Anyone serious about miles and points is going to use an American Express to rack up the miles as they are the best earners, but what do you use when you are spending money somewhere that doesn’t accept AmEx?

I have always advocated for the IHG Black Visa card – for £99 a year I got a free night at any IHG hotel, worth over £200 if used right, when I spent £10,000 over the year. In doing so, I would also earn at least 20,000 IHG points and Platinum status which usually scores an upgrade or some sort of bonus in most properties. It disappeared from the shelves in April 2016 and to be honest I cant remember if it ever came back – perhaps this was giving them a year’s notice, or that they got a one year extension.

That has now all changed. I received this letter yesterday telling me that as of 26th April the card will be no more.

I need to replace it with something, and one of the options is the card that Barclaycard are offering. However, just look at the comparison table they sent be with the details of the new card:

Ok, the new card is free, but look at the rewards box! A big, fat nothing is what I get for having the new card. There is no way that I am going to spend a penny that I am not going to get points for if I can help it, so I think that I will be cancelling the card. Given that I have already spent enough to get a free night and my year will end in March, there is no reason to keep it.

The reason for the cancellation is that the contract for the IHG credit card has been given to Creation. A look at the benefits of their IHG card shows why I am not worried:

It is exactly the same at the Barclaycard save one difference – the free night certificate is given at the end of the year rather than at the £10,000 spend (although whether this happens is practice is not clear).

I have nothing to lose by applying for it sooner rather than later, given that I already have my free night voucher from the old card and the earning rate is the same – and I imagine that a lot of people will be feeling the same way.