IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card vs Capital One Spark Cash Select
Side-by-side comparison
| IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card | Capital One Spark Cash Select | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 125,000 points | $750 cash back |
| Advertising | 1% | 1.5% |
| Shipping | 1% | 1.5% |
| Office supplies | 1% | 1.5% |
| Phone & internet | 3% | 1.5% |
| Travel | 3% | 1.5% |
| Everything else | 1% | 1.5% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $666 | $675 |
| Points type | Locked to IHG One Rewards | Pools with Capital One → transferable |
| Network | Mastercard | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of business spending, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card earns about $666 a year in rewards and the Capital One Spark Cash Select about $675, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Capital One Spark Cash Select has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The two are close on value, but the Capital One Spark Cash Select edges ahead by about $9 a year, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and advertising. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Capital One Spark Cash Select earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card stays locked to a single airline or hotel program. Favor the Capital One Spark Cash Select if you will use travel transfers, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card if your spending leans toward phone & internet, travel. Pick the Capital One Spark Cash Select if your spending leans toward advertising, shipping, office supplies.