If you are even mildly interested in the benefits of Points and Miles, this is a Must-Read!

The IHG card by Chase (Chase.com) won’t last forever.  It’s time to get one!  Here’s why; $49 annual fee, waived the first year, 60,000 points, after $1000.00 spend using the card within ~90 days of approval.  In addition, you’ll also receive Platinum Status plus a free award night after the first year anniversary.   Btw, IHG is Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn, Crown Plaza, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, Staybridge, Candlewood AND Las Vegas Palazzo and Venetian (which are now Intercontental Hotels).  Here are some of the highlights from IHG.Com’s website.

Here’s what I did this weekend!  I had a free award night for my 1 year anniversary of card ownership (paid the $49).  I booked a night at the Las Vegas Palazzo in a Suite with two queen beds ($695.00 value)  The Free award night usually includes the room rate and taxes.  Platinum Status often gets you a one-step-up room upgrade (if space is available) and free parking.  (I didn’t print my weekend so the following examples are from the next weekend).  So this is what I was expecting upon arrival.

I arrived at the front desk, in a daze, as the Palazzo is breathtakingly spectacular to view and after a brief wait, was assisted by Alyssa who took customer service to a whole new, wonderful level.

She began by thanking me for being an IHG Platinum member, offered to extend my checkout time so that I could enjoy their glorious pool area and after noticing my two-Queen suite, picked up the phone and after a very brief conversion, upgraded my room to a “Siena” two-Queen, 1280 square ft, Suite.  I remember thinking, “I grew up in a 1200 square ft house and this is bigger?”  That is Customer Service that will be remembered!

We received our room keys and up we went.  Our room had a double-wide front door, my first ever.  We the entered into this massive two room, two bathroom Suite and just stared in complete awe…speechless.  The “there is marble EVERYWHERE!” kind of awe.

I stood in the livingroom and reflected on the total cost so far: $39.00 (resort fee) and of course, the $49 Chase yearly renewal.  This card is packed with value and remember the 60,000 Points you received the first year without paying out any fees? (Spend $1000 on the card get 60,000 points).  Guess how much a suite at the Las Vegas Palazzo in IHG Reward Club Points is?

You guessed it, 60,000 points.  We had plans for the evening but absolutely had to force ourselves to leave this room.  I forgot to mention the 36th floor view from both the livingroom and the bedroom, floor to ceiling windows…amazing!

Let’s close on a few additional important details; An IHG Reward Club Point is worth around .007 each.  So 60,000 points would have an approximate value of $420.00 (60,000 x .007).  So year one, spend $1000.00 buying and paying off whatever you normally do (within the first 90 days) and receive 60,000 in points.  At the end of the first year, pay $49.00 and receive a free award night valued at whatever the best value you can find (mine ended up being over $1000.00).  Also, for what it’s worth, I receive no financial anything from IHG and I seriously doubt that they even know I exist, although I quietly wish they did…

So that’s it.  I love IHG and enjoy benefits like this all over the world using their award Points.  Doctorofcredit.com has posted a link in which the author suggests that possible card benefit changes could be on the horizon, http://www.doctorofcredit.com/chase-ihg-survey-new-card-options/.  Happy Travels and remember to always bite off more than you can chew! ie. BE BOLD!   Travelinggump.com