Just a month ago Chase and IHG announced the launch of a new card (SEE: Should you open the new Chase IHG Premier Credit Card?) . They also announced changes to the benefits of the existing IHG Mastercard, which were definitely for the worse (SEE: IHG guts its anniversary free night).
Well…we have good news: Chase and IHG have walked back the new restrictions on the free night temporarily. The hammer will still fall, but at least we now have some time.
Chase IHG free nights will be unrestricted through May 1, 2019
Via Frequent Miler, IHG has changed course and is offering one more uncapped night to cardholders. Instead of taking effect this year, IHG is offering one more uncapped night to those who hold the IHG Rewards Club Select card.
While I might still be a little annoyed if my anniversary night came around in June, this is still good news for all cardholders. To be able to get one more free uncapped night out of the card is a big plus. After May 1, 2019 all IHG anniversary nights will be capped at a value of 40,000 points. Why Chase and IHG didn’t roll things out like this from the beginning is beyond me. It seems like someone would have put at least a little more forethought into a change like this.
I actually just burnt mine current anniversary night at the Holiday Inn Express Bishop as part of a road trip. Cash rates were $180, and points prices started at 40,000 points (ridiculous, given the location). Neither option was appealing, so I went with the $49 “free” night. Sure, it’s not an aspirational redemption, but it was where we were going to be and it worked out nicely for our Southwest road trip.
Dan and I have both burnt ours at airport hotels (SEE: Where I “wasted” my 2 IHG free night certificates, AND: Staybridge Suites San Francisco Airport review). My wife’s will probably go toward an airport hotel as part of an upcoming trip. This is a far cry from what we used our first free nights on (SEE: Intercontinental Carlton Cannes: A Review).
Hooray for this news from IHG!
Where do you think you’ll use your last uncapped night?
Image courtesy of IHG.
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
My anniversary is July, but at least I get 2018s night as unrestricted again.
Happier that my wife’s next anniversary in February will also be unrestricted.
A years notice of the moving of the goalposts is fair enough.
I was about to book the 2 Kimpton nights, but then I hit “cancel” when I had doubts that the free night cert would actually be honored based on IHG’s disaster last month.
I was a huge IHG fanboy, but they have damaged their brand and that’s what happens to loyalty — less business. I hope they realize this.