The Chase IHG card has long had one of the best annual credit card benefits, a free night valid at any IHG property worldwide.
Unfortunately some cardholders are reporting getting a letter that effective 5/1, annual free night certificates will be limited to properties that cost 40K points or less. That still a good value considering the card’s low annual fee ($0 intro fee, then $89 then $49), but it kills redemptions at the most aspirational properties, like those in Bora Bora.
Via Reddit:
In Israel the free night will still be valid at the Crowne Plaza Jerusalem, Crowne Plaza Eilat, Crowne Plaza Dead Sea, Hotel Indigo Tel Aviv Diamond District, Crowne Plaza Haifa, Crowne Plaza Tel Aviv Beach, and the Crowne Plaza Tel Aviv City Center.
However it will no longer be valid at the InterContinental David Tel Aviv.
Surprisingly for a change with such little advance notice, Chase is still marketing the free night as being valid at any IHG hotel. Perhaps there’s a chance that Chase will give one renewal certificate valid at all properties to new cardholders? Otherwise, it sure seems like they would have a valid claim if they applied for a card that promised a renewal certificate good for any property and were then told that there will be a cap.
Have you received this letter from Chase yet?
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39 Comments On "IHG Devalues Annual Free Night Certificate!"
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Just got mine in the mail 🙁
How long have you had the card for? Did you already get an uncapped certificate in the past?
I also just got mine today. I have only gotten it uncapped once
Just got it in August
Ive had it for 10 months so never got the uncapped night yet however just received the letter today.
Wow. I’d definitely write a letter to Chase in that case.
Dan, do you suggest writing a letter or can i just call and speak to the supervisor?
I too signed up 9months ago and Just got the letter. Any tips and what I should say when I send a secure message to chase?
Looks like they removed the word “any”…
Financial institutions are realizing theres no real benefit to give perks to cardholders (similar to their practices out of the us) You really don’t have a choice if all the major banks decide to cut perks if you want to use a credit card
also got letter.
have for 2 years – used both for InterContinental NYC
Also got the letter today. I haven’t had a chance to check but the wording says certificates issued after May 1st. Ours is issued before then so for this year it should still be good anywhere. After this year though, subject to the cap.
Yes, my wife and I both received the letters today. Sad.
Both my wife and I received letters today. We’ve only had the card since July 2017. My wife had the card once before but I did not.
Sad
I’m surprised you never posted about HSBC Premiers point devaluation.
I received a letter in early January that as of April 2nd, to redeem for travel statement credit, they will require 80 rewards program points per US dollar, from 62 points. That was a crazy devaluation.
100,000 points went from $1600 value to $1200. Thievery!
Just got my letter today. Had card for 4 yrs. Too bad. Think I’ll cancel card after the “40k” night posts.
Just got hit with the fee called and asked for senior manager . Threatened to cancel due to very negative change. Gave me two free nights . Will use it next week and cancel the card to avoid the fee! 4Ok points value is worth about $50 cos most ihg property cost at least 50k to 70k points.
Did you call Chase or IHG directly?
I got the card 5 weeks ago after hearing all about the free night with no restrictions! Sadly I lost out!
It’s funny though that if you logout of your IHG account in the app it is still showing the card offer with the old uncapped free night benefit listed.
At the end of the letter they mention about a new premier club credit card. Maybe the will allow an uncapped cert for that card.
It will also have a cap.
How does this effect redemptions at Kimpton hotel’s?
The same as any IHG hotel.
Yep, this means that most (all?) of the Kimpton’s will be out too. We’re using one of ours tomorrow at the Kimpton Nine Zero in Boston where the rate would have been $360/night plus tax and fees. I wish IHG would at least allow you to make up the difference by using additional points.
Great suggestion. Allowing the cardholder to make up the difference using points would be reasonable.
Just checked my account and read the fine-print on my already-posted certificate. Doesn’t say anything about a cap. Is that expected to change (will already-posted certificates be affected by this change)?
No, if your certificate is issued before May then it won’t be capped.
I just signed up in October 2017! I should at least be grandfathered in for the first year! This is definitely not an honorable change!
I just received a letter today and was very sad I used the free night in Orlando this year at the Crowne Plaza I’ve had the card for a few years and have usEd the free nights
What a terrible devaluation. This was probably my favorite benefit of a card to ‘keep in the drawer’. I recently got my certficate, so I didn’t get hurt as much as some others. Now I am wondering if the right strategy is to cancel before it rolls over to a new kind of card, so that I can then apply for the new kind of card and get intro bonus points. Thoughts?
I don’t think this will roll over to a new card.
Thanks
Just spoke to chase and was told that as of this morning there was a change: anyone who is in their first yr will still receive one uncapped night at their anniversary
Write a secure message to Chase and get that in writing.
Let us know if they confirm 🙂
I did this, they said they have no responsibility over rewards and to call IHG 1-877-318-5890 to resolve concerns.
Could have been worse.
My last licks is a night at the IC Amsterdam, which is going for about $700 that night!
I wrote a letter to that Nichelle Evans. No reply yet. I did the secure message and they put 5K points into my account. I will wait another week and write a letter to Jamie Dimon. My husband and I both obtained the cards in July, ’18. I personally feel that this is a change in terms which credit cards are not allowed to do in the first year after obtaining the card. If they wanted to end the annual night, Chase/IHG should just done a 60K points to each cardholders IHG account. That would have nipped all the problems. “Free annual night is ending, here’s 60K points”. I will be closing this account.