First-year winner
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
$1,418 Year 1 edge
$2,688 vs $1,271
Compare Cards
Stack up the better credit card
Compare two cards side by side with your real spend, credits, fees, and rewards.
Card A
Card B
Monthly spend
Start with spending categories
Monthly Total
$2,430/mo
Reward assumptions
Credits & benefits
Count the credits and perks you actually expect to use. Credit rows start with conservative default values; edit them for your own merchant, timing, or travel friction.
Card A
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Counted benefits
$0
Credits
None
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Perk
IHG Award-Night Perks
Other · No listed cash value
IHG co-brand cards are built around hotel-program value such as elite-style perks and award-night enhancements on eligible stays.
Perk
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible international purchases do not incur an added foreign transaction surcharge.
Perk
Travel Rewards Ecosystem
Other · No listed cash value
The card is designed to fit into a broader travel-rewards setup through issuer redemptions, hotel stays, flights, or travel-portal bookings.
Card B
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Counted benefits
$30
Credits
$30
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Credit
$50 Annual Hotel Credit
Travel Credits · Listed $50/yr
Receive up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for eligible hotel stays booked through Chase Travel.
Perk
DashPass Membership
Other · No listed cash value
Cardholders can receive a complimentary DashPass membership window with DoorDash benefits.
Perk
DoorDash Monthly Promo
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can receive a monthly DoorDash promotional benefit during the active program window.
Perk
10% Anniversary Points Boost
Other · No listed cash value
Each account anniversary, you can receive bonus points equal to 10% of the total purchases made during the prior year.
Perk
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse covered prepaid travel expenses when a qualifying trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason.
Perk
Trip Delay Reimbursement
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse eligible out-of-pocket expenses when a covered trip is delayed beyond the issuer's threshold.
Perk
Baggage Delay Insurance
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse essential purchases when baggage is delayed on a covered trip.
Perk
Primary Auto Rental Coverage
Rental Car · No listed cash value
Can provide primary coverage for theft and collision damage on eligible rental cars.
Perk
Purchase Protection
Purchase Protection · No listed cash value
Can help protect eligible new purchases against damage or theft for a limited period after purchase.
Perk
Extended Warranty Protection
Extended Warranty · No listed cash value
Can extend the original U.S. manufacturer's warranty on eligible purchases.
Verdict
IHG One Rewards Premier wins year 1 and long term.
Winner after year 1
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
$768 ongoing edge
$1,288 vs $521
Long-term breakeven: the higher-reward option needs roughly $1,237 per year in this spend mix to overcome the fee and benefit gap.
Chase
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Year One
$2,688
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$1,288
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$1,387
4.76% effective return
Welcome Offer
$1,400
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
None
$0 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$3,000
3 mo window · $1,000/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Comes with a particularly strong welcome offer.
- • Earns well on the spend mix you entered.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The annual fee is harder to justify if you do not use the credits and perks consistently.
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Chase
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Year One
$1,271
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$521
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$586
2.01% effective return
Welcome Offer
$750
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$30
$30 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$5,000
3 mo window · $1,667/mo pace · Doable
Why it wins
- • Still delivers meaningful first-year upside from the welcome offer.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The annual fee is harder to justify if you do not use the credits and perks consistently.
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Spend Mix Math
Where the value actually comes from
Category returns are based on the spend mix you entered, your point-value assumption, and the benefits you chose to count.
Dining
5x
$5,400
IHG One Rewards Premier
$270
5.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$162
3.00%
Groceries
5x
$7,800
IHG One Rewards Premier
$390
5.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$234
3.00%
Travel
10x
$3,000
IHG One Rewards Premier
$300
10.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$60
2.00%
Gas
5x
$1,920
IHG One Rewards Premier
$96
5.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$19
1.00%
General
3x
$11,040
IHG One Rewards Premier
$331
3.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$110
1.00%
Total annual spend
$29,160 across this mix
IHG One Rewards Premier$1,387
Chase Sapphire Preferred$586
Raw Breakdown
Full side-by-side details
Use the spec table below when you want the literal field-by-field differences in rewards, benefits, transfer partners, fees, and approval profile.
| Metric | IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | ||
| Annual fee | $99 | $95 |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Rewards | ||
| Dining rewards | 5x | 3x 3X points on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. |
| Gas rewards | 5x | — |
| Groceries rewards | 5x | 3x 3X points on select online grocery purchases, excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs. |
| Streaming rewards | — | 3x 3X points on select streaming services. |
| Travel rewards | 10x 10x points on eligible IHG hotel purchases. | 5x 5X total points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit. |
| All rewards | 3x | 1x |
| Offer | ||
| Welcome offer | 140,000 bonus points Spend $3,000 in 3 mo | 75,000 bonus points Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. |
| Benefits | ||
| Estimated benefits | 3 listed | ~$50/yr |
| Benefit highlights | IHG Award-Night Perks · No Foreign Transaction Fees · Travel Rewards Ecosystem | $50 Annual Hotel Credit · DashPass Membership · DoorDash Monthly Promo · +7 more |
| Profile | ||
| Credit needed | Good | Good |
| Network | mastercard | visa |
| Reward type | Points | Points |
Costs
Annual fee
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
$99
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
$95
Foreign transaction fee
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
None
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
None
Rewards
Dining rewards
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
5x
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
3x
3X points on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out.
Gas rewards
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
5x
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
—
Groceries rewards
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
5x
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
3x
3X points on select online grocery purchases, excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs.
Streaming rewards
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
—
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
3x
3X points on select streaming services.
Travel rewards
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
10x
10x points on eligible IHG hotel purchases.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
5x
5X total points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit.
All rewards
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
3x
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
1x
Offer
Welcome offer
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
140,000 bonus points
Spend $3,000 in 3 mo
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
75,000 bonus points
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Benefits
Estimated benefits
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
3 listed
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
~$50/yr
Benefit highlights
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
IHG Award-Night Perks · No Foreign Transaction Fees · Travel Rewards Ecosystem
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
$50 Annual Hotel Credit · DashPass Membership · DoorDash Monthly Promo · +7 more
Profile
Credit needed
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Good
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Good
Network
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
mastercard
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
visa
Reward type
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Points
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Points