Is the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card better than the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

Both the IHG Rewards Club Premier card and IHG Rewards Club Traveler are good for those who prefer staying at IHG Hotels during their travels. The IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card, on the other hand, is great if you want a card with no annual fee. If you want to earn more rewards, the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card will be a better fit.

Can you get the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card if you have the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

Yes, you can. However, we don't find a reason for anyone to hold two cards of the same category. If you want to expand your points earning potential, you may want to consider another hotel credit card from another hotel brand like Hilton or Marriott.

Can you transfer points from the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card to the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

The rewards points from both cards will be transferred to the IHG Rewards Club program.

Can you switch from the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card to the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

Chase’s IHG Rewards Club Premier and IHG Rewards Club Traveler cards are two hotel rewards credit cards designed for IHG guests. The former is good for individuals who like high rewards and don't mind paying an annual fee, whereas the latter is ideal for those who do not mind a slightly lower rewards card with no annual cost. If your preference changes from one to another, you can either apply for the opposing card, or call Chase and ask for a product change.

IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card vs. IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card: Which Is Best for You?

Q: What’s harder to get, the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card or the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

Both cards are only available to people with good to excellent credit. You can apply for any of these cards if you have a high credit score and have not opened five or more personal credit cards in the last two years. The approval and application processing periods vary from person to person.

Q: How much do you have to spend for the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card vs IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card to get the welcome bonuses?

The IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card offers 125,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months of your new account. With the IHG Rewards Club Traveler card, you will receive 80,000 bonus points if you spend $2,000 in the first three months of card membership.

For those who enjoy staying at IHG properties, the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG Rewards Club Traveler cards are excellent options to consider. MoneyGeek’s IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card vs. IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card comparison discusses these two Chase credit cards so you can choose the best option for your needs.

The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

There are significant advantages for paying for your hotel stay with one of these IHG cobranded credit cards, like earning a large amount of IHG rewards for your stays. And once you’re approved for the card, you'll also receive a generous introductory bonus, automatic elite status and complimentary hotel stays.

Comparing the fees, rewards structure, interest rates and features of the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card credit cards is an important step in selecting the best card for your needs. Both reward you with solid rewards rates and benefits, but each have differing levels of benefits and annual fees.

OUR COMPARISON AT A GLANCE

Comparison Overview
IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card at a Glance
IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card at a Glance
Comparison Summary
Which Card Should You Get?

Comparison Overview: IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card vs. IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card

IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card
IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Has Annual Fee
Has Balance Transfer Offer
Has APR Offer
Cash Back Rewards
Travel Rewards
Hotel Benefits
Airline Benefits
Has Rewarding Welcome Offer
Has Foreign Transaction Fee
Recommended Credit
Good–Excellent
Good–Excellent

IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card At a Glance

The IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card provides up to 25X total points at IHG Hotels and Resorts, as well as two points for every dollar spent at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants. For all other eligible purchases, you'll get one point per dollar. The $89 annual fee can be offset by utilizing the card’s rewards and benefits, which include one free night and a large welcome bonus.

IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card
A fantastic card for earning rewards when you stay at IHG hotels and resorts.
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
- $99Annual Fee
- 1–25 Points per $1*Rewards Rate
- 25xRewards Rate at Hotels
- 2xRewards Rate on Groceries
Pros
Significant number of bonus points for the taking
Complementary IHG Rewards program’s Platinum Elite status
Use your points for reward nights or redeem them for other awards
Reward nights
Pay no foreign transaction fees
Fee credit toward Global Entry/TSA PreCheck

Cons
Annual fee of $99
Balance transfer and cash advance fees
Penalty APR may apply if you make a late or returned payment
The earn rate is not the same across all IHG properties
Anniversary reward nights are valid only at IHG Hotels with a current point redemption level of 40,000 points or less
Earn 175,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months.
Stand to earn 10,000 bonus points each year by spending $20,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase.
Earn up to 26X points when you stay at IHG hotels (10x points as an IHG Rewards Club Premier cardholder, 10x points as an IHG Rewards Club member and 5x points as a Platinum Elite status holder).
Earn 5X points when you spend on travel, dining and at gas stations
Get elevated to IHG Rewards Platinum Elite status automatically.
Get a free reward night after every account anniversary.
Qualify for an added free night when you use reward points to pay for stays of three or more nights.
Get protection when you’re traveling through trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and baggage delay insurance.
Safeguard your purchases against damage and theft (up to $500 per claim) for 120 days through purchase protection.
Get a $100 credit as reimbursement for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fees every four years.
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply
Compare this credit card with other top-rated cards from our partners.

IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card At a Glance

In addition to offering up to 15X total points at IHG Hotels and Resorts, the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card also offers two points for every dollar spent at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants, all without an annual fee. You will receive one point for every dollar spent on anything else. It also offers no foreign transaction fees, so you can continue to earn points outside of the U.S.

IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Great card for earning points fast for IHG loyalists
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
- $0Annual Fee
- 1–2 Points per $1Rewards Rate
- 15xRewards Rate at Hotels
- 2xRewards Rate on Gas
Pros
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fees
Points expiration period extension
High reward rate
Numerous hotel redemption options

Cons
Gold Elite status requires high spending
High APR depending on your credit
No luxury benefits or perks
Must pay to transfer points
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fee
Earn 120,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Up to 17x points per dollar on category-based spending
Points may expire if you do not have 12 months of consecutive activity on your card and do not spend enough to qualify for Gold Elite status
Benefits and rewards may vary by location
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply
Compare this credit card with other top-rated cards from our partners.

Comparison Summary

Comparing two credit cards with similar features may not be an easy task. MoneyGeek’s IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card vs IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card comparison helps you decide which one is ideal for you.

Card Detail	Comparison Summary
Travel Coverage and Purchase Protection	Both cards provide the same travel benefits, such as baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, purchase protection and trip cancellation insurance. Winner: Tie
Welcome Bonus	You will receive 125,000 bonus points and a free night at an IHG property for spending $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership with the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card. The IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card rewards you with 80,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases during the first three months of card membership. Winner: IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card
Rewards	The IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card earns up to 25X points at IHG hotels and resorts, two points per dollar spent at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants and one point per dollar for everything else. The IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card also offers two points per dollar spent at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants and 15 points per dollar at IHG properties, all without an annual fee. All other eligible purchases earn one point per dollar. Winner: IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card
Annual Fee	The annual fee for the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card is $89, while the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card is free. Winner: IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card

Which Card Should You Get?

The IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card or the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card both offer similar benefits for IHG hotel stays. However, it’s best to weigh each feature of both cards before making a decision on which card works best for you.

Who Should Consider the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card?

In MoneyGeek's rankings of the best travel credit cards, the IHG Rewards Club Premier did not make the cut. However, even there is a $89 annual fee, the card is an excellent choice for someone that falls in the follow categories:

Travelers who prefer to stay at IHG Hotels while on vacation or business travel.
Travelers looking for an easy route to Platinum Elite status with IHG.
Consumers looking for a travel rewards card that rewards them while dining out, shopping for groceries and filling up their gas tanks.
≫ More: Read Our Full Review

Who Should Consider the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

The IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card isn't on the list of best travel or reward cards from MoneyGeek.com either. However, based on our findings, the card is more beneficial for travelers who fall in these categories:

Consumers looking for a no annual fee travel credit card.
Travelers who stay in IHG hotels infrequently.
≫ More: Read Our Full Review

EXPERT OPINION

If you stay in IHG hotels more than two times per year, the IHG Rewards Club Premier card is the better deal simply for the complimentary award night. In addition, the card comes with Platinum Elite status, giving travelers solid benefits that can be used at the various IHG properties. And comparing the IHG Rewards Club Premier travel credit card $89 annual fee to other travel cards with significantly higher annual fees.

Other Helpful Decision-Making FAQs

The IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card and the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Cards are quite similar, so MoneyGeek has answered several questions that may help you decide which one is best for you.

Still Not Sure About These Cards? Consider These Options

Don't give up if you can't choose between Chase’s IHG Rewards Club Premier and IHG Rewards Club Traveler cards. Try a rewards or cash back credit card if you want more opportunities to get rewarded.

View All Credit Cards

Learn more about credit cards in general

sources

Chase. "IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card." Accessed January 6, 2022.
Chase. "IHG Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card." Accessed January 6, 2022.
Chase. "IHG Rewards Club Premier Card Rewards Program Agreement." Accessed January 6, 2022.
Chase. "IHG Rewards Club Traveler Card Rewards Program Agreement." Accessed January 6, 2022.

*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
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