Why the New IHG Premier Select Card Deserves Attention for Japan Travel
Domestic flights, four-night stays, and a path to suites and lounges - why IHG’s newest card has my attention for Japan.
Chase and IHG launched the IHG One Rewards Premier Select credit card on October 1, bringing a collection of benefits that could fit a Japan trip unusually well. Along with the $350 annual fee, there is a substantial welcome offer, perks paying for flights, and a path to hotel benefits beyond the card’s automatic elite status.
What interests me is how those pieces might fit together: a domestic flight, several nights at one hotel, and a better room or a meal during the stay. The value depends on your itinerary, but there is enough here to put IHG on the list when planning Japan.
The Launch Offer and Main Benefits
The launch offer is 200,000 IHG points after $5,000 in purchases within three months, available through November 18, 2026. Adding an authorized user within the first three months earns another 10,000 points.
Here are the benefits most relevant to this discussion:
| Benefit | What the Card Offers |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | $350 |
| Airline credit | $200 after a qualifying direct flight-ticket purchase of at least $250 in one transaction; once per calendar year through December 31, 2027 |
| Hotel dining | One $75 Food & Beverage Reward each quarter; expires at quarter-end |
| Anniversary night | Certificate worth up to 60,000 points, starting after the first account anniversary; points top-ups allowed |
| Elite status | Automatic Platinum |
| Elite night credits | 20 at account opening and annually thereafter, counting toward Milestone Rewards |
| Points stays | Every fourth reward night free on eligible stays of four or more consecutive nights at the same hotel, booked entirely with points |
The welcome bonus helps with the initial trip. The recurring benefits may justify keeping the card after that, if you’re able to use the benefits each year.
Why Japan Is a Relevant Angle
IHG has properties that could serve a variety of Japan itineraries: ANA InterContinental Tokyo and InterContinental Osaka for city stays, ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa and ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort for a resort visit, and Hotel Indigo properties in places such as Inuyama and Karuizawa. There are also Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn options. (List of IHG hotels in Japan)
That variety gives the card potential beyond a typical Tokyo-and-Kyoto trip. But, it also doesn’t mean every property will be a strong redemption, so I would compare the cash rate, points price, location, and room before letting a card benefit influence the itinerary too much.
The Airline Credit Could Help With Domestic Flights
Okinawa, here we come!
The credit is $200 back after a qualifying purchase of at least $250, once per calendar year, for flight tickets booked directly with an airline. It is currently scheduled through December 31, 2027. The published terms do not restrict it to U.S. airlines or require payment in U.S. dollars, so direct JAL and ANA airfare appears eligible under the wording.
A domestic round-trip ticket for one person or two one-way tickets for a couple could reach that threshold. For example, two $130 tickets would total $260.
There is one detail to watch: as Frequent Miler points out, airlines sometimes post separate charges for each passenger, even when you book together. Two $130 charges would not meet the requirement. I don’t yet have personal data points confirming how this works with JAL or ANA on the new card, so I’d treat a combined booking as a possibility rather than a sure thing.
Another option worth comparing is booking JAL domestic First Class or ANA First Class (Premium Class) outright, where available. If each person’s ticket comfortably exceeds $250 after currency conversion, separate passenger charges would be less of a concern. As a hypothetical example, two $260 tickets would cost $320 total after one $200 statement credit, assuming the purchase qualifies. With more comfortable seating, meals, and drinks, that could be an appealing alternative if the economy fares for your dates are already close to $160 per person.
Compare economy and premium fares for your actual route and dates before deciding whether the extra comfort is worth it. For tickets priced in yen, leave a buffer above the $250 minimum for exchange-rate movement.
The Calendar Year Timing Makes the Launch More Interesting
An eligible purchase in 2026 could earn one $200 credit, and another in 2027 could earn a second. That is $400 across the two calendar years. Frequent Miler reports that Chase confirmed both years are available.
For someone opening the card this fall, both qualifying purchases could occur before the first annual fee renewal. The relevant timing is the purchase, rather than the flight date. One thing: avoid relying on a last-minute December transaction because processing delays can shift which year receives the credit.
If both credits replace airfare you would have bought anyway, their combined face value exceeds the first $350 annual fee already! That’s a useful first-year opportunity, but the recurring value calculation should use one annual credit, and the current end date matters when thinking beyond 2027.
This is exactly what we are hoping to do, should we get this card in the next few weeks. For our January Japan trip, we need a flight from Fukuoka to Osaka, and then Osaka to Tokyo. Initially, I was going to cover the flights with Virgin Atlantic miles, but maybe this is a nice way to save those miles and book both flights using the $200 perk - once in 2026 and the other in 2027.
The 20 Elite Nights May be the Most Interesting Hotel Benefit
We received a generous upgrade to a corner room at InterContinental Osaka in 2017, but never got to try the Club Lounge. See that tiny bottle of Hibiki 17? I still wonder whether they were pouring it freely in the lounge while we had no idea. The thought of what we might have missed makes me want to cry…
The card’s 20 elite night credits count toward IHG’s Milestone Rewards. At 20 nights, you can choose 5,000 points, two $20 Food & Beverage Rewards, or one Confirmable Suite Upgrade.
The suite upgrade is the option I would examine first for a longer Japan stay. It can cover up to five nights on an eligible reservation, including points nights, subject to availability. You request it through IHG from 14 days before arrival until 24 hours before check-in. It’s valid for 12 months after selection; free night certificates are excluded. Six Senses is also excluded, and an upgrade does not itself include lounge access.
That makes a four-night points stay a promising combination: the fourth reward night benefit reduces the points cost, while a suite upgrade could improve the room for the stay. Those are separate benefits, and the upgrade still depends on eligible inventory.
At 40 qualifying nights, IHG’s Annual Lounge Membership becomes a Milestone Reward option. And for someone who already holds another IHG card, that could be closer than it first appears.
Cory already has the IHG Business card, which will provide 15 elite night credits annually starting in January 2027 for existing cardholders. Adding the new Premier Select would contribute another 20. Chase has told both Frequent Miler and View from the Wing that these credits stack, bringing the combined total to 35 nights - just five qualifying hotel nights away from the lounge membership option.
That’s a combination I’d seriously consider for Japan. Five nights could fit into one trip, and the resulting membership covers the member and one guest at participating hotel lounges on eligible stays. Earn the milestone in 2027, and the membership would last through the end of 2028. The value would depend on which hotels we choose and how much we actually use their lounges, but that would be amazing.
One of my biggest frustrations with IHG is how difficult it can be to get complimentary breakfast at its higher-end hotels. Platinum status doesn’t include it, and no IHG credit card gives you Diamond status simply for holding the card.
That makes breakfast less straightforward than with the Hilton Surpass’s automatic Gold status or the Marriott Brilliant’s automatic Platinum status, though benefits vary by brand. But earning Annual Lounge Membership opens another door - at participating hotels with breakfast served in the lounge, Cory and I could enjoy breakfast together, plus afternoon tea and evening cocktails where offered. For the way we like to travel in Japan, that’s a very compelling combination.
Here’s a chart of a few hotels I’d be excited to stay at using these lounge benefits.
| Hotel | Area | Club Lounge Offerings |
|---|---|---|
| ANA InterContinental Tokyo | Akasaka | 35th-36th floors; breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails. |
| The Strings by InterContinental Tokyo | Shinagawa | Breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails. Renamed InterContinental Tokyo Shinagawa from December 1, 2026. |
| InterContinental Tokyo Bay | Takeshiba / Hamamatsucho | 20th floor overlooking the bay; breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening drinks. |
| InterContinental Yokohama Grand | Minatomirai | Second-floor lounge overlooking the port; breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails with hors d’oeuvres. |
| InterContinental Yokohama Pier 8 | Shinko waterfront | Breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails; also includes library and meeting spaces. |
| InterContinental Osaka | Umeda / Osaka Station | 28th floor; breakfast, afternoon tea, evening Champagne and cocktails, and nightcap service. |
| Hotel |
Winter Sample Jan. 4–31, 2027 |
Spring Sample Mar. 20–Apr. 10, 2027 |
Early Summer Sample June 1–30, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANA InterContinental Tokyo | 60,000 | 115,000 | 85,000 |
| The Strings / InterContinental Tokyo Shinagawa | 70,000 | 115,000 | 95,000 |
| InterContinental Tokyo Bay | 60,000 | 115,000 | 80,000 |
| InterContinental Yokohama Grand | 25,000 | 40,000 | 35,000 |
| InterContinental Yokohama Pier 8 | 45,000 | 65,000 | 55,000 |
| InterContinental Osaka | 75,000 | 115,000 | 95,000 |
Source: StayWithPoints, checked October 6, 2026. Sampled dates: January 4-31, March 20-April 10, and June 1-30 2027. Averages use available award nights only and are rounded to the nearest 5,000 points, before the fourth-night-free benefit. Prices and availability may change; confirm your dates with IHG.
What immediately stands out to me is how far the welcome offer could go in winter. With the fourth reward night free, four nights at these hotels would range from roughly 75,000 to 225,000 points at the sampled rates.
Even in spring, the two Yokohama properties look especially promising, with four-night estimates of 120,000 points at the Grand and 195,000 at Pier 8.
Importantly, InterContinental Osaka looks possible. After meeting the minimum spending requirement and adding an authorized user, you could have around 225,000 points. At 75,000 points per night, that would cover a four-night stay with the fourth night free. (200,000 from the welcome bonus, 10,000 for adding an authorized user, and at least 15,000 from the required $5,000 in spending.)
Add an earned Annual Lounge Membership and an available Confirmable Suite Upgrade, and you could potentially enjoy four nights, lounge access, and a suite on the same trip. Neither the lounge membership nor the suite is automatic, but that combination is what makes this card particularly interesting to me.
If you’re slightly short, buying points during a good promotion could also be an economical way to top up—just compare the purchase cost with the cash rate before committing.
One of my favorite InterContinentals is InterContinental Yokohama Pier 8, right on the waterfront in Yokohama’s romantic Minatomirai area. The rooms are generously sized - even the standard rooms measure 46 square meters (about 495 square feet) - and the hotel itself is quite spectacular.
There’s a rooftop terrace overlooking the harbor, a peaceful courtyard garden, a gym, Larboard restaurant and bar, and the intimate Katabami sushi restaurant. For those with lounge access, Club InterContinental adds breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails overlooking the water. It’s the kind of place where I’d happily build extra time into the itinerary just to enjoy the hotel.
The Dining Rewards Could Help with Breakfast for Two
A simple but perfectly executed Japanese breakfast at the Kimpton Shinjuku.
The card’s dining benefit is split into $75 per quarter, and each reward expires at the end of its issuing quarter. You cannot save four quarters of rewards for one annual vacation.
During an eligible stay, charge participating food and beverage purchases to your room and apply the reward before checking out. A reward can cover multiple eligible charges on that room bill, but any unused value is lost when redeemed. Participation and charge exclusions apply.
For us, a one-night stay at Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo or Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya could be a natural fit. We could use a free night certificate, topping up with points if needed, and put the $75 reward toward breakfast for two, room service, or both. That could make a quick Tokyo stop more comfortable while helping cover food we would actually enjoy. If our only IHG stay fell within one quarter, though, I’d count just one $75 reward toward the trip.
The Anniversary Night and Fourth Night Free Support Different Stays
We love taking a breather from Tokyo in Yokohama - and when we’re feeling “un-tired,” Tokyo is still within easy reach.
The 60,000-point anniversary certificate is a reason to keep the card beyond the first year. It arrives after your first account anniversary, so it won’t help with a trip shortly after opening the card. You can add points for a more expensive redemption, and both booking and stay must be completed within 12 months of issuance.
I would consider it for a one-night stop or a hotel I want to try.
The fourth reward night benefit is more relevant when settling into one base. Exploring a different Tokyo neighborhood or spending four nights in Yokohama or Osaka gives us several ways to put that to use - and stretch our points further.
Spending Benefits and the Smaller Extras
InterContinental Yokohama Pier 8 - a tastefully designed room with plenty of space to lounge with beautiful nighttime harbor views.
At participating IHG hotels, you can earn up to 28 points per eligible dollar - 12 from paying with the card, plus 10 base points and six Platinum bonus points earned through IHG on qualifying stays. Outside IHG, the card earns six points per dollar on dining and other travel, and three on other purchases.
Spending can also earn two elite nights per $5,000, another five nights plus 20,000 points at $15,000 annually, Diamond status at $25,000, and another 60,000-point certificate at $40,000. Those thresholds merit an opportunity-cost comparison with the rewards you could earn elsewhere.
Other travel benefits include no foreign transaction fees, up to $50 annually in United TravelBank deposits split into two $25 installments after registration, and up to $120 for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS every four years. The United benefit is separate from the airline statement credit.
The refreshed regular Premier also deserves a comparison at $150 annually. Personally, the perks and higher bonus that come with the Select make it worthwhile - but whether you can justify the extra $200 is up to your plans.
My Take
That sail-shaped building behind the Ferris wheel is InterContinental Yokohama Grand!
The Premier Select looks most relevant to someone who can name the flights and hotels where its benefits would be useful. A domestic flight and a longer IHG stay could bring several of those benefits together in one Japan trip.
The first-year opportunity is particularly interesting, but could keeping the card beyond that make sense for us? Would we use the dining rewards, find a worthwhile anniversary-night redemption, and enjoy the opportunity to confirm a suite?
For me, the answer is yes.
Cory and I are both considering the Premier Select, and I’ve also had my eye on the IHG Business card. If we’re approved and earn those welcome bonuses, we could have enough points to cover a portion of the hotels on a trip or two.
We often use our other IHG free night certificates at InterContinental Boston after a late-night arrival or before an early flight the next morning. It’s a lovely hotel and a convenient stop for us. If you have a hotel like that near home, one of the lower-annual-fee IHG cards might be worth considering too.
But once the Premier Select’s 60,000-point anniversary certificate arrives in year two, I’d be more interested in using it in Japan - perhaps at Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo or InterContinental Osaka, adding points if needed. Both are well worth a visit.
For now, this is a compelling launch for Japan travel. I may very well end up snagging one of these cards before our January trip - and if I do, I promise I’ll “be the data point I want to see.” Stay tuned!
