Usually, provides to purchase elite standing aren’t compelling. For instance, American Airways AAdvantage’s provides to purchase elite standing are often laughably unhealthy. Nonetheless, IHG One Rewards is giving choose members a proposal — first reported by LoyaltyLobby — that’s compelling.
If IHG focused you for this supply to purchase standing, you doubtless acquired an electronic mail. The title of this electronic mail is probably going much like the one TPG senior editor Christine Gallipeau obtained titled “Do not lose your Diamond Elite standing, Christine,” or the one TPG managing editor Matt Moffitt obtained titled “Improve to Diamond Elite standing, Matthew.”
These emails clearly state what number of elite qualifying factors you’d want to purchase by Dec. 31, 2024, to safe a specified standing by means of 2025. Nonetheless, the elite qualifying factors listed in your electronic mail are based mostly in your account standing as of Dec. 6, so the quantity will not be correct in the event you’ve earned elite qualifying factors since then.
Associated: IHG elite standing: What it’s and find out how to earn it
Focused members will even see a tile after they log in to their IHG account, click on on their identify within the higher right-hand nook and scroll down.
Should you click on the hyperlink within the electronic mail, tile or right here, you may land on a web page the place you should buy the required factors. Nonetheless, solely focused members will see a proposal after logging in on that web page. Sadly, I am not focused, so I am unable to reap the benefits of this supply.
As a reminder, you may want 40,000 elite qualifying factors for Gold Elite, 60,000 for Platinum Elite and 120,000 for Diamond Elite. When you think about that the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card supply complimentary Platinum Elite standing to cardholders — and members who aren’t eligible for both of those playing cards can get Platinum Elite standing as a advantage of paid InterContinental Ambassador membership — the first standing you is likely to be involved in shopping for elite qualifying factors to say is Diamond Elite standing.
Usually, while you purchase IHG factors, the factors aren’t elite qualifying factors. Nonetheless, throughout this supply, choose members should purchase elite qualifying factors which are each redeemable and rely towards elite standing qualification. The phrases for this supply state, “EQP Factors aren’t refundable and are relevant towards all IHG One Rewards redemptions,” the place the phrases beforehand outlined EQP as elite qualifying factors. The phrases additionally state you’ll be able to solely make one buy of elite qualifying factors throughout this supply, so remember to purchase all that you simply want without delay.
Associated: When does it make sense to purchase factors and miles?
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Christine mentioned she’s presently at 20 elite qualifying nights and 69,470 elite qualifying factors, however she plans to remain 4 extra nights with IHG in 2024, which ought to get her a further 37,822 elite qualifying factors. As such, she instructed me, “After this keep, I plan on shopping for the remaining 15,000 factors wanted to retain my standing. I’ve a two-night mattress run keep I had deliberate for the very finish of the month, however the purchase factors supply will value lower than that keep, so I plan on canceling it now to as an alternative purchase the remaining factors.”
In the meantime, Matt presently has Platinum Elite standing by means of a bank card and has accrued 13 elite qualifying nights and 12,597 elite qualifying factors so far in 2024. Matt mentioned he would not presently have any further stays booked with IHG by means of the tip of 2024 however is strongly contemplating shopping for elite qualifying factors by means of this supply, noting, “Given I will be touring full-time for a minimum of Q1 and Q2 subsequent yr (doubtlessly into the second half of the yr), I am certain I can get worth out of the factors and standing.”
My husband JT can be focused for this supply. He accrued 61 elite qualifying nights and 17,265 elite qualifying factors by means of Dec. 16, however he enrolled in a focused supply to get Diamond Elite standing after 10 paid stays between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31. We simply checked out of the keep for the tenth evening on Sunday, so we cannot have any use for his supply.
Choose IHG cardholders take pleasure in a 20% low cost when buying factors, too, which makes this supply notably compelling. If Matt has an eligible IHG card that provides the 20% low cost, he may purchase 110,000 elite qualifying factors — which value $770 — for an efficient value of $616 after the 20% low cost. That is 0.56 cents per redeemable level, simply 0.06 cents per level greater than TPG’s December 2024 valuation of IHG factors.
Associated: Final-minute methods for incomes IHG One Rewards elite standing
Backside line
If IHG has focused you for this supply, it is critically price contemplating. Via this supply, focused members should purchase elite qualifying factors at a charge near — if not decrease than — the speed at which they’ll redeem them.
Though my husband will requalify for Diamond Elite standing, I would doubtless purchase 120,000 elite qualifying factors throughout this supply to additionally requalify for Diamond Elite standing if IHG had focused me for this supply. In any case, 120,000 elite qualifying factors value $800 — successfully $640 after the 20% low cost — and I often get a minimum of 0.7 cents per level when redeeming IHG factors and using the fourth-reward-night-free profit. So, with out even contemplating the worth of Diamond Elite standing, I would worth the factors greater than the price I would must pay.
IHG Diamond Elite standing continues to supply my husband and me a ton of worth, together with a selection of complimentary breakfast for 2 as a welcome amenity at just about any IHG lodge or resort that does not supply free breakfast for all. We have discovered we additionally continuously get an upgraded room or suite upon request at check-in if the property continues to be presently promoting that room sort for our dates. Additionally, incomes 100% bonus factors on paid stays is a precious Diamond Elite perk.
Associated: How a lot worth does IHG One Rewards standing present while you e book instantly?
As for IHG Diamond Elite members who’ve earned (or deliberate to earn) the 70 elite qualifying nights or 120,000 elite qualifying factors by means of stays, this supply doubtless seems like a slap within the face. However these members do get some comfort in that IHG Milestone Rewards are based mostly on elite qualifying nights, not factors. So, even in the event you purchase as much as a standing through buying elite qualifying factors, you continue to will not get entry to precious Milestone Rewards equivalent to an annual lounge membership.
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