Some of our favorite hotel nights each year cost us nothing extra. We carry two IHG credit cards from Chase, one personal and one business, and each one gives us an anniversary Free Night every year. That’s two free nights a year, every year, and they’ve more than paid for the annual fees.
Here’s how the cards work as of October 2026, how we used our nights, and a few tips for getting the most out of them.
The two cards and what they cost
Chase has just refreshed its IHG lineup, so fees went up for new applicants. These are the numbers on IHG’s official credit card page and Chase’s Premier card page as of October 2026:
| IHG One Rewards Premier (personal) | IHG One Rewards Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Old annual fee | $99 | $99 |
| New annual fee | $150 | $200 |
| Anniversary Free Night | Yes, up to 50,000 points (was 40,000) | Yes, up to 50,000 points (was 40,000) |
| New IHG food & beverage credit | Up to $100 a year ($25 per quarter) | Up to $100 a year ($25 per quarter) |
| Top up with points | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic status | Gold Elite | Platinum Elite |
| 4th night free on award stays | Yes | Yes |
When we paid our fees, both cards were $99 a year. Chase’s pages don’t say when current cardholders move to the new fees; NerdWallet and The Points Guy report that existing cardholders will see them at renewal starting in 2027. Check your own statement before your renewal.
One note: the no-annual-fee IHG card, which Chase lists as the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, does not include an anniversary Free Night. You need the Premier or the Business card for that.
Our experience: two nights in DC, then a summer festival
Last year we used both certificates at Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington DC, which sits inside the historic General Post Office building at 700 F Street NW. It’s a gorgeous 1830s marble building, and staying there felt like a real treat.
When we booked, rooms were going for $280 a night. Two nights came to about $560 worth of hotel, and we covered it with certificates from cards that cost us $99 each that year. What a deal.
Getting there was cheap too. We flew to DC for just 1,200 Avianca LifeMiles plus $85 in taxes, which still feels crazy cheap to us. If you’re curious how we build our LifeMiles balance, see our post on the avianca lifemiles credit card from Cardless.
This year we used our two free nights during a major summer festival in the Midwest. Hotel prices spike for big events, which is exactly when a free night certificate is most valuable.
How to use the certificates well
- Aim high. Each certificate covers one standard room night (and tax) at hotels priced at 50,000 points or less, per Chase’s terms.
- Top up when it makes sense. Chase’s terms let you add points from your IHG One Rewards account to book a hotel priced above the 50,000-point cap.
- Watch the clock. The certificate must be redeemed, and the stay completed, within 12 months of the date it’s issued.
- Know when it arrives. Chase says the Free Night is available for redemption on your account anniversary date each year (12 months after you opened the account). Check your IHG One Rewards account around that date.
- Budget for extras. The certificate doesn’t cover incidentals or mandatory resort fees, and it can’t be transferred or cashed out.
- Save it for peak dates. Holidays, festivals and big events are where we’ve gotten the most value.
- Remember the 4th night free. Both cards give you the 4th night free on consecutive four-night award stays booked with points (not paid or Points & Cash stays).
Can you hold both cards? We do. Chase’s Premier offer terms limit the new cardmember bonus for people who currently hold, or recently got a bonus on, a personal IHG card. Check the current terms for your own situation before you apply.
Want your own IHG free night? You can compare Chase’s IHG One Rewards cards and apply with our Chase referral link.
Disclosure: This is our personal Chase referral link. If you’re approved through it, we may earn a referral bonus, at no extra cost to you. You can always apply directly on Chase’s website. See our Advertising & Referral Disclosure.
Our take
For us, the math has been easy: the DC trip alone was worth nearly three times what we paid in annual fees that year. The new $150 and $200 fees make the math tighter, so do the numbers for yourself.
We’re keeping both cards anyway. Two parts of the refresh make the higher fees worth it to us. First, each card now adds up to $100 a year in IHG food and beverage credits ($25 each quarter) to use on dining while staying at IHG hotels, as reported by The Points Guy and Frequent Miler. Second, the anniversary free night rises from 40,000 to 50,000 points. That bigger certificate should keep covering the kinds of stays we like most: Kimptons, some InterContinentals and other pricier spots, like Monterey, California. IHG award prices change by date, so check your hotel’s points price, and remember you can top up a certificate with your own points.
Sources: Chase IHG One Rewards Premier; Chase Premier offer details; Chase IHG One Rewards Business offer details; Chase IHG One Rewards Traveler; IHG One Rewards credit cards; Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington DC history; Avianca LifeMiles; NerdWallet; The Points Guy.
Card offers and terms change frequently; confirm current terms with the issuer before applying. Points Capital is not a financial advisor.
