[DISCONTINUED] Both Capital One IHG Credit Cards Discontinued
I thought 2014 was the year of the discontinuations, but 2015 is starting to take a big hit as well. Both the Capital One IHG World MasterCard and the Capital One IHG Platinum MasterCard have been discontinued. Below were the highlights of the two credit cards:
Capital One IHG Rewards Club World MasterCard
- $120 annual fee
- Earn 60,000 sign up bonus points after your first purchase
- Earn 5,000 bonus points for every $10,000 you spend (no limit on how many times you can earn the 5,000 bonus points)
- Earn 5 points for every $1 spent at any hotel within the IHG family of hotels
- Earn 2 points for every $1 on all other purchases
- Receive Platinum Elite status with IHG Rewards guaranteed for the life of the credit card account
Capital One IHG Rewards Club Platinum MasterCard
- No annual fee
- Earn 15,000 bonus points after your first purchase
- Earn 5,000 annual bonus points when you spend over $10,000 (only once per year)
- Earn 2 points for every $1 spent at any hotel within the IHG family of hotels
- Earn 1 point for every $1 on all other purchases
- Receive Gold Elite status on with IHG Rewards for your first year
Both were very decent options, so this is a huge blow to the hotel linked credit cards options in Canada. I am actually extremely disappointed to see this happen. I keep saying that this opens the door to new competition, but it doesn’t seem like financial institutions in Canada like to team up with hotel loyalty programs.
We have already seen the MBNA Choice Privileges MasterCard go down, which means that there are only 3 hotel loyalty program co-branded credit cards left in the industry:
Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Visa
- $120 annual fee (waived the first year)
- No charge for additional cardholders
- Earn 30,000 points after your first purchase
(link to the 50,000 sign up bonus) - Earn 5 points for every $1 spent at Marriott hotels
- Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on airline tickets, car rental agencies and restaurants
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
- Earn 1 Free Night Stay at a Category 1-4 location after account approval
- Earn 15 nights credit every year
- Receive 1 anniversary bonus free night stay at a Category 1-5 hotel every year
- No foreign transaction fees
American Express Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card
- $120 annual fee
- Earn 20,000 points when you spend $500 in the first 3 months of having this card
- Earn 5,000 points for every approved referral
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all purchases
- Spend $30,000 a year (anniversary year of having the credit card) to receive an automatic upgrade to Starwood Gold Preferred Guest membership
- Spend $40,000 a year (anniversary year of having the credit card) to receive a Free Weekend Night Award
- No annual fee
- Earn 20,000 sign up bonus points after your first purchase
- Earn 50 points for every cash advance transaction over $50
- Earn 1.5 point for every $1 on all purchases
- Receive a 1 tier elite status upgrade within the Best Western Rewards program when you spend $6,000 on your card within 1 year
I wish I can be telling everyone to look out for new and exciting upcoming products. Instead, I must recommend that if you have been contemplating signing up for one of the above credit cards, to sign up for them sooner rather than later, before they get discontinued as well.
That really sucks! I just got my card last year.
Looks like I will take my business elsewhere.
AMEX PLAT stopping CX Gold and now this.
There is nada good in the loyalty programs in kanada anymore. SAD!
Yes it totally sucks. Keep it while you still can because it seems like even existing credit card holders will have their cards discontinued too.
I will keep my card as I like the PLAT status. Kanada is really getting poor on offers. I keep asking AMEX Plat as well — $699 a year so who will replace Gold CX? Where is the loyalty anymore? I always say if you take away the benefits, I will not use that hotel or airline as I can find a better offer elsewhere and IF you give me status, I will stay!
Booo! I was going to sign up for the IHG and redeem it in Bora Bora! Sad news!
I just signed up for this in July 2015, charged $120 and awaiting my 60,000+ points plus my platinum elite status. I hope that I will get it before the card is discontinued!
This is very bad news for IHG points collectors.
That is actually a long time to still be waiting. You should have received the sign up bonus on your first statement, assuming you made your first purchase already. I would follow up with Capital One to ensure that they have the correct IHG account number on file just in case.
Thank you. I will contact Capital One.
Well, I have “received” my bonus points and purchase points but it could take up to 90 days to reach my IHG rewards club account. This means that I will likely means that I will miss out on the next PointsBreak offer at the end of the month. 🙁
I guess I will continue to use it while I can… but I have to start looking for another hotel reward card.
Yes, keep it for as long as possible. You can always go for the Best Western promo: http://pointshogger.boardingarea.com/earn-40000-best-western-sign-up-bonus-points or the Chase Marriott while it is still around: http://pointshogger.boardingarea.com/new-link-for-the-chase-marriott-rewards-premier-visa.
Thank you. I did sign up for the Chase Marriott Visa via another link you had posted.
I wish that Hilton had a card in Canada.
Thank you so much for this website! Lots of great info from a Canadian perspective. 🙂
I was just about to sign up…..
So I wont be issued a new card when my existing one expires in May?
That’s a good question. I believe that you probably should be getting a new one. But Capital One can change that policy any time. I suggest that you give them a call to stay in touch with their updates.
I have a Capital One IHG card and I am still earning points on every purchase that are then credited to my IHG account. It is now May, 2016. When is this program supposed to end?
So far it seems like the credit card is grandfathered. So long as you keep it you can keep earning. If it were to terminate, Capital One will send you a letter notifying you. So if you haven’t received one yet it means it is going on indefinitely.
That’s a relief! I charge EVERYTHING on that card, simply to get the points. I stayed in some pretty sweet places for free. Gotta love that! thanks for the update.
Just notified by mail from Capital One. The IHG card will be no more as of November 7/16.
Like cards still available in the USA. Look at their terms. They make the Canadian cards look sick.
Thanks for the updated information Dominic!
Gotta say, not very impressed with Capital One. I just received my new card in the mail a week ago. Changed all the expiry dates, etc. only to hear today the card will be cancelled on Nov 7. My old card expired at the end of October. What was the point? AND, not only have they discontinued the IHG loyalty, they are outright cancelling the cards. Not changing them to just a plain Capital One. They are making you apply for a new card. Ridiculous!!
On top of that, they charged me $120 annual fee on August 13. I definitely want a refund on THAT!!
Definitely sucks. Oddly enough, I haven’t received the letter for mine.
You should be able to get a pro-rated refund on that. Be sure to continually follow up with them.
Hey Matt,
Just wanted to let you know that I called Capital One about my annual fee that was charged in August. They said I would get a pro-rated refund. Next day, they had credited the entire $120 fee back to my account.
Now, one question. Each year, the card came with a bonus, and I always chose the 25,000 extra points. Where do I find that? I can’t remember if it was on the CC site or on IHG. I am hoping it is still there for this year! LOL
25000 pts are from IHG, not the CC.
25000 pts are from IHG, not the CC.
Thanks Dominic, Do you know where I would find it on the IHG site? I claimed mine last year, but can’t find it this year. Unless they took them off the site once the split with Capital One was announced.
Could that be because you have Spire Elite status? I believe that would only see that option after the calendar year to see if you requalify.
Sad to hear this news. I have been enjoying using this card to get more IHG points. Like Missy, I paid my annual fee in July.
Is there any way for Canadians to get the IHG card from the US?
You can if you have an SSN from the U.S., but it will still need to be a new application. Furthermore, IHG in the U.S. teams up with Chase, rather than Capital One.
Thank you for the quick reply! No SSN, so likely no US IHG card with Chase.
Glad to have a Marriott Visa to fall back on.
A year later – so as of November 7 2016 we will lose the main perk of “Receive Platinum Elite status with IHG Rewards guaranteed for the life of the credit card account”?
So our PLAT ELITE status will not last until year end?
According to the letter I received, the Platinum Elite status will remain in effect until December 31, 2016. I think, since they are cancelling the program with so little notice, they should have extended the status for another year. We only have a few months to take advantage of it unless you have managed to collect enough points to qualify on your own for next year. I have a Spire Elite status and I could miss keeping my status for next year by less than 1000 points. If the Capital One/IHG card had remained in effect to the end of the year, I would have made it with no problem.
I am also quite annoyed that they are just cancelling the cards instead of at least just transferring them to a plain Capital One card. To make us apply for another card is ridiculous. If I hear that IHG teams up with Chase or some other company in Canada, it is going to be bye bye Capital One!
It is advisable to call IHG and ask them directly. The American folks looking after the IHG division were unaware that the Capital One card in Canada was being terminated. Understandable as they are front line and not policy – makers. There is a very slight possibility that the group can negotiate a deal with the Canadian arm of Chase given its use in the states and given that IHG is a large customer there and worldwide.
If my Plat status is taken away end of 2016. IHG just lost my business. I wish I had a US SSN as there is really nothing worthwhile in Kanada. Good-bye IHG loyalty and I’ll be sure to milk these last months before ever giving my business again.
I just received my letter that the IHG / Capital One relationship is ending and that my Capital Card will no longer be usable after a specified date. Not only does the reward statuses end in December they have no plans to refund the balance of your annual membership fee. My membership was just paid recently… I contacted Capital One to enquire and had to run up the Customer Service chain several levels before they agreed to manually credit my account a prorated amount for the remainder of the year after November. I had considered replacing this with Costco / Capital One card. Maybe not…!
Thanks for sharing your experience Trevor. Definitely takes some patience to deal with CS.
I’ve received a clarification on the statement in the letter “In addition, you can continue to enjoy Platinum Elite status until December 31, 2016.” I contacted IHG Rewards customer service and they indicated both Platinum Elite and Spire Elite status will be extend into 2017 for those loyalty members that have achieved the qualifying requirements by December 31, 2016.
Thanks! Good to know. Seems like the message is consistent throughout now.
“achieved the qualifying requirements by December 31, 2016.”
So basically we will lose PLAT Dec 2016.
To do qualifying nights = not worth it.
Stupid move by IHG
I agree. I am fortunate that I use my IHG Capital One card for virtually ALL of my spending. I rarely use cash. Everything goes on the card to get the points, and as Matt suggests, I pay it off every month. So, I have earned lots of “spending points”. Right now I am about 10,000 points away from earning Elite status for next year, but have only until Nov 7 to get there. I will get the 5000 bonus points that are awarded each quarter based on spending, but I could fall 2000 points short. THAT would really annoy me!
You can always go the gift cards route. Buy gift cards of stores that you know for sure you will be spending at later on ahead of time to meet your spending. You can also ask some friends or family members for a favour whereby you pay for their items for them on your credit card and they just pay you back in cash.
I called about my annual fee as well, which was charged to my account on August 13. I was assured I would receive a pro-rated rebate but I made a note to keep after them for it. To my pleasant surprise, the entire fee was refunded to my account the very next day. What upsets me more about all of this is that Capital One didn’t even try to keep us as customers. They didn’t simply change the IHG card to a plain Capital One card. They are outright cancelling our cards!!! I just got my new card less than a couple of weeks ago and went to the trouble of updating the expiry dates on all of my preauthorized purchases, only to find that I am going to have to do it all again with a new card. I did apply for and was approved for the Costco card. It was the next best option. But, I am not nearly as excited about that program as I was with IHG. It might be worth it for us to write to IHG and ask them about collaborating with a different card brand.
It was probably cheaper for them to cancel everyone rather than switch you to another card. Chances are most people will just cancel the new card they would switch to, so it would just be more work for them for nothing. It really does suck that even these grandfathered cards are coming to and end.
We should put up a big stink as they did that with CNBC Aeroplan and a lot if people got to keep thier cards as it is not a free card we pay a fee for it
I called no luck but no annual fee at all not pro rated but none call back just say u needed the card for Dec 2016
Lets ask chase for a Canadian ihg as they have it in the US
I really hope that someone would partner up with IHG instead. Chase Canada seems like the logical choice.
We can email or call chase Canada and start asking for one
As they have a Canadian chase bank
Got my letter today. Called about the annual fee and the representative indicated that the fee will be prorated and credited to my final bill.
Thanks for sharing your experience Sherry!
Here is the reply I got from IHG
Dear Mr. Tobia,
Greetings from IHG Rewards Club!
Thank you for your interest in IHG credit cards, Mr. Tobia.
We regret to inform you that IHG’s partnership with Capital One has ended on 01Sep16. IHG Rewards Club cardholders will no longer be able to use their credit cards effective 07Nov16. Members will still earn points up to 07Nov16 and will continue to enjoy the Elite status until 31Dec16.
Rest assured that communication will be sent out once new credit card in your region becomes available. To learn about all of the other ways to earn IHG® Rewards Club points, please visit http://www.ihg.com/rewardsclub.
Should you require more information regarding this issu, you can contact Capital One Card Services at 1-800-481-3239.
Thank you for taking the time to contact us as we value your patronage.
Sincerely,
Myra Maghirang
Project Coordinator
Partner Relationship Support Team
IHG Rewards Club
http://www.ihgrewardsclub.com
Thanks for sharing your experience with us Bernard. This is so brutal. But maybe IHG is partnering up with someone else?
To check your Elite status, please go to your IHG rewards club account. For me personally, this is what I see: Elite Status Expiration Date: Dec 31, 2017. It would be great if IHG partners up with another company before this date! Crossing my fingers…
I just checked mine. I have Spire Elite status but it is only good until December 2016. Maybe you earned enough points this year to pre-qualify you for your status?
Missy, you are correct. I got most of my Elite qualifying points through putting a lot on the IHG MasterCard and stays at IHG hotels. I will be sad when the IHG MasterCard is gone – I found it was the easiest way to collect points.
You probably earned enough to maintain Platinum for the following year, but not enough to requalify for Spire yet. Though you have until end of December to try to requalify.
Interesting. They only show a platinum card and expiry date removed. Blank.
It might be because they are still assessing your status. I would call IHG customer service to double check.
As soon as I heard that the IHG Capital One card was being cancelled I applied for the Capital One Costco card as it seemed like the best alternative. Got the card in the mail today. My credit limit was reduced by $9,000!!!! NOT IMPRESSED. I never once had a late payment, nor did I EVER carry a balance and I’ve had the card for years. What a disappointment! As soon I hear of another company offering something better, I don’t think I will stay with Capital One.
Never be shy to shift your business around!
Any news or updates as to if and when a new Credit Card will be introduced in Canada?
this IHG capital one card was the best card I have had and I have had them all when is one coming to Canada
I have till nov 7 2016 I get around 3 or 4 nights points and cash a yar on this loved it
Yes. Super disappointed that they are discontinuing it.
Wish I knew. Hope they come out with something!
IHG do not seem to care about their Canadian customers, IHG and Chase have a partnership for USA , they can at least extend this association for Canada.
Part of the problem is IHG. But to be fair it is a 50/50 partnership. So another credit card company would have to team up with IHG instead.
I can’t see IHG saying no if the right partner came along.
On 8th November I tried using my card and declined.
No other notices – nada.
Sheety Canadian business ways.
Shame on them. Take my business elsewhere.
I just checked my IHG account and for the last month I put $2000.00 of charges on the card and the bastards put on my
statement “card closed 0 points”
Chew out phone call coming to them.
That is too bad, Matteo.
I have not received my final statement yet, but my IHG points are showing up on the Capital One website.
In addition to getting the letter in September, I received an email on Monday (edited out personal info):
Your IHG® Rewards Club Mastercard has been deactivated
But you can still earn 10,000 bonus points
You were recently contacted by Capital One® regarding the deactivation of your Capital One IHG® Rewards Club Mastercard effective November 7th. Though the credit card will no longer be available in Canada, we’d like to show our gratitude with this exclusive offer.
You can earn 10,000 bonus points by staying just 5 nights at any IHG hotel by March 25, 2017.
Thank you for your time as a cardmember. Loyal members like you are the key to our continued success, and we appreciate your commitment to IHG® Rewards Club. Hope to see you soon.
That’s annoying. Everyone stay on top of your final statement. We got points on the line!!
So I received the notice, and the email.
And yet today, I receive two brand new IHG Chase Mastercards dated 9/19 in the mail. What’s up with that?
That is actually very funny. The credit card that I have has been shut down. When you log into your Capital One online account, does your account still seem active? Otherwise, I would give them a call to find out. I just hope that even if you can still use the credit card, that you will actually still receive IHG points. Don’t want to be in a position where you are still using the credit card and not allowed to accumulate points.
Did he receive a “Chase IHG” replacing his “Capital One IHG” card or did he receive the notice in error? Also when he logs into his “Capital One” online account it will indicate, in red, the “Account Restricted”. Affected Capital One IHG card holder should also have received an email from “IHG Rewards” titled “Important news regarding your credit card” with the message that “Your IHG® Rewards Club Mastercard has been deactivated”…
No, it was my bad. It’s a Capital1 IHG card (not Chase), and yes, when I log in the account is restricted. But the new card matches the numbers of the old card, just dated to 9/19.
Pretty funny, I’m thinking they screwed something up here.
I suspect that they may have mailed out the card before the deactivation date hit. Their system may not be advanced enough to keep up.
Hi
I have 11000 IHG points from my Capital One IHG credit card Canada that was closed Nov 7th 2016 and it has not been added top my account and I am getting the run around from both IHG and Capital One it would mean that I would lose my Spire Status as I only need 6700 points know when I got to may statement it is not their for nov 7 but shows new balance till dec 7th help anyone
Don’t give up. Keep working for towards it. Though it’s more so through Capital One than IHG.
Thanks for letting us know. My statement was dated for November 14. I just checked my Capital One statement and noted that the credit for the remaining annual fee (about 8 months) has not been recorded on the statement. I will definitely be following up with Capital One about this (as I had been told that the credit would be on my final statement). Also, I checked my IHG account and noted that the Capital One world base points has not been added yet (though I may give it another couple of days for it to go through).
Hi Sherry don’t wait if you have a Canadian card get a screen shot of your points that are on your online banking and go to the ihg rewards page on your credit card site and print it off because I am having a problem with mine and the points that were over 10000 are not shown on my bill know but did Friday.
I am having a problem with both capital one and IHG to get the points owed so I really suggest this to everyone to have prove proof of points form the credit card.
Guess I did the right thing. The moment they said they were discontinuing the card, I got the Costco card and stopped using the IHG one. Knew I wouldn’t earn enough points to get me to Spire Elite status so wasn’t worth using their card anymore.
Like Syd said, don’t wait to follow up. The longer we take the more difficult it will be later on to track our points down.
Capital one is nasty. I was told December. Why? IHG shows
0 points for November 7. A refund from yearly? Forget it.
Hi yes
I was shown my points and the online website for my credit card as they grow over the month with no mention that I would have a problem getting my points that showed on my account
then after nov 8th I stupidly waited to see then on IHG and when I went back the area in the credit card it was blocked out and when I called capital one they said they don’t see them what points? they said
If you watch Seinfeld it’s like Elaine and the subway card I am crazy for their Spire Elite level and I was in if I get my points for November I am going to keep calling them maybe if other people do to something will happen for us
Just need to keep pushing. Patience. As usual, keep trying to bump to the manager to speed up the resolution. Sometimes, I don’t even try to work things out with the front line staff, I ask for a manager within the first 10 seconds, and the front line staff usually tries their best before sending me.
IHG really sucks. Have 150k points and since cap one
stopped credit card, Jan 1st I dropped from Platinum to
Gold. IHG sucks!
Takes two. I would say Cap One is 50% to blame. If anything, it’s probably more Cap One’s fault because there isn’t any real reason for IHG to discontinue the partnership because credit card companies are the ones who buys points from loyalty programs.
Of Interest Cap. one never contacted me to try to offer me a replacement product from Capital one like the Aspire card.
Neither for me. Quite annoying that they point blank shut it down without alternatives.
Sigh, it is so unfortunate that they are handling all of this so poorly. I reached out to my Capital One contacts and they also decided to stay silent. They are aware of this thread, so feel free to keep sharing your experiences.
Everyone get proof of points form your credit card site online know as it seem to diappear I have no section for IHG on Oct 7 to Nov 7 bill but do on nov 7 to dec 7 bill of 1183 so get the screen shoot and print it off from Capital One Canada before it is erased and you have to fight with them over them being owed to you as I am I called again third time IHG second capital one and waited on hold and no one cam back to talk about this at IHG so they don’ want to deal with it
GET THE PROOF
Hi, any method for a canadian “resident in Canada” to get a US IHG chase credit card or other please ? Thanks !
Not any straightforward step. DCTA has a nice post about it: http://dcta.boardingarea.com/2015/11/how-canadians-s-credit-cards
i used to have the IHG and i used to stay a IHG hotels all the time.
I am not staying at those IHG place anymore because there is no reward.
I was looking at other credit cards as i will be traveling within canada a bit in the next year and even the Marriot card has been cancelled.
Is the Best Western the only one left? I dont really like Best Western hotels but if it is the only choice. I will have to get it. 🙁
Thanks
There is also the AMEX SPG
http://pointshogger.boardingarea.com/top-hotel-credit-cards/