IHG has again released a targeted fast track towards its very desirable Diamond Status. The challenge requires 10 paid nights between October 1st and December 31st. If you meet the terms, you get IHG Diamond status until through 2025. (h/t: Loyalty Lobby)
The Deal
- IHG One Rewards has announced a new Diamond status fast track. Rewards members who are targeted and who register will be able to earn Diamond status after staying 10 paid nights between October 1st and December 31st, 2024.
- Once earned, Diamond status will be valid through 2025.
- Must register for promotion before first stay
Direct Link to Registration (you must enter your e-mail and/or IHG number to find out if you’re targeted)
Terms and conditions
- To participate in the ‘10 Nights to Diamond Elite’ promotional offer (the ‘Offer’), an individual must be an IHG One Rewards member and be invited to participate in the Offer.
- After receiving an invitation, the member must register their member number in advance in order to be eligible for the Offer.
- Members can pre-register for this Promotion between 16 and 30 September 2024 (the ‘Pre-Registration Period’). The promotion period begins on 1 October 2024 and ends on 31 December 2024 (the ‘Offer Period’).
- Members who did not register during the Pre-Registration Period may register for the Promotion during the Offer Period.
- Once a member registers for the Offer, the member will be able to earn IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite status, and start enjoying the associated benefits, by staying just 10 qualifying nights at participating IHG® Hotels & Resorts during the Promotion Period.
- To be a qualifying night under this Offer, the room night must be part of a Promotion Eligible Qualifying Stay and fall within the Promotion Period.
- Completed stays prior to registration or outside of the Promotion Period are not included.
- For the purposes of this Offer, a ‘Promotion Eligible Qualifying Stay’ is defined as a minimum one (1) night stay at a participating hotel booked under a Qualifying Rate, with a total spend exceeding $30 USD (or local equivalent) per night.
- Participating hotels include all IHG® Hotels & Resorts, with the exception of those Six Senses® Hotels Resorts Spas and Iberostar Beachfront Resorts that do not participate in the IHG One Rewards program.
- Bookings made through online travel agencies or other reservation sites such as booking.com or expedia.com also do not qualify under this Offer.
Quick Thoughts
Normally, it takes 70 nights/120,000 qualifying points to reach IHG Diamond Status. Once there, you get a 100% points bonus on stays, complimentary upgrades that include suites (or are are supposed to), a welcome amenity (free breakfast or points) as well as early check-in and late check-out to 2pm, when available.
There are other perks for those who earn the status organically, but many of the best options come from Milestone Rewards (like lounge access and confirmed suite upgrades), which are earned from actual nights stayed. Thus, these perks can’t be accessed via this promotion.
Several of us on the FM team have had IHG Diamond. Application of the benefits has been uneven and I’ve been to a couple locations where the front desk staff was completely unaware of what they even were.
That said, I think that the recognition has continually been improving and we all received restaurant breakfasts for two and proactive upgrades on our stays last year (see Stephen’s experience at the IC Johannesburg). Some properties still seem to be playing games with suites, but overall I think that the benefits are in the same league as the equivalent Hilton and Marriott statuses, especially if you’re staying in Kimptons and Intercontinentals. Intercontinental (IC) breakfasts have been especially noteworthy.
You only need a $30 paid night for it to qualify towards this promotion so, theoretically, it could be possible to mattress run all 10 nights for $300-$400 or so at lower-end properties. I paid $200 for IHG Ambassador at the end of 2022 in order to extend my Diamond Status through 2023 (this is now dead). I had a bunch of IC stays over 2023, so $200 was absolutely worth it.
If you have stays through the end of the year that would allow you to reach the goal organically, I think it would certainly be worth strongly considering, especially if you can take advantage of it with stays at the higher end of the portfolio (Intercontinental, Kimpton, Six Senses) over the rest of 2024 and 2025.
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IHG should introduce lifetime status and count prior stays towards the thresholds. 600 nights for LT Diamond sounds about right.
With that said, I’ll miss Diamond status next year. Guess I’ll just bank my points and continue to focus on Hyatt and Hilton LT status.