80,000 Points and No Annual Fee

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Evaluate: Is the IHG Rewards Membership Traveler card the perfect bank card for you?

The IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card earns bonus IHG factors on paid stays, and supplies a fourth night time free profit once you redeem your factors for award stays. Nevertheless, the IHG® Rewards Membership Premier Credit score Card is a stronger selection total in the event you like staying at IHG inns. The one causes to get the IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card are in the event you do not wish to pay an annual payment or wish to earn the welcome bonus factors. 

New cardholders can earn 80,000 bonus factors after spending $2,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening with the IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card. You will additionally earn 5 factors per greenback spent at IHG inns (along with factors you’d usually earn from a keep) and a couple of factors per greenback at fuel stations, grocery shops, and eating places. There isn’t any annual payment, and you will not pay overseas transaction charges for making purchases overseas. 

Along with getting the fourth night time free on award stays, you may additionally get a path to earn IHG Gold elite standing once you spend $10,000 on purchases in a calendar 12 months, and a 20% low cost on IHG factors bought via Factors.com. 

Learn extra: Information to the perfect lodge bank cards

The IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card additionally comes with first rate journey and buy protection, resembling journey delay and cancellation insurance coverage and buy safety on objects purchased with the cardboard. These advantages are good to have on any card, particularly from a no-annual-fee card.

However In the event you like staying at IHG inns, you may get extra significant advantages with the IHG® Rewards Membership Premier Credit score Card. With it, you may earn as much as 25 factors per greenback spent at IHG inns (10x factors from the cardboard, 10x factors for being an IHG member, and 5x factors from the automated Platinum elite standing that comes with the cardboard) and get a free award night time value as much as 40,000 factors each cardmember anniversary. The cardboard additionally has a welcome provide of 125,000 bonus factors and a free night time certificates after spending $3,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening, which is over double what the IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card provides.  

Although there’s an annual payment of $89 for the IHG® Rewards Membership Premier Credit score Card, the anniversary free night time award is definitely value extra. Plus, having IHG Platinum elite standing can get you room upgrades and late checkout when accessible, on high of bonus factors for paid stays. For many IHG loyalists, it is a greater possibility, even with the annual payment factored in. This is our Chase IHG Premier card assessment for comparability.

Upcoming modifications to the Chase IHG Traveler card

On March 24, 2022, the IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card will get a makeover, and the updates are usually optimistic. In abstract:

• The cardboard might be often called the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit score Card and it’ll proceed to haven’t any annual payment
• Cardholders will earn 3x factors (elevated from 1x) on utilities, web, cable, cellphone, and choose streaming companies purchases, 3x factors (elevated from 2x) on eating and fuel buy, and 2x factors (elevated from 1x) on all different purchases
• Cardholders will obtain computerized IHG Silver elite standing, and may qualify for IHG Gold elite standing after spending $20,000 on purchases and making one further buy every calendar 12 months
• After spending $10,000 on purchases and making one further buy every calendar 12 months, cardholders will earn 10,000 bonus factors

Learn extra: The Chase IHG Rewards Premier and Traveler playing cards are getting a significant makeover, and there is a new IHG small-business card becoming a member of the household

Comparability: IHG Rewards Membership Traveler vs different Chase playing cards

* Bonus factors at IHG and Marriott inns are along with the factors members would usually earn from a keep

*** The IHG® Rewards Membership Premier Credit score Card provides an annual free night time award every year after your account anniversary for taking part IHG properties that value as much as 40,000 factors

IHG Rewards Membership Traveler card vs different lodge bank cards

*Bonus factors at IHG, Hilton, and Wyndham inns are along with the factors members would usually earn from a keep

How one can earn factors from the IHG Rewards Membership Traveler card

The IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card earns 5 factors per greenback spent at IHG inns. Along with the ten factors per greenback you earn for being an IHG member, that is 15x factors complete for IHG stays. 

You will additionally earn 2 factors per greenback at fuel stations, grocery shops, and eating places, and 1 level per greenback on all different purchases. 

Learn extra: I have not paid for a lodge room in 10 years — this is how I keep free of charge

How one can use rewards 

IHG factors are straightforward to redeem free of charge lodge stays straight on IHG.com. You possibly can seek for a lodge by location, however be mindful IHG would not have an official award chart and award nights are dynamically priced. Costs differ by lodge, and may even fluctuate day-to-day, based mostly on demand.  

Learn extra: How one can earn, redeem, and maximize IHG Rewards Membership factors

Nevertheless, you may usually pay 10,000 to 25,000 factors per night time at budget-friendly inns like Vacation Inn and Candlewood Suites, all the way in which as much as 70,000 factors per night time for high-end manufacturers like InterContinental and Kimpton. A number of luxurious resorts in Macau and the Maldives can value 75,000 to 100,000 factors per night time. 

You possibly can stretch your factors additional with Factors + Money charges. Right here too, redemption choices differ, however you may want to make use of a minimal of 5,000 factors with this selection. It usually is not an excellent worth however might be value checking in the event you’re low on factors or have an costly keep deliberate. 

You possibly can redeem IHG factors for merchandise, reward playing cards, journal subscriptions, or digital rewards like video games and e-books, however the worth you may obtain is often a lot lower than you’d get for a free lodge night time. IHG additionally permits you to switch your factors to airline miles, however once more, the ratio is poor and solely worthwhile you probably have a really particular reward in thoughts. 

IHG permits you to switch your factors to a different member at a fee of $5 per 1,000 factors transferred, or donate them to considered one of its charity companions. 

Advantages and options

Fourth reward night time free

When you have got the IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card, any time you redeem IHG factors for reward nights, you may get the fourth night time free on stays of 4 or extra nights. This profit can be utilized a limiteless quantity of instances. 

Alternative to earn Gold elite standing

You possibly can earn IHG Gold elite standing once you spend $10,000 on purchases together with your IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card every calendar 12 months. Gold is IHG’s lowest standing tier and consists of perks like 10% bonus factors on paid stays, no blackout dates for reward nights, free web, and late checkout when accessible. Having elite standing additionally means your IHG factors by no means expire so long as you keep it. 

Learn extra: 11 bank cards that get you lodge elite standing simply by having them in your pockets

For comparability, the IHG® Rewards Membership Premier Credit score Card comes with computerized Platinum elite standing with no further spending required. 

20% low cost on factors purchases

In the event you’re near an award keep and have to buy further IHG factors, you may get a 20% low cost once you pay together with your IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card. Word which you can buy a most of 150,000 factors per calendar 12 months.    

Injury and theft buy safety

New purchases made together with your IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card are lined in opposition to harm and theft for 120 days, as much as $500 per declare and $50,000 per account. 

Prolonged guarantee safety

You possibly can prolong a US producer’s guarantee by an extra 12 months on eligible warranties of three years or much less once you pay for the acquisition together with your IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card. 

Auto rental collision harm waiver insurance coverage

While you pay for a rental automobile together with your IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card and decline the rental firm’s collision insurance coverage, you are lined for theft and collision harm. Within the US, protection is secondary to your private insurance coverage, however is main overseas. 

Learn extra: The most effective bank cards with main automobile rental insurance coverage

Baggage delay insurance coverage

While you pay in your fare with the IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card, in case your baggage is delayed over six hours, you will get reimbursed for important purchases like toiletries and clothes as much as $100 a day for 3 days. 

Misplaced baggage reimbursement

In the event you or a right away member of the family examine or keep it up baggage that will get broken or misplaced, you are lined as much as $3,000 per passenger per journey once you pay together with your IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card. 

Journey cancellation and interruption insurance coverage

In case your journey is canceled or minimize quick due to illness, extreme climate, or one other lined state of affairs, you will get reimbursed as much as $5,000 per individual and $10,000 per journey for pre-paid, non-refundable journey bills like fares, excursions, and inns. 

Learn extra: The most effective bank cards with journey insurance coverage

Journey accident insurance coverage

While you pay for air, bus, practice, or cruise transportation together with your IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card, you will get unintended loss of life or dismemberment protection as much as $500,000.

Fraud safety and alerts

Chase makes use of real-time fraud monitoring to guard your account. You possibly can sign-up to obtain a textual content, electronic mail, or name if there’s any uncommon exercise. 

Charges and prices

The IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card has no annual payment and no overseas transaction charges, so it is a really perfect card to maintain long-term and carry overseas. It is all the time a good suggestion to have not less than one card with no overseas transaction charges. 

Learn extra: The most effective bank cards with no overseas transaction charges

Like most different playing cards, the IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card fees charges for money advances, late funds, and returned funds. 

IHG Rewards Membership Traveler bank card — Ceaselessly Requested Questions (FAQ)

What credit score rating do you want for the IHG Rewards Traveler bank card?

Most folk who’re permitted for the IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card have a credit score rating within the good to wonderful vary. This implies a FICO rating of not less than 670, or a VantageScore of not less than 700.

Learn extra: What is an efficient credit score rating? It relies upon whether or not you are asking VantageScore or FICO

In the event you’re not fairly in that vary but, learn our guides on bettering your credit score rating and the way utilizing bank cards can assist increase your rating.

Is the IHG Traveler card value it?

For many vacationers who stick with IHG, the IHG® Rewards Membership Premier Credit score Card is a greater deal than the IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card, although it fees a $89 annual payment. The anniversary free night time you get with the cardboard can greater than offset the yearly value, and extra advantages like computerized Platinum elite standing and a World Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS software payment credit score make the cardboard much more beneficial.

Learn extra: 9 lodge bank cards that supply free nights after every account anniversary — and seven options that may prevent cash on stays every year

However in the event you’re utterly against paying an annual payment and do not stick with IHG usually, the IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card might be value it. Simply bear in mind you may get extra flexibility by incomes Chase Final Rewards factors (which switch to IHG at a 1:1 ratio) from playing cards just like the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card, so you should definitely take a look at these choices as effectively. This is our information to the perfect Chase bank cards.

Who’s eligible for the IHG Traveler card?

The IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card is topic to the Chase 5/24 rule, which implies in the event you’ve opened 5 or extra bank cards from any financial institution (excluding some small-business playing cards), you will not be permitted for the cardboard. You are additionally not eligible if you have already got an IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card open, or earned the welcome bonus from one prior to now 24 months.

Nevertheless, you may produce other IHG bank cards, just like the IHG® Rewards Membership Premier Credit score Card or legacy IHG Rewards Membership Choose card (now not accessible to new candidates), and nonetheless qualify for the IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card.

Is the IHG Traveler a Visa or Mastercard?

The IHG® Rewards Membership Traveler Credit score Card is a World Mastercard, which implies it comes with good journey insurance coverage and buy safety, together with different perks.