IHG One Rewards Loyalty Program Review

- Updated: April 17, 2022|

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Travel /
Hotels

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IHG One Rewards Summary Table

Hotel Website IHG.com
Loyalty Program IHG One Rewards
Hotel Brands 16 brands including luxury brands HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Regent Hotels & Resorts, and Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas
Points Are Worth 0.5 cents/point
Earn Points/Miles
- Best Ways To Earn Lots of IHG One Rewards Points
- How To Use IHG One Rewards Dining To Earn More Points
Redeem Points/Miles
- Best Ways To Redeem IHG Points for Maximum Value
- Best IHG Luxury Hotels To Book With Points for Maximum Value
Award Chart Link Awards are priced dynamically and you will need to run an award search to know the number of points required to book a room as the amount fluctuates.

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 you can transfer Chase points to IHG One Rewards points 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

Use IHG One Rewards points to stay at the InterContinental Bora Bora. Image Credit: IHG

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

Image Credit: IHG

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.

The information regarding the Chase Freedom Unlimited® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Featured Image Credit: IHG

Frequently asked questions

How do I join IHG One Rewards? Is there a fee to join?

IHG One Rewards membership is free. Complete the IHG One Rewards member application to start earning and redeeming IHG One Rewards points today.

Does the IHG One Rewards status match to any other program?

IHG One Rewards members can submit status matches or challenges with Hilton, Radisson, Choice, Best Western, and Sonesta.

What are the IHG One Rewards elite status levels?

The IHG One Rewards program has 3 elite tiers in Gold, Platinum, and Spire.

What are the different IHG brands?

IHG has 16 different brands:

Atwell Suites
avid hotels
Candlewood Suites
Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts
EVEN Hotels
Holiday Inn Club Vacations
Holiday Inn Express
Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts
Hotel Indigo
HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
Regent Hotels & Resorts
Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas
Staybridge Suites
voco

How do I contact IHG One Rewards?

You can call IHG One Rewards at 888-211-9874 or submit a form.

Can I earn IHG One Rewards points with a credit card?

Yes! The IHG Premier card currently has an excellent welcome bonus and comes with quite a few valuable perks. IHG also offers the IHG Traveler card.

Do IHG One Rewards points expire?

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.

What hotels does IHG own?

Atwell Suites, avid hotels, Candlewood Suites, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Regent Hotels & Resorts, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, Staybridge Suites, and voco are hotels in the IHG portfolio.

How many IHG points do you need for an award stay?

You will need between 5,000 and 70,000 points per night to book a reward night.

Can IHG points be transferred?

Yes, but we do not recommend transferring your points to another member or to an airline partner because you will lose value.

What credit cards earn IHG points?

The IHG Premier card and IHG Traveler card earn IHG One Rewards points.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earn Ultimate Rewards points that can be transferred to IHG. Chase credit cards that do not earn Ultimate Rewards can be paired with any of these 3 cards and then those points can be transferred to IHG.

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.

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 1, 2020
  Thanks for letting us know Suzanne!

IHG One Rewards Summary Table

Branded and Partnered Credit Cards

IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card

IHG® Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

Recommended Chase Cards (Business)

IHG One Rewards Overview

Joining IHG One Rewards

How To Sign in to Your IHG One Rewards Account

Viewing Your Account Activity

Profile Preferences

Points Expiration

IHG One Rewards Benefits

Gold Elite Member

Platinum Elite Member

Spire Elite Member

InterContinental Ambassador

Earning IHG One Rewards Elite Status

New IHG One Rewards Program

Value of IHG One Rewards Status

How To Earn IHG One Rewards Points

Earning Points on IHG Stays

Plan Meetings and Events

Earn Airlines Miles Instead of Points

Transfer Points To Family and Friends

How To Redeem Rewards Points

Award Nights

Points & Cash

All-Inclusive Resorts

Transfer Points To Airline Miles

Frequently asked questions

How do I join IHG One Rewards? Is there a fee to join?

Does the IHG One Rewards status match to any other program?

What are the IHG One Rewards elite status levels?

What are the different IHG brands?

How do I contact IHG One Rewards?

Can I earn IHG One Rewards points with a credit card?

Do IHG One Rewards points expire?

What hotels does IHG own?

How many IHG points do you need for an award stay?

Can IHG points be transferred?

What credit cards earn IHG points?

About Michael McHugh

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