Compare the Features and Benefits of IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card and
United Gateway℠ Card

The IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card is IHG’s small business credit card. And, for small business owners who even occasionally travel, it’s easily worth its annual fee. That’s because the free night certificate earned each account anniversary year should easily save you more than the $99 annual fee.

Other card perks just add to the card’s value: bonus points on wide-ranging purchases, Platinum Elite status, and the fourth night free on rewards stays.

Purchases made using the IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card earn 10 IHG points per dollar at hotels participating in the IHG Rewards program, 5x IHG points per dollar on travel, dining, social media and search engine advertising, office supply stores, and gas stations. All other purchases charged to the IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card earn 3 points per dollar.

IHG point earnings are further boosted by the IHG Platinum Elite status that comes as a perk of the IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card. Platinum Elite members earn 60% bonus points on top of the base earning rate of 10 points per dollar. That nets a total of 26 IHG points per dollar at IHG hotels.

Big spenders can rack up additional rewards on the IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card. Receive a $100 statement credit plus 10,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 in a calendar year. Then, upgrade to Diamond Elite status after spending $40,000 in purchase in a calendar year. Finally, earn another free night award by spending $60,000 in purchases (plus one additional purchase) in one calendar year using your IHG Rewards Premier Business Card.

Small business owners can also earn points on employee spending. There’s no additional annual fee to add employee cards.

IHG Rewards members can redeem points for a reward night at any hotels participating in the IHG portfolio. That spans everything from luxury InterContinental Hotels to practical Holiday Inn hotels.

Even better, when you redeem IHG Rewards points for a stay of at least four consecutive nights, you’ll get a free night through the IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card’s fourth reward night free benefit.

IHG Rewards Premier Business Card cardholders get a free night award each year. This certificate can be redeemed for an IHG hotel night stay costing up to 40,000 IHG Rewards points. Sure, that’s not going to get you an overwater villa in Bora Bora, but that free night will cover a stay at many IHG hotels.

The United Gateway card does a solid job of providing enough benefits to make you wonder if it will be sufficient, vs investing $95 or more on one of the other Chase United credit cards since this is the only one with no annual fee.

The answer will depend on you.

If you fly several times a year and check a bag each time, then you’ll come out ahead paying the $95 annual fee on the United℠ Explorer Card since you’ll get free checked bags (one for you and a companion on the same itinerary) every time you pay with your card on a domestic flight. You also won’t get priority boarding with the Gateway card.

However, if you are on “Team Carry-On Only,” then this card provides many of the same benefits, including the benefit that gives you access to expanded Saver economy coach availability just like a United Silver Premier member. However, unlike all of the other United cards, you won’t be entitled to upgrades on award tickets.

Additionally, you won’t have any opportunities to earn PQPs from spending on this card whereas all the other United cards do offer that benefit.

Lastly, you might do better with a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card if you aren’t using the checked bag benefit or the expanded award availability benefit. That’s because you’ll have more opportunities to earn points from spend on the Sapphire Preferred, and while you can transfer those points right over to United, you can also take advantage of all of the other Chase Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel transfer partners.

In the end, it depends on you if this is a good card for you, or if another similar card might be better.