The Chase IHG card has had it’s sign up bonus decreased to 60,000 points after $1,000 in spend within the first three months of account opening and an additional 5,000 points when you add an authorized user and they make their first purchase, this is a decrease from the 70,000 points + 5,000 points for authorized user offer that was recently available.
There are two better offers you should be aware of:
- 80,000 points after $1,000 in spend + $50 statement credit after first purchase. This is targeted, make sure you log into your IHG account and then click apply now (the offer shows for everybody, but clicking apply now will show an error for most people).
- Chase will match you to the 80,000 point offer still.
Remember that this card isn’t affected by Chase 5/24 rules at the moment. The card itself is pretty good (especially the free night annually for $49 annual fee). Here are the main marketing points:
- Annual fee of $49, waived first year
- Free night certificate on your card member anniversary, can be used at any IHG property
- 10% rebate on all points that are redeemed (maximum of 100,000 per year)
- Platinum Elite status for as long as you’re a card member
- Card earns at the following rates:
- 5x points at IHG properties
- 2x points at gas stations, grocery stores & restaurants
- 1x points on all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
I had done the 60K+$50 statement credit. After the statement credit posted, I asked them to match me to 80K points. They told me to forego the credit and I will be matched. I accepted.
Same experience. I applied for the 60k + $50 / $1k spend, with the intention of asking for a match to 80k, instead of 70k & increased $2k spend. 80k match offered, if I agreed to give up the statement credit. New statement has not closed yet so no additional points posted yet.
My gf is in grad school and won’t hit any CCs hard for 1.5-2 years. She’ll start with Chase then but would it be a good idea for her to hit IHG now? It won’t affect 5/24 because it’ll drop off in 2 years when she starts really going for cards. Thoughts?
I’d probably still grab the better bonuses on the CSP/Chase Ink if spend requirements aren’t an issue. That way in two years time she can grab those bonuses again before hitting other cards hard if that makes sense?
Can confirm as of today the match from 60k+50 -> 80k is still live.
Thanks for your work DoC!
More than welcome, glad to hear it’s still working as expected.
I applied a month ago when it was 70K, and they said they would only match the 80K if I did the 2K in spend vs the 1K listed on my screenshot.
They upgraded me to the 80K bonus after I sent a secured message to CS. The points took a very long time to post this time (2 months), but still came through.
@Aaron, what did you write in your secured message? Did you attach any screen shot? Thanks.
Follow Doc’s instruction, I just now logged on and then hit “APPLY NOW”, but it then returned to the 60K offer. I was immediately approved. So when is the best time to secured messaging politely asking for a match? now or wait til I receive the card?
Thanks for Doc’s tip and all your comments.
I matched the 80K and still got the 5K for AU. What’s better, the matched 20K points are EQP for me.
Applied and Chase is pending decision (I have a number of applications in the past 6 months). Still better to wait or worth calling to try to convince them?
My personal experience with chase with pending decisions (as long as 5/24 isn’t affected, which it shouldn’t be for this particular card) – I always call and tell them I was giving them a courtesy call to verify any information or questions they had to ensure I could get the card approved and I usually mention a specific use for it, but not sure mentioning this is necessary.
Might be worth a shot but its your decision of course! Good luck.
I’d call the application status line at 1-888-338-2586. If it says you’ll hear in writing within two weeks or 30 days you’ve got a pretty good shot of approval. If it says you’ll hear in 7-10 business days then it’s most likely denied. Both my wife and I had the 30 day message for IHG last week (we are each at like 20/24). Didn’t call and just waited for one week and card showed up in our online logins yesterday. So unless it’s 7-10 business days message on the automated line just wait it out.
Good advice, thanks. Called the line and got the “30 days” message. Will hold tight.