In 2022, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) rebranded and launched its loyalty program, IHG One Rewards.
With over 6,000 properties worldwide, earning elite status with IHG One Rewards is the best way to get the most out of IHG hotel stays through additional benefits and perks.
In this guide, we’ll explore all the ways to qualify for IHG One Rewards elite status and the benefits that come at each status level.
How Does IHG Rewards Elite Status Work?
All IHG One Rewards members start at the Club Member level. Beyond the Club Member level, there are four elite status levels: Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, and Diamond Elite.
You can earn IHG One Rewards elite status through qualifying hotel activity, by spending on IHG co-branded credit cards, or by earning elite qualifying points through IHG partners.
Earning IHG One Rewards Status with Hotel Activity
IHG One Rewards has two ways of earning elite status through hotel activity. Status can be acquired by earning qualifying nights or by earning qualifying points.
A qualifying night is earned for each eligible night stayed at an IHG hotel, while a qualifying point is earned on eligible rates paid for hotel stays.
In order to reach an IHG elite status level, you must earn the following:
- Silver Elite: 10 qualifying nights
- Gold Elite: 20 qualifying nights or 40,000 qualifying points
- Platinum Elite: 40 qualifying nights or 60,000 qualifying points
- Diamond Elite: 70 qualifying nights or 120,000 qualifying points
It’s important to be aware that qualifying nights are typically not earned on stays booked through third-party providers, such as online travel agencies (e.g., Expedia or Hotels.com).
Additionally, if you’re at least a Gold Elite member, and at the end of the calendar year, you’ve earned qualifying nights beyond the required number for your current elite status but below the number required for the next elite status tier, then those qualifying nights will roll over to the next year.
For example, if you earn 35 qualifying nights in a calendar year, you’ll have passed the 20-night threshold to earn Gold Elite status, but you’ll still be five nights shy of earning Platinum Elite status.
The extra 15 qualifying nights that you earned will roll over to the following year, meaning that you’ll only need to earn an additional five qualifying nights to meet the 20-night requirement to retain Gold Elite status in the new year.
In terms of acquiring elite status with qualifying points, you’ll earn 10 points per US dollar, or local currency equivalent, spent at most IHG hotels and resorts.
The two exceptions to this earning rate are for spending at Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites, where you’ll earn 5 points per US dollar spent, and spending at IHG Army Hotels, where you’ll earn 3 points per US dollar spent.
This means that in order to earn IHG One Rewards Elite status through qualifying points, you’ll need to spend:
- $4,000 (USD) for Gold Elite status
- $6,000 (USD) for Platinum Elite status
- $12,000 (USD) for Diamond Elite status
You can also supplement the qualifying points you’ve earned by staying at IHG hotels by also spending with select IHG One Rewards partners.
The IHG One Rewards points that you earned through Hertz car rentals, OpenTable reservations, and Viator experiences will all count towards earning elite status with IHG One Rewards.
Earning IHG One Rewards Status with Credit Cards
There are three Chase co-branded credit cards issued in the US that all propel you to a higher IHG One Rewards status just for being a cardholder.
What’s more, each one of the credit cards also allows you to spend your way to an even higher status tier.
First, with the Chase IHG One Rewards Traveler credit card, you’ll automatically receive Silver Elite status. From there, you can earn Gold Elite status if you spend $20,000 (USD) or more in a calendar year. Notably, this card carries no annual fee.
Both the Chase IHG One Rewards Premier card and the Chase IHG One Rewards Premier Business card come with automatic Platinum Elite status. Additionally, if you spend at least $40,000 (USD) in a calendar year on either card, you’ll receive Diamond Elite status.
Both of these cards come with an annual fee of $99 (USD).
Keep in mind that once you’ve earned IHG One Rewards elite status, your status won’t expire until the end of the next calendar year. For example, if you reach Platinum Elite status in June 2024, you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits that come with that status until December 31, 2025.
Status Challenges
In the past, IHG One Rewards has offered members the opportunity to fast-track to Gold Elite or Platinum Elite status through status challenges, and even all the way to Diamond Elite status.
More status challenge opportunities are likely to pop up in the future, and these require members to earn a certain amount of qualifying nights within a short period of time to reach the different IHG One Rewards status tiers.
IHG One Rewards Status Tiers
There are four IHG One Rewards elite status tiers, and as you’d expected, the benefits get better as you move up the tiers, as outlined below.
Silver Elite (10 Qualifying Nights)
At the Silver Elite status level, there aren’t too many benefits worth noting.
One benefit you’ll receive is the ability to earn an extra 20% in bonus points on eligible spend; however, these bonus points don’t count as qualifying points needed to earn elite status.
At this level, you can also request a 2pm late check-out (subject to availability), but this benefit is also available to non-elite IHG One Rewards members.
Lastly, once you reach the Silver Elite status level, IHG points don’t expire. (If you’re a non-elite member, your IHG points will expire after 12 months of account inactivity.)
Gold Elite (20 Qualifying Nights or 40,000 Qualifying Points)
The Gold Elite status level doesn’t come with many additional benefits beyond what’s offered at the Silver Elite level.
As a Gold Elite member, you’ll earn a 40% IHG point bonus on eligible spend at IHG hotels; although, as mentioned above, these bonus points don’t count towards the qualifying points necessary to jump up a status tier.
At the Gold tier, you’ll also be able to take advantage of IHG’s roll-over benefit, allowing any unused qualifying nights earned to roll over to the following year.
Platinum Elite (40 Qualifying Nights or 60,000 Qualifying Points)
At the Platinum Elite status tier, the benefits start to get more interesting, starting with a 60% IHG points bonus on eligible spend.
Alongside all of the perks offered to Silver Elite and Gold Elite status members, Platinum Elite members will also enjoy reward night discounts, complimentary upgrades (including suites, subject to availability), a welcome amenity at check-in (either IHG points or a drink/snack), and early check-in (also subject to availability).
Reward night discounts give Platinum Elite members access to exclusive and time-sensitive promotional discount reward rates at participating hotels.
Platinum Elite members also have access to a guaranteed room availability benefit. This means that as long as you book at least 72 hours in advance, you’ll be guaranteed a room, subject to specific blackout dates.
Diamond Elite (70 Qualifying Nights or 120,000 Qualifying Points)
Diamond Elite status members will enjoy all the same benefits as Platinum Elite members and more.
At IHG One Rewards highest status tier, Diamond Elite members will earn a 100% points bonus on top of base points earned for every stay.
Diamond Elite members also have access to a dedicated support line to help with bookings and hotel-related needs.
Lastly, Diamond Elite members will receive free breakfast during their stay, which is generally considered one of the most valuable benefits across hotel elite status programs.
As a final note on earning IHG elite status, it’s worth mentioning that IHG doesn’t give members a chance to earn lifetime elite status, unlike all the other major hotel loyalty programs. This means that you’ll have to continue to qualify each year if you’d like to keep your benefits.
Milestone Rewards
The IHG Rewards program has also introduced the opportunity to earn Milestone Rewards as you make your way up through the elite status tiers.
Starting at 20 qualifying nights, for every additional 10 nights you stay in a calendar year, you’ll receive your choice of a reward or two.
These rewards vary at each milestone and get more valuable the more nights you stay. Examples of Milestone Rewards include 5,000–10,000 bonus points, food and beverage rewards, and confirmable suite upgrades, which can be used to guarantee a suite upgrade at the time of booking.
Conclusion
The IHG One Rewards loyalty program provides benefits and perks for members loyal to the IHG family of hotel brands.
The program’s four elite tiers are Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, and Diamond Elite. You can fast-track to the higher tiers through the IHG co-branded credit cards offered by Chase, or you can earn qualifying nights or qualifying points to earn status.
Although the benefits aren’t really noteworthy until the Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite tiers, those higher tiers can be well worth pursuing for travellers who frequently stay with IHG, given the valuable perks on offer.