IHG means InterContinental Hotels Group, and IHG Rewards Club is their loyalty program. Normally, between credit cards, large bonuses, and frequent promotions, IHG points are easy to acquire. Redeem them for optimal value will require patience and some luck.
Check out our list of the best credit card bonuses here.
Read below for more information on IHG and what they have to offer.
IHG Rewards Club Quick Facts
| Personal Credit Cards | IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card |
| Business Credit Cards | No Business credit cards |
| Redemption Options | Hotel stays Points & Cash Access experiences All-inclusive resorts Airline partners Merchandise Gift cards Magazines Digital downloads Member transfers Charitable donations |
| Value Per Point | $0.005 average |
IHG Portfolio
InterContinental Hotels Group properties will have familiar hotels such as:
| InterContinental Hotels & Resorts | InterContinental Alliance Resorts | Kimpton Hotels |
| Crowne Plaza | Hotel Indigo | Holiday Inn |
| Holiday Inn Express | Holiday Inn Club Vacations | Regent Hotels & Resorts |
| Staybridge Suites | Candlewood Suites | EVEN Hotels |
| HUALUXE | Avid Hotels | Voco |
| AtWell Suites | Six Senses |
IHG Rewards Club Elite Status
With the IHG Rewards Club status depends on the number of qualifying nights or points you earn in one calendar year. Plus, when you move up in status, you’ll receive that status at the end of the year until the end of the following calendar year.
| Elite Status | Qualification Requirements |
| Club | No requirements |
| Gold | 10 nights or 10,000 points |
| Platinum | 40 nights or 40,000 points |
| Spire | 75 nights or 75,000 points |
Award nights will normally count for your eligible nights total. Additionally, any excess qualifying nights you have will rollover towards status qualification for the following calendar year. When you move up from Club to Spire, you’ll unlock additional hotel perks.
Earning IHG Rewards Club Points: Co-Branded Credit Cards
 The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers 4 free nights (each Free Night valued at up to 40,000 points) after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. You'll earn: • Up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts • 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants. • 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases This card offers several perks that you'll sure enjoy like: an Anniversary Free Night at IHG Hotels & Resorts (plus, enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG hotel stay) And as long as you're a cardmember, you'll have Platinum Elite status. You'll get Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $120 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card. There is an annual fee of $99. |
 The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card offers 100,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. You'll earn: • Up to 17 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts • 3 points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants. • 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases This card has no annual fee or foreign transaction fees. Member FDIC |
Earning IHG Rewards Club Points: Other Ways
The easiest way to earn IHG points by staying at an IHG hotel. The amount of points you’ll receive will depend on the brand and your elite status:
| Elite Status | Most IHG Brands | StayBridge & Candlewood |
| Club | 10x points | 5x points |
| Gold | 11x points | 5.5 points |
| Platinum | 15x points | 7.5 points |
| Spire | 20x points | 10x points |
Gain no more than 5,000 points a stay with IHG Rewards Club Bonus Points Packages. Additionally, these bonus points count towards earning and upholding your elite status. Just pick your room type and add an available package at participating locations. The amount and availability of bonus points will vary.
With more than 10,000 participating restaurants, bars, and clubs, stacking up points via IHG Rewards Club Dining is fast and simple. The program has three different membership levels such as:
| Membership | Requirements | Rewards |
| Basic | No requirements | 1x points |
| Select | Provide a valid email address & opt to receive emails | 5x points |
| VIP | Provide a valid email address & opt to receive emails 11 eligible transactions in a calendar year. | 8x points |
Earn 3x points on meeting or event expenses at IHG properties. Eligible expenses will include meeting spaces, guest rooms, and food and beverage.
Additionally, you can fast track your way to elite status this way:
- Gold status after 1 event
- Platinum status after 2 events
Contact an IHG catering representative for more details.
Normally, if you’re short on points, you might want to transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to IHG at a 1:1 ratio.
But, it’s not highly recommended since Ultimate Rewards points are worth approximately $0.02 each, IHG points are worth less. In other words, you’re decreasing your point value by moving them from Ultimate Rewards to IHG Rewards Club.
Typically, buying points is not a good idea. You’ll be able to pay much more than the points are worth.
| Amount of Points | Price Per 1,000 Points | Price per Point |
| 1,000 – 10,000 | $13.50 | $0.0135 |
| 11,000 – 25,000 | $12.50 | $0.0125 |
| 26,000 – 60,000 | $11.50 | $0.01 |
However, every now and then, IHG does a points sale. So if you must purchase points, its better if you wait for one of these discount promotions.
IHG Rewards Club credit cardholders receive a 20% discount when you buy your points with your card. But, you won’t be able to use this discount with IHG points sales.
Redeeming IHG Rewards Club Points
| Status | Points Expiration |
| Club | After 12 months of account inactivity |
| Gold, Platinum, or Spire | No expiration as long as you hold elite status |
IHG Rewards Club prices its award nights dynamically. In other words, the redemption rate fluctuates the way it would if it was priced in cash. This change is when pricing was based on a fixed chart with hotels ranked by category.
Move to the dynamic award pricing means the real redemption cost changes based on season, demand, and other market factors. It makes it harder to find sweet spots and the only way for you to know how many points to need to redeem.
Look for hotel stays for the Reward Nights section of the IHG Rewards Club website or calling the Customer Care Center in your region.
They will allow you to pay for an award night with a combination of points and cash. When you book like this, IHG “sells” you the extra points and then debits them from your account. Opposed to just charging your credit card. Furthermore, expect to pay a rate between $0.007 and $0.01 per point. The more points you want to buy, the less the cost for each point.
Like Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, you’ll be able to use your points for special experiences such as:
- Shawn Medes VIP Suite tickets
- Land and sea adventures in Key West, Florida
- US Open tickets
- Milwaukee city experience package
Other Access experiences can be bought in the moment while others are up for auction. Plus, the availability of these experiences are subject to change.
Book award stays at two Holiday Inn all-inclusive resorts using your IHG points.
| Resort | Points Required |
| Holiday Inn Resort Los Cabos | 20,000 points per night |
| Holiday Inn Resort Montego Bay | 50,000 points per night |
Convert your IHG points into airline miles. Check out a complied list of IHG airline partners:
| AeroFlot Russian Airlines | Aeroplan | Air China |
| Aeromexico | Air France | Air Miles |
| Air New Zealand | American Airlines | Asiana Airlines |
| Avianca | British Airways | China Eastern |
| China Southern Airlines | CopaAirlines | Delta |
| El Al Israel Airlines | Emirates | Etihad Airways |
| EVA Air | Gulf Air | Hainan Airlines |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Iberia Airlines | InterMiles |
| Japan Airlines | JetBlue | KLM |
| LATAM Airlines | Avianca Airlines | Lufthansa |
| Malaysia Airlines | Qantas Airlines | Saudia Arabian Airlines |
| Singapore Airlines | South African Airways | TAP Air Portugal |
| Thai Airways | Turkish Airlines | United Airlines |
| Velocity | Virgin Atlantic | Virgin Australia |
| All Nippon Airways | Alaska Airlines | Alitalia |
Many transfers are at about 10,000 points to 2,000 miles ratio which isn’t ideal. You’ll lose point value if you redeem this way.
Additionally, you have the option to transfer points to another IHG Rewards Club member at a rate of $5 for every 1,000 points. Just finish the authorization and submit.
Other redemption options are:
- Gift cards
- Magazines
- Digital downloads
- Charitable donations
But, we don’t recommend using your points for any of the above options. It will get you less value in the average $0.005 per point.
IHG Rewards Club Tips & Tricks
Their current offer is: if you look for a lower rate on a third-party website, IHG will match it and give you 5 times the IHG Rewards Club points up to a 40,000-point maximum.
The best price guarantee offer can change every now and then. For example, the previous deal was if you found a lower price, and they will match it or your first night is free. Be sure to check what the current offer is.
IHG will deny a claim for various reasons , so be sure to keep in mind:
- The reservation must match in every way: room type, bed type, breakfast, cancellation policy, payment and more.
- Be sure the room is bookable, so click to the end.
- Rate has to be lower before and after tax.
- Lower rate must be more than $1 or 1%.
- Has to be able to book in the same currency.
If you’re short on points, and need 5,000 to book your PointBreaks stay. You’ll need to use this trick. Once you book with points & cash IHG charges your credit card instantly. After you cancel the reservation, you’ll receive a refund in points.
| Less Points | Pay in Cash | Value Per Point |
| 5,000 points | $40 | $0.008 |
| 10,000 points | $70 | $0.007 |
| 15,000 points | $90 | $0.006 |
You’ll pay for the reservation with a combination of points and cash. However, you’ll receive your refund in points only. This is not an advertised strategy, so it’s not guaranteed to work but it has worked for many.
IHG Rewards Club members will be able to pick to earn airline miles for eligible stays. The rate you’ll earn depends on the airline you’re with. Consider this option if your priority is free flights rather than free hotel stays.
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Conclusion
It can be hard to find great value redemptions with IHG Rewards Club because of the different ranges of prices. Since there are only two premium brands, InterContinental and Kimpton, it’s limited if you want a luxury stay. If you want luxury brands, look at the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts.
This is a great value for families with a budget in mind. IHG brands like Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites offer value for your trips. Make use of the Points + Cash redemptions, their rewards program will be worth your loyalty to them.
