Benefits of IHG One Rewards Elite Status [Silver, Gold, Platinum & Diamond]

The Benefits of IHG One Rewards Elite Status [Silver, Gold, Platinum & Diamond]

- Updated: May 25, 2023, 1:26am CDT|

7Comments

Travel /
Hotels

IHG Hotels & Resorts, headquartered in England, is an established hotel brand dating back to the 1700s. The brand has nearly 6,000 hotels across over 100 countries, similar to the footprint you’ll find with the Hilton and Marriott brands.

The highlight of the IHG One Rewards loyalty program is its global footprint. What the program lacks in elite benefits it makes up for by having properties across the world. IHG also has 17 brands, ensuring its members have the option to book stays at luxury brands like InterContinental Hotels & Resorts or mainstream brands like Holiday Inn.

In this article, we’ll cover all of the IHG One Rewards elite tiers, as well as the benefits offered at each tier. The goal is to have an understanding of all of the nuances of the IHG One Rewards loyalty program. You’ll be armed with the information you need to decide if IHG One Rewards elite status makes sense for you.

IHG One Rewards Elite Status Levels

Benefit	Club Member	Silver Elite	Gold Elite	Platinum Elite	Diamond Elite
Member Rates and Promotions	X	X	X	X	X
No Blackout Dates for Reward Nights	X	X	X	X	X
Reward Nights Count Towards Elite Status	X	X	X	X	X
Free Internet	X	X	X	X	X
Late 2 p.m. Checkout (When Available)	X	X	X	X	X
Points Don’t Expire		X	X	X	X
Bonus Earnings on Top of Base Points		20%	40%	60%	100%
Elite Rollover Nights			X	X	X
Room Upgrades (When Available)				X	X
Guaranteed Room Availability (72 hours)				X	X
Reward Night Discounts				X	X
Welcome Amenity at Check-In				Points or Drink/Snack	Free Breakfast, Points, or Drink/Snack
Early Check-In (When Available)				X	X
Dedicated Diamond Support					X
Hertz Five Star Elite Status					X

Club Member

Club Member is the lowest level in the IHG One Rewards program and there are no requirements for this level. In addition to member rates and promotions and free internet, Club Members have the ability for reward nights to count toward elite status with no blackout dates.

Late Checkout

Subject to availability and not available in all regions, 2 p.m. late checkout is a benefit provided to Club level members.

Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa in Grand Cayman — IHG One Rewards members can get late check-out at Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa. Image Credit: Katie Seemann

IHG One Rewards Silver Elite

Silver Elite status is the entry-level elite tier in the IHG One Rewards program. This status is earned after staying 10 qualifying nights in a calendar year or by holding the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card.

Points Expiration

Members who earn IHG One Rewards elite status enjoy the benefit of their points not expiring. However, if the elite member drops down to Club status, the points expire after 12 months if there’s no activity in the account.

20% Bonus Points

Silver Elite members earn a 20% bonus on earned points. Members 10 points per dollar spent at most IHG properties, resulting in Silver Elite members earning an additional 2 points per dollar spent (12x total).

Hot Tip: While IHG One Rewards members earn 10x points per $1 spent at most IHG hotels there are 2 exceptions — Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites stays earn 5x points per $1 spent.

IHG One Rewards Gold Elite

Intercontinental Mauritius — Gold Elite members will earn 40% more points at IHG hotels including the stunning InterContinental Mauritius. Image Credit: IHG

This status is earned after staying 20 qualifying nights or earning 40,000 elite-qualifying points in a calendar year. Members can also qualify for Gold Elite status by spending $20,000 plus an additional purchase in a calendar year on the IHG Traveler card.

40% Bonus Points

Gold Elite members earn a 40% bonus on points earned. IHG One Rewards members earn 10 points per dollar spent at most IHG properties, resulting in Gold Elite members earning an additional 4 points per dollar spent (14x total).

Rollover Nights

Any nights earned in excess of the 20 required for Gold Elite status can be rolled over to count toward the next year’s status.

Milestone Rewards

Once a member earns 20 nights they can choose one of the following Milestone Rewards:

5,000 bonus points
2 food and beverage rewards
1 confirmable suite upgrade

Once a member earns 30 nights they can choose one of the following Milestone Rewards:

5,000 bonus points
2 food and beverage rewards

IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite

Intercontinental Danang — IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite members will get a welcome amenity of points or a drink/snack at InterContinental Danang. Image Credit: IHG

Members can earn Platinum Elite status by staying 40 qualifying nights or by earning 60,000 elite qualifying points in a calendar year. Alternatively, you can get Platinum Elite status by holding one of the following credit cards:

IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card
IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card (no longer open to new applicants)
United Club℠ Infinite Card

Room Upgrades

Subject to availability and as determined by the hotel, Platinum Elite members will be offered a complimentary upgrade. Room upgrades include corner rooms, newly renovated rooms, rooms on higher floors, or rooms with preferred views.

Hot Tip: The upgrade only applies to the member’s room and not other rooms booked by the member. Suites and specialty rooms are excluded.

60% Bonus Points

Platinum Elite members earn a 60% bonus on points earned. IHG One Rewards members earn 10 points per dollar spent at most IHG properties, resulting in Platinum Elite members earning an additional 6 points per dollar spent (16x total).

Guaranteed Room Availability

Platinum Elite members are guaranteed 1 room on reservations made at least 72 hours in advance. Room availability is determined solely by the property and is not guaranteed during times of extraordinary demand. Reward nights are excluded from this benefit and the member must make a reservation through the IHG One Rewards Service Center.

Welcome Amenity at Check-In

Platinum Elite members will receive a welcome amenity of either points or a drink/snack at check-in. At Kimpton Hotels, the amenity will be a Raid the Bar credit.

Early Check-In

Platinum Elite members can get an early check-in, if available.

Milestone Rewards

Once a member earns 40 nights they can choose 2 of the following Milestone Rewards:

10,000 bonus points
5 food and beverage rewards
1 confirmable suite upgrade (limit 1)
Annual lounge membership (limit 1)

Once a member earns 50 or 60 nights they can choose one of the following Milestone Rewards at each milestone:

10,000 bonus points
5 food and beverage rewards

IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite

Intercontinental Hong Kong — Diamond Elite members are eligible for a room upgrade at InterContinental Hong Kong: Image Credit: IHG

You’ll need to earn 70 qualifying nights or 120,000 elite qualifying points in a calendar year to get top-tier Diamond Elite status. Unfortunately, IHG One Rewards doesn’t offer Diamond Elite status as a credit card benefit like the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers Hilton Honors Diamond status, but you can earn it by spending $40,000 on the IHG Premier card or IHG Premier Business card in a calendar year.

Diamond Elite status members enjoy all of the perks of the preceding elite tiers, plus these additional benefits.

100% Bonus Points

Diamond Elite members earn a 100% bonus on points earned. IHG One Rewards members earn 10 points per dollar spent at most IHG properties, resulting in Diamond Elite members earning an additional 10 points per dollar spent (20x total).

Hertz Five Star Elite Status

Diamond Elite members will get Hertz Five Star elite status.

Welcome Amenity

Diamond Elite members can get a free hot breakfast for 2 as a welcome amenity. There are some Kimpton locations that will be excluded from this benefit.

Dedicated Diamond Support

This is a new benefit for Diamond Elite members, but details of this perk haven’t been released yet.

Milestone Rewards

Once a member earns 70 nights they can choose 2 of the following Milestone Rewards:

10,000 bonus points
5 food and beverage rewards
2 confirmable suite upgrades (limit 1)
Annual lounge membership (limit 1)

Once a member earns 80, 90, and 100 nights they can choose one of the following Milestone Rewards at each milestone:

10,000 bonus points
5 food and beverage rewards

Bottom Line: Diamond Elite members, IHG One Rewards’ top-tier elite status, can get a free hot breakfast for 2 as a welcome amenity.

Final Thoughts

In terms of footprint, the IHG One Rewards program looks and feels similar to the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy programs. Each of these brands has a ton of properties across the world. The goal is to ensure its members will come to its brand first, knowing one of its hotels is likely located in the city they are traveling to.

The new IHG One Rewards program introduced a new elite status tier and some new benefits, overall making the program more appealing for travelers.

For those of you who take on IHG One Rewards elite status, we recommend holding the IHG Premier card that comes with Platinum Elite status. That puts you at least within striking distance of the nights or points required to earn top-tier Diamond Elite status.

The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Frequently asked questions

Do IHG One Rewards bonus points count towards elite status?

Bonus points and base points are the 2 types of points in the IHG One Rewards program. Bonus points are primarily earned through things like promotions and elite level bonuses. Base points are earned for hotel stays, as well as several partner programs.

In addition to being used for award stays, base points count toward your elite status and qualify you for member-level upgrades. Bonus points do not count towards your elite status.

Points earned from the IHG branded credit cards do not count toward elite status.

What does IHG One Rewards Gold Elite get you?

The main benefit of IHG One Rewards Gold Elite status is the 40% bonus points and the ability to earn rollover nights.

What are the benefits of being an IHG One Rewards member?

Benefits offered include no blackout dates for reward nights, reward nights counting towards elite status, late checkout, and free internet.

How long does IHG One Rewards elite status last?

Once you have earned IHG One Rewards elite status in any calendar year, you will maintain that status through the end of the following calendar year. For example, if you earn elite status in 2022, you will hold that status through the end of 2023.

How many IHG One Rewards points does it take for a free night?

Hotel stays can be booked for as few as 15,000 points per night. Sign up for IHG One Rewards email alerts and you'll have the opportunity to book hotels on the cheap in select markets around the world.

Do purchased IHG One Rewards points count toward elite status?

No, purchased points don't count toward IHG One Rewards elite status.

What are the new benefits of the IHG One Rewards program?

IHG Rewards was rebranded in April 2022 as IHG One Rewards. With the new name came new benefits, including 2 p.m. late checkout for all members, and perks like reward night discounts and a welcome amenity for Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite members. Milestone Rewards is a new program introduced at the same time that offers perks like confirmable suite upgrades, bonus points, and food and beverage rewards.

7 comments

Pete J June 20, 2022

It is June 20, 2022 and today I just tried to use my “Guarantee room availability” as a Diamond Elite Member for a room in September. I tried the IHG website, I tried the reservations line, I called the hotel directly, and finally landed at the Diamond Elite line. Still don’t have a room at the desired hotel. This is the first time trying to use this benefit, looks like it is snake oil.

josh December 19, 2022

Frankly, I can’t imagine how you can put the iHG program for elites in the same category as Marriott or Hilton.
“In terms of footprint, the IHG One Rewards program looks and feels similar to the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy programs”
Diamond Elite at IHG is harder to get and is a very inferior product. Not comparable.

I just stayed 7 times at IHG branded hotels in Europe with my partner who has Diamond.
1. Not one suite upgrade- almost always get junior or one bedroom suite with Marriott titanium and to a somewhat lesser extent Hilton Diamond.
2. No executive lounge access which you get automatically with the others.
3. 2 pm checkout versus 4 pm at the others.
4. Unimpressive breakfasts compared to what I get at Marriotts and Hiltons.

Frankly, I cant imagine why anyone would pursue IHG Diamond.

Jimi December 19, 2022

Does diamond elite status give you upgraded rooms to suites as well or are those excluded same as Platinum?

Jarrod West December 19, 2022

Hi Jimi,

IHG Diamond status includes space-available Suite upgrades.

Reply

Jamie Haines March 4, 2023

How in the world did I drop from Platinum to Gold? I travel frequently and stay at IHG hotel almost exclusively. I feel like I am being bent over here. I may begin staying at other non-IHG hotels if this is the way things work with you guys. BS. I also got screwed out of my special rewards points that I signed up for for qualifying nights and never saw a point of those in my account. Screwed again

Keri Stooksbury March 5, 2023

Hi Jamie – we are sorry to hear about your drop in status, but we are Upgraded Points, a travel resource website, not IHG. I’d suggest you give IHG a call or chat via its website to inquire more about your particular circumstances. If you are interested in automatic Platinum Elite status, the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card might be a good fit.

Reply
Brutus April 3, 2023

Sir, this is a Wendy’s.

Reply

IHG One Rewards Elite Status Levels

Club Member

Late Checkout

IHG One Rewards Silver Elite

Points Expiration

20% Bonus Points

IHG One Rewards Gold Elite

40% Bonus Points

Rollover Nights

Milestone Rewards

IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite

Room Upgrades

60% Bonus Points

Guaranteed Room Availability

Welcome Amenity at Check-In

Early Check-In

Milestone Rewards

IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite

100% Bonus Points

Hertz Five Star Elite Status

Welcome Amenity

Dedicated Diamond Support

Milestone Rewards

Final Thoughts

Frequently asked questions

Do IHG One Rewards bonus points count towards elite status?

What does IHG One Rewards Gold Elite get you?

What are the benefits of being an IHG One Rewards member?

How long does IHG One Rewards elite status last?

How many IHG One Rewards points does it take for a free night?

Do purchased IHG One Rewards points count toward elite status?

What are the new benefits of the IHG One Rewards program?

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