IHG One Rewards card review: The no-annual-fee catch

The Points Guy's review of the IHG One Rewards Credit Card gives it 2.5 stars out of 5 and has one detail worth circling: starting in 2027, the no-annual-fee card will require $5,000 in yearly spending before its fourth-reward-night-free perk kicks in.

The review lays out the full math. The short version: this card still works for occasional IHG guests, but families booking four-night award stays should read the 2027 rule twice.

What you get for no annual fee

According to the review, the card costs nothing each year and earns IHG points on purchases, with bonus categories at IHG properties, restaurants, gas stations and grocery stores. Cardholders get automatic Silver Elite status, which adds a 20% bonus on base points for stays. New cardholders receive five Elite Night Credits within six to eight weeks; in later years, the credits arrive by Feb. 1.

The current welcome offer, The Points Guy says, is 125,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in the first three months. The Points Guy values that at $750 and calls the offer attractive. You can earn 10,000 more bonus points by adding an authorized user in the first three months. The offer ends Nov. 18, according to The Points Guy.

The 2027 catch

The fourth-night-free benefit has been a reason to save IHG points for longer stays. Book a standard award stay of four nights or more and the fourth night costs zero points, the review says. Starting in 2027, cardholders must spend $5,000 in a calendar year to qualify, and the perk then lasts through the end of the following calendar year. Points-and-cash stays don't qualify.

The review notes that IHG's annual-fee cards include this benefit automatically, with no spending requirement. That difference matters for a family planning a five- or six-night points stay.

Worth it or not

Spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year and you'll get 10,000 bonus points plus Gold Elite status through the end of the following year, according to the review. The Points Guy says those points are worth $60, and Gold Elite adds a 40% bonus on base points for stays.

The card's points-purchase discount of at least 30% sounds decent, but The Points Guy notes that IHG's 100% bonus sales can be a better deal, bringing the price down to 0.5 cents per point.

If you want more from a card, the review suggests looking at the IHG One Rewards Premier. It has a $150 annual fee but includes an anniversary free night worth up to 50,000 points. The Points Guy says a single redemption can offset the fee if the night would cost more than $150. The Premier also comes with Gold Elite status and up to $25 in quarterly food and beverage credits.

The no-annual-fee IHG card isn't a bad option for light IHG travelers. It just has a new math problem starting in 2027, and the calculator starts with your family's stay plans.

• credit cards
• family travel
• hotel rewards
• IHG One Rewards
• no annual fee
• The Points Guy