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IHG’s new loyalty program emerged from its chrysalis this June. With new status tiers, enhanced benefits and new credit card products, the IHG One Rewards program looks more attractive than ever before. If IHG’s rewards reminded you of an ugly caterpillar in the past, you might want to look again.
Let’s check out IHG’s new reward program. We might just find a butterfly.
IHG is likely an option wherever the travel bug takes you, no matter your budget. Now with the IHG One Rewards program, traveling like a VIP at your favorite IHG brand is surprisingly easy.
About IHG
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) consists of about 6,000 hotels across 17 brands. Not only is IHG prevalent across the world, it also has brands in every hotel category. From extended stay brands, such as Candlewood Suites, to luxurious full-service experiences, such as Regent or InterContinental, IHG has something to offer every traveler.
For instance, if you wanted to stay at an IHG property in Madrid, you could choose the Holiday Inn Express – Getafe for $61 per night or the InterContinental Madrid for $300 per night.
IHG is likely an option wherever the travel bug takes you, no matter your budget. Now with the IHG One Rewards program, traveling like a VIP at your favorite IHG brand is surprisingly easy.
IHG Status Levels
Hotel status is a simple way for chains to reward their most loyal guests. Guests earn status by the number of stays, number of points accumulated or with the help of co-branded credit cards they carry. IHG status levels range from Club Member, the entry-level tier for enrollee, to Diamond Elite, the top-tier status.
Let’s look at what it takes to achieve each status level so you can determine if obtaining status in IHG’s One Reward program will transform your travel life or feel as useless as chasing butterflies.
| Benefit | Club Member | Silver Elite | Gold Elite | Platinum Elite | Diamond Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free internet | X | X | X | X | X |
| No blackout dates | X | X | X | X | X |
| 2 p.m. checkout | X | X | X | X | X |
| Earn points on stays | X | X | X | X | X |
| No expiration on points | X | X | X | X | |
| Bonus on stays | 20% | 40% | 60% | 100% | |
| Priority check-in | X | X | X | X | |
| Rollover nights | X | X | X | ||
| Early check-in | X | X | |||
| Guaranteed availability (72 hours) | X | X | |||
| Complimentary upgrades | X | X | |||
| Welcome amenity | X | X | |||
| Discounts on award nights | X | X | |||
| Hertz Gold Plus Five Star Membership | X | ||||
| Dedicated support line | X | ||||
| Welcome amenity includes free breakfast | X |
Club Member
If you enroll in IHG’s reward program, you’re a Club Member. There are no qualifications, and it’s free to join. If you plan on staying at an IHG hotel, you might as well enroll on IHG’s website or upon check-in so you can earn points for your stays and take advantage of the benefits of membership.
As a Club Member, you’ll receive the following perks:
- Free internet
- 2 p.m. checkout
- Earn points towards reward nights
- No blackout dates on award night redemptions
Silver Elite Status
Silver Elite is the first status tier of IHG’s One Rewards Program. You can obtain Silver Elite status by staying 10 qualifying nights per year at IHG properties. A qualifying night is any stay at an IHG property, but you may earn only one night per calendar day. For instance, if you’re traveling in a group and book two rooms for the same night, you’ll earn only one qualifying night.
Alternatively, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card offers complimentary Silver Elite Status.
Although the rest of IHG status levels can be achieved through earning rewards points, Silver Elite status can be earned through accruing nights or holding an IHG credit card only.
As a Silver Elite member, you’ll receive the following perks:
- Priority check-in
- Points don’t expire
- 20% bonus points on stays
Gold Elite Status
Staying 20 qualifying nights with IHG or earning 40,000 IHG One Rewards points in a calendar year will earn you Gold Elite status. Alternatively, you can open the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card card, spend $20,000 in a year on the card and earn this third status tier automatically.
Keep in mind that rewards points from credit card spend, welcome bonuses or transferred points from point currencies like Chase Ultimate Rewards don’t count towards elite status.
You can earn Qualified Points through the following activities with IHG:
- 1,000 points for reservations made directly through IHG
- 10X points per dollar spent on stays at most IHG properties
- 5X points spent on stays at Staybridge Suites or Candlewood
- 3X points on stays at military base hotels
- 3X points for business owners, corporate travel agents or corporate bookers for business travel booked through IHG Business Reward Members
Gold Elite members receive all the perks of Silver Elite members plus the following benefits:
- Rollover nights for following year’s status
- 40% bonus points on stays
Platinum Elite Status
Platinum Elite status is where true VIP treatment begins. That’s why it takes 40 nights or 60,000 IHG One Rewards points per year to earn. Platinum Elite status is also a complimentary benefit of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card Credit.
As a Platinum Elite member, you’ll receive the perks of all previous tiers plus the following benefits:
- Early check-in (subject to availability)
- Guaranteed room availability up to 72 hours before stay
- Complimentary upgrades (subject to availability)
- Welcome amenity upon arrival (bonus points, drinks or snack)
- 60% bonus on stays
- Discounts on award nights
Diamond Elite Status
Staying 70 nights with one hotel group is no small feat. If you accomplish this with IHG, you’ll earn Diamond Elite status. Accumulating 120,000 IHG One Rewards points or spending $40,000 on your IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card per year also qualifies you for Diamond Elite status, which adds the following perks in addition to all the other benefits already mentioned:
- Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star membership
- Dedicated Diamond support line
- 100% bonus on stays
- Welcome amenity upon arrival (includes free breakfast, drink, snack or bonus points)
Intercontinental Grand Hotel Paris Opéra, IHG Hotel
Milestone Rewards
In addition to the ongoing benefits of status, the IHG One Rewards program offers Milestone Rewards for every 10 nights after your first 20. This additional incentive can’t be earned through attaining status or accruing points.
You’ll get to pick one of the following rewards at each of these milestones:
| Number of Nights | Milestone Reward |
|---|---|
| 20 | • 5,000 bonus points or • Confirmable suite upgrade or • Two food and beverage rewards |
| 30 | • 5,000 bonus points or • Two food and beverage rewards |
| 40 (pick two) | • 10,000 bonus points or • Five food and beverage rewards or • Confirmable suite upgrade or • Annual lounge membership |
| 50 | • 10,000 bonus points or • Five food and beverage rewards |
| 60 | • 10,000 bonus points or • Five food and beverage rewards |
| 70 (pick two) | • 10,000 bonus points or • Five food and beverage rewards or • Two confirmable suite upgrade or • Annual lounge membership |
| 80 | • 10,000 bonus points or • Five food and beverage rewards |
| 90 | • 10,000 bonus points or • Five food and beverage rewards |
| 100 | • 10,000 bonus points or • Five food and beverage rewards |
Status Match
If you want high-class status but don’t want to spend your summer cocooned in an IHG hotel room, there’s another way to reach the upper echelons of IHG status. As a promotion for launching its new loyalty program, IHG is offering a status match.
A status match is a hotel brand’s attempt to transform loyal customers of one brand into die-hard followers of theirs by matching, or exceeding, the loyalty status of the customer at their preferred brand.
IHG’s status match is fairly easy. We normally advise against chasing status, but if you can fit the qualifications in your travel plans for this year, why not register? Besides, you’ll get to experience the VIP treatment during the status match period whether you complete the requirements or not.
How the Status Match Works
If you’re currently a status holder at any of these major hotel brands, you can register for a status match:
- Accor Live Limitless
- Best Western Rewards
- Choice Privileges
- Hilton Honors
- Marriott Bonvoy
- Radisson Rewards
- World of Hyatt
- Wyndham Rewards
You’ll get automatic Platinum Elite status for a 120-day period. If you stay just five qualifying nights during that period, you’ll be a Platinum Elite member until the end of 2023. If you stay 10 qualifying nights in the 120-day promotional period, you’ll earn Diamond Elite status through 2023. The only catch is award nights won’t count.
Status match nights must be a part of a “qualifying stay,” which means you must book directly with IHG and pay a “qualified rate” exceeding $30 per night.
Because you’ll get the perks of Platinum Elite status without any cost, it’s worth registering for the status match if there’s the slightest chance you might set foot in an IHG hotel in the next three months. This status match is promotional, and registration will close by July 31, 2022.
IHG One Rewards Credit Cards
The easiest way to earn status and enough points for a few free nights is to apply for an IHG One Rewards credit card. With the launch of the new rewards program, IHG also launched a new suite of credit card products. Each card comes with automatic upgraded status and a welcome bonus of IHG One Rewards points.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card cardholders earn automatic Silver Elite Status. No stays are required. Along with a status upgrade, this no-annual fee card earns 2X IHG One Rewards per dollar on all spend and elevated rates at specific vendors:
- 5X on IHG purchases
- 3X at gas stations
- 3X on utilities, cable, internet, phone, cell and select streaming
- 3X at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery
If you spend $20,000 in any given year on your IHG ® Traveler’s Credit Card, you’ll earn Gold Elite status.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
80,000
Bonus Points
after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
The IHG One Rewards Premier comes with a $99 annual fee and earns 3X points on all purchases and the following rates on purchases in specific categories:
- 10X at IHG properties
- 5X on travel and dining
- 5X at gas stations
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
140,000
Bonus Points
after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee: $99
In addition to the status upgrade, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card comes with the following perks:
- Anniversary free night certificate: Good for one night at any IHG property worth up to 40,000 points.
- $50 United TravelBank cash: A $25 credit every six months totalling $50 per year to your United TravelBank account. Use these credits in conjunction with other payment forms to book United flights.
- Global Entry/TSA Precheck or Nexus: A single credit up to $100 every four years for
either Global Entry, TSA Precheck or Nexus enrollment. - Trip cancellation insurance: Refund up to $5,000 per person or $10,000 per trip for accommodations or travel canceled due to a covered event.
- Rental collision coverage: Secondary coverage for damage to a rental vehicle that you paid for with your IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card.
If you spend $40,000 in a year on your IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, you’ll be upgraded from Platinum Elite to Diamond Elite status.
IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
The IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card is nearly identical to the IHG One Rewards Premier Card. It also comes with a $99 annual fee, earns 3X points on all purchases and the same rates on bonus categories with a notable addition:
- 10X at IHG properties
- 5X on travel and dining
- 5X at gas stations
- 5X on social media and search engine advertising
IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
140,000
Bonus Points
after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee: $99
In addition to the status upgrade, the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card offers nearly identical perks to the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, but watch out for a slight twist on the rental car coverage:
- Anniversary free night certificate: Good for one night at any IHG property worth up to 40,000 points.
- $50 United TravelBank cash: A $25 credit every six months totalling $50 per year to your United TravelBank account. Use these credits in conjunction with other payment forms to book United flights.
- Global Entry/TSA Precheck or Nexus: A single credit up to $100 every four years for
either Global Entry, TSA Precheck or Nexus enrollment. - Trip cancellation insurance: Refund up to $1,500 per person or $6,000 per trip for accommodations or travel canceled due to a covered event.
- Rental collision coverage: Primary coverage for damage to a rental vehicle that you rented for business purposes only and paid for with your IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card.
If you spend $40,000 in a year on your IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card, you move up from Platinum Elite status to Diamond Elite.
Final Thoughts
IHG’s reward program metamorphosis includes a new suite of credit cards, milestone rewards and completely new status tiers. It’s hardly recognizable. If you plan on visiting an IHG hotel this year, you can easily acquire loyalty status before you arrive.
Whether you opt for the $0 annual fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card to receive the benefits of Silver Elite status or register for status match to experience Diamond Elite status within the next few months, there’s no need to get out your butterfly net and chase status when it can easily land in your lap.
New to the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best card to start with.
With a bonus of 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel℠ purchases within your first year. , 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!
after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
10xTravel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
bonus cash back
after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Miles
once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
bonus points
after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel℠ purchases within your first year.
Membership Rewards® Points
after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.
