Is the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card worth the higher annual fee?

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card costs $99/yr vs $0/yr for the United Gateway Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.

Which card earns more rewards, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or United Gateway Card?

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

What benefits does the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card have that the United Gateway Card doesn't?

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card focuses on earn rates, while the United Gateway Card offers travel credits.

Should I get the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or the United Gateway Card?

Choose the United Gateway Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card if you spend enough to justify the $99/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

Is the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card worth the higher annual fee?

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card costs $99/yr vs $0/yr for the United Gateway Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.

Which card earns more rewards, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or United Gateway Card?

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

What benefits does the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card have that the United Gateway Card doesn't?

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card focuses on earn rates, while the United Gateway Card offers travel credits.

Should I get the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or the United Gateway Card?

Choose the United Gateway Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card if you spend enough to justify the $99/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

Is the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card worth the higher annual fee?

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card costs $99/yr vs $0/yr for the United Gateway Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.

Which card earns more rewards, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or United Gateway Card?

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

What benefits does the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card have that the United Gateway Card doesn't?

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card focuses on earn rates, while the United Gateway Card offers travel credits.

Should I get the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or the United Gateway Card?

Choose the United Gateway Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card if you spend enough to justify the $99/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

CardRewards

Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Our analysis is based on publicly available card data and is reviewed regularly by our editorial team. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content. Last updated: June 2026.

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card vs United Gateway Card

The United Gateway Card ($0/yr) is better for everyday value, while the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card ($99/yr) is worth it for frequent travelers who can use its premium perks. Here's the full comparison.

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

Chase

United Gateway Card

Chase

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

$99

Welcome Bonus

175,000 Hotel

30,000 Airline

Earn Rates

Category	IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card	United Gateway Card
Ihg Hotels	10X	1X

Category-by-Category Winner

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card wins in 10 of 10 categories. The United Gateway Card leads in 0.

Ihg Hotels

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 10X vs 1X

Gas Stations

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 5X vs 2X

Travel

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 5X vs 1X

Dining

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 5X vs 1X

United Purchases

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

Ridesharing

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

Tolls

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

Transit

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

United Airlines

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

The Bottom Line

The United Gateway Card has a lower annual fee ($0 vs $99), making it the more accessible option.

Choose the United Gateway Card if you want solid rewards with a lower cost of entry. Choose the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card if you travel frequently and can maximize its premium benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card worth the higher annual fee?: The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card costs $99/yr vs $0/yr for the United Gateway Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.
Which card earns more rewards, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or United Gateway Card?: The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
What benefits does the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card have that the United Gateway Card doesn't?: The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card focuses on earn rates, while the United Gateway Card offers travel credits.
Should I get the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or the United Gateway Card?: Choose the United Gateway Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card if you spend enough to justify the $99/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

Explore More

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card — Full Review All Chase Cards

United Gateway Card — Full Review All Chase Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: Chase cards

Editorial disclosure: The analysis on this page is based on publicly available card data and is updated regularly. CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or editorial content. Last updated: June 2026.

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card vs United Gateway Card

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

Chase

United Gateway Card

Chase

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

$99

Welcome Bonus

175,000 Hotel

30,000 Airline

Earn Rates

Category	IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card	United Gateway Card
Ihg Hotels	10X	1X

Category-by-Category Winner

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card wins in 10 of 10 categories. The United Gateway Card leads in 0.

Ihg Hotels

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 10X vs 1X

Gas Stations

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 5X vs 2X

Travel

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 5X vs 1X

Dining

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 5X vs 1X

United Purchases

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

Ridesharing

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

Tolls

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

Transit

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

United Airlines

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

The Bottom Line

The United Gateway Card has a lower annual fee ($0 vs $99), making it the more accessible option.

Choose the United Gateway Card if you want solid rewards with a lower cost of entry. Choose the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card if you travel frequently and can maximize its premium benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card worth the higher annual fee?: The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card costs $99/yr vs $0/yr for the United Gateway Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.
Which card earns more rewards, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or United Gateway Card?: The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
What benefits does the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card have that the United Gateway Card doesn't?: The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card focuses on earn rates, while the United Gateway Card offers travel credits.
Should I get the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or the United Gateway Card?: Choose the United Gateway Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card if you spend enough to justify the $99/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

Explore More

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card — Full Review All Chase Cards

United Gateway Card — Full Review All Chase Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: Chase cards

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card vs United Gateway Card

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

Chase

United Gateway Card

Chase

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

$99

Welcome Bonus

175,000 Hotel

30,000 Airline

Earn Rates

Category	IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card	United Gateway Card
Ihg Hotels	10X	1X

Category-by-Category Winner

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card wins in 10 of 10 categories. The United Gateway Card leads in 0.

Ihg Hotels

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 10X vs 1X

Gas Stations

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 5X vs 2X

Travel

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 5X vs 1X

Dining

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 5X vs 1X

United Purchases

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

Ridesharing

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

Tolls

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

Transit

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

United Airlines

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

The Bottom Line

The United Gateway Card has a lower annual fee ($0 vs $99), making it the more accessible option.

Choose the United Gateway Card if you want solid rewards with a lower cost of entry. Choose the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card if you travel frequently and can maximize its premium benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card worth the higher annual fee?: The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card costs $99/yr vs $0/yr for the United Gateway Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.
Which card earns more rewards, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or United Gateway Card?: The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
What benefits does the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card have that the United Gateway Card doesn't?: The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card focuses on earn rates, while the United Gateway Card offers travel credits.
Should I get the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or the United Gateway Card?: Choose the United Gateway Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card if you spend enough to justify the $99/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

Explore More

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card — Full Review All Chase Cards

United Gateway Card — Full Review All Chase Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: Chase cards

Benefits & Features

Network

MASTERCARD

VISA

Key Benefits

✓Global Entry credit

✓Travel credit

✓Travel insurance

Pros & Cons

Pros

+$99 annual fee is reasonable for included benefits
+Free night certificate (up to 40,000 points value) each anniversary
+10X points at IHG properties, 5X on dining, gas, and travel
+Automatic Platinum Elite status with room upgrades and welcome amenity
+Fourth night free on award stays effectively gives 25% discount

+No annual fee ever
+No foreign transaction fees
+2x miles on United purchases, gas stations, and local transit/rideshare
+25% back on United inflight purchases and Club premium drinks
+0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases

Cons

−Free night capped at 40,000 points excludes top-tier properties
−IHG points valued around 0.5 cents per point - lower than competitors
−No airport lounge access included
−$50 United TravelBank credit requires separate registration
−Diamond Elite through spend requires hefty $40K annual threshold

−No automatic free checked bags (must spend $10K to unlock)
−No priority boarding
−Lower earn rates than premium United cards (2x vs 3x/4x on United)
−No Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
−No annual travel credits

Everyday purchases

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X on all other spending vs 1X

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card costs $99/yr — that's $99 more than the United Gateway Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $99 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. Whether that justifies the fee depends on how often you use these benefits.

Bottom line: The $99 difference is small enough that the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card's extra perks make it worth considering for most cardholders.

What You Give Up

Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.

Choosing United Gateway Card means losing:

-Global Entry credit

Choosing IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card means losing:

-Annual travel credit
-Travel insurance

Which Card Is Right for You?

Get the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card if you:

+Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
+Prefer a high flat rate across all spending

Get the United Gateway Card if you:

+Want strong rewards without a large annual fee commitment

Benefits & Features

Network

MASTERCARD

VISA

Key Benefits

✓Global Entry credit

✓Travel credit

✓Travel insurance

Pros & Cons

Pros

+$99 annual fee is reasonable for included benefits
+Free night certificate (up to 40,000 points value) each anniversary
+10X points at IHG properties, 5X on dining, gas, and travel
+Automatic Platinum Elite status with room upgrades and welcome amenity
+Fourth night free on award stays effectively gives 25% discount

+No annual fee ever
+No foreign transaction fees
+2x miles on United purchases, gas stations, and local transit/rideshare
+25% back on United inflight purchases and Club premium drinks
+0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases

Cons

−Free night capped at 40,000 points excludes top-tier properties
−IHG points valued around 0.5 cents per point - lower than competitors
−No airport lounge access included
−$50 United TravelBank credit requires separate registration
−Diamond Elite through spend requires hefty $40K annual threshold

−No automatic free checked bags (must spend $10K to unlock)
−No priority boarding
−Lower earn rates than premium United cards (2x vs 3x/4x on United)
−No Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
−No annual travel credits

Everyday purchases

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X on all other spending vs 1X

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. Whether that justifies the fee depends on how often you use these benefits.

Bottom line: The $99 difference is small enough that the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card's extra perks make it worth considering for most cardholders.

What You Give Up

Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.

Choosing United Gateway Card means losing:

-Global Entry credit

Choosing IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card means losing:

-Annual travel credit
-Travel insurance

Which Card Is Right for You?

Get the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card if you:

+Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
+Prefer a high flat rate across all spending

Get the United Gateway Card if you:

+Want strong rewards without a large annual fee commitment

Benefits & Features

Network

MASTERCARD

VISA

Key Benefits

✓Global Entry credit

✓Travel credit

✓Travel insurance

Pros & Cons

Pros

+$99 annual fee is reasonable for included benefits
+Free night certificate (up to 40,000 points value) each anniversary
+10X points at IHG properties, 5X on dining, gas, and travel
+Automatic Platinum Elite status with room upgrades and welcome amenity
+Fourth night free on award stays effectively gives 25% discount

+No annual fee ever
+No foreign transaction fees
+2x miles on United purchases, gas stations, and local transit/rideshare
+25% back on United inflight purchases and Club premium drinks
+0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases

Cons

−Free night capped at 40,000 points excludes top-tier properties
−IHG points valued around 0.5 cents per point - lower than competitors
−No airport lounge access included
−$50 United TravelBank credit requires separate registration
−Diamond Elite through spend requires hefty $40K annual threshold

−No automatic free checked bags (must spend $10K to unlock)
−No priority boarding
−Lower earn rates than premium United cards (2x vs 3x/4x on United)
−No Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
−No annual travel credits

Everyday purchases

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 3X on all other spending vs 1X

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. Whether that justifies the fee depends on how often you use these benefits.

Bottom line: The $99 difference is small enough that the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card's extra perks make it worth considering for most cardholders.

What You Give Up

Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.

Choosing United Gateway Card means losing:

-Global Entry credit

Choosing IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card means losing:

-Annual travel credit
-Travel insurance

Which Card Is Right for You?

Get the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card if you:

+Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
+Prefer a high flat rate across all spending

Get the United Gateway Card if you:

+Want strong rewards without a large annual fee commitment