IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card overview
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card (see charges and charges) is IHG’s no-annual-fee card possibility. With this card, you may earn as much as 17 factors per greenback spent at IHG motels and resorts. Plus, cardholders may also earn elevated reward charges at fuel stations, on a few of their month-to-month payments and at eating places. Nonetheless, whereas the IHG Traveler Card affords some helpful IHG-related perks, it will not be your best option. Card Ranking*: ⭐⭐½
*Card Ranking relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.
IHG affords two private cobranded Chase playing cards to assist prospects rack up factors and maximize their stays.
Considered one of these is the no-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card. It is aimed toward vacationers who need to earn IHG factors on their purchases with out incurring an annual payment. Nevertheless, should you continuously keep at IHG properties, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card (see charges and charges) is probably going a greater possibility.
We suggest candidates have a credit score rating of 670 or greater to extend their possibilities of approval. Let’s take a better take a look at the IHG One Traveler Card so you may resolve if it is best for you.
IHG One Rewards Traveler professionals and cons
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IHG One Rewards Traveler Card welcome provide
New candidates for the IHG Traveler Card earn two free nights (every night time valued as much as 50,000 factors) plus 40,000 bonus factors after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
That is one of the best provide now we have seen on the cardboard, and the inclusion of free nights as a part of the welcome provide has by no means been offered earlier than for this no-annual-fee card. The free nights, together with the bonus factors, offer you 140,000 bonus factors, price $700 primarily based on TPG’s September 2025 valuations.
We suggest making use of anytime the welcome provide is above 80,000 factors.
Chances are you’ll be eligible for the IHG One Traveler Card (and its welcome bonus) should you fulfill the entire following necessities:
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Associated: The final word information to bank card utility restrictions
IHG One Rewards Traveler advantages
Fourth reward night time profit
Every time you redeem factors for a keep of 4 or extra nights, each fourth night time will value zero factors. As soon as you are a cardholder, this low cost might be routinely utilized if you redeem IHG factors for eligible stays.
Save 20% on level purchases
You will get a 20% low cost everytime you purchase IHG factors along with your card. However you may’t mix this low cost with different promotions, reminiscent of when IHG factors are on sale. And IHG typically affords a significantly better 100% bonus if you buy factors.
Lead author Katie Genter usually buys IHG factors when the 100% bonus drops the acquisition value to 0.5 cents per level, however she would not discover the 20% low cost interesting.
Automated Silver standing (with a pathway to Gold)
IHG One Traveler cardholders take pleasure in computerized Silver Elite standing within the IHG One Rewards program. This tier features a 20% bonus on lodge stays and factors that do not expire.
As well as, you should purchase your strategy to Gold Elite standing by the tip of the following calendar 12 months if you spend $20,000 in your card every calendar 12 months. This tier features a 40% bonus on lodge stays and rollover elite nights for standing the next 12 months.
No international transaction charges
Many mid-tier bank cards do not cost international transaction charges; nonetheless, there are only a few playing cards on that record that do not cost an annual payment. In case you journey overseas continuously, it is price having at the very least one bank card that does not cost international transaction charges.
Associated: Maximize your rewards by getting a fourth or fifth night time free on award stays
Incomes factors on the IHG One Rewards Traveler
Whenever you use your IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card to make purchases, you will earn:
- 5 factors per greenback spent at IHG motels and resorts, plus 10 factors per greenback for being an IHG One member and a pair of factors per greenback because of Silver elite standing (17 factors whole, which is an 8.5% return, primarily based on TPG’s September 2025 valuations)
- 3 factors per greenback spent at eating (together with eligible takeout), fuel stations and utilities (cable, web, cellphone and choose streaming providers) (1.5% return)
- 2 factors per greenback spent on all the pieces else (1% return)
These returns aren’t nice, even in comparison with different no-annual-fee playing cards.
Nonetheless, there are a number of sub-$100 annual payment playing cards that supply strong perks on high of nice incomes charges, which equate to higher returns on spending, in varied classes.
For instance, the $95 annual payment Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card (see charges and charges) earns 2 factors per greenback spent on journey purchases, whereas the $95 annual payment Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card earns 2 miles per greenback spent on nearly all purchases.
The IHG One Traveler Card additionally is not a good selection for on a regular basis purchases. In any case, it solely gives a 1.5% return at fuel stations and eating places, plus a 1% return on different purchases. A number of cash-back bank cards — just like the no-annual-fee Citi Double Money® Card (see charges and charges) — provide a 2% return on all purchases (1% if you purchase and 1% if you pay).
Associated: One of the best bank cards for every bonus class
Redeeming factors on the IHG One Rewards Traveler
There are a lot of choices for redeeming IHG One Rewards factors. Not surprisingly, you will get one of the best worth out of your factors if you redeem for IHG lodge stays.
TPG’s September 2025 valuations peg IHG factors at simply 0.5 cents every, which is paltry when you think about that options just like the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked card earn factors price over 2 cents apiece.
Nevertheless, it is doable to maximise redemptions with the IHG One Rewards program and get worth out of your factors. Listed below are a number of methods you are able to do so.
IHG has dynamic award pricing — which means that the price of reserving a reservation fluctuates with demand and seasonality — however there are some good offers to be discovered. Nevertheless, one draw back to dynamic pricing is that you must extra rigorously contemplate when to make use of your factors versus money for a keep.
At TPG, we attempt to use our factors after we know we will get higher than face worth for any given redemption. With a card just like the IHG Traveler, it makes probably the most sense to e-book stays of 4 nights or longer to make the most of the fourth reward night time profit.
You can too e-book stays utilizing a mixture of Factors + Money. For a given room, you will sometimes see a chart with reductions from the complete nightly award charge in increments of 5,000 factors.
On a Factors + Money reserving, you are basically shopping for the additional factors wanted to finish the redemption. So, should you cancel your room, your refund might be given solely in factors. Lead author Katie Genter, not often e-book Factors + Money charges because it’s normally a greater worth to make use of simply factors. Nevertheless, it is price checking whether or not the maths works out on every reserving.
TPG contributing editor Matt Moffitt likes to make use of his IHG One Rewards factors for four-night award stays. Since he has the IHG One Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card, he will get the fourth night time free on award redemptions.
He normally targets Vacation Inn and Vacation Inn Categorical properties to stretch his factors, however often splashes out on a Kimpton or InterContinental property.
Associated: Chase bank cards: Finest time to use primarily based on provide historical past
Transferring factors on the IHG One Rewards Traveler
IHG One has 35+ airline switch companions, however we suggest avoiding this redemption possibility when doable, as factors switch at an almost 5:1 ratio, which is on the decrease facet.
The switch course of might be cumbersome, particularly should you’re calling the IHG One Rewards Service Heart that will help you type out a switch. IHG is mostly sluggish to course of transfers, with some reporting that it took as much as six weeks for his or her factors to switch.
You can too switch your factors to different IHG One members beginning at $5 per 1,000 factors and free for Diamond and IHG Enterprise Rewards Program members as much as 500,000 factors per calendar 12 months.
Associated: The best way to earn IHG factors by way of stays, bank cards and extra
Which playing cards compete with the IHG One Rewards Traveler?
In case you do not thoughts paying an annual payment, contemplate these options to the IHG One Traveler card.
For added choices, try our full lists of one of the best lodge bank cards and one of the best playing cards for IHG stays.
Is the IHG One Rewards Traveler price it?
In case you keep at IHG properties a number of occasions per 12 months however need elevated perks when touring, this card could also be a pleasant addition to your pockets. Because it would not have an annual payment, this card is a no brainer if you’re under 5/24 and wish entry-level IHG One standing and the fourth night time free when reserving with factors.
Backside line
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card is not a nasty possibility for the occasional IHG visitor, as you will get a number of IHG-related perks for no annual payment. Nevertheless, should you’re on the lookout for additional perks throughout your IHG stays, you will be disillusioned with this card’s restricted advantages.
Apply right here: IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card
