IHG One Rewards Elite Status Challenge

IHG introduced its “new and improved” rewards program, IHG One, last year. The change initially seemed to be quite positive, although there’s been “clarifications” to some of the elite benefits that have made it a bit less exciting than we’d originally hoped.

IHG has now unveiled a status match promotion through 4/30/23 that can quite easily get you Gold or Platinum status…for what that’s worth. IHG ran a similar promotion earlier this year, but the previous incarnation allowed you to get the much more desirable Diamond status. I guess this is better than a kick in the pants, assuming that you don’t already have status through an IHG credit card, but topping out at Platinum makes it much less exciting.

The Deal

• IHG One has announced a new status challenge program. Rewards members who register will be able to earn either Gold or Platinum status based on the number of paid nights stayed at IHG properties within 90 days of registering for the promotion.
• Stay 2-4 paid nights within 90 days of registration and earn Gold Status through December 2024.
• Stay 5+ paid nights within 90 days of registration and earn Platinum Status through December 2024.
• Expires 4/30/23

Direct Link to Registration

Terms and conditions

• To participate in the “Fast Track to Elite Status” promotion (“Promotion”), an individual must be an IHG One Rewards member and must register for the Promotion under their member number. The Promotion period begins on February 1, 2023 and ends on April 30, 2023 (the “Promotion Period”).
• Once a member registers for the Promotion, the member will be able earn IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status, and start enjoying the associated benefits, by staying just five (5) qualifying nights at participating IHG® Hotels & Resorts during the Promotion Period. The member will first be able to earn Gold Elite status (through December 31, 2024) by completing two (2) qualifying nights within the Promotion Period. The member will then be able to reach Platinum Elite status (through December 31, 2024) by staying another three (3) qualifying nights during the Promotion Period.
• To be a qualifying night under the Promotion, the room night must be part of a Promotion Eligible Qualifying Stay and must fall within the Promotion Period. Completed stays prior to registration or outside of the Promotion Period are not included.
• For purposes of this Promotion, 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 room rate exceeding $30 USD (or local equivalent) for each night.
• Participating hotels include all IHG® Hotels & Resorts and Mr and Mrs Smith Properties, with the exception of those Six Senses® Hotels, Resorts & Spas that do not participate in IHG One Rewards and those Iberostar Beachfront Resorts that are not yet fully integrated into the IHG One Rewards program. (To check if a specific Six Senses or Iberostar hotel is participating in this Promotion, contact the hotel directly.)
• Stays booked using Rewards Nights or Points & Cash are not Promotion Eligible Qualifying Stays for purposes of this Promotion. 

Quick Thoughts

Normally, it takes 20 nights/40,000 qualifying points to each Gold and 40 nights/60,000 qualifying points to reach Platinum. That said, Platinum is available as a perk on the IHG Premier Card, IHG Premier Business Card and to folks that still have the old $49 IHG Select.

Platinum status gets you a 60% points bonus on stays, complimentary upgrades (that you will often have to ask for), a welcome amenity (snack or points) as well as early check-in and late check-out 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 suite upgrades), which are earned from actual nights stayed. Thus, these perks can’t be accessed via this promotion.

For folks that are outside of the US or for folks that don’t have IHG credit cards, this falls solidly under the “better than nothing” category, especially given the low night requirements and the fact that you would earn elite status for almost two years with just five nights. If you have stays planned at an IHG hotel, it’s a no-brainer, and it may be worth rescheduling something from another brand depending on your travel plans (and if you don’t have to pay more to change).

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