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Compared to Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards is one of the smaller hotel reward programs. However, the hotel chain still has over 6,000 locations worldwide and boasts 17 different brands. Whether you like extra perks like free Wi-Fi, late check-out, or dedicated customer service, IHG Elite Membership is the way to make your next stay more luxurious.
As with other hotel chains, you can qualify for Elite status through the IHG Rewards program by staying at one of its hotels for a certain number of nights or earning enough Reward Points in a year. Another easy way to qualify is to IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Cardwhich automatically grants cardholders Platinum Elite status.
Read on to find out exactly how to get IHG Elite status, even without a Co-Brand Bonus Card, and find out if Elite status is worth it.
IHG One Rewards Elite Levels
There are several different ways to progress through the IHG Elite Status levels, including staying at an eligible hotel or earning enough qualifying points during the calendar year. Below is a brief breakdown of each level.
| Member Level | How to qualify | base points | Advantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| club member | Sign up for IHG One Rewards | 10X points |
|
| Silver Elite | 10 nights | 12X points | Same benefits as members, plus: |
| golden elite | 14X points | Same benefits as Silver Elite plus: | |
| Platinum Elite |
|
16X points | Same benefits as Gold Elite plus:
|
| Diamond Elite | 20 points | Same benefits as Platinum Elite plus:
|
Earn 140,000 Bonus Points in the first three months
| IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card | |
|---|---|
| Why should you get this card? While IHG Points are a bit on the high side, the IHG Rewards Club Premier card bonus is a great incentive to sign up. | What else do you need to know:
|
Is IHG’s elite status worth it?
For frequent travelers, perks like free Wi-Fi, late check-out, and exclusive membership rates tend to be of great value. But many of the benefits of IHG elite status go beyond the standard. Here is a quick overview of the most valuable elite perks:
- Discounts on bonus nights: Once you reach Platinum Elite status, you will have exclusive access to bonus night discounts at select properties.
- Room upgrade: Platinum Elite members can upgrade to a free room upgrade if available.
- Hertz Gold StatusA: Diamond Elite members automatically earn Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® Five Star® status with a popular car rental company. This benefit includes car upgrades when available and bonus points for car rentals. If you regularly rent a car while traveling, free upgrades and Hertz Points can save you a lot.
- Welcome: This benefit is exclusive to Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite members and includes complimentary select-brand breakfast throughout your stay. Complimentary breakfast may include a full buffet or one main menu item (excluding specials) and unlimited soft drinks.
Fast Track to IHG Elite Status
If you do not meet the points or residence requirements for IHG Elite status, you can still enjoy your benefits by signing up for an IHG Rewards Club credit card. As noted, IHG Rewards Club Premier cardholders are automatically upgraded to Platinum Elite status.
IHG® Rewards Travel Credit Card holders do not automatically receive elite status, but the card will speed up the transition to Gold Elite status if you spend $10,000 per year on the card. It’s not a bad deal considering the card has no annual fee and you can skip the Silver Elite status (which doesn’t offer many useful benefits for most cardholders).
In addition, if you book rooms for yourself or others through the IHG Business Rewards program, you can use IHG Business Rewards points to accelerate your progression to elite status levels. In fact, you can achieve Platinum Elite status by using the Business Rewards program and booking only five nights. This is much easier to achieve than the required 40 nights of self-booking.
Bottom line
Getting IHG Elite status is easy, and even small perks like free Wi-Fi or late check-out can make your trip more convenient. If you are an IHG One Rewards Loyal Member but believe you cannot meet the residency or points requirements, you can still enjoy Platinum Elite status by subscribing to an IHG Rewards Club Premier card. It comes with a $99 annual fee, but with all the benefits you’ll get, you might decide it’s worth the cost every year.
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