Chase and IHG® Hotels & Resorts Launch New Business Mastercard and Enhanced Benefits Across the Chase IHG® Rewards Consumer Mastercard Portfolio

Rhea-AI Summary

Chase and IHG Hotels & Resorts unveiled the IHG Rewards Premier Business Mastercard featuring up to 140,000 bonus points for new cardmembers. This business card optimizes rewards for everyday expenses, offering 5X points on travel and gas, among other categories. Enhanced benefits across IHG's consumer cards were also announced, including 3X points on utilities and dining. The consumer cards provide a simplified path to elite status with added benefits such as anniversary free nights and bonus points, improving customer engagement and loyalty.

Positive

• Launch of IHG Rewards Premier Business Mastercard with 140,000 bonus points offer
• Enhanced earning rates including 5X points on travel and gas for business cardholders
• Consumer cards offer 3X points on utilities, dining, providing wider rewards
• Increased flexibility with Anniversary Free Night certificates
• New consumer cards promote customer loyalty through simplified elite status pathways

Negative

• Annual fee for IHG Rewards Premier Mastercard increases to $99 in 2023
• Existing cardmembers face higher fees without additional benefits immediately

New cardmembers eligible for a limited-time offer of up to 140,000 bonus points

WILMINGTON, Del. & ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Chase, the largest co-brand card issuer in the U.S., and IHG^® Hotels & Resorts announced the launch of the new IHG^® Rewards Premier Business Mastercard^®, with Mastercard as the exclusive payments network, designed to help small business owners turn everyday expenses into meaningful travel rewards. In tandem with this news, Chase and IHG also activated new and enhanced benefits across the IHG^® Rewards Traveler and Premier Consumer Mastercard^® products.

(Photo: Business Wire)

All three cards feature benefits allowing cardmembers to earn points faster than ever before, as well as simplified pathways to IHG Rewards’ new Elite tiers and optimized ways to use points. This includes the new industry-leading ability for Premier and Premier Business cardmembers to add unlimited points to Anniversary Free Night certificates, increasing the flexibility of where the Anniversary Free Night certificates can be used across IHG Hotels & Resorts’ growing global portfolio of 17 brands and 6,000 destinations. These updates to the card portfolio align with IHG^® Hotels & Resorts’ new vision for the IHG Rewards loyalty program, beginning with new tiers launching in April 2022.

“With the addition of the new IHG^® Premier Business Mastercard and updates to the Premier and Traveler cards, we’re excited about what our strong cards offer those who love traveling,” said Ed Olebe, President of Chase Co-Brand Cards. “The cards complement IHG’s reimagined loyalty program, providing an accelerated way to earn points and benefits that will help create more memorable travel experiences for our cardmembers.”

“We set out to offer our members reimagined benefits to meet their needs for today’s environment and are really proud of what we have delivered with our new consumer and business cards,” said Heather Balsley, Senior Vice President of Global Loyalty and Partnerships, IHG Hotels & Resorts. “By offering the fastest way to earn rewards, including new benefits like 5X points on purchases at gas stations, up to $50 United^® TravelBank Cash each calendar year, we’re helping turn everyday expenses for consumers and small business alike into meaningful travel rewards that can be applied at our more than 6,000 destinations across the world, including leading global brands such as InterContinental^® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton^® Hotels & Restaurants and Holiday Inn Express^®.”

“Mastercard is thrilled to continue the partnership with Chase and IHG Hotels & Resorts, to support the product travelers choose for rewards that help fuel their passions, and now the product small business owners can rely on for benefits that are meaningful to them as well,” said John Levitsky, Executive Vice President, Mastercard. “People are looking for card benefits that match their lifestyle and through our Chase and IHG Hotels & Resorts portfolio, we’re creating propositions that they find truly rewarding and that are accessible simply by going about their every day or operating their business.”

On the IHG^® Rewards Traveler Mastercard (no fee), updates and enhanced benefits include:

• The IHG^® Rewards Club Traveler Mastercard is now the IHG^® Rewards Traveler Mastercard
• Increased ways to earn points through purchases on the card:
  • 3X points (from 1X) on utilities, internet, cable, phone, and select streaming services
  • 3X points (from 2X) on dining and at gas stations
  • 2X points (from 1X) per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Up to 17X points on stays at IHG^® Hotels & Resorts*
• Automatic IHG^® Rewards Silver Elite status*
• A simplified way to reach the next IHG^® Rewards Elite status level – Cardmembers can now earn IHG^® Rewards Gold Elite status after spending $20,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year
• Cardmembers now earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $10,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year.
• World Mastercard benefits, including
  • Access to Mastercard Priceless^®Experiences
  • Exclusive offers from popular brands for services like ride-sharing, food delivery and online shopping

On the IHG^® Rewards Premier Mastercard ($99 fee), updates and enhanced benefits include:

• The IHG^® Rewards Club Premier Mastercard is now the IHG^® Rewards Premier Mastercard
• Increased ways to earn points through purchases on the card:
  • 5X points (from 1X) on travel
  • 5X points (from 2X) on dining and at gas stations
  • 3X points (from 1X) per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Up to 26X points on stays at IHG^® Hotels & Resorts*
• Added flexibility to Anniversary Free Night certificates – Cardmembers earn an Anniversary Free Night certificate on their account anniversary date each year. The Anniversary Free Night certificate is redeemable at IHG^® Hotels & Resorts with a current point redemption level of 40,000 points or less, and now this industry-leading offer allows cardmembers the ability to add unlimited points from their IHG^® Rewards account to redeem the Anniversary Free Night at hotels above the 40,000 point level.
• A simplified way to reach the next IHG^® Rewards Elite status level:
  • Cardmembers continue to receive automatic Platinum Elite status, which will feature a 60% bonus (formerly 50%) earn on qualifying stays with IHG Hotels & Resorts*
  • Cardmembers can now also earn IHG^® Rewards Diamond Elite status after spending $40,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year with their card
• Cardmembers can now earn both 10,000 bonus points and a $100 statement credit after spending $20,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year.
• Up to $50 United^® TravelBank Cash each calendar year – Cardmembers can use TravelBank Cash on United Airlines purchases. Customers have to register their IHG^® Rewards Premier card with their United MileagePlus^® account.
• Annual fee will increase to $99 (from $89) in 2023 for existing cardmembers.
• World Elite Mastercard benefits, including
  • Complimentary 24/7 concierge service
  • Access to Mastercard Priceless^®Experiences
  • Exclusive offers from popular brands for services like ride-sharing, food delivery and online shopping

In addition to these new and enhanced benefits now available on the IHG^® Rewards Traveler Mastercard and the IHG^® Rewards Premier Consumer Mastercard, cardmembers also enjoy existing benefits, such as the ability to earn the fourth reward night free after redeeming points for any consecutive four-night IHG^® hotel stay, 20% off IHG Rewards points purchases, and more.

To celebrate these exciting updates, new Chase IHG consumer cardmembers have the opportunity to earn:

• 120,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on qualifying purchases on the Chase IHG Traveler Mastercard in the first three months of account opening
• 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases on the Chase IHG Premier Mastercard in the first three months of account opening

To learn more about the new benefits or apply for a card, visit www.chase.com/IHG.

Launching today is also the new IHG^® Rewards Premier Business Mastercard, the first new business card to market from Chase and IHG in over a decade, featuring both the enhanced benefits of the Premier consumer card and the ability to earn more points on business-related expenses.

The IHG^® Rewards Premier Business Mastercard offers cardmembers:

• Opportunities to earn points on both business-related and everyday categories:
  • 5X points on travel and at gas stations, restaurants and dining, social media and search engine advertising and at office supply stores
  • 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Up to 26X points when staying with IHG^® Hotels & Resorts*
• Automatic IHG^® Rewards Platinum Elite status, which will feature a 60% bonus earn on qualifying stays with IHG Hotels & Resorts*
  • Cardmembers can earn IHG^® Rewards Diamond Elite status after spending $40,000 on qualifying purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year.
• Anniversary Free Night – Cardmembers earn an Anniversary Free Night certificate on their account anniversary date each year. The Anniversary Free Night certificate is redeemable at IHG^® Hotels & Resorts with a current point redemption level of 40,000 points or less, and now this industry-leading offer allows cardmembers the ability to add unlimited points from their IHG^® Rewards account to redeem the Anniversary Free Night at hotels above the 40,000 point level.
  • After spending $60,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year, cardmembers earn an additional Free Night certificate with a current point redemption level of 40,000 points or less to use at IHG^® Hotels & Resorts.
• Earn 10,000 bonus points and a $100 statement credit after spending $20,000 on qualifying purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year.
• Redeem 3 Nights, Get the 4^th Night Free – The fourth reward night is free when cardmembers redeem points for any stay of four or more nights at that same hotel during that same stay.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^® Fee Credit – The primary cardholder receives a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^® Fee Credit of up to $100 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to the Card.
• Up to $50 United^® TravelBank Cash each calendar year – Cardmembers can use TravelBank Cash on United Airlines purchases. Customers have to register their IHG^® Rewards Premier Business card with their United MileagePlus^® account.
• World Elite Mastercard for Businessbenefits, including
  • Complimentary 24/7 Business Assistant
  • Access to Mastercard Priceless^® Experiences and Mastercard Easy Savings^™
  • Exclusive offers from popular brands for services like ride-sharing as well as marketing and cash flow management tools

For a limited time, new IHG^® Rewards Premier Business Mastercard members have the opportunity to earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months from account opening.

The IHG^® Rewards Premier Business Mastercard has an annual fee of $99. For more information about the welcome offer and the IHG^® Rewards Premier Business Mastercard, please visit chase.com/ihgpremierbusinesscard.

*All Chase IHG Rewards cardmembers will begin enjoying the updated Elite status tiers with enhanced bonusing the week of April 11, 2022. For qualifying stays taking place between March 24 and the week of April 11, 2022, cardmembers will still receive the extra bonus points that come with the new status tiers. These extra points will post to their accounts by the end of May 2022.

For more information, please visit www.chase.com/IHG.

About Chase
Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading financial services firm based in the United States with assets of $3.7 trillion and operations worldwide. Chase serves more than 60 million American households with a broad range of financial services, including personal banking, credit cards, mortgages, auto financing, investment advice, small business loans and payment processing. Customers can choose how and where they want to bank: Nearly 4,800 branches in 48 states and the District of Columbia, 16,000 ATMs, mobile, online and by phone. For more information, go to chase.com.

About IHG Hotels & Resorts
IHG Hotels & Resorts [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good.

With a family of 17 hotel brands and IHG Rewards, one of the world’s largest hotel loyalty programmes, IHG has nearly 6,000 open hotels in more than 100 countries, and a further 1,800 in the development pipeline.

- Luxury & Lifestyle: Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Vignette Collection, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo
- Premium: voco hotels, HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, EVEN Hotels
- Essentials: Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, avid hotels
- Suites: Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Candlewood Suites

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 325,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices globally.

Visit us online for more about our hotels and reservations and IHG Rewards. For our latest news, visit our Newsroom and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220324005168/en/

Chase Card Services

Elizabeth Janis, Chase Communications

Elizabeth.Janis@chase.com

IHG Hotels & Resorts

Mackenzie Ryals, Global Portfolio, Loyalty & Partnerships PR

Mackenzie.Ryals@ihg.com

Mastercard

Alyssa Rosenblatt, Communications

Alyssa.Rosenblatt@mastercard.com

Source: Chase

FAQ

What is the new offer for the IHG Rewards Premier Business Mastercard?

New cardmembers can earn up to 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months.

What are the new benefits of the IHG Rewards Traveler Mastercard?

The card now offers 3X points on dining and gas, and 2X on all other purchases.

When do the updates to the IHG Rewards loyalty program take effect?

The new tier updates for IHG Rewards will be available starting the week of April 11, 2022.

How does the IHG Rewards Premier Mastercard increase its value for consumers?

The card offers an Anniversary Free Night certificate and higher point earn rates, along with the ability to add unlimited points for redemption.

What are the changes in fees for existing cardholders of IHG Rewards Premier Mastercard?

The annual fee increases from $89 to $99 starting in 2023 for existing cardholders.