Which bank card must you use for IHG stays?

In the event you’re planning your subsequent journey and have your eyes set on an IHG resort, it is pure so that you can assume the most suitable choice for paying could also be with an IHG One Rewards cobranded card.

That is not a nasty thought, since you’ll routinely obtain excessive incomes charges and program-specific perks, corresponding to elite standing, while you maintain an IHG bank card.

However here is some expert-level recommendation: A cobranded card might not at all times be the most suitable choice to pay for an IHG keep. That is proper — there are some cases through which one other card in your pockets might aid you maximize your earnings.

Let’s check out this checklist of playing cards to think about when reserving with IHG. Among the choices listed might shock you.

Nonetheless, you would obtain extra worth from paying with an all-around journey rewards card that earns transferable factors, which are sometimes extra invaluable in the long term.

Listed below are some playing cards you would possibly need to pay with, and what you would get when utilizing these playing cards:

*Worth relies on TPG’s October 2025 valuations.

**The data for the American Categorical Inexperienced Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

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Which bank card must you use for IHG stays?

It is nonetheless good observe for IHG loyalists to carry its cobranded bank cards to obtain elite standing and card perks.

Nonetheless, there are lots of cases through which it is higher to drag out one other card out of your pockets to pay for the precise keep itself.

Whenever you’re making this choice, you will need to weigh two elements:

• The advantages you will obtain from the cardboard you employ to pay
• The worth of the factors you will earn from paying with that card

Contemplate these calculations:

• In the event you pay with the IHG One Premier or IHG One Premier Enterprise, you will earn 10 factors per greenback spent in your keep. IHG factors are value 0.5 cents apiece. So, these 10 factors are value 5 cents.
• In the event you pay with the Amex Inexperienced, you will earn 3 factors per greenback spent in your keep. Amex Membership Rewards factors are value 2 cents every. So, these 3 factors are literally valued at 6 cents.

Whenever you break it down like this, it really makes extra sense to pay with the Amex Inexperienced, since these factors are extra invaluable. We worth Membership Rewards factors increased than IHG factors as a result of they are often transferred to a variety of resort and airline companions.

In fact, it is value contemplating that non-cobranded playing cards do not unlock advantages like room upgrades on their very own. Nonetheless, you do not have to fret about this when you already maintain an IHG cobranded card.

That is as a result of merely having the cardboard unlocks these perks. You do not have to pay together with your IHG card to obtain these advantages.

So, it is sensible to carry an IHG card merely to qualify for elite standing and obtain advantages, and use a distinct card with a extra invaluable foreign money to pay.

You might not even have to carry an IHG card to unlock these advantages, nonetheless. That is as a result of the Sapphire Reserve‘s current overhaul added complimentary IHG Platinum standing (by Dec. 31, 2027) to its checklist of advantages. Excessive-spending people who put at the very least $75,000 on the cardboard in a calendar 12 months unlock IHG Diamond standing.

Plus, the Sapphire Reserve provides elevated incomes charges on motels booked instantly with IHG (4 factors per greenback spent) and IHG motels booked by Chase Journey (8 factors per greenback spent).

That stated, it is value noting that utilizing a card just like the Sapphire Reserve to pay for an IHG keep by Chase Journey might not be the most suitable choice. These reservations are handled as third-party bookings, so they are not eligible to earn IHG factors.

Even so, the Chase Final Rewards factors you will earn by swiping the Sapphire Reserve may be transferred freely and instantly to IHG if it is advisable to high off your stability for an upcoming redemption.

Whereas there are lots of different methods to maximize these factors, IHG loyalists can reap the benefits of this. Do not forget to think about how this card’s $795 annual charge elements into the way you weigh the worth of those advantages.

You may additionally miss out on utilizing any elite standing perks throughout your keep when you e book by Chase Journey, so make sure you take into account that when deciding the best way to e book (and pay).

Associated: What it is advisable to learn about direct versus third-party journey bookings

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