IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card evaluation
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card (see charges and costs) is IHG’s no-annual-fee card possibility. With this card, you might want to earn as much as 17 issues in step with buck spent at IHG inns and motels. Plus, cardholders can earn increased praise charges at gasoline stations and eating places, amongst different bonus classes. Nonetheless, whilst the IHG Traveler card gives some helpful IHG-related perks, it is probably not your only option. Card Ranking*: ⭐⭐½
*Card Ranking is in accordance with the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by way of the cardboard issuer.
IHG gives two private cobranded Chase playing cards to assist consumers rack up issues and maximize their remains.
This sort of is the no-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card. It is aimed toward vacationers who wish to earn IHG issues on their purchases with out incurring an annual commission. Alternatively, if you happen to incessantly keep at IHG homes, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card (see charges and costs) is most probably a more sensible choice.
We suggest that candidates have a credit score rating of 670 or upper to extend their probabilities of approval. Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at the IHG Traveler card so you’ll be able to come to a decision if it is best for you.
IHG One Rewards Traveler professionals and cons
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IHG One Rewards Traveler Card welcome be offering
New candidates for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card can earn as much as 125,000 bonus issues:
- Earn 90,000 bonus issues after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
- Plus, earn 35,000 bonus issues after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first six months from account opening.
This welcome bonus is price as much as $750, in accordance with TPG’s Would possibly 2026 valuations.
The present bonus supplies the absolute best choice of issues we have noticed within the card’s historical past, even though the spending requirement is upper than same old. Alternatively, now continues to be a great time to use if you happen to’ve been taking into account the cardboard.
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You’ll be eligible for the IHG Traveler card (and its welcome bonus) if you happen to fulfill the entire following necessities:
Similar: Without equal information to bank card software restrictions
IHG One Rewards Traveler advantages
As with the perfect no-annual-fee playing cards, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card does not be offering many luxurious perks. Here is a fast evaluation of the cardboard’s primary advantages and perks.
Fourth-night-free get advantages
Each and every time you redeem issues for a keep of 4 or extra nights, each and every fourth evening will value 0 issues. As soon as you are a cardholder, this bargain might be robotically implemented while you redeem IHG issues for eligible remains.
A 20% bargain on level purchases
You’ll be able to get a 20% bargain each time you purchase IHG issues together with your card. Know, even though, that you’ll be able to’t mix this bargain with different promotions, similar to when IHG issues are on sale. Take into account, too, that IHG from time to time gives a significantly better 100% bonus while you acquire issues.
I incessantly purchase IHG issues when the 100% bonus drops the acquisition worth to 0.5 cents in step with level, so I do not in finding the 20% bargain interesting.
Computerized Silver Elite standing (with a pathway to Gold Elite)
IHG Traveler cardholders experience automated Silver Elite standing within the IHG One Rewards program. This tier features a 20% bonus on resort remains and issues that do not expire.
Moreover, you’ll be able to purchase your approach to Gold Elite standing throughout the finish of the following calendar 12 months while you spend $20,000 for your card each and every calendar 12 months. This tier features a 40% bonus on resort remains and rollover elite nights for standing the next 12 months.
No international transaction charges
Many mid-tier bank cards do not fee international transaction charges. Alternatively, there are only a few playing cards on that checklist that do not fee an annual commission. Should you commute out of the country incessantly, it is price having a minimum of one bank card that does not fee international transaction charges.
Similar: Maximize your rewards by way of getting a fourth or 5th evening unfastened on award remains
Incomes issues at the IHG One Rewards Traveler
While you use your IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card to make purchases, you’ll be able to earn:
- 5 issues in step with buck spent at IHG inns and motels, plus 10 issues in step with buck for being an IHG One Rewards member and a couple of issues in step with buck because of having Silver Elite standing (for a complete of 17 issues in step with buck spent, which is a ten.2% go back, in accordance with TPG’s valuations)
- 3 issues in step with buck spent on eating (together with takeout and eligible supply products and services); at gasoline stations; on utilities; on web, cable and contact products and services; and on make a selection streaming products and services (for a 1.8% go back)
- 2 issues in step with buck spent on the entirety else (for a 1.2% go back)
Those returns are not nice, even in comparison to different no-annual-fee playing cards.
Nonetheless, there are a number of sub-$100 annual commission playing cards that supply forged perks on most sensible of serious incomes charges, which interprets into higher returns on spending throughout more than a few classes.
As an example, the $95 annual commission Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card (see charges and costs) earns 2 issues in step with buck spent on commute purchases, whilst the $95 annual commission Capital One Project Rewards Credit score Card earns 2 miles in step with buck spent on nearly all purchases.
The IHG Traveler card additionally is not a good selection for on a regular basis purchases. In the end, it simplest supplies a 1.8% go back at gasoline stations and eating places, plus a 1.2% go back on different purchases.
A number of cash-back bank cards — just like the no-annual-fee Citi Double Money® Card (see charges and costs) — be offering a 2% go back on all purchases (1% while you purchase and 1% while you pay).
Similar: Highest rewards bank cards
Redeeming issues at the IHG One Rewards Traveler
There are lots of choices for redeeming IHG One Rewards issues. Now not unusually, you’ll be able to get the most productive worth out of your issues while you redeem for IHG resort remains.
TPG’s valuations position the worth of IHG issues at simply 0.6 cents each and every, which is paltry while you believe that possible choices just like the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card earn issues price over 2 cents apiece.
Alternatively, it is imaginable to maximize redemptions with the IHG One Rewards program and get worth out of your issues. Listed here are a couple of tactics you’ll be able to accomplish that.
IHG has dynamic award pricing — that means that the price of reserving a reservation fluctuates with call for and seasonality — however there are some just right offers to be discovered. Alternatively, one problem to dynamic pricing is that you just will have to be extra cautious about when to make use of your issues as opposed to coins for a keep.
At TPG, we attempt to use our issues after we know we will recuperate than face worth for any given redemption. With a card just like the IHG Traveler, it makes probably the most sense to e-book remains of 4 nights or longer to make the most of the fourth-night-free get advantages.
You’ll be able to additionally e-book remains the usage of a mixture of issues and coins. For a given room, you’ll be able to usually see a chart with reductions from the whole nightly award price in increments of five,000 issues.
On a Issues + Money reserving, you might be necessarily purchasing the additional issues had to entire the redemption. Should you cancel your room, your refund might be issued only in issues. I hardly e-book Issues + Money charges since it is in most cases a greater worth to make use of issues on my own. Alternatively, it is price checking whether or not the maths works out on each and every reserving.
TPG contributing editor Matt Moffitt likes to make use of his IHG One Rewards issues for four-night award remains. Since he has the IHG One Rewards Premier Trade Credit score Card, he will get the fourth evening unfastened on award redemptions. He in most cases objectives Vacation Inn and Vacation Inn Categorical homes to stretch his issues however on occasion splashes out on a Kimpton or an InterContinental assets.
Similar: Chase bank cards: Highest time to use in accordance with be offering historical past
Moving issues at the IHG One Rewards Traveler
IHG One Rewards has 40 airline switch companions, however we suggest heading off this redemption possibility when imaginable, as issues switch at a just about 5:1 ratio, which is at the decrease aspect.
The switch procedure will also be bulky, particularly if you are calling the IHG One Rewards Carrier Middle that can assist you kind it out. IHG is most often gradual to procedure transfers, with some reporting that it took as much as six weeks for his or her issues to switch.
You’ll be able to additionally switch your issues to different IHG One Rewards participants beginning at $5 in step with 1,000 issues. This selection is unfastened for Diamond Elite and IHG Trade Rewards program participants, and you’ll be able to switch as much as 500,000 issues in step with calendar 12 months.
Similar: Learn how to earn IHG issues by way of remains, bank cards and extra
Which playing cards compete with the IHG One Rewards Traveler?
If you do not thoughts paying an annual commission, believe those possible choices to the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card.
For added choices, take a look at our complete lists of the most productive resort bank cards and the most productive playing cards for IHG remains.
Is the IHG One Rewards Traveler price it?
Should you keep at IHG homes a couple of occasions in step with 12 months however need increased perks when touring, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card could also be a pleasing addition in your pockets. Because it does not have an annual commission, this card is a forged selection if you’re beneath 5/24 and need entry-level IHG One Rewards standing and the fourth evening unfastened when reserving with issues.
Final analysis
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card is not a foul possibility for the occasional IHG visitor, as you’ll be able to get a couple of IHG-related perks for no annual commission. Alternatively, if you are on the lookout for additional perks all over your IHG remains, you’ll be able to be disenchanted with this card’s restricted advantages.
Practice right here: IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card
