Why these launches matter right now
Chase and IHG just added a new top‑tier consumer card, and Navy Federal rolled out its first metal travel card. Different audiences, very different value props—but both fill real gaps in the 2026 rewards landscape.
If you live in IHG hotels—Kimpton weekends, Holiday Inn Express road trips, the occasional InterContinental splurge—the new IHG One Rewards Premier Select Credit Card is designed to stack credits and status faster than previous IHG consumer options. Meanwhile, the Navy Federal Flagship Premier Visa Signature targets servicemembers, veterans, and families who want rich travel and dining multipliers without the complexity (or price tag) of premium travel juggernauts.
The new IHG play: stacking credits into real nights
Premier Select debuts with a $350 annual fee and a benefits suite geared to offset it quickly: up to $300 in IHG Food & Beverage Rewards each year (delivered as four $75 quarterly vouchers), a $200 airline statement credit, and up to $50 in United TravelBank cash. Add an Anniversary Free Night capped at 60,000 points (toppable with your own points) and automatic Platinum Elite status, and you’re looking at tangible, on‑property value—not just aspirational perks. Earning is straightforward: up to 28x total at IHG stays (including base, elite, and card bonuses), 6x on dining and all other travel (rideshare included), and 3x everywhere else.
The subtle power move is status acceleration. You start each year with 20 Elite Night Credits and pick up 2 more ENC for every $5,000 in card spend. That nudges you into IHG’s Milestone Rewards sooner—think confirmable suite upgrades and additional F&B credits. For a traveler who books a few four‑night redemptions, the “fourth night free” benefit can quietly chop 25% off award pricing again and again.
How the math pencils out in year one: if you use all four $75 F&B vouchers ($300), trigger the $200 airline credit, and book a 60k Anniversary Night at a 0.5–0.7 cent per point valuation ($300–$420 in room value), you’ve recovered roughly $800–$920 in utility before even counting the welcome offer or on‑stay earning. That’s why this card is positioned as a true premium anchor for IHG loyalists.
Navy Federal’s Flagship Premier: premium earn, starter‑tier fee
Flagship Premier arrives at $95 a year with 4x on all travel, 3x on dining, 1x everywhere else, a $100 annual airline credit, up to $120 in Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credits every four years, and no foreign transaction fees. There’s no portal hoop‑jumping: airfare, hotels, cruises, vacation rentals, rideshare, tolls, parking, and transit all feed the 4x engine. For a household that spends, say, $6,000 a year on broad travel and $5,000 on dining, that’s 39,000 points before any promos—plus the $100 airline credit that effectively neutralizes the $95 annual fee for travelers who fly once a year.
Compared with mass‑market travel cards, Flagship Premier prioritizes simple breadth over ecosystem perks. You’re not getting airport lounges or transfer partners; you’re getting a clean earn structure, a metal build, and practical credits that are easy to use. It’s a particularly strong fit for members stationed overseas or moving frequently—where “does this code as travel?” is not a question you want to ask at every checkout.
Quick comparison: which wallet needs which card?
- Frequent IHG guests who can reliably use quarterly on‑property credits and a 60k‑point anniversary night should look squarely at Premier Select. It’s built to compound value inside the IHG universe—enhanced night earnings + status nights + fourth‑night‑free redemptions.
- Military families and veterans who want one travel card with broad 4x coverage—and a fee that’s easy to erase with an airline purchase—are the natural audience for Flagship Premier. It’s also a solid companion to flat‑rate cashback cards that handle non‑bonused spend.
- If your travel spans multiple hotel brands and you want transferable points, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex Gold/Platinum, or Capital One Venture X still win on flexibility. But for specific, repeatable value, these two newcomers are purpose‑built.
Timely reasons to consider applying
- IHG One Rewards Premier Select is launching with a limited‑time welcome offer through November 18, 2026: 200,000 bonus points after $5,000 in purchases in three months. For many portfolios, that’s a near‑term path to two standard award nights plus a 60k anniversary night—stackable with the fourth‑night‑free feature.
- Navy Federal Flagship Premier is offering 50,000 points after $4,000 in purchases within 90 days for applications approved between September 10, 2026, and January 3, 2027. With the $100 annual airline credit in year one and no foreign transaction fees, it’s an easy add before holiday or PCS travel.
If you’ve been eyeing a hotel‑centric anchor card, the IHG window is specific and short. If you’re a Navy Federal member heading into year‑end travel, Premier’s intro bonus plus 4x travel/3x dining can start compounding immediately.
What about the Fanatics American Express Card?
American Express and Fanatics announced a cobranded card slated to launch on the Amex network, tied to FanCash earnings and Fanatics events access, alongside plans for Fanatics to become an Amex Membership Rewards transfer partner. Full earn rates and fees haven’t been published yet, but if you skew more toward sports merch and experiences than flights and hotels, keep this on your watchlist for late‑year announcements.
Make the strategy effortless with SuperPay
Both launches reward using the right card in the right place—exactly where people slip. SuperPay’s Smart Card Picker tells you, on arrival, which card to use based on the merchant’s category in real time. Walk into a Kimpton? You’ll get a nudge to run Premier Select for up to 28x on‑stay earning and to remember the on‑property F&B voucher at checkout.
If you carry multiple travel cards, SuperPay’s Category tracking and Rewards Roadmap (PRO+) keep the IHG quarterly F&B vouchers, airline credits, and your Flagship Premier’s $100 airline credit on autopilot. The Receipt Scanner even shows how a restaurant bill would have scored at 3x on Flagship Premier versus 6x travel‑adjacent dining on Premier Select—so you can tighten your play as you go.
Your next move
Try PRO+ free for 7 days and build a Rewards Roadmap that bakes in your new card’s credits, status nights, and category multipliers—so every swipe this quarter ladders up to real travel.