[Expired] Bonus Offers for Obtaining InterContinental Ambassador Status

Update: The offer mentioned below has expired and is no longer available.

When earning elite status at most hotel chains, you need to fulfill a published set of requirements, and how much you stay or spend will dictate what elite status level you obtain and what perks you’ll be offered. IHG One Rewards, however, offers a paid level of status called InterContinental Ambassador status, valid only at the upper-end portfolio of InterContinental hotels. This paid status has a new offer to become a member or renew that you may find enticing.

What Is IHG InterContinental Ambassador Status?

InterContinental Ambassador status is one of the only paid elite status levels of any hotel chain, though the benefits are mostly only useful at InterContinental hotels, which are luxury hotels located in major cities worldwide.

For $200, you can receive these benefits:

• Guaranteed 1 category room upgrade, which usually means going from a standard room to a deluxe room, or similar
• Extended 4 p.m. checkout, though this is subject to availability
• 1 complimentary weekend night at any InterContinental hotel worldwide each year of your membership
• $20 restaurant or bar credit per stay

Most interesting, perhaps, is that this status also comes with IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status, which allows you to receive benefits at any IHG hotel, not just InterContinental ones. You may find this offer enticing simply for this status level.

IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite comes with:

• A 60% bonus in earned points on every stay
• Guaranteed room availability
• Complimentary upgrades
• Welcome amenity at check-in
• Early check-in, subject to availability
• Late checkout, subject to availability

If You’re Purchasing for the First Time

If you purchase your membership for the first time between September 2, 2022, and December 31, 2022, you’ll earn 15,000 extra IHG One Rewards points. While not much, having a few extra points is a nice incentive and makes the membership a little more compelling.

If You’re Renewing

If you renew your InterContinental Ambassador status between September 2, 2022, and December 31, 2022, you can receive 20,000 IHG One Rewards points when you complete 2 paid stays by January 31, 2023. These stays need to be paid with cash and cannot include any combination of points to offset the rate.

Hot Tip: It’s worth noting that neither offer allows you to use points to pay for your membership. You need to pay the $200 in cash to receive the bonus points.

Final Thoughts

If you stay at InterContinental hotels with any regularity over the course of the year, this offer makes perfect sense for you as you can receive a lot of extra perks that likely far outweigh the annual membership fee you’ll pay. With the added first-time and renewal bonus points, the $200 annual fee is an easier pill to swallow.