How my IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card pays for itself each year
Editor's Note
The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (see rates and fees) currently has a welcome offer of 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
According to TPG's June 2025 valuations, this welcome offer is worth $700.
Even after you earn the welcome offer, the IHG Premier Card pays for itself each year.
It offers a range of useful benefits, such as automatic Platinum Elite status, every fourth night free when you redeem IHG points for stays of four nights or more and up to $50 in United® TravelBank Cash each calendar year.
But one benefit rises above the rest and effectively covers the card's annual fee each year: the account anniversary night certificate. Let's dive in.
IHG anniversary night certificate
Every year on your account anniversary with the IHG One Rewards Premier, you'll receive a certificate for a one-night stay at a property with a point redemption value of 40,000 points or less.
TPG's June 2025 valuations peg the value of 40,000 IHG points at $200, more than double the IHG One Rewards Premier's $99 annual fee. So, you should easily get enough value to cover your card's annual fee by redeeming your anniversary night certificate each year.
One of my favorite hotels to use an IHG anniversary night certificate at is the Kimpton De Witt in Amsterdam. During shoulder and low season, you often find award nights bookable for around 40,000 points. For example, for a stay on Jan. 19, I could redeem 39,000 points or pay $259 for a reservation that I can cancel for free until a day before my stay.
Of course, you could use an IHG anniversary night certificate in many other ways. Regardless of how you use it, you'll likely get at least $99 in value. You can also add points from your account to use the anniversary night certificate at more expensive properties if you can't find anything to your liking within the 40,000-point limit.
You must redeem your anniversary night certificate and complete your stay within 12 months of when IHG issues the certificate.
Related: Why you should get (and keep) the IHG One Rewards Premier card
Bottom line
I love my IHG One Rewards Premier for its ongoing perks. But the anniversary night alone makes it a winning choice. Even if you don't maximize your anniversary night certificate, using it for a single night's stay at an IHG property should easily give you more value than the card's annual fee.
To learn more, see our full review of the IHG One Rewards Premier.
Apply here: IHG One Rewards Premier
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month