moretimeoffguy

I've been an IHG credit card holder for years--back when the card and program were called Priority Club. My primary use of it was the anniversary free nights, staying at InterContinental properties costing 50K points or more. Since the cap for free night certs is now 40K/nt (and limits properties you can stay at), I see no reason to keep paying the annual fee; at least on my old card. Enjoyed free stays at great ICs in Paris, Rome, London, etc, but that perk is over.

I'd like to cancel the old card and apply for the new. Presumably it's still not a 5/24 card (I'm working toward 5/24 but have some time to go). Are there any gotchas? Can I cancel the card one day, then apply for the new one the second day and receive the sign-up bonus. I may or may not hold the card going forward since as I've said, my primary use of it was for both me and my wife taking advantage of the anniversary free night certs at ICs.

Bloobell

First I've heard of this restriction, in fact I'm staying in a 50k IC next month using my free night

moretimeoffguy

Sounds great. Wonder how long it will last. From what I've read, older versions of the card won't be grandfathered in. How long ago did you:

1) Receive the free night cert
2) Make the reservation

swag

On the old card, certs issued before May 1 2019 will be valid for any hotel. After that, they will be capped at 40K, same as the new card.
https://thepointsguy.com/news/ihg-se...-through-2019/

But... There's no need to cancel the old before applying for the new. You can hold both and earn 2 free nights each year (for 2 annual fees).

moretimeoffguy

Excellent. Thanks Swag! Wish they allowed topping off new free night cert stays with points--that would work well for me. Wonder if anyone's tried to do this yet, say, via phone reservation.

thunderlounge

The new IHG Premier card does indeed have a restriction on the free night.


The old card is grandfathered in, but for a limited time only. If you have the old card, and your anniversary date is before May 1st, 2019, then you will get one last unrestricted free night from the old card.

Any free nights from the new card are restricted to 40k point values or less.


Here are some options:

If your anniversary date on the old card will come before May 1, 2019:

Keep the old card active, and get the free night which will be the last unrestricted one you will receive.


If your anniversary date on your old card just passed after May 1:

If you just had your anniversary, and it won't happen again until after May 1, 2019, then I would look and see what additional value that card holds for you. It's what, a $49 annual fee? You still get a free night and the other things with it, just that free night will be limited to a 40k/night redemption.



What I would do is keep the old card, AND get the new one. There is nothing preventing you from doing so, and many people have done this already. I would use the old card once every 3 months and put a tank of gas or something on it. Then I would put any IHG charges on the new one for the 10x points per $1 spent at IHG properties (which also includes incidentals, dining on property, spa stuff, etc.)

What you end up doing by having both cards is getting 2 nights free, plus the other benefits from each card. At the very least is getting a 1-night stay for the $49 annual fee. Plus you'll get the free night from the new one, so that's 2 free nights. They won't be at an IC, but if you're going to Europe for example, that's 2 free nights at the Holiday Inn Notre Dame in Paris.

lwildernorva

+1. The new card offers free nights with the same restrictions now imposed on the old card. If it's worth $89 for the annual fee on the new card, why not pay $49 for the old card? I figure the combination of the two cards means the possibility of having six nights at a qualifying IHG property (one free night for each card combined with the "four for three" award benefit under the new card) for no more than 120K points--and maybe 108K if the old card's 10% discount on redemptions stacks with the fourth night free. As has been noted, there are no data points yet proving that the two benefits stack, but there's nothing in the T&Cs of either card preventing it. I think it's worth paying $49 per night for another year to see how these benefits play out, and I definitely think a fee of $138 for two free nights, even with the new restrictions, is still a worthwhile deal.

thunderlounge

Absolutely. Take the HI Mayfair in London for example. Rooms that aren’t a pre-paid rate can be $250/nt and up. Using both certs turns it into $69/nt. Not a bad return at all. Combine that, as mentioned above, with the 4th night free and you’re sitting pretty well for 6 nights.

chrism20

moretimeoffguy

Thanks to all! My wife just applied for the card and it went Pending. Fingers crossed, she'll be approved.

lililolo

I thought I read it somewhere that IHG is giving its old card's unrestricted free night certificate a final run for everybody, not just those anniversary date is May, 2018 or earlier.

In other words, all 2018 anniversary free night certificates will be unrestricted.

Did anybody hear anything about it? Is the rumor confirmed?

thunderlounge

If your next anniversary date for the old card is before May 1, 2019 you will get one more unrestricted free night. Any certs for the old card issued starting May 1, 2019 will be restricted.

baroqen

AND the 10% rebate from the old card too, right, as well as another 10% if you took that option for Ambassador...

Paulchili

thunderlounge

Because the cert was issued before May 1, 2019.

It goes by issue date, not use date.