A few weeks ago, after publishing “How to find the best IHG signup offer: 80K points plus $50,” a number of readers contacted me to let me know that the points they had earned from signing up for the IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card had counted as elite qualifying points. 75,000 elite qualifying points are required for IHG’s new Spire status and Spire status offers a Choice Benefit of 25,000 points. So, those who signed up for the 80,000 point credit card offer, ended up with 105,000 points thanks to achieving Spire status.
This finding inspired me to publish “IHG Spire: Ideas for nabbing the new 25K Choice benefit without staying in hotels.” Whoops.
It appears that IHG recently changed (or fixed?) the system. People who received the bonus in early June report that points earned were elite qualifying. Those who received the bonus in late June or July report that the points were not elite qualifying.
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Sucks that they fixed this so fast :(, I’m so glad I kept my mouth shut last year when they had the “Into the Nights” promotion running! I found a glitch in their website and managed to get 12 free nights out of that promotion for a mere $300~$400 out of pocket cost
My wife’s account was upgraded to the Spire status (she must have just gotten it at the right time). I can’t seem to find when the 25,000 points would post to her account (she got over 80,000 from the sign-up bonus).
[…] IHG signup bonus no longer counting towards status by Frequent Miler. I speculated that this would be the case, but it’s nice to have confirmation (actually it would’ve been much nicer if I was wrong, but it’s good information to have regardless). Don’t bother reading the idiotic comments. […]
[…] IHG signup bonus no longer counting towards status – Unfortunately, sometime in late June, bonus points received for signing up for the IHG Rewards credit card stopped counting towards Spire status. […]
A lot of whining on here. Its funny how people who use the information can whine so much. If you dont like these posts of information ignore. Whether its on here or somewhere else word gets around. this is not the stone age
1. Inefficiencies in the marketplace can only be gamed if you don’t rub them in the face of inefficient service providers.
2. Without a big mouth, the word does not get around — just like in the stone age.
The platinum status with IHG is a joke. I have stayed at all IHG INCLUDING HOLIDAY INNS and at 90% of the time, I have gotten zero benefit. NONE! They don’t even recognize it.
What’s worse? When you write a review. honest review about your stay on IHGG website, they will post it for a week or 2 and they would than quitely remove it.
If you check any reviews on IHG website, you will almost never see any negative reviews. That;s why it is important to post your review on tripadvisor and not on IHG’s own so called trusted verified review. In reality, IHG is commiting fraud for deleting reviews they don’t like.
This has not been my experience. Almost always I receive an upgrade, both in Europe and Miami (on my way to Central or South America).
Dear Gary Steiger,
I am trying to locate your website freefrequentflyermiles and am unable to locate the website. Can you advise me where the website is and what has happened to it. Thank you.
Valuable Platinum status is still awarded for as long as you hold the card.
and this is why when i helped 2 friends sign up for cards lately, i used TiF links instead of yours (in the past, i’ve used yours). you’ve, frankly, become akin to MMS. maybe worse, as you hammer the hell out of things. i’m sure it doesn’t matter, as all the noobs are making you a lot more income, but i imagine i’m not the only old time MSer (you know, the mind who were doing it long before you had a blog) who is no longer using your links.
Great information in this post. Did you get it from the comments of your post from two days ago?
[…] Frequent Miler reports the sign-up bonus from the Chase IHG card no longer counts toward IHG elite […]
Am I the new bank troll now perusing your blogs once I learned about you in national TVs? Every deal you discuss I will analyze. Yes I’m stupid too because I work on behalf of the executives. Hey we are not 25 year old obnoxious kids and have means to stop you anytime we want and will prove it.
I can’t agree more adk. First it was MS and now its card benefits/promotions. In june it was the discover it promo that people with other discover cards could convert to get. Whoops not anymore. Now i see 2 posts yesterday about citi prestige and possible devaluation. Ya think? All the blogs keep touting the benefits especially 4th night free. Too many people traveling. We need a financial crisis about now.
“Whoops” have become all too common as publicity over “The Hobby” is no longer a good thing. The more the publicity, the quicker the fix is in.