How I Got $1200 out of my credit card sign-up bonus

The IHG Brand may not be as common as Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt, but includes hotels like Holiday Inn, Candlewood Suites, Crowne Plaza, Intercontinental, Kimpton, and more. The IHG Premier credit card is one of the best values out there. For only $89 a year, you get these fantastic perks:

--140k Signup Bonus (in this post, you will see how this can be worth over $1000!) 
--IHG Platinum Status (free upgrades, late checkout, bonus points, etc)
​--4th night free when you book 4 consecutive nights using points
--A free night at any midrange hotel EVERY  year (this benefit itself will more than pay for the card's annual fee)
--Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Reimbursement

A few months ago, I signed-up for the card, spent $3,000 on it within the first three months, and received my 140,000 bonus points! Here’s how I redeemed these points for an amazing value! 

4 nights in Flagstaff, Arizona: Holiday Inn Express: 17.5k points per night (4th night free) = 52.5k points
1 night in Canmore, AB (next to Banff): Holiday Inn: 25k points per night = 25k points
2 nights in Golden, BC (next to Banff): Holiday Inn Express: 20k points per night = 40k points
2 night in Hinton, AB (next to Jasper): Holiday Inn: 12.5k points per night = 25k points

Total Points Used: 142,500
Total Cash I Saved: $1,214 (cash value of all 9 nights)

All in all, I got over $1200 of value from the signup bonus alone. IHG recently introduced flex pricing on their points redemptions, which means that different nights will cost different amounts of points at the same hotel, so make sure you check lots of dates and see which ones come out to be the cheapest! Also try to book in groups of 4 nights, so you can take advantage of the 4th night free benefit. 

Although I wouldn't recommend spending much money on this card after the signup bonus requirement, this is a great card to essentially keep forever that pays for itself! If you would like to learn more about signing up for this card, click here!

Holiday Inn Canmore (near Banff!) Booked for only 25k IHG Points!