The IHG Rewards Club Traveler is a no-annual-fee way into IHG's program, and its 125,000-point welcome bonus after $2,000 in spending is generous for a card that costs nothing to keep. Chase recently brought the bonus back up to that level after cutting it to 80,000 earlier this year. Ongoing earning is better than most no-fee hotel cards: 5 points per dollar at IHG hotels, 3 per dollar on dining, gas, utilities, internet, cable and phone, and select streaming, and 2 per dollar on everything else, with no foreign transaction fee. The tradeoff compared with the paid Premier is that you don't get an anniversary free night, and status stops at Silver unless you spend $20,000 in a year to reach Gold. The 4th night free on award stays, a $10 monthly Instacart credit, and 10,000 bonus points after $10,000 in yearly spending are worthwhile extras for a card with no fee.
Earn rates & credits
| Category | Rate |
|---|---|
Hotels Up to 17x total points at IHG hotels | 5x |
Dining | 3x |
Gas | 3x |
Utilities Utilities (combined 3x bucket with dining, gas, and select streaming) | 3x |
Phone Services Internet, cable, and phone services (same 3x bucket as utilities) | 3x |
Streaming Select streaming services (combined 3x bucket with dining, gas, and utilities) | 3x |
Everything Else | 2x |
| Benefit | Value |
|---|---|
Points Purchase Discount Save 20% when you purchase IHG One Rewards points with this credit card. | 20% |
Instacart Credit Receive a $10 Instacart credit monthly (up to $120 annually) plus a complimentary 3-month Instacart+ membership; benefits end 12/31/27. | $120 /yr |
| Total annual credits | $120 |
Card details
Regular APR | 19.24%–27.74% variable |
Foreign transaction fee | None |