💳 Chase and IHG Launch a $350 Premium Card

Oct 02, 2026

Chase and IHG Hotels & Resorts have revamped their entire credit-card lineup, including a new IHG One Rewards Premier Select card with a $350 annual fee.

The card offers up to $300 in annual IHG food-and-beverage credits, $200 in airline credits, automatic Platinum status, 20 elite-night credits, a fourth-night-free benefit on award stays, and an annual free-night certificate worth up to 60,000 points.

The existing IHG Premier card will also see its annual fee rise from $99 to $150, while the business card rises to $200.

New-cardmember offers across the lineup currently run through Nov. 18, with bonuses ranging from 125,000 to 200,000 IHG points.

Bilt Rewards is making it more expensive to move points to World of Hyatt.

Starting January 1, 2027, Bilt points will transfer to Hyatt at a 4:3 ratio, down from 1:1. That means 1,000 Bilt points will become just 750 Hyatt points.

There is still time to transfer at the current rate: Dec. 31, 2026 is the last day for 1:1 transfers.

If you already have a Hyatt stay in mind, this could be worth planning around. But transferring a large balance speculatively isn't necessarily wise—once points are moved to Hyatt, they generally can't be transferred back.

Holiday airfare is climbing, with Hopper reporting average round-trip U.S. fares of $402 for Thanksgiving and $452 for Christmas—both significantly higher than last year.

Travel advisers recommend shopping now and aiming to book by mid-October, with Halloween considered the latest target for travelers who have fixed dates.

Flexibility can also save money. Flying a few days before the holiday rush, returning midweek, or checking nearby airports can open up cheaper options.

United is introducing a new Base fare for select first-class and business-class flights, giving travelers a cheaper way to book premium cabins—but with more restrictions.

For United First, Base includes one checked bag and a carry-on, but seat selection costs extra and tickets can't be changed or refunded. Standard adds free seat selection, two checked bags and flight changes, while Flexible also allows refunds.

On eligible international United Business routes, the Base fare also includes United Club access.

The important detail: the onboard first-class experience stays the same. What changes is the flexibility and baggage benefits attached to the ticket.

One of the easiest ways to reduce checked-bag problems is surprisingly simple: remove old baggage tags before every flight.

Baggage handler Benjamin Jordan says outdated tags can potentially confuse automated sorting systems and send a bag toward the wrong airline or destination.

He also recommends making your suitcase easy to identify without adding bulky ribbons or decorations that could get caught in conveyor belts.

For extra protection, keep your bag organized for easier TSA screening, add identification inside and outside the suitcase, and consider putting an AirTag inside so you can track its location.

Want to spend 10 days eating, exploring, enjoying nightlife and chasing Gulf Coast sunsets—and get $10,000 for it?

Visit St. Pete-Clearwater is hiring three travelers for its new SPC-Suite: Chief Vibes Officer, Chief Flavor Officer and Chief Sunset Curator.

Each winner gets $10,000, round-trip airfare, accommodations and VIP experiences while exploring the destination and creating content about the experience.

There’s a catch: applicants must be 21+, available between Nov. 6–22, 2026, and complete an application and video interview.

American Airlines is showing spring-break award availability to Cancun, Cabo and Puerto Vallarta from 19K miles round-trip, with widespread availability from March–April. Some departure cities price as low as 19K, while others are around 20K–23K.

The flights are Main Cabin, including a carry-on and free seat selection, and can be booked one-way for half the round-trip price.

You can book with American AAdvantage miles, Alaska points, Finnair Avios, or JAL miles. Taxes and fees are about $150 round-trip.

The Chase Freedom Flex® is earning 7x Ultimate Rewards points on dining through the end of the year, thanks to its current quarterly bonus categories.

The card earns 3x on dining year-round, plus the quarterly bonus, for a total of 7x. The bonus also applies to grocery stores and American Red Cross donations, but only on the first $1,500 in combined spending across the categories.

You must activate the bonus by December 14.

Even better, new cardholders can currently earn a $250 bonus after spending $500 in the first three months.

If you have a Chase Sapphire or eligible Ink card, the Freedom Flex points can be combined and transferred to Chase travel partners.

Written by the ONE 55 Editorial Team

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