Understanding how IHG One Rewards works, from earning points to redeeming them for free hotel nights, can completely change how much you spend on travel. IHG is one of the easiest hotel loyalty programs to book with points, with everything from Holiday Inn Express to Kimpton and InterContinental under one roof.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how IHG points work, the fastest ways to earn them, which IHG credit card makes sense for your family, how to book a free night step by step, and my favorite IHG hotels to redeem points at.

IHG One Rewards at a Glance

Number of brands	22, including Iberostar Beachfront Resorts
Typical point value	About half a cent per point
Award nights	Around 10,000 points at budget hotels to 100,000+ at luxury resorts
Transfer partners	Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt Rewards, both 1 to 1
Points expire?	Not for elite members; after 12 months of no activity for Club members
Best perk	Fourth night free on award stays with an eligible IHG credit card

IHG Hotel Brands

IHG has 21 hotel brands plus a partnership with Iberostar Beachfront Resorts, where you can also redeem IHG points. That means there’s almost always an IHG hotel where you want to go, whether that’s a Holiday Inn Express on a road trip or a Kimpton on the beach.

Luxury and Lifestyle: Six Senses, Regent, InterContinental, Vignette Collection, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo

Premium: voco, Crowne Plaza, Ruby, EVEN Hotels, HUALUXE

Essentials: Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Resort, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn the niu, Garner, avid hotels

Suites: Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Candlewood Suites

Exclusive Partner: Iberostar Beachfront Resorts

For families, the suites brands are an underrated way to use points. Staybridge and Candlewood rooms have kitchens and extra space, which helps when you’re traveling with kids.

How IHG One Rewards Points Work

Dynamic pricing. IHG doesn’t use a fixed award chart. The number of points for a free night goes up and down with the cash price, so the same hotel can cost 30,000 points one night and 55,000 the next. If your dates are flexible, check several, because that’s the easiest way to spend fewer points.

Point value. IHG points are worth about half a cent each. That’s why IHG award prices look high compared with programs like Hyatt. A 50,000-point night is roughly a $250 value.

Points + Cash. Every IHG reward night lets you pay with a mix of points and cash. This is useful when you’re a few thousand points short.

Expiration. Points never expire for Silver Elite members and above. If you’re a basic Club member, points expire after 12 months with no earning or redeeming activity. Any IHG credit card gives you elite status, so cardholders don’t have to worry about this.

Sharing points. You can transfer IHG points to another member in 1,000-point increments, but it costs $5 per 1,000 points. Diamond Elite members transfer for free. For most families, the fee is the biggest drawback of the program.

How to Earn IHG One Rewards Points

1. Stay at IHG Hotels

Club members earn 10 base points per dollar at most IHG brands, and 5 points per dollar at Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. Elite members earn a bonus on top of that (see the elite status section below).

2. Earn With an IHG Credit Card

The fastest way to earn IHG points is a welcome offer on an IHG credit card. Chase just refreshed the entire lineup and added a brand new premium card. More on that below.

3. Transfer Points From Chase or Bilt

You can transfer points to IHG from two flexible programs, both at a 1 to 1 ratio:

• Chase Ultimate Rewards from cards like the Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve and Ink Business Preferred
• Bilt Rewards, which is perfect if you earn Bilt points on your rent

I don’t transfer Chase points to IHG unless I’m topping off an award or there’s a transfer bonus. IHG points are worth less than Chase points, so I usually get more value from Chase points at Hyatt.

4. Watch for Promotions

IHG runs promotions throughout the year that give bonus points for stays. Register before you check in, because you won’t get the bonus without registering.

IHG Elite Status

Tier	How to earn it	Bonus points
Club	Free to join	None
Silver Elite	10 nights	20%
Gold Elite	20 nights or 40,000 points	40%
Platinum Elite	40 nights or 60,000 points	60%
Diamond Elite	70 nights or 120,000 points	100%

Platinum is the tier most people want, since it includes room upgrades when available, a welcome amenity and early check-in when available. The easiest way to get it is through a credit card instead of 40 nights of stays.

The New IHG Credit Card Lineup (2026)

In October 2026, Chase launched the IHG One Rewards Premier Select Credit Card and refreshed the other three IHG cards. All four have elevated welcome offers through November 18, 2026.

Card	Annual fee	Welcome offer	Free night	Status	Elite Night Credits
Premier Select (new)	$350	200,000 points after $5,000 in 3 months	Up to 60,000 points	Platinum	20 per year
Premier	$150	180,000 points after $3,000 in 3 months	Up to 50,000 points	Gold	15 per year
Business (formerly Premier Business)	$200	190,000 points after $5,000 in 3 months	Up to 50,000 points	Platinum	15 per year
IHG One Rewards Card (formerly Traveler)	$0	125,000 points after $2,000 in 3 months	None	Silver	5 per year

IHG One Rewards Premier Select: The New Premium Card

The Premier Select is now the top IHG card. Here’s what you get for the $350 annual fee:

• 200,000-point welcome offer, the biggest IHG card offer I’ve seen
• Anniversary free night at hotels up to 60,000 points
• Automatic Platinum Elite status, plus a path to Diamond Elite after $25,000 in spending in a year
• Up to $300 a year in IHG food and beverage credits, issued as $75 per quarter
• $200 annual airline credit after spending $250 or more directly with an airline
• 20 Elite Night Credits every year
• Fourth night free on award stays
• Up to 28X total points at IHG hotels
• Up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit every four years

If you’ll use the food and beverage credit and the airline credit, those two alone can cover most of the annual fee.

What Changed on the IHG Premier Card

The Premier card got a mix of upgrades and downgrades:

What got better:

• The anniversary free night now covers hotels up to 50,000 points (up from 40,000)
• New $100 a year in IHG food and beverage credits ($25 per quarter)
• New $100 airline credit after spending $250 or more directly with an airline
• 15 Elite Night Credits every year

What got worse:

• Automatic status dropped from Platinum to Gold
• The annual fee rises from $99 to $150. Existing cardholders see the new fee at their 2027 account anniversary

Changes to the Business and No-Annual-Fee Cards

The IHG One Rewards Business Card keeps Platinum status and adds the same food and beverage and airline credits as the Premier card, but its annual fee rises from $99 to $200.

The no-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Card (formerly the Traveler card) still has no annual fee. Starting in 2027, you’ll need to spend $5,000 a year on the card to get the fourth reward night free.

Which IHG Card Should You Get?

• You want IHG Platinum and will use the credits: Premier Select
• You want the lowest-cost card with a strong free night: Premier
• You have a small business or side hustle: Business, which still includes Platinum status
• You don’t want an annual fee: the IHG One Rewards Card

See the current IHG card offers here

The Downsides: Why Some Cardholders Are Closing Their IHG Cards

These changes aren’t all good news, and I’d be leaving something out if I said otherwise.

The biggest hit is to the Premier card. Existing cardholders will pay $150 instead of $99 starting at their 2027 account anniversary, and they now get Gold status instead of Platinum. Business cardholders have it worse, with the annual fee more than doubling from $99 to $200.

A lot of the new value comes from credits, and credits only help if you use them. The food and beverage credit is handed out quarterly ($25 a quarter on the Premier and Business cards, $75 on the Premier Select), so you need an IHG stay every few months to get the full amount. The airline credit only kicks in after you spend $250 or more directly with an airline. If you stay with IHG once or twice a year, those credits may not be worth much to you, and paying more for a card that used to cost $99 is hard to justify.

Even the no-annual-fee card got worse. Starting in 2027, you’ll need to spend $5,000 a year on it to keep the fourth night free.

If you’re thinking about closing your card, call Chase first and ask about a retention offer or switching to a different IHG card. Also keep in mind that once you close your last IHG card, you lose the elite status that keeps your points from expiring. Use your points before you cancel, or make sure your account has some earning or redeeming activity every 12 months.

The Fourth Night Free Benefit

If you have the Premier Select, Premier or Business card, your fourth night is free when you book four or more reward nights in a row. That saves you 25% on a four-night stay. Book a 5-night stay and the fifth night costs points again. Book 8 nights and you get two free nights.

This is my favorite IHG perk for family trips. Four nights at a beach resort for the points price of three is a big deal.

Using Your Anniversary Free Night

Each year on your account anniversary, eligible IHG cards give you a free night certificate:

• Premier Select: hotels up to 60,000 points
• Premier and Business: hotels up to 50,000 points

You can add points from your account to use the certificate at a more expensive hotel. For example, a 50,000-point certificate plus 15,000 of your own points covers a 65,000-point night.

To find your certificate, log in to IHG and open your Rewards Wallet. The certificate expires 12 months after it’s issued, so set a reminder.

Perks for Every IHG Member

Joining IHG One Rewards is free, and even Club members get:

• Member-only rates and promotions
• Free Wi-Fi
• Late checkout on request, when available
• Reward nights that count toward elite status

How to Book an IHG Hotel With Points (Step by Step)

1. Log in to your IHG One Rewards account on ihg.com or the IHG One Rewards app.
2. Enter your destination, travel dates and number of guests.
3. Check the box for Reward Nights before you search.
4. Browse the results. Each hotel shows the number of points for your dates.
5. Pick your hotel and room. You’ll see points-only and Points + Cash options.
6. Choose how you want to pay and complete the booking.
7. Watch for your confirmation email with your reservation details.

Tip: If you’re booking four or more nights with an eligible IHG card, book them all in one reservation so the fourth night free applies automatically.

My Favorite IHG Hotels to Book With Points

These are some of my favorite IHG hotels to book with points, from places my family has stayed to bucket-list dream stays.

Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort + Spa, Honduras. My family stayed here and it was stunning: West Bay Beach, an infinity pool and snorkeling right off the sand. Cash nights often run over $1,000, but award nights start around 60,000 points.

Kimpton Hotel Monaco, Washington, DC. One of my family’s favorite city stays. The hotel is inside a historic marble landmark that used to be the city’s General Post Office, steps from the Smithsonian museums. It even has free bikes for the whole family, including kid sizes. Award nights are often around 40,000 points, which fits within the Premier card’s 50,000-point free night.

Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, Grand Cayman. Seven Mile Beach, incredible food and one of the most family-friendly luxury resorts in the Caribbean. Award nights start around 70,000 points, against cash rates over $1,000.

InterContinental Le Moana, Bora Bora. Overwater bungalows in French Polynesia for around 70,000 points a night. Book Le Moana rather than the InterContinental Thalasso, which rarely releases award nights.

Holiday Inn Resort Aruba. Proof that IHG resorts can be a family win. This beachfront all-inclusive starts around 51,000 points a night, and with the fourth night free, four nights cost the points of three.

Remember that IHG uses dynamic pricing, so always check your exact dates. Flexible dates usually mean fewer points.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best IHG credit card?
It depends on how you travel. The new IHG One Rewards Premier Select has the biggest welcome offer (200,000 points), Platinum status and a 60,000-point free night. The Premier card has a lower annual fee and still includes the fourth night free and a 50,000-point free night.

Is the IHG Premier card still worth it?
For most families, yes. The fourth night free and the 50,000-point anniversary night can easily cover the $150 annual fee. The trade-off is that it now comes with Gold status instead of Platinum.

Can you book Kimpton hotels with IHG points?
Yes. Kimpton is part of IHG, so you can redeem IHG One Rewards points at Kimpton hotels just like any other IHG hotel. Award prices vary by date, so check early.

What transfers to IHG One Rewards?
Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt Rewards both transfer to IHG at a 1 to 1 ratio. You can also earn IHG points directly with the IHG Premier Select, Premier, Business and no-annual-fee IHG One Rewards cards.

Do IHG points expire?
Not for elite members, including anyone with an IHG credit card. Club members lose their points after 12 months with no earning or redeeming activity.

How many points do you need for a free night at IHG?
It varies because of dynamic pricing. Nights start around 10,000 points at budget hotels and can go past 100,000 at luxury resorts during busy dates. The Premier and Business card free nights cover hotels up to 50,000 points, and the Premier Select covers up to 60,000. You can add points to cover a more expensive night.

What is an IHG point worth?
About half a cent each. Divide the cash price by the points price to see whether a redemption is a good deal.

Is the IHG Premier card still worth it?
For most families who stay at IHG at least once a year, yes. The fourth night free and the 50,000-point anniversary night can easily cover the $150 annual fee. If you rarely stay with IHG, the higher fee and the drop from Platinum to Gold status may be a reason to downgrade or close the card.

Final Thoughts

IHG One Rewards is one of the easiest hotel programs to get started with. There are hotels almost everywhere, booking with points is simple, and the fourth night free makes longer family trips a lot cheaper. With the new Premier Select card and elevated offers on every IHG card through November 18, 2026, now is a great time to earn a big stash of IHG points.

If you’re ready to start earning, compare the current IHG card offers here.