The annual charge is justified: IHG Rewards Premier Enterprise card assessment

*Card Score is predicated on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

Contemplating that the IHG Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card has an annual charge of solely $99, it provides a shocking variety of perks for vacationers who continuously stick with IHG.

Advantages embody computerized Platinum Elite standing so long as you’re a cardholder, a singular fourth-night-free reward perk when redeeming factors for lodge stays and a beneficiant sign-up bonus.

Nonetheless, there’s one key perk on the cardboard — the anniversary free evening acquired annually — that may simply cowl the annual charge on the IHG Premier Enterprise card. Even higher? Cardholders now have the power so as to add a limiteless variety of IHG factors to their award nights — which might open up high-end resorts just like the Six Senses Laamu within the Maldives.

Not each bank card is right for everybody, although. Let’s take a look at the main points of the IHG Premier Enterprise card to see if it is proper in your firm.

Who is that this card for?

These loyal to the IHG One Rewards program can use the cardboard for vital worth, due to perks like a beneficiant sign-up bonus, stable return on IHG spending and on-property advantages. Nonetheless, even those that are occasional IHG visitors can nonetheless get some stable worth.

Associated: Who qualifies for a enterprise bank card?

This card additionally is a perfect choice for small-business homeowners searching for a lodge bank card with a low annual charge that confers high quality advantages. Compared to different hotel-branded enterprise bank cards, the IHG Premier Enterprise card has one of many lowest annual charges and will show engaging merely for that purpose.

This card can also be ideally suited for many who are below 5/24 with Chase. Whereas most enterprise bank cards is not going to add to your 5/24 standing, you do should be below 5/24 to use for this card.

Signal-up bonus value $700

Your bonus will come within the type of IHG factors, which TPG values at half a cent every. Thus, this bonus is value $700.

Because the IHG Premier Enterprise card launched in March of 2022, most individuals ought to be eligible for the welcome bonus. Nonetheless, it is value noting that there’s a warning on the applying web page that you’re not eligible for this bonus when you’ve acquired a sign-up bonus on this card throughout the previous 24 months.

Associated: The final word information to monitoring your progress towards a bank card sign-up bonus

Primary advantages and perks

It is also value mentioning that many of those advantages overlap with the IHG Rewards Premier Credit score Card, which is a private bank card. Thus, it is probably not value holding each playing cards, until you are keen on receiving two free evening awards (one from every card) annually and discover that the spending classes work nicely for you.

Right here’s an outline of the cardboard’s foremost IHG-related perks.

Anniversary free evening award

Every year in your cardmember anniversary (beginning on the one-year mark and persevering with annually after that, for so long as you retain the account open), you will obtain a free evening award legitimate for a single evening, value as much as 40,000 factors.

Although IHG makes use of dynamic award pricing, you should not have an excessive amount of problem discovering a property that costs at (or below) that quantity. This will embody properties like Kimpton De Witt Amsterdam and InterContinental Buenos Aires.

Associated: The way to use the IHG Rewards anniversary evening certificates

If you would like to redeem your free evening award at a property that prices greater than 40,000 factors per evening, you need to use a limiteless variety of factors to prime off this certificates. For instance, when you discover a room for 48,000 factors, you’ll be able to mix the free evening with 8,000 factors out of your IHG account to substantiate the reservation.

Observe that the enterprise card has one notable addition right here when in comparison with the private model. Cardholders can earn an extra free evening award after spending $60,000 on the cardboard throughout a calendar 12 months. This selection is not obtainable on the IHG Premier Card.

Complimentary IHG Platinum Elite standing

Cardholders take pleasure in IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite standing routinely, so long as their account stays open. Platinum members obtain 60% bonus earnings on paid stays booked instantly with IHG Rewards, space-available room upgrades, a welcome amenity and a handful of different perks.

For these keen on incomes top-tier Diamond Elite standing, you’ll be able to attain this by spending $40,000 in your card in a calendar 12 months. The standing shall be legitimate via Dec. 31 of the next 12 months after assembly the spending threshold.

Fourth-night-free reward

You’ll pay zero factors for each fourth evening when redeeming IHG factors for stays of 4 nights or longer. That is an computerized perk that ought to be mirrored on the time of reserving. On stays of precisely 4 nights, that is basically a 25% low cost, so it is a good way to get much more worth out of the cardboard. That mentioned, when you not often redeem IHG factors for stays of 4 nights or extra, this perk could also be of restricted worth.

10,000 bonus factors and a $100 assertion credit score after spending $20,000

Out there every account anniversary 12 months, you’ll earn 10,000 bonus factors and a $100 assertion credit score after spending $20,000 and making one further buy. TPG’s valuations peg these bonus factors at $50, and with the assertion credit score, that interprets to a complete worth of $150.

Nonetheless, it’s possible you’ll not need to exit of your method to spend $20,000 in your card in a 12 months — particularly you probably have a stable on a regular basis spending card or can earn further sign-up bonuses from different playing cards with that very same spending.

20% off when shopping for IHG factors

It can save you 20% on the acquisition of IHG factors if you pay along with your IHG Premier Card. Nonetheless, this low cost doesn’t stack with different reductions, equivalent to IHG providing factors at a lowered value. These factors additionally do not rely towards elite qualification, so there’s restricted worth for many cardholders.

$50 United TravelBank credit score

Cardholders can obtain as much as $50 in United TravelBank credit score every calendar 12 months after registering their playing cards with their United MileagePlus account.

Further advantages

IHG Premier Enterprise cardholders have a handful of different perks to make the most of if you swipe your card:

• Authorities safety program software charge credit score: You will be reimbursed as much as $100 each 4 years if you cost a International Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus software charge to your card.
• Auto rental collision injury waiver: If you decline the rental firm’s collision insurance coverage and cost your entire rental price to your card, you’ll get protection in opposition to theft and collision. Nonetheless, protection is secondary when renting throughout the U.S.
• Journey cancellation and journey interruption insurance coverage: You will be reimbursed as much as $1,500 per individual and as much as $6,000 per journey for pay as you go, nonrefundable journey bills in case your journey is canceled or minimize brief for a lined purpose.
• Buy safety: Your new purchases are lined for 120 days in opposition to injury or theft; there’s a restrict of $10,000 per declare and as much as $50,000 per account.

These advantages will be good to have when issues go mistaken, particularly as different playing cards have dropped purchasing and journey protections in recent times. That mentioned, they is probably not crucial factor to contemplate when selecting a brand new bank card.

Additionally, sadly, the IHG Premier Enterprise card would not supply the most effective fee of return on most purchases — which we’ll cowl subsequent.

The way to earn factors

If you swipe your IHG Premier Enterprise card at IHG motels and resorts, you will earn 10 factors per greenback spent in your keep. That is along with the ten base factors that every one IHG One Rewards members accrue at most taking part manufacturers. And since you might have computerized Platinum Elite standing with the cardboard, that’ll provide you with one other 60% bonus on prime of the bottom factors. When mixed, that interprets to a complete of 26 factors per greenback spent on most IHG stays — or a 13% return on spending, primarily based on TPG’s valuations.

Past IHG purchases, cardholders of the IHG Premier Enterprise will earn factors on the following charges:

• 5 factors per greenback spent on journey, eating and fuel purchases.
• 5 factors per greenback in choose enterprise classes, equivalent to social media and search engine promoting and at workplace provide shops.
• 3 factors per greenback spent on all different purchases.

That interprets to a 2.5% return on the bonus classes primarily based on TPG’s valuations, although it drops to 1.5% on on a regular basis purchases — a fee of return that is decrease than many different playing cards.

Associated: 13 methods to earn IHG Rewards factors

The way to redeem factors

Like lots of its opponents, IHG One Rewards would not publish an award chart. As an alternative, it makes use of dynamic award pricing. This system’s web site signifies that free nights begin at 10,000 factors, though it is doable to search out rooms priced as little as 5,000 factors.

Regardless of this award pricing mannequin, there are nonetheless methods to maximise IHG Rewards redemptions. In actual fact, you might be able to redeem IHG Rewards factors for considerably extra worth when you spend a while looking.

Associated: Factors of view: What bank card must you use for IHG stays?

You are not restricted to solely utilizing factors in your keep. You can even e book rooms utilizing a mixture of factors and money, which might supply respectable worth in sure circumstances.

Nonetheless, it is value noting simply how these reservations are confirmed. IHG successfully sells you the additional factors (for money) after which makes use of the complete variety of factors for the keep. Most often, you wind up paying 0.63 to 0.66 cents for every IHG level used to make up the distinction. IHG continuously sells factors at this value (or cheaper), which will be one other method to prime up your account.

As famous above, if you redeem factors for a keep of 4 nights or longer, each fourth evening of that keep will price zero factors. There isn’t any restrict to what number of instances you need to use this profit — although it solely applies to full award stays, not these booked utilizing money and factors.

Lastly, it is value discussing IHG’s coverage on blackout dates. Here is the way it’s described within the phrases and circumstances of the IHG Rewards:

There aren’t any blackout dates for Reward Nights; nonetheless, room stock is proscribed and topic to prior sale. As well as, Members could not be capable to redeem Factors for Reward Nights at InterContinental Residences, IHG Military Motels, choose Six Senses Motels Resorts and Spas and choose Mr & Mrs Smith motels.

The primary sentence notes that there there aren’t any blackout dates, however then motels have the power to limit the variety of rooms obtainable utilizing factors. As further lodge packages transfer to dynamic pricing, we have seen this identical challenge with packages like Marriott Bonvoy and a few World of Hyatt properties.

Associated: The way to redeem factors with the IHG Rewards program

Which playing cards compete with the IHG Enterprise Premier card?

Chase additionally provides the World of Hyatt Enterprise Credit score Card, which carries a $199 annual charge. New candidates can earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening.

The Hyatt Enterprise card provides computerized Discoverist standing with World of Hyatt (the bottom tier) and a path towards increased standing ranges via bank card spending. Whereas this card would not supply any free evening awards, it does supply perks like as much as $100 in spending credit with Hyatt every cardmember 12 months, Hyatt Leverage membership for doable reductions on lodge stays and the power to unlock a ten% factors rebate.

By way of factors incomes, cardholders earn 4 factors per greenback with Hyatt and Small Luxurious Motels of the World, 4 factors per greenback on eligible Lindblad Expeditions, 2 factors per greenback on health membership and fitness center memberships and a pair of factors per greenback within the prime three spending classes every quarter (via Dec. 31, 2023, then your prime two spending classes every quarter). Cardholders earn 1 level per greenback on different purchases. You’ll find extra particulars in our assessment of the World of Hyatt Enterprise card.

For these searching for complimentary top-tier standing and a low annual charge (simply $95), take into account the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Enterprise Card from Barclays. The sign-up bonus provides as much as 75,000 bonus factors: Earn 65,000 bonus factors after spending $2,000 on purchases inside 90 days of account opening and earn 10,000 further bonus factors after including an worker card and making a purchase order on that card. Cardholders obtain computerized top-tier Wyndham Rewards Diamond standing, plus perks like 10% factors reductions on award stays and 15,000 bonus factors on every cardmember anniversary.

Factors are earned as follows:

• 8 factors per greenback at Wyndham properties and on fuel purchases.
• 5 factors per greenback on advertising and marketing, promoting and utility purchases.
• 1 level per greenback on different purchases.

For extra particulars, see our put up on deciding which Wyndham card is best for you.

The data for the Wyndham Enterprise card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

The Hilton Honors American Specific Enterprise Card could possibly be one other nice choice — and it additionally carries a $95 annual charge (see charges and charges).

New candidates can earn 130,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of card membership. Cardmembers obtain computerized mid-tier Gold standing with Hilton Honors and may spend their method to Diamond standing via $40,000 of purchases on the cardboard in a calendar 12 months.

Different perks embody 10 Precedence Cross visits per 12 months and incomes free weekend evening rewards through spending: one award after $15,000 in purchases throughout a calendar 12 months and one other award after $60,000 in purchases in a calendar 12 months. Cardmembers earn 12 factors per greenback at Hilton properties; 6 factors per greenback at U.S. eating places, U.S. fuel stations, transport suppliers, wi-fi telephone providers bought instantly from service suppliers, flights and automobile leases; and three factors per greenback on different purchases.

You’ll find extra particulars in our assessment of the Hilton Enterprise card.

American Specific additionally provides one other lodge enterprise card: the Marriott Bonvoy Enterprise™ American Specific® Card. It carries a $125 annual charge (see charges and charges) and provides computerized Gold Elite standing with Marriott Bonvoy.

The present welcome supply gives 100,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of card membership, although this supply ends Nov. 2, 2022. Cardmembers additionally obtain 15 elite evening credit per 12 months (that are helpful for in search of increased standing ranges) and as much as a 7% low cost on room charges.

You may earn 6 factors per greenback at motels taking part in Marriott Bonvoy; 4 factors per greenback at eating places, U.S. fuel stations, U.S. transport purchases and on wi-fi phone providers bought instantly from U.S. service suppliers; and a pair of factors per greenback on different purchases.

For extra particulars, try our assessment of the Amex Marriott Enterprise bank card.

Backside line

The IHG Premier Enterprise card has an annual charge of $99 and provides an annual free evening award that may be redeemed for extra worth than that. Cardholders additionally earn factors at high quality charges when making purchases in bonus classes, but the incomes fee on on a regular basis purchases is weak.

The complimentary Platinum Elite standing with IHG One Rewards, journey protections, United TravelBank credit score and reimbursement for presidency safety screening packages additionally present worth.

Small-business homeowners who’re loyal to IHG and even these merely seeking to diversify their journey technique can discover adequate worth to justify the cardboard’s $99 annual charge annually.

Nonetheless, that requires utilizing the perks, so be sure that you are able to do that. In any other case, it’s possible you’ll wrestle to justify conserving the cardboard in years two and past.

For charges and charges of the Hilton Enterprise Amex, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Marriott Enterprise Amex, click on right here.