and (at many hotels) better room placement.

How Far Do These Bonuses Go?

IHG award pricing is dynamic, but you can often find solid mid-scale nights in the 15k–25k range, with off-peak deals lower and premium brands much higher. Rule-of-thumb valuations hover around 0.5¢ per point, but savvy bookings (especially with 4th Night Free) can beat that. The Premier 175k bonus can cover a long long-weekend for two; the Business 140k can stretch to a week if you target mid-tier redemptions and add the 4th night free.

Which card fits which traveler?

• Pick Traveler ($0 AF) if you’re fee-averse, want to dip a toe into IHG, and like the idea of up to 125,000 bonus points. You’ll still get no foreign transaction fees and boosted earn on everyday categories.
• Pick Premier ($99 AF) if you can use a 40k top-offable Free Night every year, want Platinum baked in, and value the 4th Night Free when redeeming points. For most casual IHG guests, this is the sweet spot.

These are Chase cards, so the well-known 5/24 policy typically applies — if you’ve opened 5+ personal cards across any bank in the last 24 months, approval odds drop. Time your apps accordingly.

Bottom line

If you want maximum upside with minimal annual cost, the Premier is hard to beat thanks to a big up-front bonus, a renewable Free Night you can top off, Platinum status, and 4th Night Free. Traveler is the easiest on-ramp with a creative two-nights-plus-points bonus at $0 annual fee. Premier Business puts the largest pile of points on the table and has strong bonus categories for real-world business spending.