My Money Planet has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. My Money Planet and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. The recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is an excellent card with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. The card has big perks for a no-fee card such as a free fourth-night stay. This card is ideal for people who prefer to stay at IHG properties.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card Review
Sign up bonus
- The card offers 80,000 bonus IHG points after $2,000 in purchases within the first three months. That’s approximately a $600 value.
- The IHG Traveler card is a co-branded Chase card and Chase’s 5/24 rule applies.
- Note that you are not eligible for the sign up bonus if you have a personal IHG credit card or received a bonus on a personal IHG credit card within the last 24 months.
Rewards
Earn 5X points per $1 spent as an IHG One Rewards Traveler credit cardmember + 10X points per $1 spent from IHG® for being an IHG® Rewards Club Member, for a total of 17X points total per $1 spent on stays at any IHG® Hotels & Resorts.
- 17x points at IHG Hotels and Resorts (5x for every dollar spent as an IHG Rewards Traveler cardholder + 10x points per dollar for being IHG Rewards Club member, 2x points for Silver Elite status which comes with this card)
- Silver Elite status simply for having the card. With Silver Elite status, you will get a 20% bonus on your hotel stays. Your points also do not expire.
- 3x points at gas stations, utilities, internet, cable, phone services, select streaming, restaurants
- 2x on all other purchases
- Fourth night stays free at IHG properties. When you redeem your points for a stay of four nights or more at an IHG property, your fourth night will cost zero points.
- IHG Gold Elite status (50% bonus points on stays at IHG properties) after spending $20,000 per year
Fees
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees (Over the years, very few no-annual fee cards have no foreign transaction fees)
Diverse properties
You can redeem your points at 5,400+ IHG hotels & resorts such as
- Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts
- Holiday Inn
- Holiday Inn Express
- Staybridge Suites
- Crowne Plaza
- Kimpton Hotels
- Even Hotels
- Candlewood Suites
- Hotel Indigo
IHG does not use an award chart. In 2020, IHG moved to dynamic pricing but it’s possible to find good deals on IHG properties. But you need to some legwork. As a rule of thumb, if you are getting 0.5 cents per point of value, you are getting a good deal.
Other options to consider
IHG Premier Card offers better rewards but it comes with an annual fee of $99. The Premier card offers
- 10x points per dollar at IHG properties
- 5x points per dollar on travel, gas stations, and restaurants
- 3x points on all other purchases
The IHG Premier Card will give you automatic Platinum elite status. You also get a free night at every card anniversary and credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, or NEXUS (as statement Credit of up to $100) every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card. Just like the Traveler Card, you also get the fourth night free. The card offers a signup bonus of 140,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months. The free night alone will help you recoup the annual fee easily.
Bottom line
The IHG One Rewards Traveler credit card has great benefits for a no-annual-fee card. The free fourth-night benefit is particularly good and is not a benefit that comes with no annual fee cards. The card also has no foreign transaction fee – a great benefit if you travel overseas often. But you can get better rewards by getting the IHG Premier Card which comes with a $99 annual fee. The free anniversary night easily makes up for the annual fee. You also get the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee waived every four years.
My Money Planet has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. My Money Planet and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
