UPDATE: This offer has expired. You can see the most current offer here.
The IHG Rewards Club Select 70,000 point credit card offer after spending $1,000 within the first three months is ending tomorrow on Sunday May 31, 2015. After this, chances are the publicly available offer for the card will go back down to 60,000 points after meeting the same minimum spend requirement. With that being said, some folks have been targeted for an 80,000 point offer after they sign into their IHG account. Even though I wasn’t targeted for the increased offer, I did send Chase a direct message asking them to match me to the higher offer (I applied a few months ago) and they happily gave me the additional 10,000 points.
I am actually quite annoyed at myself that it has taken me this long to apply for the card. While the bonus points are great and all, this card has one of the best anniversary benefits out there. Every year (on your anniversary date), they give you a free night to use at ANY InterContinental Hotels Group worldwide. This can be used at a high end InterContinental hotel in Bora Bora or an inexpensive Holiday Inn Express along the highway. And if you like Vegas, you can even use your free night at The Palazzo or The Venetian. As long as there is free night availability (which is different availability then redeeming with points), you can redeem your free night award! The certificate also does not expire until a year after it is deposited into your account! The annual fee is only $49 (first year waived), so in theory you are getting a certificate to use at any hotel for only $49. Even your inexpensive Holiday Inn hotels are typically much more than this!
This is much better than the free night earned from Marriott and Hyatt since there is no category restriction. With both Marriott and Hyatt you get a similar benefit by being a cardmember, but the certificate is capped at a category 5 for Marriott and category 4 for Marriott. Both my husband and I applied for the card on the same day which will give us 2 free nights a year to use!
With this card you get 5 points per dollar at any IHG hotel, 2 points per dollar spend on gas, groceries, and dining, and 1 point on everything else. Definitely not a card I’d use for everyday spend, but a great card to have solely for the benefits! Another great perk of this card is when you use your points to redeem for a free night you’ll get a 10% rebate on the points redeemed back into your account within 4-6 weeks after your stay (with no yearly cap). You also get IHG Platinum status with this card although I do not put much value on that status.
I am looking forward for the free nights to be applied to both mine and my husbands account next year. I am actually eyeing the Z Ocean Hotel in South Beach as it is an all suites property and perfect for kids. This is a card that is not talked about often, but in my opinion has huge value. Especially with the current sign up bonus. If you have this card, where have you used your free night?
Related blog posts about the InterContinental Hotels Group loyalty program:
- Free Night Annually with the IHG Credit Card
- Various Ways to Earn IHG Points
- “Buying” IHG Points for .7 Cents/Point
- Understanding IHG PointBreak Offers
- Utilizing the IHG Friends & Family Rate
Key Links:
- IHG Rewards Club Select Visa Credit Card – Earn 70,000 points after you spend $1,000 within the first three months. Receive a free night certificate annually (starting with your second year as a card member). No annual fee the first year, then $49/year.
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