InterContinental Hotels Group will pay for one checked airline bag roundtrip when you stay on a weekend at any of 4,600 IHG hotels and pay with your Visa card through Dec. 30, 2010. To receive the checked bag rebate (up to $50), you must be a U.S. resident and stay two consecutive nights at an IHG brand hotel on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

After your stay, you will need to download the rebate form at http://www.ihg.com/checkitfree and submit the form along with your hotel bill showing payment with a Visa card and your receipt for the checked airline baggage fees with travel dates. If you booked your stay through an eligible third-party Web site such as Travelocity or Expedia, you will also need to include the receipt from the third-party booking site that shows Visa payment and travel dates. Opaque and “name your own price” rates (such as Priceline.com) are excluded from this promotion.

The rebate will be mailed to you within six to eight weeks after your claim is received and you will be sent up to a $50 Visa Prepaid Card. There is a limit of one card per two-night weekend stay, but there is no limit to the number of cards you can earn during the promotion. Visit http://www.ihg.com/onefreebag to learn more.

Bottom line: For a weekend stay, most travelers can get by with only a carry-on bag, but if you or your traveling companion like to bring everything and the kitchen sink with you on your weekend getaways, getting a $50 rebate to cover the cost of the bag fee is a nice bonus. Just be sure to keep all of your receipts and pay for your stay with a Visa.