Which bank card must you use for IHG stays?

Three bank cards earn factors within the IHG One Rewards program.

There are two private playing cards — the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card and the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card — and one enterprise card, IHG One Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card.

However whereas these playing cards supply particular advantages, reminiscent of elite standing, you may pause earlier than mechanically pulling out a bank card that bears the brand of the resort the place you are staying. Is that actually one of the best card to pay with, or must you use one thing else to maximise your earnings?

This is a take a look at some standard bank cards you may use to pay on your subsequent keep at IHG inns and resorts, evaluating what these playing cards can give you when it comes to return on spending and perks throughout your keep.

Apart from utilizing an IHG cobranded bank card, you may additionally pay utilizing an all-around journey rewards card that earns transferable factors on journey purchases, together with your subsequent resort keep. Listed here are some playing cards you may pay with and what you may get when utilizing these playing cards:

* Bonus worth is an estimated worth calculated by TPG and never the cardboard issuer.

The data for the American Categorical Inexperienced Card and Wells Fargo Autograph Journey has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Associated: Present welcome affords on IHG bank cards

The very best technique is to carry an IHG One Rewards cobranded bank card for elite standing advantages and card perks however use a common journey rewards card to really pay on your keep.

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Contemplate two issues when deciding which bank card to make use of on your subsequent keep at an IHG One Rewards-affiliated property:

• the advantages you may get
• the worth of the factors you possibly can earn

TPG values IHG factors at half a cent every. Thus, when you can earn 10 factors per greenback when paying with the IHG One Premier card or IHG One Premier Enterprise card, these 10 factors are literally value simply 5 cents. That is much less worth than you’d get with 3 factors per greenback on the Amex Inexperienced Card since Amex factors are value 2 cents every — a complete of 6 cents in worth for every greenback spent.

Now, playing cards just like the Amex Inexperienced or Chase Sapphire Reserve do not (by themselves) unlock on-property advantages like room upgrades. Fortunately, your IHG elite perks aren’t tied to the bank card you pay with — even when the bank card is the only motive you maintain standing.

Which means holding an IHG cobranded bank card is perhaps worthwhile merely to qualify for elite standing and obtain the related advantages. Then, you possibly can pay with a special bank card to earn extra precious factors.

And in the event you pay with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the factors you earn (Final Rewards) could be transferred freely and instantly to IHG if you might want to high off your stability for an upcoming redemption — although there are a lot of different (higher) methods to profit from these factors.

That mentioned, it is value noting that utilizing a card just like the Sapphire Reserve to pay for an IHG keep by way of the Chase Journey portal will not be the best choice. That is as a result of these reservations are handled as third-party bookings and, thus, aren’t eligible to earn IHG factors.

You may additionally miss out on using any elite standing perks throughout your keep, so be sure you issue that in when deciding the best way to e-book (and pay).

Associated: Why you do not earn resort factors when reserving by way of an OTA

For charges and costs of the Amex Inexperienced card, click on right here.