The Offer
- Chase is sending out offers to existing Chase IHG Select cardholders offering to upgrade them to the new Chase IHG Premier card. If you upgrade you will receive 5,000 bonus points after you upgrade and make your first purchase by June 30th, 2018
The Fine Print
- Upgrade link is chase.com/chasegreatrewards/ihg21 but seems to be non working
Our Verdict
There are several reasons why you shouldn’t upgrade to the new card. The main reason is that the new card comes with an $89 annual fee and the old card comes with a $49 annual fee. In addition rewards certificates issued before May 1st, 2019 will be unrestricted. I suspect when you upgrade your card you’ll receive a restricted free night certificate though (up to 40,000 points). This table below helps compare the two cards:
| Select | Premier | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $49.00 | $89.00 |
| Free night certificate | Yes | Yes |
| Earning rate at IHG | 5x | 10x |
| Earning rate at gas stations, grocery stores & restaurants | 2x | 2x |
| Earning rate on all other purchases | 1x | 1x |
| Elite status | Platinum | Platinum |
| Free award night when you redeem points for any stay of 4 or more nights | No | Yes |
| 10% rebate on points booking | Yes | No |
| TSA Pre-Check/Global Entry | No | Yes |
| 20% discount on points purchases | No | Yes |
Another reason not to upgrade is the fact that none of the IHG cards have the 5/24 rule applied to them. It probably just makes more sense to apply for the IHG Premier card and also get 80,000 IHG points. That way you keep your free night certificate at the lower $49 annual fee and you could always just keep the Premier card as well.
Hat tip to Miles to Memories
