While we’re used to IHG One Rewards having promotions on buying points, the program is currently offering a year-end promotion for buying elite qualifying points, which is essentially a way to buy elite status. We saw a similar promotion at the end of last year, though this one isn’t quite as generous.
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IHG One Rewards selling elite status boost
It’s not uncommon to see airline and hotel loyalty programs offer ways to buy up to elite status at the end of the year, whether members are struggling to requalify for their current status, or are hoping to achieve a higher status tier.
Along those lines, between December 16 and December 31, 2025, IHG One Rewards is selling elite qualifying points, to help members earn status in 2025, for the 2026 program year. As a reminder:
- IHG One Rewards Gold status requires 40,000 elite qualifying points
- IHG One Rewards Platinum status requires 60,000 elite qualifying points
- IHG One Rewards Diamond status requires 120,000 elite qualifying points
With this promotion, members can buy enough elite qualifying points either to requalify for their current elite tier, or to qualify for the next tier. This opportunity is based on the status that a member had as of December 4, 2025.
New elite status earned through this promotion will be awarded within 5-10 business days of making the purchase. Note that it appears that not all members are eligible for this offer, and pricing even differs between accounts. So you’ll have to log into your account to see what you’re eligible for.
Many with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (review) or IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (review) have the opportunity to buy up to Diamond status, given that the card offers Platinum status. The 20% cardmember discount on buying points also applies for this.
What’s the cost to purchase points? It depends on how many you buy, as the cost per elite qualifying point gets lower the more elite qualifying points you purchase. For example, looking at my account:
- Buying 5,000 elite qualifying points costs $250, or $200 with the 20% cardmember discount; that means you’re paying 4-5 cents per elite qualifying point
- Buying 120,000 elite qualifying points costs $1,000, or $800 with the 20% cardmember discount; that means you’re paying 0.67-0.83 cents per elite qualifying point
As an existing Platinum member with virtually no elite qualifying points, this means that I can outright buy Diamond status for $800 (factoring in the 20% cardmember discount).
What’s interesting here is that the elite qualifying points that you purchase can also be redeemed toward award stays. So you’ll earn the same number of elite qualifying points as you earn redeemable points — buying 120,000 elite qualifying points also earns you 120,000 redeemable points.
Keep in mind that when IHG offers a 100% bonus on purchased points, the cost is typically 0.5 cents per point.
Is it worth buying IHG One Rewards elite status?
Let’s assume you’re eligible for the offer of 120,000 points (elite qualifying and redeemable) for $800. Assuming you’d consider buying IHG points for 0.5 cents each, you’re basically spending $200 or so on Diamond status (since buying 120,000 points with a 100% promotion would ordinarily cost $600). A few thoughts:
- Even a couple of stays (or a longer stay) as an IHG Diamond at a full service property would probably allow you to breakeven on this, given that Diamond offers complimentary breakfast
- A lot of IHG’s best elite perks are tied to the IHG Milestone Rewards program, as this is how you can receive confirmed suite upgrades, get club lounge access, etc.; this is tied to elite nights and not elite qualifying points, so this promotion wouldn’t help you with that
- Another pathway to IHG Diamond status is to just spend $40,000 per year on one of IHG’s premium co-branded credit cards, so if you do really value Diamond status and have access to the cards, that’s another option to consider
If you’re a relatively frequent IHG guest who gets value from IHG points and would consider buying them for 0.5 cents each, then I’d absolutely consider this offer. Meanwhile if you wouldn’t otherwise buy IHG points, or if you only very rarely stay at IHG properties, I’d save your cash.
Bottom line
For a limited time, IHG One Rewards is selling elite qualifying points, for those looking for a year-end status boost. The price for outright being able to buy top tier status is quite attractive, especially since these also count as redeemable points. For some people, if you’d otherwise consider buying points, this is like spending $200 on Diamond status, which is potentially quite a good deal.
Do any OMAAT readers plan on buying IHG elite qualifying points to earn status?
"Another pathway to IHG Diamond status is to just spend $40,000 per year"...."JUST" ...that's a 1% comment right there!!
FWIW I have the IHG One Rewards Select Mastercard from Chase and was NOT offered the 20% discount that Ben is showing
Last year, IHG ran something similar, but they sort of had a pricing error, wherein some people had an offer that effectively double-applied a 20% bonus. As a result, I was able to get 120k pts (which would normally sell for $600 during many of IHG's sales) and get Diamond status, for $640. This essentially put the Diamond Status at $640.
However... I got Diamond Status for 2 years (essentially from 12/31/2024 through 12/31/2026) through...
Last year, IHG ran something similar, but they sort of had a pricing error, wherein some people had an offer that effectively double-applied a 20% bonus. As a result, I was able to get 120k pts (which would normally sell for $600 during many of IHG's sales) and get Diamond status, for $640. This essentially put the Diamond Status at $640.
However... I got Diamond Status for 2 years (essentially from 12/31/2024 through 12/31/2026) through what is essentially an IHG error. I would expect you can probably do the same this year.
I bought the points on the evening of the very last day (Dec 31, 2024). I expected to get Diamond status through 12/31/2025, but was surprised to find that my account reflected it through 12/31/2026. My theory behind this is that IHG must want to guard against a situation in which a person is supposed to receive points on Jan 1st but they are granted a day early on Dec 31st (i.e. a hotel in a different timezone?) and screw up someone's elite qualification status or plans. And so they must allow points earned on Dec 31st to be treated as if they were earned on Jan 1st, which is why my status ran through Dec 31 of the following year (2026, instead of 2025).
I have gotten outsized value from Diamond status (a lot of free breakfast on some great vacations) and continue to do so over 2 years. If you are considering doing this, I might advise that you try this in the evening on Dec 31, and you might get lucky like me (and have status through the end of 2027, rather than 2026).
er, "This essentially put the Diamond Status at $640." should read "this essentially put the Diamond Status cost at $40"
Not Eligible
If you have large estimated tax payments as an option, a better deal is to spend $40K on taxes on the IHG Premier card in Jan 2026. Cost is $700. Gets you Diamond status for all of 2026 and 2027, 120K points, plus 10K bonus points and $100 statement credit for passing $20K spend threshold on card.
No, spending 40K on IHG at 3x is not actually the better than this offer (assuming your offer is also 800 dollars for 120,000 EQP and Points)
The opportunity cost of spending 40K on your tax is at 3% for total of $1200. You get 130,000 IHG points (value at $650) and $100 statement credits in return. So the net cost is $450. (I won’t share how to earn 3% here, but the baseline should...
No, spending 40K on IHG at 3x is not actually the better than this offer (assuming your offer is also 800 dollars for 120,000 EQP and Points)
The opportunity cost of spending 40K on your tax is at 3% for total of $1200. You get 130,000 IHG points (value at $650) and $100 statement credits in return. So the net cost is $450. (I won’t share how to earn 3% here, but the baseline should be 2.625% cashback from BofA would bring your opportunity cost to $1050, which will bring your net cost to $300)
Meanwhile, this offer will net you 120,000 points (value at $600) so the cost is $200. It beats the above scenario by $100-250. That is to say, this is a better offer if you can get $800 offer.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but even though I got the offer as a card holder, I should use a different card (cap one venture x for ex) to purchase since points purchases don't earn anything on the IHG card?
I'm getting $960 for 120,000 points, and it also says specifically in fine print: "These points are Non-Qualifying points and are not Elite Status qualifying".
Strike that. I was using the wrong link. Not eligible.
Or you could spend $75k with a CSR I suppose. Plus you get that sweet $500 southwest credit. Yawn.
This is a solid deal if you stay at any high end ihg property. You can easily recoup the $200 staying even once a year. Thanks for the info
Says I am not eligible, although I did purchase this promotion last year, and didn't end up using the diamond status much at all this year unfortunately rip.
I'm glad they're putting a cap on max status that can be "purchased". IHG Diamond is great but it's only great because they protect it from credit card qualifications and whatnot.