Credit Cards » Credit Card Reviews » IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card Review 2023
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IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card Review 2023

The IHG Rewards Premier Business card offers free anniversary night, 4th night free and TSA Precheck credit. But, there are drawbacks.
Author: Baruch Mann (Silvermann)
Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Writer, Contributor

Experience

Baruch Silvermann is a financial expert, experienced analyst, and founder of The Smart Investor, which helps consumers make better financial decisions.  Silvermann’s areas of expertise include investing, banking, and credit cards. Silvermann has contributed to Yahoo Finance and cited as an authoritative source in financial outlets like Forbes, Business Insider, CNBC Select, CNET, Bankrate, Fox Business, The Street, and more. Aside from being a finance expert, his background includes working as a business and financial analyst. Above all, he is passionate about teaching people how to manage their money and helping millions on their journey to a better financial future.

Review & Fact Check: Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Financial Expert, The Smart Investor CEO

Experience

Baruch Mann (Silvermann) is a financial expert and founder of The Smart Investor. Above all, he is passionate about teaching people how to manage their money and helping millions on their journey to a better financial future.
Author: Baruch Mann (Silvermann)
Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Writer, Contributor

Experience

Baruch Silvermann is a financial expert, experienced analyst, and founder of The Smart Investor, which helps consumers make better financial decisions.  Silvermann’s areas of expertise include investing, banking, and credit cards. Silvermann has contributed to Yahoo Finance and cited as an authoritative source in financial outlets like Forbes, Business Insider, CNBC Select, CNET, Bankrate, Fox Business, The Street, and more. Aside from being a finance expert, his background includes working as a business and financial analyst. Above all, he is passionate about teaching people how to manage their money and helping millions on their journey to a better financial future.

Review & Fact Check: Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Financial Expert, The Smart Investor CEO

Experience

Baruch Mann (Silvermann) is a financial expert and founder of The Smart Investor. Above all, he is passionate about teaching people how to manage their money and helping millions on their journey to a better financial future.

We earn a commission from our partner links on this page. It doesn't affect the integrity of our unbiased, independent editorial staff. Transparency is a core value for us, read our advertiser disclosure and how we make money.

IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

IHG®-Rewards-Premier-Business-Credit-Card.j

Rewards Plan

3x – 26x Up to 26 points per dollar at IHG Hotels and Resorts, 5 points per dollar on dining, travel, gas stations and select business purchases, with 3 points per dollar on all other purchases

Welcome Bonus

140,000 bonus points 140,000 bonus points if you spend $3,000 within three months of opening your account

Credit Rating

Good – Excellent

0% Intro

N/A

Annual Fee

$99

APR

21.24% – 28.24%
IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

IHG®-Rewards-Premier-Business-Credit-Card.j

Rewards Plan

3x – 26x Up to 26 points per dollar at IHG Hotels and Resorts, 5 points per dollar on dining, travel, gas stations and select business purchases, with 3 points per dollar on all other purchases

Welcome Bonus

140,000 bonus points


140,000 bonus points if you spend $3,000 within three months of opening your account

0% Intro

N/A

PROS

CONS

APR

21.24% - 28.24%

Annual Fee

$99

Balance Transfer Fee

$5 or 5%, whichever is greater

Credit Requirements

Good - Excellent

If you like staying at IHG hotels when you travel, you might find the IHG Rewards Premier Business credit card useful for your business. It has a reasonable yearly fee and lets you earn Up to 26 points per dollar at IHG Hotels and Resorts, 5 points per dollar on dining, travel, gas stations and select business purchases, with 3 points per dollar on all other purchases. There are also nice benefits like free nights, travel coverage, and reimbursement for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or Nexus.

However, if you're not loyal to the IHG brand or don't stay at their hotels often, you might be better off with a general travel rewards credit card. Chase offers various business travel cards, some with no yearly fee, which could give you better value for your needs.

  • 0% Introductory APR
  • Anniversary Companion Certificate
  • Free First Checked Bags
  • Preferred Boarding
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees
  • Statement Credit for Inflight Purchases
  • Travel Insurance
  • High Annual Fee
  • No Bonus Categories
  • Low Rewards Rate
  • High APR

What are card income requirements?

There are no official income requirements for the IHG Rewards Premier card, but you do need to have good to excellent credit. This means that while your income will be assessed, it is not the only factor considered when Chase is making an approval decision.

Can I get pre-approved?

Chase does not have a pre approval button on its website, but you may receive a mailer or other marketing material offering pre approval, particularly if you are signed into your Chase account and check on any available offers.

How do I redeem rewards?

When you want to redeem your points for a stay, you can use the search tool on the IHG website to look for hotels. When you find a stay you are interested in, select Points from the drop down menu under “Display Price.” You will then be able to see how many points the stay will cost. However, you can also use a combination of cash and points.

In this Review

Estimating Your Rewards: A Practical Simulation

Getting an accurate calculation of the rewards you'll earn with this card is not easy because it depends on how you actually use it. Whether it's your primary card or a secondary option, or if you reserve it for specific types of purchases, all these factors affect your rewards.

However, we've taken the time to crunch some numbers and provide you with an estimate of the rewards you could potentially receive from the IHG Rewards Premier Business card. By analyzing spending patterns in categories like supermarkets, travel, and dining, we've come up with an average estimation of the total rewards

IHG®-Rewards-Premier-Business-Credit-Card.j

Spend Per Category
IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
$10,000 – U.S Supermarkets
30,000 points
$3,000 – Restaurants
15,000 points
$5,000 – Airline
25,000 points
$4,000 – Hotels
104,000 points
$4,000 – Gas
20,000 miles
Estimated Annual Points
194,000 Points

Pros and Cons

As is the case with any regular credit card, the IHG Rewards Premier Business card has its own set of advantages and disadvantages:

Pros
Cons
Free Anniversary Night
Hotel Focused Card
4th Night Free
Low Rewards Redemption Ratio
No Foreign Transaction Fees
High Spend Requirement for Bonus
Statement Credit for TSA PreCheck
Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
Platinum Elite Status

You will receive a reward night certificate after every account anniversary year. This certificate can be used for one night’s stay at a property which charges up to 40,000 points per night.

 Alternatively, you can combine with your points if you wish to redeem for a stay at a higher value property.

When you redeem your points for four night consecutive stays at an IHG location, you will only pay for three nights. It's a great way to save money on IHG hotels. 

When you use your card to purchase new items, they will be covered for 120 days against theft or damage. There is a coverage limit of $10,000 per claim and a maximum of $50,000 per account.

You won't be charged any fees for making purchases abroad with this card.

In addition to the bonus points you can receive if you spend enough within three months of opening your account, you can earn $100 statement credit and a further 10,000 bonus points if you spend $20,000 each calendar year.

If you pay the application fee for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or Nexus with your card, you’ll receive a statement credit for up to $100 every four years to reimburse you for the cost

If you don't tend to stay frequently at IHG hotels, the value of this card is limited. 

Unlike many reward programs, on most redemptions the IHG Rewards are worth less than one penny each.

This means that you may have better redemptions with a general travel rewards card and transferring your rewards to IHG or booking your hotel via the credit card travel portal.

While $3,000 in three months is not unreasonable, it is higher than the typical welcome bonus for co-branded credit cards.

If you pay for your fares, hotels and other travel expenses with your card, if your trip is cut short or canceled due to severe weather, illness or other covered scenarios, you will be reimbursed for your non refundable, pre paid travel expenses. This coverage has a limit of $1,500 per person and up to $6,000 per trip.

You are upgraded to IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status for as long as you remain a Premier Business cardmember

Who Should Consider The IHG Premier Business Card?

While it's not included on our top hotel card list, it can be a great card for those who are brand loyal to the IHG brand. If you tend to travel regularly for your business and prefer to stay in IHG locations, this card could be a good fit for you. You will not only accumulate IHG Rewards points, but you can get free nights and other perks.

This could also be a good card for those who want a business card that offers travel insurance. This card not only offers trip cancellation/interruption coverage, but also reimbursement for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or Nexus application fees.

Card
Rewards
Bonus
Annual Fee

World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

1x – 9x Up to 9 points per dollar spent at Hyatt Hotels, 2 points per dollar in your top three spending categories each quarter and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
60,000 bonus points 60,000 points when you spend $5,000 within three months of opening your account
$199

Ink Business Unlimited® credit card

1.5% 1.5% cash back on all purchases
$750 $750 cash back bonus when you spend $6,000 within three months of opening your account
$0

hilton_card_amex_business_art

Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
1x – 12x 12X points on hotels and resorts in Hilton portfolio, 6X points on select business (U.S. gas stations, U.S. cellphone service providers and U.S. shipping purchases) and travel purchases (U.S. restaurants, airfare booked through Amex Travel and select car rentals) with 3X points on all other purchases
130,000 points 12X points on hotels and resorts in Hilton portfolio, 6X points on select business (U.S. gas stations, U.S. cellphone service providers and U.S. shipping purchases) and travel purchases (U.S. restaurants, airfare booked through Amex Travel and select car rentals) with 3X points on all other purchases

American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
1x – 6x 6x Marriott Bonvoy points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program,4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping, 2x points on all other eligible purchases.
Three Bonus Free Night Awards Earn three bonus Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points for each bonus Free Night Award, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
$125

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

1X – 10X 10 IHG Rewards points per dollar spent on hotel stays with the IHG brand when you pay with your credit card, 2 points per $1 spent on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants and point per $1 spent on all other purchases
140,000 Points 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
$99

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

2x – 17x Up to 17x points for IHG Hotels and Resorts, 3x points for utilities, dining, gas stations and select streaming, with 2x points for all other purchases.
80,000 points 80,000 bonus points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open
$0

IHG Business or Personal Card?

Chase also offers an IHG Rewards Premier card for personal customers. The cards have the same rewards structure, free anniversary night and four nights for three. The annual fee is also the same for both the business and personal cards.

The personal card offers IHG diamond elite status only if in each calendar year, you make purchases totaling $40,000 or more. However, you are upgraded to IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status on both cards.

Another less obvious difference comes with travel insurance coverage. The business card offers trip cancellation/interruption, but with the personal card, you get additional coverage which also gets baggage delay insurance and lost luggage reimbursement.

FAQs

You do need to have good to excellent credit, but the IHG Rewards Premier Business card is also subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

This means that if you’ve opened five or more new credit card accounts within the last 24 months, your application will be declined, even if you have excellent credit.

This card is not a good idea if you don’t stay at IHG locations on a regular basis. The rewards are heavily weighted towards IHG and while other redemption methods may be available, you’ll get the best value for award stays.

So, if you don’t stay at an IHG at least every couple of months, you won’t get the most from this card. In this case, you may be better with a general business travel credit card that will offer you greater flexibility.

Yes, the card offers trip cancelation/interruption coverage with a cap of $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip.

If you need to cancel or cut short your trip due to severe weather conditions, illness or other covered scenarios, you can receive reimbursement for your non refundable, pre paid travel expenses including fares, hotels, and tours.

Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Baruch Silvermann is a financial expert, experienced analyst, and founder of The Smart Investor, which helps consumers make better financial decisions.  Silvermann's areas of expertise include investing, banking, and credit cards. Silvermann has contributed to Yahoo Finance and cited as an authoritative source in financial outlets like Forbes, Business Insider, CNBC Select, CNET, Bankrate, Fox Business, The Street, and more. Aside from being a finance expert, his background includes working as a business and financial analyst. Above all, he is passionate about teaching people how to manage their money and helping millions on their journey to a better financial future.

Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

Credit Card Reviews Methodology

In order to determine the best possible credit cards, we look at things like fees, interest rates and rewards. We do this with companies that are associated with us as partners as well as other offerings. From there, we make a decision about what the best card is related to different categories and needs. We focus on interest rate cost & fees, especially the cost of carrying a balance, rewards – cards accumulate rewards in different currencies—points, miles, cash back—and their values vary widely usability – cards that accept a wide range of credit profiles and offer simple solutions for things like checking your credit score or contacting. We also consider customer reviews.

We look at cards related to good or excellent credit ratings that will then provide a range of different benefits and improvements for someone who has these scores. We also look at low fees when it comes to those who have lower credit scores.