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Branded and Partnered Credit Cards
IHG Hotels & Resorts has 2 co-branded credit cards and partners with 1 transferable point program. This means that you will have plenty of ways to earn IHG One Rewards points with your credit card spend.
IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
The IHG Premier card packs a punch for 2 reasons. The first reason is the welcome bonus is elevated way above where you’ll normally see it. The second reason to consider the card is that each anniversary it comes with a free night at an IHG property requiring 40,000 points or less for a reward night stay.
In addition to these benefits, the card can be great if you’re interested in elite status as it comes with IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status and earns 10x points per $1 on IHG stays.
IHG® Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card
The IHG Traveler card is a more affordable option than the IHG Premier card, but offers fewer benefits and earnings in exchange. With the IHG Traveler card, you’ll earn 5x points per $1 on your IHG stays, a 20% discount on point purchases, Gold Elite status after you spend $10,000 on the card, and of course — your fourth night free on all award stays.
Hot Tip: Before signing up for the IHG Premier card or IHG Traveler card, it’s important to note that these cards are subject to the Chase 5/24 rule so they probably shouldn’t be the first cards you apply for.
Chase Ultimate Rewards
IHG partners with Chase Ultimate Rewards and is a Chase transfer partner at a 1:1 ratio. The transfer time can take up to 24 hours. While we don’t always recommend transferring Chase points to IHG, it can make sense if you’re very close to a specific redemption that you want to make.
Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)
Recommended Chase Cards (Business)
IHG One Rewards Overview
IHG is a British hospitality company headquartered in England. The company has over 5,500 hotels with coverage across nearly 100 countries.
The IHG hotel loyalty program is called IHG One Rewards and it allows members to earn and redeem IHG One Rewards points.
Joining IHG One Rewards
The IHG One Rewards program is free to join. Complete the IHG One Rewards application to start earning points on your next hotel stay.
How To Sign in to Your IHG One Rewards Account
Head to the IHG homepage and click the Sign In tab at the top right of the page. You will then enter your member number or email address and PIN to access your IHG One Rewards account.
Viewing Your Account Activity
After signing into your IHG One Rewards account, follow these steps to view the number of points in your account:
- Click your name in the top right corner of the page
- Click Account Activity on the left side of the page
Profile Preferences
Members can update their profile and preferences when logged into your account. To update your account, follow these steps:
- Click your name in the top right corner of the page
- Click Personal Information on the left side of the page
In addition, you can update your stay preferences when you are logged into your account. Click the Preferences tab to make your next stay personalized to your taste.
Points Expiration
Points expire after 12 months if there’s no account activity. To extend the expiration of your points, simply earn or redeem once a year at any of the IHG hotels or with partners.
If you’ve earned Elite member status (Gold, Platinum, Spire), your IHG One Rewards points do not expire as long as you hold this status.
IHG One Rewards Benefits
The IHG One Rewards program has 3 elite tiers in Gold, Platinum, and Spire. Each elite tier comes with different benefits, but you’ll typically receive the most value when using your IHG One Rewards points for a reward night.
Gold Elite Member
- Earned after 10 Qualifying Nights or 10,000 Qualifying Points (7 nights or 70,000 points in 2021)
- $30 in-room spa credit
- 10% bonus points in addition to base points
- Points do not expire for elite members
- Extended checkout and priority check-in
- Welcome amenity
Platinum Elite Member
- Earned after 40 Qualifying Nights or 40,000 Qualifying Points (30 nights or 30,000 points in 2021)
- All Gold Elite benefits
- Complimentary room upgrades
- 50% bonus points in addition to base points
- Raid the Bar at Kimpton properties
- Guaranteed room availability
Spire Elite Member
- Earned after 75 Qualifying Nights or 75,000 Qualifying Points (55 nights or 55,000 points in 2021)
- All Platinum Elite benefits
- Exclusive Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star status
- Early check-in at 10 a.m.
- 100% bonus points in addition to base points
- Choice benefit (25,000 bonus points or gift of Platinum Elite status)
In addition to Gold, Platinum, and Spire, the IHG One Rewards program has an elite tier where you can pay to hold the status.
InterContinental Ambassador
- Membership fee of $200
- Guaranteed 1 category room upgrade
- Extended 4 p.m. checkout
- Complimentary weekend night at an InterContinental Hotel & Resort valid on the second night of a paid weekend stay on the Ambassador Weekend Rate
- Restaurant and bar credit of up to $20 for every stay
- Complimentary breakfast for 1 for each night you stay
- 15% discount at restaurants and bars
Earning IHG One Rewards Elite Status
IHG One Rewards elite status is earned per calendar year. Once a member earns elite membership status in any calendar year, such status will be maintained through the end of the following calendar year. IHG determines your elite status based on the number of Qualifying Points or Qualifying Nights during a calendar year.
IHG One Rewards Reward Nights count towards your Qualifying Nights total and any nights in excess of the number required for each status level will be counted towards the member’s Elite status qualification for the following calendar year. Elite Rollover Nights are only valid for 1 calendar year.
2021 Update: Due to COVID-19, IHG is extending IHG One Rewards elite status to all existing members through January 2022. All elite nights earned in 2020 have been rolled over to 2021 and elite requirements for 2021 have been reduced by 25%.
IHG One Rewards Qualification Requirements (Revised for 2021)
| Status Tier | Qualifying Nights | Qualifying Points |
| Club | 0 | 0 |
| Gold Elite | 7 | 70,000 |
| Platinum Elite | 30 | 30,000 |
| Spire Elite | 55 | 55,000 |
Qualifying Nights are earned on every eligible paid rate or award stay at an IHG property.
Qualifying Points are earned when you pay for eligible charges at an IHG property.
Bonus Points are points earned that may count towards your Qualifying Points total. IHG One Rewards Bonus Points (or miles) from IHG packages are considered eligible Qualifying Points. Elite status bonuses, credit card welcome bonuses, and select promotions are NOT considered Qualifying Points.
Hot Tip: The free award night from the IHG Premier card will count towards your Qualifying Nights total to help you earn elite status.
New IHG One Rewards Program
IHG One Rewards is currently revamping its Elite status tiers. Here’s a look at the upcoming tiers under the new program:
- Silver Elite: Achieve after 10 qualifying nights; earn a 20% points bonus
- Gold Elite: Achieve after 20 qualifying nights or 40,000 qualifying points; earn a 40% points bonus
- Platinum Elite: Achieve after 40 qualifying nights or 60,000 qualifying points; earn a 60% points bonus
- Diamond Elite: Achieve after 70 qualifying nights or 120,000 qualifying points; earn a 100% points bonus
Value of IHG One Rewards Status
IHG has a global footprint with premium brands in HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts, InterContinental, Regent Hotels & Resorts, and Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas. Its full-service brands include familiar hotels to U.S. travelers — Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, and Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants.
IHG Premier cardholders automatically receive Platinum status for being a cardmember. This credit card alone puts you within range of qualifying for Spire Elite, the top IHG elite status. With that said, the elite benefits offered at the Spire Elite don’t warrant the additional 35 nights or 35,000 points to qualify.
If you’re looking for a brand with a global reach, a few premium brands, and a number of full-service brands, IHG may make sense for you.
How To Earn IHG One Rewards Points
A credit card with a high welcome offer plus a partnership with a transferable point program makes it relatively easy to earn IHG One Rewards points.
Earning Points on IHG Stays
IHG One Rewards members will earn between 5 and 10 points per dollar for their stay. If you earn elite status, you will also earn between a 10% to 100% bonus:
- Club: 5 to 10 points per dollar
- Gold: 5 to 10 points per dollar + 10% bonus
- Platinum: 5 to 10 points per dollar + 50% bonus
- Spire: 5 to 10 points per dollar + 100% bonus
Plan Meetings and Events
Another way to earn IHG points is to hold a meeting or event at an IHG hotel. Members earn 3 points per dollar every time they book a meeting or event. In addition, members can also earn elite status by booking a meeting or event:
| Elite Status | # of Events |
| Gold | 1 |
| Platinum | 2 |
Earn Airlines Miles Instead of Points
IHG One Rewards members can choose to earn airline miles instead of IHG One Rewards points for their qualifying stays. Refer to the earning rates of each airline as the rates vary.
Transfer Points To Family and Friends
Points may be transferred between any 2 member accounts by paying $5 per 1,000 points transferred. You’ll need to complete and submit an authorization to transfer points for the transfer to be completed.
Hot Tip: Due to the $5 fee, we don’t recommend that you transfer your points to family and friends. Instead, we recommend family and friends sign up for the IHG Premier card to earn IHG One Rewards points.
How To Redeem Rewards Points
IHG offers several different ways to redeem IHG One Rewards points that include reward nights, shopping, experiences, Points & Cash, rental cars, digital rewards, airline redemptions, and a points donation.
The best way to unlock the most value with your IHG One Rewards points is with hotel redemptions.
Award Nights
IHG prices its awards dynamically, similar to Hilton Honors, and there is no longer a published award chart. As the award price fluctuates, you will need to run an award search to determine the number of points required to book a room.
Points & Cash
The Points & Cash option is great if you don’t have the number of points required for a reward night. You’ll search for a reward night, choose the Points & Cash combination at the hotel you want to book, and then book your stay.
Hot Tip: Points & Cash is the perfect option if you want to save money, use fewer points for a reward night, and have at least 5,000 IHG One Rewards points available.
All-Inclusive Resorts
IHG has 4 resorts in the Holiday Inn brand that are all-inclusive. All 4 are located in coastal destinations making each an option to consider for your next vacation.
The cheapest resort is the Holiday Inn Resort Los Cabos. This property requires around 20,000 points per night. The most expensive all-inclusive resort is the Holiday Inn Resort Montego Bay. You’ll need around 50,000 points per night to stay at this property.
Transfer Points To Airline Miles
Members may convert their IHG One Rewards points into airline miles with airlines that are IHG partners. Consult the full list of IHG airline partners to see how many miles you will receive when converting your IHG One Rewards points to an airline.
Frequently Asked Questions
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About Michael McHugh
Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Michael took his first international trip in 2013 with friends to the Bahamas. Although he didn’t travel much in his younger years, on that trip, he caught the travel bug and has been hooked ever since.
Michael first caught wind of the points and miles game in 2014 while at a bar in Washington, DC where the conversation amongst friends was quickly derailed because of an alert on a friend’s phone about a mistake fare. That’s where the love affair with points and miles began.
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3 comments
Suzanne
January 22, 2020
Be aware that if you book with points + cash, you will be charged the cash immediately; if you cancel the reservation, the cash will not be returned-you will get points instead; if you have the IHG credit card you will not get the 10X loyalty points for IHG purchases, you will get 1X the amount. This makes points + cash a terrible way to pay for your hotel room.
Michael McHugh
February 01, 2020
Thanks for letting us know Suzanne!
George B
April 18, 2023
What about Royal Ambassador Status?
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