Should you’re planning your subsequent journey and have your eyes set on an IHG resort, it is pure so that you can assume the most suitable choice for paying could also be with an IHG One Rewards cobranded card.
That is not a foul thought, since you’ll routinely obtain excessive incomes charges and program-specific perks, reminiscent of elite standing, once you maintain an IHG bank card.
However here is some expert-level recommendation: A cobranded card might not all the time be the most suitable choice to pay for an IHG keep. That is proper — there are some cases through which one other card in your pockets might enable you to maximize your earnings.
Let’s check out this record of playing cards to think about when reserving with IHG. A few of the choices listed might shock you.
Evaluating bank cards for an IHG keep
Positive, there are many occasions when an IHG cobranded card would be the proper alternative for reserving an IHG resort.
Nevertheless, you might obtain extra worth from paying with an all-around journey rewards card that earns transferable factors, which are sometimes extra priceless in the long term.
Listed here are some playing cards you would possibly wish to pay with, and what you might get when utilizing these playing cards:
*Worth relies on TPG’s October 2025 valuations.
**The data for the American Specific Inexperienced 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.
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Which bank card must you use for IHG stays?
It is nonetheless good follow for IHG loyalists to carry its cobranded bank cards to obtain elite standing and card perks.
Nevertheless, there are lots of cases through which it is higher to tug out one other card out of your pockets to pay for the precise keep itself.
While you’re making this determination, you may wish to weigh two components:
- The advantages you may obtain from the cardboard you employ to pay
- The worth of the factors you may earn from paying with that card
Take into account these calculations:
- Should you pay with the IHG One Premier or IHG One Premier Enterprise, you may earn 10 factors per greenback spent in your keep. IHG factors are price 0.5 cents apiece. So, these 10 factors are price 5 cents.
- Should you pay with the Amex Inexperienced, you may earn 3 factors per greenback spent in your keep. Amex Membership Rewards factors are price 2 cents every. So, these 3 factors are literally valued at 6 cents.
While you break it down like this, it truly makes extra sense to pay with the Amex Inexperienced, since these factors are extra priceless. We worth Membership Rewards factors greater than IHG factors as a result of they are often transferred to a variety of resort and airline companions.
After all, it is price contemplating that non-cobranded playing cards do not unlock advantages like room upgrades on their very own. Nevertheless, you do not have to fret about this when you already maintain an IHG cobranded card.
That is as a result of merely having the cardboard unlocks these perks. You do not have to pay together with your IHG card to obtain these advantages.
So, it is sensible to carry an IHG card merely to qualify for elite standing and obtain advantages, and use a special card with a extra priceless foreign money to pay.
It’s possible you’ll not even have to carry an IHG card to unlock these advantages, nevertheless. That is as a result of the Sapphire Reserve‘s latest overhaul added complimentary IHG Platinum standing (by means of Dec. 31, 2027) to its record of advantages. Excessive-spending people who put a minimum of $75,000 on the cardboard in a calendar yr unlock IHG Diamond standing.
Plus, the Sapphire Reserve presents elevated incomes charges on lodges booked straight with IHG (4 factors per greenback spent) and IHG lodges booked by means of Chase Journey (8 factors per greenback spent).
That stated, it is price noting that utilizing a card just like the Sapphire Reserve to pay for an IHG keep by means of Chase Journey might not be the most suitable choice. These reservations are handled as third-party bookings, so they don’t seem to be eligible to earn IHG factors.
Even so, the Chase Final Rewards factors you may earn by swiping the Sapphire Reserve might be transferred freely and instantly to IHG if you have to high off your steadiness for an upcoming redemption.
Whereas there are lots of different methods to maximise these factors, IHG loyalists can reap the benefits of this. Do not forget to think about how this card’s $795 annual price components into the way you weigh the worth of those advantages.
You may additionally miss out on utilizing any elite standing perks throughout your keep when you e book by means of Chase Journey, so you should definitely take into account that when deciding how you can e book (and pay).
Associated: What you have to learn about direct versus third-party journey bookings
Backside line
It is nonetheless a good suggestion for IHG loyalists to carry an IHG cobranded card to obtain perks like elite standing. Nevertheless, it isn’t a provided that your IHG cobranded card is the most suitable choice to truly pay to your keep.
We do not worth IHG factors extremely. We typically advocate amassing transferable rewards which are extra priceless. So, one other card in your pockets that earns bonus factors on resort stays may very well be your greatest wager.
Generally, take into account retaining your IHG card round for the added advantages and utilizing a extra priceless journey rewards card to truly pay to your IHG keep.
Associated: From mountain peaks to seaside getaways: 7 IHG lodges to your subsequent trip
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