IHG One Rewards is the loyalty program for IHG Lodges & Resorts, which incorporates manufacturers like Vacation Inn, Resort Indigo, InterContinental, Kimpton and Crowne Plaza. It is develop into certainly one of my go-to lodge loyalty applications, particularly after it improved in 2022 alongside its rebrand to IHG One Rewards.
The IHG lodges and resorts portfolio contains a mixture of luxurious and mainstream manufacturers. I completely love the Six Senses model, however even the least-prestigious manufacturers like Candlewood Suites, Avid and Vacation Inn Specific normally present acceptable high quality. Here is what it is advisable know concerning the IHG One Rewards program.
IHG One Rewards elite standing
There are 5 membership tiers throughout the IHG One Rewards loyalty program. Plus, IHG gives two further membership applications: InterContinental Ambassador and Kimpton Inside Circle. Here is an outline of every of those membership choices.
IHG One Rewards Membership member
You will develop into a Membership member just by signing up for the IHG One Rewards program. Membership members get the next advantages:
- Entry to member charges and promotions
- Reward nights depend towards elite standing
- Free web entry
- 2 p.m. late checkout, upon request and topic to availability
Membership members earn base factors as follows when paying a qualifying fee at collaborating IHG Lodges & Resorts:
- 2.5 factors per greenback spent at IHG-branded Residence properties, excluding Voco Residences (a 1.25% return based mostly on TPG’s valuations)
- 3 factors per greenback spent at IHG Military Lodges (a 1.5% return)
- 5 factors per greenback spent at Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites (a 2.5% return)
- 2,000 factors per keep at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas (value $10)
- 10 factors per greenback spent at different IHG properties (a 5% return)
Nevertheless, solely choose Six Senses properties and Iberostar Beachfront Resorts take part in IHG One Rewards. So, you may solely earn IHG factors and get IHG One Rewards advantages at collaborating Six Senses and Iberostar properties.
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IHG One Rewards Silver Elite member
Silver Elite membership sometimes requires 10 qualifying nights per calendar yr. Nevertheless, those that have the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card get computerized Silver Elite standing.
On prime of the advantages out there to IHG One Rewards Membership members, Silver Elite members additionally get the next perks:
- 20% bonus earnings on prime of base factors
- Factors do not expire whilst you have elite standing
Primarily based on TPG’s valuation of IHG One Rewards elite standing, requalifying for Silver Elite standing is value about $35 per yr.
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IHG One Rewards Gold Elite member
Gold Elite membership sometimes requires 20 qualifying nights or 40,000 qualifying factors per calendar yr. Nevertheless, cardholders of the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card can earn Gold Elite standing by the tip of the subsequent calendar yr in the event that they spend $20,000 or extra on their card throughout the present calendar yr.
On prime of the advantages out there to IHG One Rewards Silver Elite members, Gold Elite members additionally get the next perks:
- 40% bonus earnings on prime of base factors
- Qualifying nights that surpass what you want for standing throughout a specific yr roll over to the subsequent yr (though rollover nights are solely legitimate for one calendar yr)
TPG values requalifying for IHG One Rewards Gold Elite standing at about $155 per yr.
IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite member
Platinum Elite membership sometimes requires 40 qualifying nights or 60,000 qualifying factors per calendar yr, however cardholders of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card get computerized Platinum Elite standing. You will additionally get complimentary Platinum Elite standing in the event you purchase an InterContinental Ambassador membership. Choose United bank card holders can register for complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite standing.
On prime of the advantages out there to IHG One Rewards Gold Elite members, Platinum Elite members additionally get the next perks:
- 60% bonus earnings on prime of base factors
- Occasional reward night time reductions
- Complimentary upgrades, topic to availability
- Welcome amenity at check-in of factors or a drink and a snack
- Early check-in, upon request and topic to availability
TPG values requalifying for IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite standing at about $1,290 per yr.
IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite member
Diamond Elite membership sometimes requires 70 qualifying nights or 120,000 qualifying factors per calendar yr. Nevertheless, these with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card can earn Diamond Elite standing by the tip of the subsequent calendar yr in the event that they spend $40,000 or extra on their card throughout the present calendar yr.
On prime of the advantages out there to IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite members, Diamond Elite members additionally get the next perks:
- 100% bonus earnings on prime of base factors
- Devoted assist telephone line for Diamond Elite members
- Welcome amenity at check-in of free breakfast (per night time for as much as two individuals), factors (per keep) or a drink and snack (per keep)
TPG values requalifying for IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite standing at about $3,840 per yr.
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InterContinental Ambassador
You should purchase a 12-month InterContinental Ambassador membership for $200 or 40,000 IHG factors. InterContinental Ambassador members get additional perks at InterContinental lodges and resorts, together with a assured one-category room improve and 4 p.m. late checkout. Plus, membership comes with IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite standing and a complimentary weekend night time at an InterContinental lodge or resort (legitimate on the second night time of a minimal two-night paid weekend keep booked utilizing a particular fee).
Even when you have already got Platinum Elite or increased standing, it may be value buying InterContinental Ambassador standing in the event you incessantly keep at InterContinental properties. It will possibly additionally make sense in the event you get greater than $200 of worth out of your complimentary weekend night time. Often, InterContinental gives enrollment or renewal gives that may present additional factors or award night time certificates as incentives.
IHG invitations choose InterContinental Ambassadors to develop into Royal Ambassadors based mostly on their qualifying exercise at InterContinental lodges and resorts. Royal Ambassadors get much more perks, together with Membership InterContinental lounge entry.
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Kimpton Inside Circle
When you’re an IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite member and incessantly keep at Kimpton lodges, you could be invited to the Kimpton Inside Circle.
Kimpton Inside Circle members get numerous additional perks when staying at Kimpton lodges, together with an ultra-personalized deal with upon arrival, assured one-category room upgrades, waived amenity charges, assured 10 a.m. early check-in and assured 4 p.m. late checkout.
Which bookings are eligible for IHG elite advantages and earnings?
You usually should e-book immediately with IHG to get elite advantages and earnings on stays. Particularly, IHG’s phrases and situations state you possibly can e-book qualifying stays by:
IHG Buyer Care, IHG web sites, the IHG One Rewards app, IHG WeChat mini program, Iberostar web site, Iberostar Contact Heart, IberostarPro, approved journey brokers (excluding on-line journey brokers reminiscent of Expedia.com and reserving.com, and unauthorized brokers on on-line vertical journey portals), or immediately on the lodge.
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The best way to earn IHG factors
There are lots of methods to earn IHG factors. Here is a fast overview of among the hottest methods.
Resort stays
One of many major methods to earn IHG factors is thru lodge stays. All IHG One Rewards members earn base factors as follows when paying a qualifying fee at a collaborating property:
- 2.5 factors per greenback spent at IHG-branded Residence properties, excluding Voco Residences (a 1.25% return based mostly on TPG’s valuations)
- 3 factors per greenback spent at IHG Military Lodges (a 1.5% return)
- 5 factors per greenback spent at Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites (a 2.5% return)
- 2,000 factors per keep at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas (value $10)
- 10 factors per greenback spent at different IHG properties (a 5% return)
Elite members get bonus earnings on prime of those base factors. Particularly, Silver Elite members get a 20% bonus, Gold Elite members get a 40% bonus, Platinum Elite members get a 60% bonus and Diamond Elite members get a 100% bonus. IHG typically gives bonus promotions that allow members earn much more factors on stays.
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Bank cards
There are three IHG One Rewards bank cards at present accepting purposes that you should utilize to earn IHG factors:
- IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card: 5 factors per greenback spent at IHG lodges and resorts; 3 factors per greenback spent at eating places (together with takeout and eligible supply), at fuel stations and on utilities, web, cable and telephone providers, and choose streaming providers; 2 factors per greenback spent on different purchases (no annual price)
- IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card: 10 factors per greenback spent at IHG lodges and resorts; 5 factors per greenback spent at eating places (together with takeout and eligible supply), at fuel stations and on journey and lodges; 3 factors per greenback spent on different purchases ($99 annual price)
- IHG One Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card: 10 factors per greenback spent at IHG lodges and resorts; 5 factors per greenback spent at eating places (together with takeout and eligible supply), at fuel stations and on journey, lodges, social media, search engine promoting and workplace provide shops; 3 factors per greenback spent on different purchases ($99 annual price)
You may as well switch Chase Final Rewards factors and Bilt Rewards factors to IHG One Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.
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Conferences and occasions
The IHG Enterprise Rewards program permits you to earn IHG factors once you e-book rooms, conferences and occasions for others at choose IHG properties.
First, you need to register for IHG Enterprise Rewards on IHG’s web site. Then, you possibly can earn 3 factors per greenback spent on the next:
- Visitor rooms
- Conferences and occasions
- Convention rooms
- Meals and beverage service linked to conferences and conferences
- All-inclusive assembly packages
Nevertheless, you usually cannot earn over 60,000 factors on a gathering or occasion.
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IHG Journey Extras
IHG Journey Extras is a reserving platform that permits you to earn IHG factors on choose bookings. Particularly, you may earn as follows once you e-book by the IHG Journey Extras portal:
- Hertz automotive leases: Earn 1,500 factors per rental plus 500 factors per day for Elite members and 125 factors per day for Membership members.
- Greenback and Thrifty automotive leases: Earn 125 factors per day.
- Viator excursions and actions: Earn 1,000 factors per exercise reserving.
- OpenTable reservations: Earn as much as 500 factors once you make an OpenTable restaurant reservation.
- Grubhub meals supply to pick U.S. IHG lodges: Earn 500 factors on your first Grubhub order positioned by IHG’s meals supply web page and 250 factors for each subsequent order.
- Viator transport providers: Earn as much as 1,000 factors per transportation reserving.
Most of those bounties are comparatively small. So, you may usually solely need to e-book by the IHG Journey Extras portal when it matches or beats the bottom competitor.
IHG One Rewards Dine & Earn
The IHG One Rewards Dine & Earn program enables you to earn IHG factors on eating. To earn factors at collaborating eating places, be part of this system and enroll at the very least one credit score or debit card. You will then earn IHG factors once you use an enrolled card to pay at collaborating eating places, bars and golf equipment.
Particularly, your incomes fee will rely in your elite standing stage throughout the IHG One Rewards Dine & Earn program:
- VIP members earn 8 factors per greenback spent (a 4% return based mostly on TPG’s valuations)
- Choose members earn 5 factors per greenback spent (a 2.5% return)
- Primary members earn 1 level per greenback spent (a 0.5% return)
To earn Choose standing, choose in to obtain emails. You will earn VIP standing once you choose in to obtain emails and full 11 certified transactions in a calendar yr. As soon as you’ve got earned VIP standing, you may hold it for the remainder of the present yr and the next calendar yr.
Nevertheless, you possibly can solely enroll every card in a single eating rewards program at a time. So, in the event you use one other program, reminiscent of AAdvantage Eating or Hilton Honors Eating, you may have to determine whether or not IHG One Rewards Dine & Earn will present extra worth.
Shopping for factors
You may as well enhance your account stability by shopping for IHG factors. You’ll be able to periodically purchase factors throughout promotions for as little as 0.5 cents apiece.
You usually cannot buy greater than 150,000 IHG factors per calendar yr, however IHG typically will increase this restrict throughout promotions.
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Which factors qualify for elite standing?
Some actions above produce elite qualifying IHG factors, whereas others present non-elite qualifying factors. Each forms of factors are redeemable, however solely elite qualifying factors depend towards incomes elite standing.
Primarily based on IHG’s phrases and situations, the next actions produce factors which might be redeemable and qualify for elite standing:
- Qualifying charges for lodge stays
- Spending on choose associate exercise
- IHG One Rewards bonus factors packages
- Certified spending by IHG Enterprise Rewards
However, the next actions produce factors which might be redeemable however don’t qualify for elite standing:
- Spending on U.S.-issued IHG One Rewards bank cards
- Transfers of Chase Final Rewards factors to IHG
- New cardmember bonuses and bonus factors promotions by IHG One Rewards bank cards (except in any other case indicated)
- Factors earned from IHG and choose associate promotions
- Elite tier bonus factors
- Level vouchers, purchases, deposits and transfers (except in any other case indicated)
When you aren’t seeking to earn IHG elite standing by elite qualifying factors, you needn’t fear about which factors qualify.
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The best way to redeem IHG factors
You will usually get probably the most worth once you redeem IHG factors for lodge stays, however different choices exist. Here is what it is advisable know.
Reward nights
In 2020, IHG progressively switched to dynamic award pricing. The variety of factors required to e-book a reward night time at a specific property might differ from night time to nighttime and will change at any level.
You should utilize factors to e-book reward nights at most IHG properties. Nevertheless, it’s possible you’ll be unable to redeem factors at InterContinental Residences, IHG Military Lodges, Iberostar Beachfront Resorts and Six Senses resorts. The least I’ve discovered any IHG property bookable for not too long ago is 5,000 factors per night time.
Primarily based on TPG’s valuation of IHG factors at 0.5 cents every, you may usually need to get at the very least this worth when redeeming IHG factors. For instance, take into account the InterContinental Presidente Cancun Resort. For a two-night keep in March, you could possibly pay 44,500 factors per night time or $359.85 per night time for a fee with free cancellation till three days earlier than your keep. On this case, you would be getting a worth of 0.81 cents per level.
Getting any such worth when redeeming IHG factors is not unusual. You probably have an eligible IHG One Rewards bank card, you should utilize the fourth-night reward profit when redeeming IHG factors. This fourth-night reward permits you to successfully pay zero factors for each fourth night time once you redeem factors for a keep of 4 nights or longer.
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Factors + Money
When you’re seeking to preserve factors, it’s possible you’ll need to e-book utilizing Factors + Money. Because the title implies, you may pay partially with factors and partially with money on a Factors + Money reserving. The associated fee to pay partially with money by Factors + Money bookings varies, so take into account whether or not the speed at which you would be buying factors gives good worth.
One further caveat about Factors + Money bookings: You aren’t getting the money portion again in the event you cancel the keep. As an alternative, IHG refunds the money copay as factors deposited to your IHG One Rewards account.
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IHG One Rewards Entry
IHG One Rewards Entry is an public sale platform the place you possibly can redeem IHG factors for experiences. There are some experiences that you would be able to bid on, however there are additionally some experiences that you would be able to get hold of by redeeming a set variety of factors. IHG members with a Mastercard may redeem IHG factors for Mastercard Priceless Experiences.
Digital Rewards
You’ll be able to redeem IHG factors for a wide array of e-magazines, films, e-books, video games and software program by IHG’s Digital Rewards program. When you solely have a number of factors to redeem, digital rewards may very well be a worthwhile choice.
IHG One Rewards Catalog
You should utilize your factors to buy within the IHG One Rewards Catalog. The catalog gives many objects, together with electronics, reward playing cards, occasion tickets and the flexibility to donate your factors. Nevertheless, you may typically get a low redemption fee when redeeming factors for objects on this catalog.
Redeem for airline miles
Lastly, you possibly can redeem IHG factors for airline miles with choose companions by calling the IHG One Rewards Service Heart. You’ll be able to solely redeem in increments of 10,000 IHG factors, and it’ll normally take 14 to 21 days for the miles to publish to your airline loyalty account.
The best way to e-book an IHG award
Reserving award nights by the IHG web site is straightforward. From the homepage, sort in your vacation spot, dates, variety of company and variety of rooms. Earlier than clicking “Search,” click on the “Fee Choice” drop-down and choose “Reward Nights.”
When you click on “Search,” you may see choices bookable inside a set radius of your vacation spot. You’ll be able to filter these choices by model and facilities. You’ll be able to type your outcomes by distance, value or ranking.
You may as well select to see your outcomes on a map.
Click on “Choose Resort” to see award charges for every room sort. You’ll be able to see paid charges and Factors + Money charges by choosing the relevant tiles. This may allow you to determine if redeeming factors is worth it.
On this case, you could possibly pay 36,000 IHG factors per night time or $278 per night time for a reservation you could possibly cancel with out cost till at some point earlier than your keep. So, you would be getting 0.77 cents per level in the event you redeem factors for this keep.
Sadly, IHG would not make it simple to see a calendar view of award costs for a person property. However, if you will discover a date with none award availability, click on the “View out there dates” hyperlink to view a calendar of award charges.
Incessantly requested questions
How a lot are IHG factors value?
Primarily based on TPG’s valuations, IHG factors are value about 0.5 cents every. So, it might be finest in the event you usually tried to get at the very least 0.5 cents of worth per level when redeeming IHG factors.
What number of IHG factors do you want for a free night time?
Earlier than IHG switched to dynamic pricing, you’d usually want 10,000 to 70,000 IHG factors for a free night time. Now, award night time prices differ extra extensively, however I’ve discovered lodges bookable for as little as 5,000 factors.
Do IHG factors expire?
Factors do not expire for Elite members, however factors expire for Membership members after 12 months with none incomes or redeeming exercise.
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Can I switch my IHG factors to another person?
You’ll be able to switch your IHG factors to a different member in 1,000-point increments for a price of $5 per 1,000 factors. This implies you may pay a price of 0.5 cents per level transferred.
Nevertheless, a member’s factors could also be transferred to the member’s beneficiary (or beneficiaries) with out switch charges if a member passes away. The executor or administrator of the property ought to contact IHG Buyer Care and supply the requested paperwork inside one yr of the member’s demise.
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Backside line
IHG improved its loyalty program by including breakfast for Diamond Elite members and milestone rewards throughout its 2022 program overhaul. I additionally respect that getting a superb worth when redeeming IHG factors is normally simple. Plus, IHG often gives gross sales that allow you to purchase IHG factors for simply 0.5 cents per level.
It is value having the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card or IHG One Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card, even in the event you solely stick with IHG lodges and resorts a number of occasions per yr. Each playing cards present computerized Platinum Elite standing and entry to the dear fourth-night reward profit once you redeem IHG factors for stays of 4 nights or longer.
