5 reasons why families should get the IHG Premier Credit Card

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Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

While a lucrative sign-up offer might be one reason to get a new credit card, the ongoing annual benefits your family could receive from a card provide a great reason to keep it in your wallet year after year.

For me, the value of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is top-notch. I keep it in my wallet because it helps me save money and points on travel. I personally love applying for cards that have ongoing benefits versus ones that only provide limited value after the first year. With just a $99 annual fee on the card, the yearly benefits are worth way more.

Here are the top reasons why this card will benefit your family.

Free night certificate year after year

One of the best benefits of this card is that you’ll receive a free night certificate on every anniversary year up to a property that costs 40,000 points a night. If you are able to maximize this certificate on a yearly basis, this benefit alone is valued at $200 (per TPG valuations).

Now, if both you and your significant other hold this card, that can provide you with two free nights a year (read: weekend getaway) for just the annual fee that comes with this card. If you think of this perk as covering the annual fee (and then some!), then all of the other benefits you receive can be considered bonus perks.

Fourth night free on award stays

My second favorite benefit of this card is that when booking award stays, you receive your fourth night free. And, best of all, this applies to every fourth night of a single reservation. So even if you have an eight-night stay, you’ll receive the free night twice.

Although a few other hotel chains will give you a free night when using points, it typically applies to your 5th night free.

This will allow the points you earn to go even further, and it’s a great opportunity to stay at some of IHG’s family-friendly properties. Now, if your family prefers a city over the beach, you can also stay at the Holiday Inn Express Chicago — Magnificent Mile for the same 40,000 points a night, giving you four full nights to explore the windy city. 

Complimentary Global Entry Or TSA PreCheck

If you or a family member does not yet have Global Entry, this card will allow you to get it for free. With the IHG Premier card, all you have to do is pay for the $100 Global Entry application fee and you’ll receive a $100 statement credit.

The best part is that the names do not need to match, so if you already have Global Entry, you can use it to pay for your child’s application. If your family is traveling internationally at all (including most of the Caribbean), being able to zip through customs by using the Global Entry kiosk is a big win.

Although this isn’t a yearly benefit, since Global Entry is valid for a five-year timespan, you can receive this credit once every four years. Also, if you prefer, you can use the statement credit on TSA PreCheck instead, but with Global Entry, you automatically receive TSA PreCheck, so it makes the most sense to get Global Entry instead (especially since it’s free).

United TravelBank perk

You can also get up to $50 of United TravelBank cash per calendar year, a moderate but solid perk that can save you even more on your next trip.

Platinum Elite status

IHG is probably one of the weaker hotel loyalty programs when it comes to status, but walking into a hotel with some status is better than no status at all. Many families will also parlay their IHG Platinum status to complete a status match or status challenge with another hotel chain, this includes earning Hilton Honors status, Marriott Bonvoy status, Wyndham Rewards status, Choice Privileges status and Radisson Rewards status. And yes, just having Platinum status simply from the credit card will qualify.

Having Platinum status will also give your family some tangible benefits on every hotel stay, such as:

Unfortunately, unlike other chains, Platinum status will not grant you lounge access or complimentary breakfast. This is also true even for their higher Spire status level. There is also no way to request a suite ahead of time or even be guaranteed one based on availability upon check-in.

Points never expire

Typically, IHG points expire if there is no activity on the account for a 12-month period. This card comes with Platinum status, and one of the better benefits of this status is that your points will never expire (even if you’ve been lacking activity on your account).

While there are a million ways to keep your points from expiring, parents are busy. If you are anything like I am, you have a laundry list of things to do on a daily basis. I try to keep my points and miles expiration dates as organized as possible, but sometimes I feel like it can be a full-time job.

Having a card that simply ensures “keep my IHG points from expiring” never makes it onto my to-do list definitely helps simplify my life. Especially since the chain’s expiration policy is on the shorter side.

Bottom line

The annual free night certificate and 4th night free perks will provide you with real savings every year you hold this card. Top that off with Platinum status and complimentary Global Entry, and you’re looking at a card that offers solid value right off the bat.

Apply here: IHG One Rewards Premier card