Changes coming to IHG Select card (old $49 card, no longer available)

Key Points:

• Chase is increasing the annual fee on the old IHG Select credit card from $49 to $99 starting in 2027, along with upgrading the annual free night certificate to be worth up to 50,000 points.
• The IHG Select card, discontinued in March 2018 and no longer available for new applicants or product changes, currently offers a 10% rebate on point redemptions and automatic IHG Platinum status, benefits expected to continue after the fee increase.
• The free night certificate may gain the ability to be topped off with additional points starting in 2027, although this detail has not been fully confirmed.
• While the card has been considered a strong value at $49 annually, the fee increase to $99 makes it less compelling, prompting some cardholders to reconsider keeping it versus switching to newer IHG cards with better bonuses and benefits.
• Cardholders should note that cancelling the old IHG Select card means losing access permanently, as it is no longer issued or available for product changes, so decisions about keeping or dropping the card should be made carefully.