The IHG Rewards credit card has been a staple in my wallet for many years solely because of the uncapped annual free night certificate. The certificate was valid at any IHG property, and one could easily get hundreds of dollars of value in exchange for paying the $49 annual fee.
In the past, I’ve used this free night certificates at top-tier properties in expensive cities like Times Square in New York and The Palazzo on a Saturday night in Las Vegas. It was a super generous card-benefit.
IHG Anniversary Night Redemption at The Palazzo in Las Vegas
Unfortunately the card just took a steep nose dive today, and the changes were far worse than I’d expect with such short notice.
Cardmembers are now receiving official notice that on May 1, 2018 the Anniversary Free Night benefit associated with the IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card will be changing.
Currently, the Anniversary Free Night certificate is awarded after your card member anniversary date and is redeemable for any IHG property. Going forward, the Anniversary Free Night certificates issued after May 1, 2018, will be redeemable at eligible IHG hotels with a remdeption value up to and including 40,000 points.
Any anniversary night issued before May 1, 2018 is still valid at any IHG hotel worldwide.
This is a huge bummer for those who got the card after May 1, 2017, as they will not be entitled to receive the annual free night certificate that they were promised when they opened the account almost a full year ago. Several family members of mine applied for the card last fall and now they feel they are getting stiffed.
For example, a friend of mine recently got approved for this card in March 2018. Her first free night certificate is due to post in March 2019, after her first cardmember anniversary. She will not be able to redeem the free night under the terms that she applied under. Another friend applied in September 2017 and is facing the same frustrations. As you can imagine, they are very disappointed.
Bottom Line
The cap at 40,000 points seriously limits the use of these certificates and is a massive devaluation. Of course, some may argue that it’s still “worth it” to keep the card and pay the $49 annual fee each year because even staying at a Holiday Inn off of a mid-western highway would cost more than $49 if paid, but let’s be honest – none of us consider that an aspirational redemption.
What are your thoughts about these changes? Will you keep the card?
Bye bye card.
I am getting rid of the card immediately. I used it once for the Paris le Grand and in my second year dealt with so many blackouts etc that I had to use it on a fake staycation at the Intercontinental Times Square. Obviously not the worst, but no reason to keep this card given that I have zero desire to stay at run of the mill IHG properties. Buh Bye!
I’m starting to feel the same!
Darn this news! We are expecting my husband’s free night certificate to be issued mid-May. I had it earmarked for a night at the Intercontinental London Park Lane.
Any way to get them to issue it early???
Definitely worth a call! That’s a serious bummer :( keep us posted. I’ll be making calls too for my parents
It was bound to happen. I’m not happy.
Be Satisfied!!!
Honestly we all get rewards in so many ways and life is to short to be greedy!
Be Greatful!!! Sounds like a lot if people have a silver spoon in their mouth and when there is sour taste instead of sweet taste everyone grumbles.
IHG is a good thing in many ways besides getting room for 40,000 pts.
Spend one day a week playing poor see what it really feels like. I am keeping my IHG CARD.
Cancelled this morning. Done with IHG and won’t need to worry about their 4 digit PIN anymore.
For the 4 years I had the card I’ve always gifted my free nights to friends and used sign up points for a trade with a friend when I wanted a non-IHG Hotel. I’ll cancel before the next fee but just redeemed the remain 14,000 points in my acct for an Amazon gift card: 11,000 points = $25 gift card.