If points and miles are an addiction, that first successful trip is the gateway drug. The sooner you’re able to realise that miles really do add up to amazing travel experiences, the sooner you dive deeper and do it again. When just two cards can give you enough points for a fantastic trip, you’re only a few months away from realising what’s possible. With 240,000 points up for grabs with just two card bonuses, that’s easier than usual…
Two Amazing Rewards Credit Card Offers
Chase has two fantastic card offers right now, both of which are much higher than usual. It’s rare to see a 100,000 point airline credit card offer, and even more rare to see a 140,000 point hotel card offer. As of yesterday, there’s now both…
- The IHG Premier Rewards Credit Card is offering 140,000 IHG Rewards points after $3,000 in spending within the first three months.
- The United Business Credit Card is offering 100,000 United MileagePlus miles after $10,000 in spending within the first three months.
What Those Points Actually Mean
IHG Rewards nights start from 10,000 points, and during “Points Break” promotions, they can be even less. 140,000 points (before what you earn from spending) is enough for 14 nights on the lower end of the luxury spectrum and at least two nights on the higher end of it. Here’s a guide to spending IHG rewards points.
Don’t forget that IHG has partnered with Mr & Mrs Smith to bring boutique properties into IHG rewards, in addition to the usual suspects. Oh, and you get 4th night free on award bookings, so that means your points can be stretched even further…
United MileagePlus miles can be used for upgrades, or flights on United and a variety of partners; and after spending enough to trigger the bonus, you’d have 110,000 United miles at a minimum. That’s nearly enough for a round trip business class ticket to Europe – United charges 125,000 for saver business class flights. Here’s a guide to the best ways to maximise United miles.
In other words, if you can complete the spending required and get approved for these two rewards cards, you’re just a little bit of planning away from turning your daily spending for pleasure or work into a lovely vacation, which you may or may not deserve.
We’ll go with “definitely deserve”…
Benefits Well Beyond The Points
Make no mistake about it, these cards are worth getting based on the welcome bonuses alone, but they each offer benefits which more than justify the annual fee on an ongoing basis, thus deserving a place in the wallet.
- The IHG Premier Card offers a complimentary anniversary night each year, valid for hotels up to 40,000 points. That more than justifies the $89 annual fee, in my opinion, since any free night at a hotel of that calibre should be worth much more. Plus, you get IHG Platinum status as long as you hold the card, and also a fee credit towards Global Entry/TSA PreCheck, if you don’t already have it…
- The new United Business Card offers two United Club passes annually, free checked bag on all flights (worth potentially $100’s), a $100 annual credit after you’ve spent at least $100 with United 7 times in a year, Priority Boarding on United flights and a 25% discount on in flight purchases – with an annual fee of just $99, these are more than justified, in my opinion.
Obviously, it’s all about whether you can make this work for you, and if you can manage the spending. The United offer would mean business spending of at least $3400 per month to trigger the bonus, and the IHG card would require at least $1001 per month in personal spending to meet the welcome bonus requirements.
If you can swing one, either, or both – the offers are absolutely worth a look, both for the short term benefits and long term value of the cards. With the IHG and Mr & Mrs Smith partnership, there’s now some really cool boutique hotels around the world which are bookable with IHG Points, in addition to typical chain offerings…
Wish you would have thrown up your referral link earlier, just got approved for this card via OMMAT. We’re looking at super trip next year to Indonesia. Hoping to combine WOH points for Alila Villas Uluwatu in Bali with IHG/Mr.& Ms. Smith. Assume all of this be possible, no?
IHG’s Pointsbreaks page is dead this morning, why would anyone bother with an IHG card