As with each sort of lodge elite standing, you will discover positives and negatives when evaluating IHG elite standing to different applications. That mentioned, I’ve gotten nice worth from IHG elite standing and the IHG One Rewards program during the last 9 years.
IHG elite standing will not all the time get you upgrades, even on the top-tier Diamond Elite degree, and extra advantages than I would like are topic to the discretion of every property. However, particularly because of the worth I can get when redeeming IHG factors and IHG’s intensive worldwide portfolio, I’ve discovered IHG elite standing worthwhile.
Here is what it is best to find out about incomes IHG elite standing and utilizing its advantages.
What’s IHG elite standing?
IHG elite standing gives perks when staying at IHG resorts and resorts. The IHG portfolio contains manufacturers starting from Candlewood Suites and Vacation Inn to Resort Indigo, Crowne Plaza and InterContinental. With IHG elite standing, you’ll be able to take pleasure in advantages at a variety of properties.
You may earn most tiers of IHG standing by accruing set quantities of qualifying nights or elite qualifying factors throughout a calendar yr. When you earn a selected IHG elite standing tier inside a calendar yr, you will hold the standing by the top of the next yr. Nevertheless, every Jan. 1, your qualifying nights and factors towards elite standing reset to zero.
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IHG elite standing tiers
The IHG One Rewards program provides 5 membership tiers. The primary membership tier — Membership member — does not have any necessities. To earn IHG elite standing, you will want to satisfy the next necessities every calendar yr:
- Silver Elite: 10 qualifying nights
- Gold Elite: 20 qualifying nights or 40,000 qualifying factors
- Platinum Elite: 40 qualifying nights or 60,000 qualifying factors
- Diamond Elite: 70 qualifying nights or 120,000 qualifying factors
Along with these IHG elite standing tiers, chances are you’ll get invited to Kimpton Inside Circle in case you have Diamond Elite standing and continuously keep at Kimpton properties. You can even buy an InterContinental Ambassador membership and doubtlessly get an improve to Royal Ambassador primarily based in your qualifying exercise at InterContinental resorts and resorts.
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You may earn rewards by IHG’s Milestone Rewards program as you accrue qualifying nights every calendar yr as properly.
Associated: How a lot worth does IHG One Rewards standing present once you e book instantly?
How you can earn IHG elite standing
Qualifying nights are nights you e book with IHG factors or at a qualifying fee — which is best outlined as a fee that earns IHG factors. In brief, should you e book instantly with IHG, you will probably get qualifying nights.
Qualifying factors are a bit trickier. IHG provides two kinds of factors: elite qualifying factors and nonelite qualifying factors. The distinction between these two kinds of factors is barely necessary for incomes elite standing. In brief, here is a listing of the kinds of actions that earn elite qualifying factors:
- Resort stays for which you pay a qualifying fee
- Spending with choose companions, together with Hertz automotive leases, OpenTable reservations and Viator experiences
- Shopping for IHG One Rewards bonus factors packages
- Certified spending by the IHG Enterprise Rewards program
- Spending on IHG One Rewards bank cards issued within the U.Okay. or Larger China
And here is a listing of actions that earn factors that you could redeem however aren’t elite qualifying:
When you e book costly stays at qualifying charges, closely make the most of the IHG Enterprise Rewards program or continuously use an IHG One Rewards card issued within the U.Okay. or Larger China, chances are you’ll discover it simple to qualify for IHG elite standing primarily based on qualifying factors. Nevertheless, most members discover qualifying nights a better metric to satisfy.
Associated: How you can maximize award redemptions with the IHG One Rewards program
IHG elite standing advantages
IHG elite standing provides some priceless perks to vacationers who continuously keep at IHG resorts and resorts. Here is a have a look at a number of the most helpful perks, together with how they differ by standing tier.
Bonus factors
IHG members earn 10 factors per greenback spent on qualifying stays at most IHG properties. Nevertheless, you will solely earn 5 factors per greenback spent at Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites and residences (serviced flats and prolonged keep items) properties; 3 factors per greenback spent at IHG Military Lodges; and a pair of,000 factors per keep at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas and The Palazzo at The Venetian Resort (for stays earlier than March 31, 2025, booked by Dec. 31, 2024).
IHG elite members get bonus factors on qualifying stays. 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. However keep in mind, these bonus factors aren’t elite qualifying factors.
Rollover nights
This perk could also be useful should you often qualify for IHG standing primarily based on qualifying nights. On the finish of every calendar yr, IHG will calculate the rollover nights for Gold Elite and above members because the qualifying nights they earned above the quantity required for his or her standing. These nights will roll over and depend towards incomes elite standing within the new calendar yr.
Nevertheless, rollover nights are solely legitimate for one calendar yr. IHG calculates rollover nights as your whole qualifying nights on the finish of the calendar yr (together with rollover nights from the earlier yr) minus the nights required for the IHG elite standing you earned minus the rollover nights from the earlier yr.
Reward evening reductions
One of many perks launched with the brand new IHG One Rewards program was reward evening reductions.
These reward evening reductions are periodically accessible for IHG One Rewards bank card holders, Platinum Elite members and Diamond Elite members, however members with IHG One Rewards bank cards often get early entry.
Complimentary upgrades
Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite members are eligible for complimentary upgrades topic to availability and on the lodge’s discretion. Nevertheless, complimentary upgrades to club-level rooms or flooring do not embody club-level advantages or lounge entry. And since upgrades are at every property’s discretion, I’ve discovered some resorts and resorts are way more beneficiant than others.
Welcome amenity
Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite members can take pleasure in a welcome amenity when checking in to IHG resorts or resorts. Silver Elite and Gold Elite members additionally take pleasure in a welcome amenity for stays in Larger China.
The choices fluctuate by model and area however usually embody a snack, a food-and-beverage credit score or factors. Prime-tier Diamond Elite members additionally get each day breakfast for the member and a visitor staying in the identical room as a welcome amenity selection at full-service and select-service manufacturers. IHG defines breakfast as limitless nonalcoholic drinks and one important menu merchandise or full buffet, though some menu objects and specialty drinks could also be excluded.
Observe that utilizing digital check-in could mechanically provide you with factors as a welcome amenity. When you’d reasonably have one thing else, it is best to examine in to your room in individual.
Early check-in and late checkout
Solely Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite members can request early check-in, which is topic to availability and offered as early or late because the lodge chooses.
In the meantime, late checkout is offered to all IHG members — together with nonelite members — upon request, topic to availability and till 2 p.m. on the newest. This can be a nice perk for members with out standing, but it surely’s irritating to be denied late checkout as a top-tier Diamond Elite or solely given a further hour or two over the usual checkout time. Plus, many IHG properties will not verify a late checkout request till the checkout day, which makes it tough to depend on this profit.
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Can a bank card assist earn IHG elite standing?
Bank cards might help you earn IHG elite standing. You probably have an IHG One Rewards bank card issued within the U.Okay. or Larger China, you’ll be able to earn elite qualifying factors towards standing along with your spending. Nevertheless, IHG One Rewards bank cards issued within the U.S. supply complimentary IHG elite standing and alternatives to spend to earn increased tiers of standing.
In the meantime, the no-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card provides automated Silver Elite standing as a cardmember profit. You may earn Gold Elite standing by the top of the next calendar yr after you make purchases totaling $20,000 or extra in your IHG Traveler card in a single calendar yr.
All three IHG bank cards issued within the U.S. supply a priceless fourth-night-free reward perk. This perk drops the price of each fourth evening on stays of 4 nights or extra that you just e book with IHG factors to zero factors. This will not directly show you how to earn IHG elite standing since you’ll be able to stretch your factors throughout extra nights should you continuously keep in increments of 4 nights.
Likewise, if you’re a major United Membership℠ Infinite Card member, you’ll be able to enroll in complimentary Platinum Elite standing as a perk of your card.
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Is IHG elite standing value it?
IHG elite standing is undoubtedly value it for some vacationers; the query is whether or not or not it is value it for you. The advantages on the Silver Elite and Gold Elite tiers often will not be value striving for — though should you earn these statuses organically, you will profit from bonus factors and should earn some IHG Milestone Rewards.
Platinum Elite standing provides some priceless perks value striving for over Gold Elite or Silver Elite standing. So, should you stick with IHG at the least a number of occasions a yr, it could be value getting the IHG Premier Credit score Card, the IHG Premier Enterprise Credit score Card, the United Membership Infinite Card or an InterContinental Ambassador membership — all of which provide complimentary Platinum Elite standing in addition to different perks that may show you how to justify paying an annual price. I just like the IHG Premier Credit score Card since I get considerably extra worth than the cardboard’s $99 annual price every year utilizing the fourth-night reward perk and the anniversary free evening certificates.
Nevertheless, you will want top-tier Diamond Elite standing to decide on each day breakfast as a welcome amenity when staying at full-service and select-service manufacturers. This standing requires 70 qualifying nights or 120,000 qualifying factors every calendar yr, loads in comparison with different lodge loyalty applications. Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite standing at 50 nights or World of Hyatt Globalist standing at 60 nights (or 100,000 base factors) are comparable statuses that each supply methods to earn elite qualifying nights by bank card spending.
Associated: Why it is best to get (and hold) the IHG One Rewards Premier card
Backside line
The decrease tiers of IHG standing do not supply many perks. In the meantime, top-tier Diamond Elite standing requires lots of nights, elite qualifying factors or spending on the IHG Premier Credit score Card or the IHG Premier Enterprise Credit score Card. So, for many vacationers, IHG Platinum Elite standing is the candy spot.
In spite of everything, you will get Platinum Elite standing as a perk of the IHG Premier Credit score Card, the IHG Premier Enterprise Credit score Card, the United Membership Infinite Card or an InterContinental Ambassador membership. This fashion, you’ll be able to take pleasure in IHG elite standing even should you do not stick with IHG all that continuously.
