IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
The IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card has a profitable sign-up bonus and provides enough perks that, if utilized, can simply justify the cardboard’s annual price of $99. However, enterprise house owners who aren’t loyal to IHG Rewards could also be higher off with different enterprise card merchandise. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card Rating is predicated on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.
Considering that the IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card has an annual price of solely $99, it provides a stunning variety of perks for vacationers who regularly stick with IHG.
Benefits embody computerized Platinum Elite standing so long as you’re a cardholder, a novel fourth-night-free reward perk when redeeming factors for resort stays and a beneficiant sign-up bonus.
However, there’s one key perk on the cardboard — the anniversary free evening obtained annually — that may simply cowl the annual price on the IHG Premier Business card. Even higher? Cardholders now have the flexibility so as to add a limiteless variety of IHG factors to their award nights — which might open up high-end resorts just like the Six Senses Laamu within the Maldives.
Not each bank card is right for everybody, although. Let’s have a look at the main points of the IHG Premier Business card to see if it is proper to your firm.
Who is that this card for?
The IHG Premier Business card is well-suited to vacationers who personal or function a small enterprise and can be capable of take full benefit of the cardboard’s perks when touring. These perks embody complimentary Platinum Elite standing, a fourth-night-free reward whenever you redeem factors for a keep of 4 or extra nights and an anniversary reward evening annually and extra.
Those loyal to the IHG One Rewards program can use the cardboard for important worth, due to perks like a beneficiant sign-up bonus, strong return on IHG spending and on-property advantages. However, even those that are occasional IHG visitors can nonetheless get some strong worth.
Related: Who qualifies for a enterprise bank card?
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This card additionally is a perfect choice for small-business house owners in search of a resort bank card with a low annual price that confers high quality advantages. In comparability to different hotel-branded enterprise bank cards, the IHG Premier Business card has one of many lowest annual charges and should show enticing merely for that cause.
This card can also be superb for many who are beneath 5/24 with Chase. While most enterprise bank cards won’t add to your 5/24 standing, you do have to be beneath 5/24 to use for this card.
Sign-up bonus value $700
New candidates for the IHG Premier Business card can earn 140,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 on purchases inside three months from account opening.
Your bonus will come within the type of IHG factors, which TPG values at half a cent every. Thus, this bonus is value $700.
As the IHG Premier Business card launched in March of 2022, most individuals must be eligible for the welcome bonus. However, it is value noting that there’s a warning on the appliance web page that you’re not eligible for this bonus for those who’ve obtained a sign-up bonus on this card inside the previous 24 months.
Related: The final information to monitoring your progress towards a bank card sign-up bonus
Main advantages and perks
The IHG Premier Business card has a modest $99 annual price, however is that price value it? The worth of the cardboard is dependent upon whether or not you’ll use the cardboard’s advantages regularly sufficient to justify that annual price.
It’s additionally value stating that many of those advantages overlap with the IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card, which is a private bank card. Thus, it might not be value holding each playing cards, except you are enthusiastic about receiving two free evening awards (one from every card) annually and discover that the spending classes work effectively for you.
Here’s an outline of the cardboard’s essential IHG-related perks.
Anniversary free evening award
Each yr in your cardmember anniversary (beginning on the one-year mark and persevering with annually after that, for so long as you retain the account open), you may obtain a free evening award legitimate for a single evening, value as much as 40,000 factors.
Even although IHG makes use of dynamic award pricing, you should not have an excessive amount of issue discovering a property that costs at (or beneath) that quantity. This can embody properties like Kimpton De Witt Amsterdam and InterContinental Buenos Aires.
Related: How to make use of the IHG Rewards anniversary evening certificates
If you’d prefer to redeem your free evening award at a property that prices greater than 40,000 factors per evening, you need to use a limiteless variety of factors to prime off this certificates. For instance, for those who discover a room for 48,000 factors, you may mix the free evening with 8,000 factors out of your IHG account to verify the reservation.
Note that the enterprise card has one notable addition right here when in comparison with the non-public model. Cardholders can earn an extra free evening award after spending $60,000 on the cardboard throughout a calendar yr. This choice is not obtainable on the IHG Premier Card.
Complimentary IHG Platinum Elite standing
Cardholders get pleasure from IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite standing routinely, so long as their account stays open. Platinum members obtain 60% bonus earnings on paid stays booked immediately with IHG Rewards, space-available room upgrades, a welcome amenity and a handful of different perks.
For these enthusiastic about incomes top-tier Diamond Elite standing, you may attain this by spending $40,000 in your card in a calendar yr. The standing will probably be legitimate by way of Dec. 31 of the next yr after assembly the spending threshold.
Fourth-night-free reward
You’ll pay zero factors for each fourth evening when redeeming IHG factors for stays of 4 nights or longer. This is an computerized perk that must be mirrored on the time of reserving. On stays of precisely 4 nights, that is primarily a 25% low cost, so it is an effective way to get much more worth out of the cardboard. That mentioned, for those who hardly ever redeem IHG factors for stays of 4 nights or extra, this perk could also be of restricted worth.
10,000 bonus factors and a $100 assertion credit score after spending $20,000
Available every account anniversary yr, you’ll earn 10,000 bonus factors and a $100 assertion credit score after spending $20,000 and making one extra buy. TPG’s valuations peg these bonus factors at $50, and with the assertion credit score, that interprets to a complete worth of $150.
However, it’s possible you’ll not need to exit of your approach to spend $20,000 in your card in a yr — particularly in case you have a strong on a regular basis spending card or can earn extra sign-up bonuses from different playing cards with that very same spending.
20% off when shopping for IHG factors
You can save 20% on the buy of IHG factors whenever you pay along with your IHG Premier Card. However, this low cost doesn’t stack with different reductions, reminiscent of IHG providing factors at a decreased worth. These factors additionally do not rely towards elite qualification, so there’s restricted worth for many cardholders.
$50 United TravelBank credit score
Cardholders can obtain as much as $50 in United TravelBank credit score every calendar yr after registering their playing cards with their United MileagePlus account.
Additional advantages
IHG Premier Business cardholders have a handful of different perks to make the most of whenever you swipe your card:
- Government safety program software price credit score: You may be reimbursed as much as $100 each 4 years whenever you cost a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus software price to your card.
- Auto rental collision injury waiver: When you decline the rental firm’s collision insurance coverage and cost the whole rental value to your card, you’ll get protection in opposition to theft and collision. However, protection is secondary when renting inside the U.S.
- Trip cancellation and journey interruption insurance coverage: You may be reimbursed as much as $1,500 per particular person and as much as $6,000 per journey for pay as you go, nonrefundable journey bills in case your journey is canceled or lower quick for a coated cause.
- Purchase safety: Your new purchases are coated for 120 days in opposition to injury or theft; there’s a restrict of $10,000 per declare and as much as $50,000 per account.
These advantages may be good to have when issues go fallacious, particularly as different playing cards have dropped purchasing and journey protections in recent times. That mentioned, they might not be an important factor to think about when selecting a brand new bank card.
Also, sadly, the IHG Premier Business card would not supply the very best price of return on most purchases — which we’ll cowl subsequent.
How to earn factors
Generally talking, you will not get incredible incomes charges on most resort bank cards — particularly on broad classes like eating and groceries. That mentioned, the IHG Premier Business card may very well be a strong choice, particularly at taking part IHG properties.
When you swipe your IHG Premier Business card at IHG accommodations and resorts, you may earn 10 factors per greenback spent in your keep. This is along with the ten base factors that every one IHG One Rewards members accrue at most taking part manufacturers. And since you have got computerized Platinum Elite standing with the cardboard, that’ll offer you one other 60% bonus on prime of the bottom factors. When mixed, that interprets to a complete of 26 factors per greenback spent on most IHG stays — or a 13% return on spending, primarily based on TPG’s valuations.
Beyond IHG purchases, cardholders of the IHG Premier Business will earn factors on the following charges:
- 5 factors per greenback spent on journey, eating and fuel purchases.
- 5 factors per greenback in choose enterprise classes, reminiscent of social media and search engine promoting and at workplace provide shops.
- 3 factors per greenback spent on all different purchases.
That interprets to a 2.5% return on the bonus classes primarily based on TPG’s valuations, although it drops to 1.5% on on a regular basis purchases — a price of return that is decrease than many different playing cards.
Related: 13 methods to earn IHG Rewards factors
How to redeem factors
Like lots of its opponents, IHG One Rewards would not publish an award chart. Instead, it makes use of dynamic award pricing. The program’s web site signifies that free nights begin at 10,000 factors, though it is attainable to search out rooms priced as little as 5,000 factors.
On the opposite finish, there’s no revealed most price, though for IHG’s core manufacturers, the best we have seen is 120,000 factors per evening. However, properties in accomplice manufacturers like Six Senses and Mr and Mrs Smith regularly go larger than this.
Despite this award pricing mannequin, there are nonetheless methods to maximize IHG Rewards redemptions. In reality, you might be able to redeem IHG Rewards factors for considerably extra worth for those who spend a while looking.
Related: Points of view: What bank card do you have to use for IHG stays?
You’re not restricted to solely utilizing factors to your keep. You also can guide rooms utilizing a mix of factors and money, which might supply first rate worth in sure circumstances.
However, it is value noting simply how these reservations are confirmed. IHG successfully sells you the additional factors (for money) after which makes use of the total variety of factors for the keep. In most instances, you wind up paying 0.63 to 0.66 cents for every IHG level used to make up the distinction. IHG regularly sells factors at this worth (or cheaper), which may be one other approach to prime up your account.
As famous above, whenever you redeem factors for a keep of 4 nights or longer, each fourth evening of that keep will value zero factors. There’s no restrict to what number of occasions you need to use this profit — although it solely applies to full award stays, not these booked utilizing money and factors.
Finally, it is value discussing IHG’s coverage on blackout dates. Here’s the way it’s described within the phrases and situations of the IHG Rewards:
There are not any blackout dates for Reward Nights; nevertheless, room stock is proscribed and topic to prior sale. In addition, Members could not be capable of redeem Points for Reward Nights at InterContinental Residences, IHG Army Hotels, choose Six Senses Hotels Resorts and Spas and choose Mr & Mrs Smith accommodations.
The first sentence notes that there there are not any blackout dates, however then accommodations have the flexibility to limit the variety of rooms obtainable utilizing factors. As extra resort packages transfer to dynamic pricing, we have seen this similar difficulty with packages like Marriott Bonvoy and a few World of Hyatt properties.
Related: How to redeem factors with the IHG Rewards program
Which playing cards compete with the IHG Business Premier card?
As the IHG Premier Business card is a resort bank card geared toward small-business house owners, it is value taking a look at how this card stacks up in opposition to different hotel-branded enterprise bank cards.
Chase additionally provides the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, which carries a $199 annual price. New candidates can earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening.
The Hyatt Business card provides computerized Discoverist standing with World of Hyatt (the bottom tier) and a path towards larger standing ranges by way of bank card spending. While this card would not supply any free evening awards, it does supply perks like as much as $100 in spending credit with Hyatt every cardmember yr, Hyatt Leverage membership for attainable reductions on resort stays and the flexibility to unlock a ten% factors rebate.
In phrases of factors incomes, cardholders earn 4 factors per greenback with Hyatt and Small Luxury Hotels of the World, 4 factors per greenback on eligible Lindblad Expeditions, 2 factors per greenback on health membership and health club memberships and a couple of factors per greenback within the prime three spending classes every quarter (by way of Dec. 31, 2023, then your prime two spending classes every quarter). Cardholders earn 1 level per greenback on different purchases. You can discover extra particulars in our evaluation of the World of Hyatt Business card.
For these in search of complimentary top-tier standing and a low annual price (simply $95), contemplate the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card from Barclays. The sign-up bonus provides as much as 75,000 bonus factors: Earn 65,000 bonus factors after spending $2,000 on purchases inside 90 days of account opening and earn 10,000 extra bonus factors after including an worker card and making a purchase order on that card. Cardholders obtain computerized top-tier Wyndham Rewards Diamond standing, plus perks like 10% factors reductions on award stays and 15,000 bonus factors on every cardmember anniversary.
Points are earned as follows:
- 8 factors per greenback at Wyndham properties and on fuel purchases.
- 5 factors per greenback on advertising, promoting and utility purchases.
- 1 level per greenback on different purchases.
For extra particulars, see our put up on deciding which Wyndham card is best for you.
The data for the Wyndham Business card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card may very well be one other nice choice — and it additionally carries a $95 annual price (see charges and costs).
New candidates can earn 130,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases inside the first three months of card membership. Cardmembers obtain computerized mid-tier Gold standing with Hilton Honors and might spend their approach to Diamond standing by way of $40,000 of purchases on the cardboard in a calendar yr.
Other perks embody 10 Priority Pass visits per yr and incomes free weekend evening rewards by way of spending: one award after $15,000 in purchases throughout a calendar yr and one other award after $60,000 in purchases in a calendar yr. Cardmembers earn 12 factors per greenback at Hilton properties; 6 factors per greenback at U.S. eating places, U.S. fuel stations, delivery suppliers, wi-fi cellphone companies bought immediately from service suppliers, flights and automobile leases; and three factors per greenback on different purchases.
You can discover extra particulars in our evaluation of the Hilton Business card.
American Express additionally provides one other resort enterprise card: the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card. It carries a $125 annual price (see charges and costs) and provides computerized Gold Elite standing with Marriott Bonvoy.
The present welcome supply offers 100,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases inside the first three months of card membership, although this supply ends Nov. 2, 2022. Cardmembers additionally obtain 15 elite evening credit per yr (that are helpful for in search of larger standing ranges) and as much as a 7% low cost on room charges.
You’ll earn 6 factors per greenback at accommodations taking part in Marriott Bonvoy; 4 factors per greenback at eating places, U.S. fuel stations, U.S. delivery purchases and on wi-fi phone companies bought immediately from U.S. service suppliers; and a couple of factors per greenback on different purchases.
For extra particulars, take a look at our evaluation of the Amex Marriott Business bank card.
Bottom line
The IHG Premier Business card has an annual price of $99 and provides an annual free evening award that may be redeemed for extra worth than that. Cardholders additionally earn factors at high quality charges when making purchases in bonus classes, but the incomes price on on a regular basis purchases is weak.
The complimentary Platinum Elite standing with IHG One Rewards, journey protections, United TravelBank credit score and reimbursement for presidency safety screening packages additionally present worth.
Small-business house owners who’re loyal to IHG and even these merely seeking to diversify their journey technique can discover enough worth to justify the cardboard’s $99 annual price annually.
However, that requires utilizing the perks, so ensure that you are able to do that. Otherwise, it’s possible you’ll battle to justify retaining the cardboard in years two and past.
Official software hyperlink: IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card with a 140,000-point sign-up bonus after spending $3,000 in purchases inside three months of account opening.
For charges and costs of the Hilton Business Amex, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Marriott Business Amex, click on right here.