Strategies to level up your IHG elite status

The CardName offers a variety of benefits for travelers who frequently stay at IHG properties including hotels like Candlewood Suites, Holiday Inn, Avid, InterContinental, and Crowne Plaza. This card also automatically upgrades you to an IHG Elite membership status as opposed to the basic Club level status you’ll start with if you sign up for the free membership (without an IHG card).

Elite membership status levels include Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, and Diamond Elite, each offering progressively better perks like bonus points on stays, room upgrades, priority check-in, late check-out, and exclusive member offers.

While you do not need an IHG rewards card to achieve elite status, having a card can help you increase your membership level faster. Here’s how you can level up your IHG membership status by accumulating the qualifying points and stays required to upgrade faster.

Overview of IHG status levels

There are several IHG status levels, each with its own set of perks. All elite levels include benefits like extended check-out at 2:00 p.m. (subject to availability), and points that never expire.

Here’s a quick comparison of the different IHG reward levels and their benefits.

As you can see, there are several benefits to increasing your elite membership level especially if you have an IHG rewards credit card. The best way to earn higher elite status tiers is by accruing a certain amount of qualifying points or nights in a calendar year. Qualifying nights are hotel or resort stays that you book directly through IHG and not a third-party company.

Once you earn elite status, your membership level is valid until the end of the following year. So, if you earned the IHG One Rewards Platinum elite status in September 2024, it wouldn’t expire until December 31, 2025. Let’s explore some effective strategies to help you climb the ranks quickly.

Maximize spending on your CardName

Using your CardName for everyday purchases is a great way to accelerate your point accumulation. This card offers multiple points per dollar spent, particularly on IHG purchases.

You’ll also automatically get IHG Platinum Elite status as long as you have the CardName. If you spend at least $40,000 on this card within a calendar year, you’ll earn IHG Diamond Elite status through December 31st of the following year.

Other IHG credit cards offer automatic Silver Elite status for current cardholders as well, including:

• CardName
• IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

Maximize spending in bonus categories

Take advantage of the bonus categories offered by your credit card. Spending on Hertz car rentals, dining out, and travel purchases can yield extra points. When renting a car with Hertz, club members earn 125 points per rental day and elite members earn 500 points per rental day on qualifying rentals worldwide.

You also earn five points per dollar spent at restaurants (including takeout and delivery), gas stations, travel and hotels as well as three points per dollar on all other purchases with the CardName. These additional points can help you reach IHG elite status levels sooner.

Purchase bonus points packages

Often, IHG runs promotions where you can purchase bonus points. These bonus points packages are offered as a way to incentivize members to book stays at their properties. By purchasing these packages, you can earn more points than you would through regular stays and accelerate your progress towards elite membership.

These bonus point packages are typically offered at a discounted rate compared to buying the points separately, making them a cost-effective option for earning more points. While this requires an upfront investment, it can be a fast track to achieving elite status, especially when you’re close to the next tier.

Stay at IHG hotels and properties frequently

One of the simplest ways to elevate your elite membership status is to stay frequently at IHG properties. Look for opportunities such as weekend getaways, fall or spring break, or business trips to book a hotel or resort stay. Make a conscious effort to book your stays with IHG and choose their hotels whenever possible. Remember, each night counts towards your elite status qualification.

Engage in IHG promotions

Sometimes IHG has promotions and sends out email invites to let members know when they can earn bonus points on stays. For example, you may see an offer for 2,000 bonus points when you book two qualifying nights at an IHG hotel or resort.

Sometimes IHG One Rewards offers new member promotions where you can earn extra bonus points when you book a stay during the first few weeks of joining. Keep an eye out for these promotions and check your email to see if IHG has any promotional invites you can take advantage of to boost your point balance.

Leverage partnerships offers

IHG has partnerships with various airlines, car rental companies, and other travel-related services. Take advantage of these partnerships to earn additional points. For example, booking a flight or car rental through an IHG partner can add to your points balance, helping you move up the elite status ladder.

When you reserve a table through OpenTable to dine at partner restaurants, you can earn up to 500 IHG One Rewards points. There are thousands of partner restaurants that allow you to earn up to eight points per dollar.

Exclusive benefits of higher IHG elite status

Reaching a higher level of elite status with IHG comes with exclusive benefits that can significantly enhance your travel experience. These benefits may include room upgrades, early check-in and late check-out, complimentary breakfast, welcome amenities, and more. Additionally, higher levels of elite status also come with increased point-earning potential.

Some of the most notable benefits offered by IHG for higher levels of elite membership include:

1. Room upgrades and availability

As a Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite member, you may receive complimentary upgrades to the best available room upon arrival. For both Platinum and Diamond Elite members, you are also guaranteed one guest room even if the hotel is fully booked so long as the reservation is made at least 72 hours before the date of arrival. This can come in handy during peak seasons or when traveling to popular destinations.

2. Special elite member benefits

In addition to the general benefits mentioned above, IHG also offers special elite member benefits that vary depending on your level of membership. These benefits may include:

• Welcome amenities such as free drinks or snacks upon arrival
• Complimentary breakfast at participating hotels
• Early check-in and late check-out when available
• Access to exclusive club lounges with complimentary food and drinks
• Elite rollover nights, allowing you to start the next year closer to achieving elite status again

3. Point bonuses

Higher levels of elite status also come with increased point-earning potential. As a Platinum Elite member, you will earn 60% bonus points on top of your base earnings for every stay. One of the best IHG Diamond Elite benefits to take advantage of is earning 100% bonus points for every stay.

The bottom line

If you like staying at IHG properties, joining IHG Rewards and earning bonus points on qualifying stays is a great opportunity. By reaching a higher level of elite status with IHG, you can enjoy many additional perks such as rollover nights and guaranteed room availability.

Another clear perk of reaching elite status is that your points never expire while Club level points can expire after 12 months of inactivity. While opening an IHG One rewards credit card is not required to become a member, having one will automatically upgrade your status level and you can earn even more bonus points with your spending.

In addition to targeting your spending toward certain rewards categories like restaurants and rental cars, always keep an eye out for special points promotions and bonus point offers as an easy way to boost your status.