There is something exciting about a hotel card that makes you picture your next trip. A warm welcome at check-in, dinner with people you love, and another night to enjoy the destination: that is the travel experience I think about when I look at this launch.
On October 1, 2026, Chase and IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the new IHG One Rewards Premier Select Card, leading a refresh of the entire IHG One Rewards credit card lineup. With more than 7,000 hotels and 21 brands worldwide, there is plenty of room to turn those rewards into a trip worth looking forward to. Chase's announcement introduces the new card alongside updates to three familiar options.
The $350 annual fee is the entry to what Chase describes as "over $1,000 in value in the first year." I like how the benefits follow the journey, from the flight to the hotel restaurant to the next reward stay.
Why the Premier Select Stands Out
Premier Select brings together hotel rewards, travel credits, and a head start in IHG One Rewards. Here are the benefits I would be most excited to plan around:
- Up to $300 in annual Food & Beverage Rewards: Issued as a $75 voucher each quarter, for eligible dining charges on your room bill at participating IHG properties. Each quarterly voucher is valid during its issuing quarter.
- A $200 annual airline statement credit: For a qualifying flight-ticket purchase of at least $250 booked directly with an airline, each calendar year through December 31, 2027.
- Up to $50 in United TravelBank Cash: Another way to support the flight portion of a getaway. NerdWallet reports that deposited funds last five years.
- An Anniversary Free Night: A redemption cap of 60,000 points, with the option to add IHG One Rewards points for a room above that level. It arrives after your card anniversary.
- Everyday earning: Up to 28X total points at IHG properties, combining card, membership, and Platinum Elite earnings; 6X on dining and other travel, including rideshare; and 3X on other purchases.
- Automatic Platinum Elite status: Welcome amenities, early check-in, and late check-out can make a stay feel more welcoming, subject to availability.
- 20 Elite Night Credits each calendar year: These unlock the first Milestone Reward when credited after account opening, with two additional credits for every $5,000 spent. A Confirmable Suite Upgrade is one of the Milestone Reward choices.
- Fourth Reward Night Free: Redeem points for a consecutive four-night stay at the same IHG hotel and enjoy the fourth reward night free.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits: Including access to Priceless Experiences, with individual benefit terms applying.
The Milestone Reward is particularly appealing to me. It gives you a choice in how to celebrate your progress, whether that means points, a dining reward, or a Confirmable Suite Upgrade. Paired with the anniversary night, it creates another reason to start imagining where you would like to stay next. See Chase's Premier Select page for benefit details.
A Lineup With Something for Everyone
The celebration extends across all four cards. In Fast Company's coverage, Chase's Chris Cracchiolo describes a lineup designed to serve occasional leisure travelers, frequent business travelers, and elite members. I appreciate that range: different travel habits can lead to different ways of enjoying IHG rewards.
| Card | Annual fee | Automatic status | Highlights | Launch bonus through November 18, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IHG One Rewards Premier Select | $350 | Platinum Elite | Up to $300 Food & Beverage Rewards; $200 airline credit; up to $50 United TravelBank Cash; 60,000-point Anniversary Free Night; 20 Elite Night Credits | 200,000 points after $5,000 in purchases |
| IHG One Rewards Premier | $150 | Gold Elite | New up to $100 Food & Beverage Rewards and $100 airline credit; up to $50 United TravelBank Cash; 50,000-point Anniversary Free Night; 5X categories including groceries; 15 Elite Night Credits | 180,000 points after $3,000 in purchases |
| IHG One Rewards Business | $200 | Platinum Elite | New up to $100 Food & Beverage Rewards; $100 airline credit; up to $100 Expensify credit; 50,000-point Anniversary Free Night; 5X on direct flights, car rentals, dining, gas, and select advertising; 15 Elite Night Credits | 190,000 points after $5,000 in purchases |
| IHG One Rewards, formerly Traveler | No annual fee | Silver Elite | Up to 17X total points at IHG; 3X on dining, gas, and groceries; 5 Elite Night Credits; fourth reward night free after $5,000 in calendar-year purchases, starting in 2027 | 125,000 points after $2,000 in purchases |
All launch-bonus spending requirements apply to the first three months from account opening. Food & Beverage Rewards apply at participating properties; airline credits require a qualifying direct-airline purchase of at least $250 through December 31, 2027. The table presents the announced lineup; existing cardmembers will receive October notices explaining when their individual updates take effect, with annual fee adjustments in 2027.
Premier adds new ways to enjoy hotel dining and flights alongside everyday grocery earning. Business connects travel rewards with business spending and Expensify purchases. The no-annual-fee card offers an inviting starting point, with Silver Elite status and rewards on familiar purchases. Premier Select completes the lineup with its premium collection of benefits.
Where the Value Shows Up
A real trip makes these benefits easier to picture. In her NerdWallet article, travel writer Sally French uses her own planned Kimpton Shorebreak stay in Huntington Beach to illustrate how she would use Premier Select. Her example is personal to her travel plans and reflects her own estimate of value.
For that stay, she reports a room priced at 45,000 points, or $314. She imagines using the Anniversary Free Night, enjoying dinner with her family, and putting the flight benefits toward travel she already plans to take. Her breakdown includes:
- $314 for the hotel night covered by the anniversary certificate.
- $75 in quarterly Food & Beverage Rewards for dining during the stay.
- $40 from two additional Food & Beverage Rewards chosen through the first Milestone Reward.
- $250 in air benefits, combining the airline statement credit and United TravelBank Cash.
Together, French estimates about $679 in value for that trip. Her illustration uses an Anniversary Free Night received after a card anniversary, making it an example of ongoing use. What I enjoy about it is how naturally the benefits fit a family celebration: a room, a shared meal, and the journey there.
Launch Offers
Chase is celebrating the refreshed lineup with limited-time welcome offers through November 18, 2026. Premier Select leads with 200,000 bonus points after $5,000 in purchases in the first three months from account opening. Premier, Business, and the no-annual-fee card have their own launch offers, shown in the table above.
For me, this launch is an invitation to put a future hotel stay on the calendar and think about the experiences around it. Chase and IHG have given travelers several appealing ways to do that, with Premier Select bringing a particularly exciting mix of dining rewards, flight benefits, and hotel recognition.
As a reminder, this is my personal perspective as a JPMorgan Chase & Co. employee, and it is not financial advice. Visit Chase's official IHG card page for current offers, eligibility, and full terms before applying.
