Collect points on your hotel stays, enjoy exclusive rates on bookings and a wide range of complimentary extras with the IHG Rewards Club.
The InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) is one of the world’s largest hotel companies in the world, with over 5,000 properties across 12 brands including InterContinental, Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza. Its loyalty program, IHG Rewards Club, gives you the opportunity to enjoy a range of rewards and exclusive benefits when you stay at participating hotels located in nearly 100 countries and territories across the globe.
This guide looks at how the IHG Rewards Club program works, including how to earn hotel reward points or frequent flyer points and your options for redeeming rewards. We also look at the different membership levels and benefits as well as other key factors to consider when deciding if this rewards program is right for you.
How does the IHG Rewards Club program work?
As an IHG Rewards Club member, you can earn points for hotel stays with InterContinental Hotel Group, which you can redeem for rewards including free nights at participating hotels, other travel options, merchandise and gift cards. You also have the option of earning frequent flyer points instead of hotel reward points.
The IHG Rewards Club also offers a range of exclusive benefits, including exclusive booking rates, free Internet and access to a dedicated concierge service. Depending on your membership status, you could also enjoy perks such as priority check-in, late check-out and room upgrades.
How do I join IHG Rewards Club?
There is no fee to join this program, and you can sign up at any time using the following steps:
1. Go to the IHG Rewards Club website (www.ihg.com/rewardsclub).
2. Click the “Join now” button. You will then be taken to a secure application page.
3. Provide your name, contact details and a four-digit PIN.
4. Read the terms and conditions, check the box to confirm you accept them and click “Join now”.
You will then be sent a confirmation email with your account details.
You can also sign up for the program during a stay at an IHG Hotel. Once you’re a member, you’ll be prompted to download the IHG Rewards Club app. This gives you access to your virtual membership cards and allows you to make bookings, receive exclusive rate offers, and review your points activity. There is also a companion language translation app that could help when you’re travelling overseas. Alternatively, you can manage your account online via the IHG Rewards Club website.
How to earn points with your IHG Rewards Club membership
The IHG Rewards Club offers several ways to earn points, including hotel spending, credit card rewards and dining when you’re in the US. We’ve outlined the details for each category below.
Hotel stays
To receive credit/points for your hotel stays, make sure you provide your IHG Rewards Club membership number when making a reservation and again when you’re checking in at the hotel.
You’ll earn 10 points per US$1 with most InterContinental Hotels Group properties, including the following hotels:
Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts
Event Hotels
Hotel Indigo
Hualuxe Hotels and Resorts
Holiday Inn (including Express, Resort and Club Vacation brands)
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
IHG Rewards Club also offers 5 points per US$1 spent on bookings with Candlewood Suites or Staybridge Suites. If you become an IHG Rewards Club member during your stay at one of the above hotels, you’ll earn a flat rate of 1,000 points for that stay, and the regular earn rates thereafter.
You can also earn points for qualifying stays at ANA co-branded hotels and ANA partner hotels in Japan, with the earn rate varying between hotels. For ANA InterContinental, ANA Crowne Plazaand ANA Holiday Inn, you get 10 points for each US$1 or local currency equivalent paid toward eligible charges on your individual hotel room bill. For other ANA hotels, you earn 1,300 points or 600 points per qualifying stay.
A Greener Stay offer
The IHG Rewards Club offers a set rate of 500 points if you decline housekeeping services at participating hotels when you stay for at least 2 consecutive nights. This offer, known as “A Greener Stay”, helps protect the environment by minimising water and energy usage. You can request this option during your check-in at participating IHG hotels.
Dining
IHG Rewards Club Dine & Earn allows you to earn between 1 and 8 points per US$1 spent on dining at over 11,000 participating restaurants, bars, or clubs in the US. This optional program requires you to create an IHG Rewards Club Dining account and register the debit or credit cards you plan to use when dining out.
If you choose to become a member, you’ll have the opportunity to earn points at the following rates:
1 point per US$1. Members who sign up and choose not to receive email communication from IHG Rewards Club Dining get this rate.
5 points per US$1. If you are happy to get IHG Rewards Club Dining emails, then you’ll enjoy this rate for your spending at participating venues in the US.
8 points per US$1. VIP members who have chosen to receive emails and also have 12 or more qualified dining transactions in a calendar year get this rate.
Cards
Currently, the Diners Club is the only issuer in Australia that allows you to earn more IHG reward points through your everyday account spending. With one of these charge cards, every two Diners Club Rewards points you earn would equal one IHG Rewards Club point when transferred between the programs.
You can transfer your points online via the Diners Club website or by calling the Diners Club on 1300 360 060 and following the steps below:
1. Select the IHG Rewards Club from the participating travel loyalty programs.
2. Select the number of points you want to transfer. Note a minimum transfer amount may apply at this stage of the process.
3. Confirm and accept the terms and conditions.
Once your transfer is confirmed, it may take up to 28 days for the points to show up on your IHG Rewards Club account.
Buying IHG Rewards Club points
You can also purchase points for your IHG Rewards Club account. You can buy up to 60,000 points per year, with the following purchase rates:
1,000 to 10,000 points for US$13.50 per 1,000 points
11,000 to 25,000 points for US$12.50 per 1,000 points
26,000 to 60,000 points for US$11.50 per 1,000 points
You can purchase points for your own account or another member’s account. Once you have made a purchase, it can take up to 72 hours for points to appear in the recipient's account.
Earning frequent flyer points through the IHG Rewards Club program
As an IHG Rewards Club member, you have the choice between earning IHG Rewards or frequent flyer points with a participating program, including Qantas Frequent Flyer, Velocity, Emirates Skywards and Etihad Guest. You can switch between earning IHG Rewards Club points and frequent flyer points at any time using the following steps:
1. Log in to your IHG Rewards Club account.
2. Go to “My Account” and select “Manage Earning Preference” from the Quick Links column on the right-hand side.
3. Click on the “Airline Miles” option. You will then be prompted to choose a participating frequent flyer partner.
4. Select your chosen frequent flyer program, enter your membership details and click “Save changes”.
Your account summary will then show your earning preference as “Miles”, which allows you to earn frequent flyer points for your hotel stays and other account activity. The table below shows how many points you’ll earn for some of the most popular IHG Rewards Club airline partners.
Frequent flyer program
Points for IHG hotel stays
Air New Zealand Airpoints
20 Airpoints Dollars per qualifying stay at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.10 Airpoints Dollars per qualifying stay at Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites or Candlewood Suites.
American Airlines AAdvantage
2 miles per US$1 (or local currency equivalent) for eligible charges at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express Hotels worldwide.1 mile per US$1 (or local currency equivalent) spent on eligible charges at Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites.
British Airways
Executive Club
2 Aviosper US$1 (or local currency equivalent) spent on eligible charges at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo and EVEN Hotels worldwide.1 Aviosper US$1 (or local currency equivalent) spent on eligible charges at Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites.
Emirates Skywards
500 miles per qualifying stay at InterContinental Hotel & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites or Candlewood Suites.
Etihad Guest
500 miles per qualifying stay at InterContinental Hotel & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites or Candlewood Suites.
Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank
500 miles per qualifying stay at InterContinental Hotel & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites or Candlewood Suites.
Qantas Frequent Flyer
At the IHG family of brands except InterContinental Hotels & Resorts:
600 Qantas Points per stay outside Australia
3 Qantas Points per AUD$1 spent on full folio stays inside Australia
At InterContinental Hotels & Resorts locations worldwide:
1,000 Qantas Points per stay
3 Qantas Points per AUD$1 spent on full folio stays inside Australia
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
2 miles per US$1 (or local currency equivalent) paid on eligible charges at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo and EVEN Hotels.1 mile per US$1 (or local currency equivalent) spent on eligible charges at Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites.
Thai Airways
Royal Orchid
500 miles per qualifying stay at InterContinental Hotel & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites or Candlewood Suites.
United MileagePlus
2 miles per US$1 (or local currency equivalent) paid on eligible charges at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels worldwide.1 mile per US$1 (or local currency equivalent) for eligible spending at Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites.
Virgin Australia Velocity
3 Velocity Points per AUD$1 spent on eligible charges per qualifying stay at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts and Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts inside Australia.600 Velocity Points per qualifying stay at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites outside Australia.
Before choosing to earn frequent flyer points through IHG Rewards Club, make sure you also consider the following details:
Qualifying spend. This includes spending on guest rooms, meetings and events, conference rooms, food and beverage services linked to meetings and conferences as well as all-inclusive meeting packages.
Processing time. It can take up to six weeks for points to show up in your frequent flyer account after an eligible stay.
Bonus points. Additional points from any promotions or packages offered through IHG Rewards Club may vary if you choose to earn miles instead of IHG Rewards points. For example, IHG Rewards point earners might get an offer for a 10,000 Bonus Point Package when staying 7-nights at a participating hotel. This converts to 250 frequent flyer miles.
You can learn more about IHG Rewards frequent flyer partners in this guide.
How can I use IHG Rewards points?
The IHG Rewards Club offers a range of ways to use points in-house, including hotel stays, flights and shopping. We’ve outlined each of the key categories below.
Reward Nights
You can redeem IHG Rewards points for stays at participating hotels around the world. The point cost varies depending on the hotel brand and location, ranging from 10,000 points up to 60,000 points per night. To give you an idea of the cost, here are a few popular options in Australia:
Holiday Inn Cairns. 25,000 points per night
Holiday Inn Potts Point Sydney. 35,000 points per night
InterContinental Sydney. 60,000 points per night
InterContinental Melbourne, 55,000 points per night
Crowne Plaza Melbourne. 45,000 points per night
To redeem Reward Nights with your points, simply log in to your account and select “Reward Nights” as the rate preference when searching for hotels. The search results will then show hotel options with the nightly rate in both dollars and points so you can choose how you want to pay.
Travel
In addition to hotel stays, you can redeem your points for the following travel options:
Flights. The IHG Rewards Club flight-booking service allows you to redeem points for flights with over 200 airlines. The amount of points required varies based on factors including flight route and airline. You could also choose to use a combination of points and cash for your flights. Note that you must redeem a minimum of 20,000 points per flight.
Car hire. You can use IHG Reward points to hire a car at many locations around the world. The cost varies depending on location, car type and length of hire. You have the option to pay with a combination of points and cash as long as you redeem a minimum of 5,000 points per transaction.
How much would a flight reward cost?
As an example, a direct economy flight from Sydney to Melbourne in June 2017 would cost 33,000 points when flying with either Qantas or Virgin Australia (based on a booking made in January 2017).
Other rewards
The IHG Rewards Club also has an online catalogue of rewards you can get with your points. These include options in the following categories:
Merchandise. You can redeem your rewards for a variety of items including cameras, iPods, homewares, camping gear and jewellery.
Gift cards. IHG Rewards offers a range of retail, dining and entertainment gift cards, with redemptions starting from 2,500 points for a $5 digital gift card for Myer or Woolworths WISH.
Donations. You can also donate your points to the IHG Foundation – an organisation that supports the development of stronger, healthier and more prosperous communities around the world. It is registered in England, Wales and the US, with donations starting from 2,500 points.
What if I don’t have enough IHG Reward points?
The IHG Rewards Club offers the following options if you don’t have enough points for your chosen reward:
Points & Cash. Many redemptions allow you to use a combination of points and cash, including hotel stays, flights and car hire. Note that minimum point amounts apply for this option.
Buy points. You can purchase points in blocks of 1,000, with the price ranging from US$11.50 to US$13.50 per 1,000 points (depending on how many you purchase at a time). There is a maximum purchase of 60,000 points per year.
Gift points. In addition to purchasing points for yourself, you can also gift them or receive points from another member. The same price range and maximum point amount applies for bought and gifted points.
Points transfer. IHG Rewards Club members can transfer points to other members in increments of 1,000 points. There is a cost of US$5 per 1,000 points transferred, but no limit on the number of points you can transfer or receive in this way.
IHG Rewards Club membership status
This loyalty program offers four levels of membership: Club, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite and Spire Elite. The higher your membership status, the more benefits you’ll get.
When you first join the program, you will have Club membership status. This entitles you to the following benefits:
The ability to earn and redeem IHG Rewards points or frequent flyer points
Free Internet at more than 5,000 hotels and resorts worldwide
Exclusive hotel rates
Dedicated customer service phone line
No blackout dates for Reward Nights or flights with more than 400 airlines
Exclusive member-only treatment, such as in-hotel recognition and special offers
IHG Rewards Club Concierge service
To progress to a higher membership tier, you must reach a specific number of qualifying stays per year. A qualifying stay is any night’s stay in the current calendar year at a participating hotel at an eligible rate and paid for by the member.
Gold Elite
To progress from Club membership to Gold Elite status, you must stay at least 10 qualifying nights and must earn at least 10,000 Elite Qualifying points per calendar year. In addition to the standard Club benefits, this status level offers the following:
10% point bonus. You’ll earn 10% more points than Club members.
No point expiry. If you’re a current Elite member, you won’t have to worry about point expiry as long as you have Elite status.
Priority check-in. As a Gold Member, you’re eligible for a faster check-in process at participating hotels in the IHG portfolio.
Extended check-out. Subject to availability, you will be able to check-out later than standard guests or regular Club Members. Simply ask staff at your hotel if extended check-out is available to take advantage of this offer.
Platinum Elite
If you stay at least 40 qualifying nights and earn 40,000 Elite Qualifying points per calendar year, you’ll earn Platinum Elite Status. This entitles you to the following additional benefits:
50% bonus points. You’ll earn 50% more points than regular Club members.
Elite rollover nights. If you have stayed more than the required 40 qualifying nights in a year, the additional nights will be counted toward your Elite status qualification for the following calendar year. Elite Rollover Nights are only valid for one calendar year.
Complimentary room upgrades. At the time of check-in, you may be offered a complimentary upgrade. Options could include rooms on higher floors, corner rooms, newly renovated rooms, or rooms with preferred views. The upgrade will be offered based on availability and will only apply to your personal guest room. The hotel is not required to upgrade members to suites or specialty rooms. Upgrade benefits will not apply to rooms booked as a Reward Night reservation.
Guaranteed room availability. If you make a booking directly with the IHG Rewards Club Service Centre, you will be guaranteed one room for personal use. To take advantage of this offer, you will need to provide a valid credit card and make your reservation at least 72 hours prior to the date of arrival. Individual hotels may impose exceptions to this benefit during special events that result in extraordinary room demand.
Spire Elite
Stay at least 75 qualifying nights and earn at least 75,000 Elite Qualifying points per calendar year and you’ll reach the highest tier of this program. In addition to all the other benefits of lower membership levels, this entitles you to the following:
100% bonus points. You’ll earn double the points of a standard Club member.
Exclusive choice benefit upon receiving status. When you reach Spire Elite status, you can choose to receive either a 25,000 annual point bonus or to gift Platinum Elite status to a family member or friend.
Exclusive Hertz Gold Plus RewardsFive Starstatus upgrade upon receiving status. When you become a Spire Elite member, you’ll be able to enjoy this higher level of status with the Hertz rewards program. This allows you to earn more Hertz points and enjoy exclusive discounts or upgrades on your rental cars. Usually, you only get Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star status after 7 rentals or spending US$1,500 or more annually.
What should I consider before joining IHG Rewards?
Here are the key details to keep in mind if you’re interested in becoming an IHG Rewards Club member:
Point expiry. To maintain the points in your account, you must have at least one earn or redeem transaction posted to your account every 12 months. Points in your account do not expire for all current Elite members. However, your points may still expire 12 months after your account moves to Club level from an Elite level if there is no earn or redeem activity.
Exclusive member rates. The exclusive room rates offered to IHG Rewards Club members are only available if you book through one of IHG’s websites (including mobile sites), the IHG app, IHG's central reservations office, or at the front desk of an IHG hotel. Member-exclusive rates are not available in all regions. For example, these rates are not available at properties in China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Availability of member-exclusive rates varies by brand as well.
Contact. IHG Rewards has dedicated customer service lines for each major geographic region. In Australia, you can contact them anytime on (02) 9935 8362 (toll charges may apply).
The IHG Rewards Club gives you the ability to earn and redeem points at a wide range of hotels around the world, including well-known brands such as Holiday Inn, InterContinental Hotel and Crowne Plaza. It also offers benefits at IHG hotels, such as exclusive room rates and personalised services. If you’re a regular guest at IHG hotels, these benefits could make a difference to your stay, but it’s also worth comparing a range of other travel reward programs so that you can find the option that’s right for your needs and travel habits.
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