IHG Status Levels Explained: How to Maximize Your Elite Perks
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The IHG One Rewards program presents several elite status tiers with specific benefits that help make the travel experience better. Members can earn and upgrade their status through stays, credit card use, or status matching from other loyalty programs. Let’s examine the requirements, benefits, and strategies for accomplishing and maximizing IHG One Rewards Elite Status.
Elite IHG Status Levels and Requirements For Receiving
IHG One Rewards has four elite status levels: Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Each level offers progressively better benefits to members.
How do IHG one reward members earn tier status?
The requirements for attaining each status vary based on the number of nights stayed, and points earned.
| Silver Elite | Gold Elite | Platinum Elite | Diamond Elite | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elite Qualifying Points | n/a | 40,000 | 60,000 | 120,000 |
| Elite Qualifying Nights | 10 | 20 | 40 | 70 |
Explanation of Qualifying Nights and Points
To qualify for elite status, members need to accumulate either Elite Qualifying Nights or Elite Qualifying Points.
According to the IHG One Rewards program terms and conditions.
Elite Qualifying Nights
These are nights that are either paid stays, including those booked through IHG’s direct channels, or nights that are part of certain promotions and programs that explicitly state they count towards Elite status. These are nights spent at IHG properties that count towards achieving elite status.
These nights count toward elite status.
Elite Qualifying Points
These are points earned for eligible stays or expenses, see below for more details.
Excerpt from the terms and conditions:
“Qualifying Rates include Reward Night/Free Night*, IHG Employee Discount Rate and most business and leisure rates, such as Advance Saver rates, Best Flexible rates, Global sales negotiated rates (including but not limited to Corporate Gold rates), national/regional/local government rates, and specified leisure rates as confirmed by IHG’s reservation systems. In Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Greater China (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan), Qualifying Rates include all locally negotiated rates. Note: In Greater China, Qualifying Rates also include all corporate negotiated rates settled with hotels via regular payment. In all other parts of the world, locally negotiated rates are classed as Qualifying Rates if the rate is discounted less than 30%. In Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Australasia, hotel-direct extended-stay contracts are classed as Qualifying Rates if the rate is discounted less than 30%. *When staying on a Reward Night/Free Night, Members will not earn Points or partner miles/credits on the room rate or room rate equivalent; however, Points are awarded for all other eligible charges.”
Non-Elite Qualifying Points
These points do not count towards elite status. They include points earned from point purchases, point transfers, and certain promotional offers.
Fast-Track Programs and Status Matching
IHG One Rewards offers various promotions and strategies for quickly achieving higher elite status.
For example, certain credit cards automatically grant Platinum Elite status, and specific promotions allow members to fast-track to Diamond Elite status by staying a set number of nights within a limited timeframe.
For detailed strategies on fast-tracking your IHG status, please refer to the following articles:
- IHG One Rewards: Two Strategies to Fast-Track Your Membership Status with Point Purchases
- Stay 8 Nights for Diamond Elite Status with IHG One Rewards Fast Track (Offer Ends: 02/20/2024)
- IHG target offer: Members Can Choose Between Bonus Elite Night Credits or Silver Elite Status (Offer Ends: 07/31/2024)
- Fast Track to IHG Platinum Elite Status With the Offer “Reach for Platinum” (Offer Ends: 12/31/2024)
In addition, IHG occasionally offers status-matching programs (the last such challenge was held in 2022) that allow members to transfer elite status from other loyalty programs.
Credit Cards Granting Automatic IHG Levels of Membership
Certain IHG credit cards automatically grant elite status to cardholders. Here is a comparison of popular IHG credit cards and the automatic status they confer:
| Credit Card | Automatic Status |
|---|---|
| IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card Secure 80,000 Bonus Points by making $2,000 worth of purchases within the initial three (3) months. This comes with no annual fee. | Silver Elite |
| IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card Attain 140,000 Bonus Points by spending $3,000 in the first three (3) months. An annual fee of $99 applies. | Platinum Elite |
| IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card Collect 140,000 Bonus Points by spending $3,000 in the first three (3) months of account initiation. This card has an annual fee of $99. | Platinum Elite |
| United Club Infinite Card Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three (3) months after opening your account. Annual fee $525 | Platinum Elite |
For more information about credit cards, their benefits, earning bonuses and more, see the article – Chase Introduce New Credit Cards and Huge Bonus Point Offers.
Get Platinum Elite Status With Paid Intercontinental Ambassador Membership
IHG One Rewards members will receive Platinum Elite status in IHG One Rewards after joining the InterContinental Ambassador program.
A 12-month membership costs $200. IHG One Rewards members can also purchase a membership for 40,000 points. From October 2, 2024, the membership fee for the InterContinental Ambassador program will increase to $225 or 45,000 points.
IHG Ambassador program benefits also include:
- Guaranteed room upgrade by one category
- Late check-out privilege
- A free certificate for a weekend night.
- Platinum Elite status in the IHG One Rewards program and related benefits
- Credit in restaurants and bars up to $20 per stay*.
- Free mineral water
- Free access to the Internet
- Dedicated reception area
- Priority status on the waiting list
- For hotels in mainland China: Complimentary breakfast for one person for each night of stay
Elite Tier Granting and Updates
IHG One Rewards elite status is earned through member activity in a calendar year and then updated once annually based on the qualifying stays, points, or events gathered during the prior year.
Members have to requalify annually to keep their current status.
IHG Tier Benefits
Club Members gain access to exclusive discounts, accumulate and use points, and receive free wifi at IHG properties as soon as they sign up for the IHG One Rewards program.
You are eligible for the unique benefits of the IHG One Rewards program if you reach an elite tier.
IHG Silver Elite Status
- 20% bonus points on stays
- Priority check-in
- Extended check-out (subject to availability)
- Complimentary internet
- Milestone Rewards Program
IHG Gold Elite Status
- All Silver Elite benefits
- 40% bonus points on stays
- Rollover Nights for Next Year’s Status
IHG Platinum Elite Status
- All Gold Elite benefits
- 60% bonus points on stays
- Complimentary room upgrades (subject to availability)
- Reward Night Discounts
- Guaranteed room availability (72 hours in advance)
- Welcome amenities (Points* or drink/snack)
- Early check-in and late check-out (subject to availability)
IHG Diamond Elite Status
- All Platinum Elite benefits
- 100% bonus points on stays
- Dedicated Diamond support line
- Welcome amenities (Free breakfast, points* or drink/snack)
Comparison Table of Benefits
| IHG Benefits | Club | Silver Elite | Gold Elite | Platinum Elite | Diamond Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonus points | 20% | 40% | 60% | 100% | |
| Points don’t expire | + | + | + | + | |
| Rollover nights** for next year’s status | + | + | + | ||
| Rewards night promotional discounts | + | + | |||
| Diamond Support | + | ||||
| Guaranteed room availability | + | + | |||
| Complimentary upgrades, based on availability at check-in | + | + | |||
| Early check-in, based on availability | 72 hrs | 72 hrs | |||
| Welcome amenity at check-in | Points* or drink/snack | Free breakfast, points* or drink/snack | |||
| Free internet | + | + | + | + | + |
| Late Check-Out | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm |
Points* – exclude hotels in Greater China (including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan).
Rollover Nights** – are excess qualifying nights (which can occur at the end of a calendar year) that are carried over to the next year and count towards the Elite level status in that year.
Excerpt from the terms and conditions:
“Rollover Nights: At the end of the Calendar Year, Qualifying Nights in excess of the number required for Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, and Diamond Elite status will rollover into the following year and count towards earning Elite status in that year. Rollover Nights are only valid for one Calendar Year. Rollover Nights are calculated as follows: Total Qualifying Nights at year end (inclusive of rollover from prior year) minus nights required for the tier level you earned for the following year minus expired Rollover Nights from previous year = Rollover Nights for following year. Rollover Nights only count towards Elite membership status and will not count towards Milestone Rewards achievement.”
Additional Benefit – Milestone Rewards Program
The Milestone Rewards program is an additional benefit within the IHG One Rewards program designed to reward members for their continued loyalty and frequent stays.
This program offers special rewards at various milestones, allowing members to choose benefits that best suit their travel needs and preferences.
Milestone Rewards are earned in addition to the standard benefits associated with each elite status level, providing an extra layer of incentives for frequent travelers.
Milestone Rewards Structure
IHG Lifetime Status
The IHG One Rewards program does not have a Lifetime Status, like Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton.
Conclusion
Earning elite status in the IHG One Rewards program is an opportunity that provides many benefits and greatly enhances the experiences gained while traveling. Whether in routine stays, carefully utilized credit cards, or fast-tracked promotions, IHG hotels grant priority services, bonus points, and exclusive perks worldwide to all of them.
In its simplest terms, all a member needs to do is understand the requirements and benefits of the different elite levels to plan their path to elite status and maximize their rewards.
Lounge access is 40 and 70 nights, not 40/60
There is no lifetime status with IHG. did you merge a hilton/marriot and IHG document in error?
Something really went wrong, everything is fixed! Thank you very much!