Chase has added a premium tier to its IHG credit card lineup: the IHG One Rewards Premier Select, carrying a $350 annual fee and a launch bonus of 200,000 points after $5,000 of spend in the first three months. At a rough half-cent per point, that bonus is worth around $1,000 on its own — and the card has a few tricks that make the first year especially compelling.
The cleverest is the airline credit. Cardholders get a $200 statement credit per calendar year (running through 31 December 2027), triggered by a single flight purchase of at least $250 booked directly with an airline. Open the card this autumn, book a qualifying flight in 2026 and another in early 2027 before your first anniversary, and you'll pocket $400 against the $350 fee before you've even paid for a second year. Timing matters, though: the purchases must fall in the right calendar years, so don't leave the December one until the last minute.
The hotel perks are substantial too. Every anniversary brings a free night worth up to 60,000 points (toppable with your own points), plus quarterly $75 vouchers for hotel food and drink — though unused voucher balances vanish on redemption. Points stays earn every fourth night free on consecutive award nights at the same property, and you get automatic Platinum status. Smaller extras include a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit up to $120 every four years, no foreign transaction fees, and a year of DashPass with three months of Instacart+ if enrolled by the end of 2027.
The card also deposits 20 elite night credits on opening and annually thereafter, which unlocks the 20-night Milestone Reward immediately — and the confirmable suite upgrade is the standout pick. It covers an eligible stay of up to five nights, including awards, as long as you call IHG between 14 days and 24 hours before arrival. Crucially, Chase has confirmed these night credits stack across cards: hold Premier Select alongside both the personal Premier and the Business card and you'll bank 50 elite nights a year from January 2027 — enough for lounge membership, suite upgrades and the 50-night milestone without a single hotel stay. Spending $15,000 in a calendar year adds five bonus nights and 20,000 points, which beats a 2% cash back card even before counting the status perks.
For frequent IHG guests — Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, InterContinental and the rest — this is one of the more generous first-year hotel card deals around, especially for anyone chasing suite upgrades without grinding through hotel nights. Casual travellers should weigh whether the ongoing $350 fee earns its keep once the launch credits dry up, and note the published airline benefit currently ends in 2027.
