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 175,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
According to TPG's June 2025 valuations, this welcome offer is worth $875.
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
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Unlimited up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Housing payments may include transaction fees, depending on the payment method
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 3 months + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.