Tennen

Well, depending on your anniversary date, I'd suggest waiting before you close your card, if you do end up doing so. AFAIK, the free nights issued before May 2019 will still be unrestricted.

And, to be honest, it's a ridiculous reason to close a card just because you can't use the free nights at Intercontinental properties. Even with the 40k restriction, almost any hotel you choose to redeem your free night at will cost more than $49. Of course, the decision is up to you, and if you cancel, it'll be one less person competing for free night space.

lwildernorva

In addition to my earlier comments, keep in mind that Chase is not accepting new applications for the Select card. Once canceled, there is no opportunity to receive the card again. Of course, you can get the Premier, which can effectively give you multiple free nights at any IC if you have enough points since the Premier takes those 70K per night redemptions and makes them 52.5K per night (280K for four nights becomes 210K for four nights with the fourth night free). Add the 10% rebate from the Select card, and those become 47.25K per night. Thus, the combination of the two cards saves you 91K points on a four-night IC redemption.

If you've got several months before the annual fee comes due, I'd think this through before canceling. I think the Select/Premier combination is one of the best going in the hotel CC world. Forget for a moment the free night the Select offers; in the example above, the points the Select saves you would cost $105 during the current 100% point promotion sale.

BaconSF

lainys

Why IC only? I've used my free nights an HIE at Grand Canyon and HIE at Santa Cruz. Both nights were worth more than the $49 annual fee plus the added bonus of keeping our IHG points alive since this isn't our primary go to hotel chain.

BaconSF