IHG Premier Card Pushes Bonus to 125K, Boosts First-Year Rewards

» This offer has expired

The offer described in this article has expired. See our details page on the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card for a current offer on an IHG credit card.

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card really, really wants to entice you. This hotel card is increasing its bonus offer for new cardholders and boosting the rewards rate on all spending for the first 12 months. Although it's not uncommon to see cards offer either an upfront bonus or a higher rewards rate in the first year, it's rare to see a card offer both.

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is the flagship credit card of the InterContinental Hotels Group, which includes brands such as Holiday Inn, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza, Staybridge, Candlewood, Kimpton and InterContinental. The annual fee on the card remains $89.

What's new

Sign-up bonus

The new sign-up bonus on the card is as follows: Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Previously, the bonus offer was 80,000 points after meeting a spending requirement of $2,000.

Elevated first-year rewards

In the first 12 months of card ownership, your earning potential has been significantly increased. You'll earn:

• 40 points total per $1 spent on the card when you stay at an IHG hotel. (The total includes both the points you earn from the card and those you get by being a member of the IHG loyalty program.)

• 4 points per dollar on all other purchases.

After 12 months, the card reverts to its ongoing rewards rates:

• 25 points total per $1 spent on the card when you stay at an IHG hotel.

• 2 points per dollar spent at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants.

• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

» Learn More: Full review of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

What's the same

Several key perks of the card remain unchanged:

• A free night at IHG hotels after each account anniversary.

• A free reward night when you redeem points for a hotel stay of four or more nights.

• A credit for the application fee for Global Entry or TSA Precheck (up to $100 once every four years) when you charge the fee to your card.

Using the points

IHG points can be redeemed at 5,200 properties worldwide across a dozen IHG brands. Redemptions start at 10,000 points, or you can combine points and cash, starting at 5,000 points, for a discounted hotel reservation or other travel expenses, like flights and car rentals.

According to NerdWallet valuations, IHG points are worth an average of 0.5 cent per point when redeemed for hotel stays. If you meet the spending requirement of $3,000, you'll earn at least 137,000 points, which is enough for a few nights at a swanky metropolitan hotel or an extended stay at more moderately priced lodging.

Points can also be redeemed for merchandise, experiences, gift cards, e-books and other digital entertainment. And you can also transfer your points to several airline partners, in most cases at a rate of 10,000 IHG points to 2,000 airline miles.