As the top of the yr approaches, you might surprise how you will earn your required degree of elite standing with IHG One Rewards this yr. This information will talk about methods for incomes IHG elite standing earlier than the top of the yr, together with methods to earn extra qualifying nights or qualifying factors.
IHG elite standing overview
IHG overhauled its loyalty program in 2022, including extra advantages and a brand new elite tier. Listed below are the present IHG One Rewards elite tiers and the necessities for every:
- 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
As you possibly can see, you possibly can earn most IHG elite standing tiers by way of qualifying nights or qualifying factors. IHG makes use of a calendar yr as its qualification interval, so you’ve got from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 annually to accrue sufficient nights or factors on your desired elite tier. Then, you will maintain your standing by way of the top of the next calendar yr.
Moreover, you possibly can earn IHG milestone rewards based mostly in your qualifying nights every calendar yr. Beginning at simply 20 qualifying nights per calendar yr, you will earn milestone rewards for each 10 qualifying nights you keep (as much as 100 qualifying nights per calendar yr).
Associated: IHG elite standing: What it’s and the best way to earn it
Methods for incomes extra qualifying nights
Sadly, there is not a shortcut to accruing qualifying nights with IHG One Rewards. You will earn one elite-qualifying evening for each evening of a qualifying keep, together with reward stays.
The IHG phrases and circumstances explicitly observe that you just will not earn any qualifying nights for a keep for those who no-show or cancel after the resort cancellation time (even for those who’ve paid the room in full and it is nonrefundable). So, you will want to indicate as much as the resort and keep on a qualifying paid fee or award keep to earn qualifying nights.
Moreover, for those who ebook two rooms for a similar calendar day, just one evening will depend as a qualifying evening. As such, for those who want extra qualifying nights than the quantity left within the calendar yr, you will not be capable to qualify on your desired standing based mostly on nights.
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When you want extra qualifying nights, have a look at your plans for the remainder of the yr and see when you possibly can keep at an IHG resort. Even when an IHG resort is dearer than your different choices, it could be worthwhile if it can enable you earn the next elite tier or a further milestone reward.
If you cannot get the qualifying nights you want on journeys you propose to take, think about doing a staycation or mattress run close to your home. Or plan a getaway to a vacation spot with cheap IHG motels or resorts.
Associated: Earn elite nights on award stays with these resort loyalty packages
Methods for incomes extra qualifying factors
Based mostly on IHG’s phrases and circumstances, solely the next actions earn elite-qualifying factors:
- Paying qualifying charges for resort stays
- Spending on Hertz automobile leases, OpenTable reservations and Viator experiences
- Buying an IHG One Rewards bonus factors bundle
- Qualifying spending by way of IHG Enterprise Rewards
- Purchases on IHG One Rewards bank cards issued within the U.Okay. and Larger China
Incomes by way of IHG associate actions like Hertz automobile leases, OpenTable reservations and Viator experiences could assist for those who solely have to earn a small quantity of extra qualifying factors to achieve your required elite standing. And for those who occur to be eligible for an IHG card issued within the U.Okay. or Larger China, you possibly can use it to earn extra qualifying factors in your purchases.
However for many U.S.-based IHG loyalists, one of the simplest ways to earn extra qualifying factors is so as to add bonus factors packages to imminent paid stays. For instance, here is a proposal I noticed on a keep on the Vacation Inn Ocean Metropolis in Maryland:
When you add 5,000 factors for $32 per evening, you will purchase factors for 0.64 cents every. This buy fee is larger than TPG’s October 2024 valuation of IHG factors (0.5 cents every) however nonetheless decrease than I can usually get when redeeming IHG factors. Plus, the factors you’d buy along with your keep are elite-qualifying.
Associated: How you can earn IHG factors by way of stays, bank cards and extra
Different methods for incomes IHG elite standing rapidly
As you may need seen, there aren’t many shortcuts to incomes extra qualifying nights or factors. However that does not imply there are no shortcuts for incomes IHG elite standing. Listed below are some methods you possibly can earn IHG elite standing rapidly.
Get an IHG bank card
A number of IHG bank cards present computerized elite standing as a cardholder perk and allow you to spend towards larger elite standing tiers:
- IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card: Get pleasure from computerized Silver Elite standing so long as you stay an IHG Traveler cardmember, plus earn Gold Elite standing by way of the top of the next yr every calendar yr you make purchases totaling $20,000 or extra along with your card.
- IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card: Get pleasure from computerized Platinum Elite standing so long as you stay an IHG Premier cardmember, plus earn Diamond Elite standing by way of the top of the next yr every calendar yr you make purchases totaling $40,000 or extra along with your card.
You too can enroll in complimentary IHG Platinum Elite standing with the United Membership℠ Infinite Card.
Associated: Why you need to get (and maintain) the IHG One Rewards Premier card
Pay for InterContinental Ambassador membership
One other technique to rapidly earn Platinum Elite standing is to buy an InterContinental Ambassador membership. A 12-month Ambassador membership prices $225 or 45,000 factors. However, membership gives Platinum Elite standing within the IHG One Rewards program and the next perks when staying at InterContinental properties:
- Assured one-category room improve
- Assured 4 p.m. late checkout
- Complimentary weekend evening
- Eating places and bars credit score of as much as $20 per keep
- Complimentary mineral water
- Complimentary web
- Devoted check-in space
- Single room fee for double occupancy
If you’d like Platinum Elite standing and haven’t got a bank card that gives this standing, sustaining an InterContinental Ambassador membership could also be a good selection, even for those who solely sometimes keep at InterContinental properties.
Associated: How a lot worth does IHG One Rewards standing present whenever you ebook immediately?
Make the most of a focused supply
It is also value checking your e mail and the affords part in your IHG account to see whether or not you’ve got any focused affords. In any case, some IHG members have reported getting a focused Diamond Elite fast-track supply. By means of this supply, focused members can earn Diamond Elite standing by way of the top of 2025 after enrolling after which staying 10 promotion-qualifying nights between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31.
Associated: What to do when a resort does not wish to honor your elite advantages
Backside line
You may earn IHG elite-qualifying factors by including bonus factors to imminent paid IHG stays, however there isn’t any shortcut to incomes IHG elite-qualifying nights.
Incomes IHG elite standing is not troublesome, although. You may get pleasure from Platinum Elite standing as a perk of InterContinental Ambassador membership, and several other playing cards supply computerized Platinum Elite standing for so long as you are a cardholder. Plus, you possibly can earn top-tier Diamond elite standing by way of the top of the next yr by spending $40,000 or extra on the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card or the IHG One Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card in a calendar yr.
