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With 19 different brands, IHG One Rewards members have many hotel experiences to choose from. Two of the most well-known brands are the Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express. While these two brands have very similar-sounding names, there is indeed a difference between them.
Here are some of the major similarities and differences between the Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express, so you can make an informed decision about which hotel is best for you when booking your next trip.
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The major differences
The major difference between a Holiday Inn and a Holiday Inn Express is simply that one is full service, while the other is more limited. Holiday Inn is geared towards families looking for a comfortable spot to relax together, while Holiday Inn Express is aimed more toward the short-stay business traveler.
Here's a summary of general differences you're likely to encounter:
- Level of service. The Holiday Inn — as a generally full-service hotel — offers guests on-site restaurants and bars, room service and bell staff, and conference rooms and catering services. The Holiday Inn Express, on the other hand, is less likely to offer these services.
- Availability. IHG offers about 3,000 Holiday Inn Express locations, nearly 3x the availability of Holiday Inn locations, which sits right around 1,100.
- Amenities. The Holiday Inn Express brand doesn’t have leisure facilities as a brand standard. You’re typically more likely to find swimming pools, spas and fitness centers at Holiday Inns.
- Breakfast. Guests can expect a complimentary buffet-style breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express, whereas Holiday Inn guests might order room service or dine in the on-site restaurant.
Best for availability and locations: Holiday Inn Express
Holiday Inn Express
Almost half of IHG's 6,000-plus destinations are Holiday Inn Express hotels. Travelers can choose from more than 2,900 Holiday Inn Express locations around the world.
You can find Holiday Inn Express on six different continents, including popular travel destinations such as Japan, Australia, Thailand, France, Italy, Spain and all across the U.S.
New Holiday Inn Express locations are being added on a regular basis. For example, Holiday Inn Express recently added numerous new locations in China, including Holiday Inn Express Baoding Downtown, Holiday Inn Express Zhuhai City Center and Holiday Inn Express Linzhi Airport.
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn features more than 1,100 locations across the globe. While it has a much smaller footprint compared to Holiday Inn Express, it still has a presence in most major countries that travelers want to visit.
Locations include Hong Kong, Fiji, Aruba, Germany, Switzerland and across the U.S.
IHG continues to expand the footprint of Holiday Inn by adding new hotels. Recent additions in China include Holiday Inn & Suites Wuhan New City and Holiday Inn Jiuzhai Jarpo. In India, you can now find Holiday Inn Tirupati Tirumala.
Best hotel for family travel: Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn locations are the best choice for family travel because kids eat free. Aside from flights and hotels, meals can be one of the biggest expenses while traveling. Being able to have your kids eat free helps families stretch their vacation budget a little further.
Holiday Inn properties also offer restaurants and bars on-site, so you don't have to leave the hotel to enjoy a family meal.
Best hotel for business travel: Holiday Inn Express
Our pick for business travelers is Holiday Inn Express. With thousands of locations, you're sure to find one of its hotels nearby wherever your business takes you. Holiday Inn Express locations are "designed for the smart traveler" and offer a clean, consistent and comfortable stay.
While breakfast offerings vary by location, stays at Holiday Inn Express include a free breakfast each morning to get you ready for work.
Benefits of staying as an IHG One Rewards Club member
When booking a room at Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express, you’ll get more benefits and perks as a member of IHG One Rewards. You can redeem points for your stay with no blackout dates at any IHG hotel. If you don't have enough points or want to save some for later, you can even book a Points & Cash booking. Those with an IHG co-branded credit card can stretch their points even further by receiving their fourth night free when making an award reservation.
Earning points for your paid stays is also very lucrative. You'll earn 10x points for being a member and up to a 100% bonus based on your elite status. IHG credit card holders can earn up to 26x points, making your stay at a Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express more lucrative. Occasional IHG promotions can yield even more points.
» Learn more: IHG One Rewards: The complete guide
Credit cards that earn IHG points
If you frequently stay with Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express, you might want to get an IHG-branded credit card. These cards generally allow you to earn bonus points on your IHG stays at a faster rate than if you paid for your stay with a different credit card.
They can also come with benefits like automatic elite status, as well as the ability to get your fourth night for free when redeeming points. When you sign up for one of these cards, you can typically earn a welcome offer by meeting a minimum spending threshold within a certain amount of time. This can help you quickly build up your stash of IHG points for future stays.
» Learn more: The best IHG credit card offer
Another good option to consider is signing up for a credit card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. Certain cards allow you to transfer the points you earn to airline and hotel loyalty programs, including IHG One Rewards.
These cards give you the maximum flexibility, because you are able to choose how you want to spend them and which transfer partners you want to utilize. For example, if you're staying in a city that doesn't have an IHG property but has a Hyatt hotel, you can transfer your Chase points to World of Hyatt instead to book your reservation.
If you’re choosing between Holiday Inn vs. Holiday Inn Express
If you're wondering what's the difference between Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express, and which one you should choose, it comes down to your preference. Do you want a full-service hotel stay or a more limited-service hotel experience?
Holiday Inn hotels offer more services, like an on-site restaurant and bar, while Holiday Inn Express locations are designed for the business traveler who just needs a fresh, clean place to sleep. While kids eat free at Holiday Inn restaurants, parents must pay for their own meals.
By comparison, Holiday Inn Express locations provide free breakfast to all guests, but the selection is limited.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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