IHG recently revamped its loyalty program, with the introduction of IHG One Rewards. These changes are overwhelmingly positive, and I’d consider the program to be more compelling than ever before. IHG has now launched a generous status match challenge for the new program, which I imagine will interest many.
In this post:
IHG One Rewards status challenge basics
IHG One Rewards has a new status match challenge program, available to members of a competing program (you don’t even need to have status). This promotion offers Platinum status up front, and then allowing you to maintain Platinum status or upgrade to Diamond status depending on how many nights you stay within 120 days of registration:
- If you stay five nights within 120 days of registration, you keep Platinum status through December 2023
- If you stay 15 nights within 120 days of registration, you receive Diamond status through December 2023
As of now, registration for this promotion is available through July 31, 2022, so you’ll want to time your registration based on when you plan on completing stays. This promotion is available to members globally, except those in Greater China.
For the purposes of this offer, a qualifying stay is one booked directly with IHG where a member is paying cash and the rate exceeds $30 per night.
How to request an IHG One Rewards status challenge
To request an IHG One Rewards status challenge, go to the promotion page. On the promotion page, go to the section that lists competing loyalty programs, and then select both the program that you’re matching from, and the status that you have (if any). The registration process is quite simple from there.
What’s really interesting here is that you don’t actually need to have status with a competitor. Rather any membership will be “matched,” meaning anyone (outside of Greater China) can take advantage of this and get Platinum status for at least 120 days. That’s pretty generous.
Is this IHG One Rewards status challenge worth it?
For some context on what’s normally required to earn IHG One Rewards Platinum and Diamond status:
- IHG Platinum status requires 40 elite nights or 60,000 qualifying points per year, and offers a 60% points bonus; you can also get this simply by having the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card (review) or IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (review)
- IHG Diamond status requires 70 elite nights or 120,000 qualifying points per year, and offers a 100% points bonus; you can get this by spending $40,000 per year on either the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card or IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
A few thoughts:
- Being able to get IHG Platinum status for 120 days without having status in another program is a great opportunity, assuming you don’t have an IHG credit card that offers that
- Needing just 15 nights for Diamond status could be worth it, given that Diamond status offers improved perks, like breakfast
- One thing to keep in mind is that the most value with status comes from Milestone Rewards, and those are unlocked based on how many nights you stay, so you’d only earn suite upgrades and club lounge access at the “regular” rate with this status challenge
Bottom line
IHG One Rewards has launched its first publicly available status challenge, and it’s pretty lucrative. You can receive Platinum status for 120 days just for enrolling in the offer. Then if you complete at least five nights during the promotion period, you can maintain that status all the way through December 2023. Meanwhile if you complete 15 nights during the promotion period, you get Diamond status.
Do you plan on taking advantage of this IHG status challenge offer?
Does the minimum amount of US$30 per night refer to pure room rate, or does it include the total price after taxes and fees for the room are added? Thank you!
I get that the IHG program has been recently revamped, but the training of the support teams is awful. I have email confirmations of registration for promos that are not applied in my account, and trying to speak to anyone knowledgeable is a real challenge. Sadly, I am working on a project with no Marriotts in the area (handful of stays until lifetime platinum) so IHG is the only option. I hope they can sort themselves out!!!
I am assuming that IHG sent around a press pack as many travel writers have covered this promo. Maybe you could reach out to an IHG point of contact that can help clarify all the mixed answers we are getting from the clueless support desks?
Be warned! IHG support is very bad, and it’s own employees aren’t familiar with this promo. I received an email confirmation of registration, but no Platinum status. One IHG person said “you have to stay 5 nights to get it”. I explained the promo says you get it automatically, and after 5 nights you keep it past the promo period. No answer. Then, another IHG support person said it starts June 1 in the UK...
Be warned! IHG support is very bad, and it’s own employees aren’t familiar with this promo. I received an email confirmation of registration, but no Platinum status. One IHG person said “you have to stay 5 nights to get it”. I explained the promo says you get it automatically, and after 5 nights you keep it past the promo period. No answer. Then, another IHG support person said it starts June 1 in the UK (I am not UK based, but have stayed there recently). I asked them where in the T&C it states this, and again got no answer, because it doesn’t.
I very much hope this is a temporary training issue and not a sign of things to come with IHG?
IHG Call Center is not well informed and gave me mixed answers. I could tell they aren't well trained. Had to put me on hold for three times and still came back with an unsure answer. I know this challenge is new but you'd think since they put it out to the world, their staffs would have some basic knowledge about it. I'm already a Platinum Elite Member and aiming to obtain the Diamond status...
IHG Call Center is not well informed and gave me mixed answers. I could tell they aren't well trained. Had to put me on hold for three times and still came back with an unsure answer. I know this challenge is new but you'd think since they put it out to the world, their staffs would have some basic knowledge about it. I'm already a Platinum Elite Member and aiming to obtain the Diamond status by the first week of July. Already had 15 IHG stays lined up in mid June. It's just weird that even though I'm a Platinum Elite member, I still have to register under an affiliated hotel... Maybe this isn't meant for the current member, but will see if there will be issue. I am interest to see what it will change to my membership if anything at all. If this isn't for current IHG members, I don't want to stay 15 nights on all IHG properties on my vacation. Wonder how I am able to confirm if I'm qualified or not.
Hence it's called a status match, not a status challenge.
They told me that it doesn’t start outside the US until June 1. Of course, there is no mention of that in the T&Cs.
Signed up this morning (am Hyatt Globalist), moved a stay next week from Hyatt to IHG, and am now showing as a Platinum member. Have moved a few other upcoming stays to IHG to hit the minimum of 5. Will now compare IHG to Hyatt on my future trips. Doubt I can make 15 to get to Diamond in the next 120 days, and Hyatt Globalist is much more valuable, but it's nice to have an alternative at the Platinum level that's not Marriott.
I joined this morning (Hilton diamond) via the status match link, but I am only « club member » IHG for now.. How long it takes to appear as platinum
Same here; I signed up but it hasn't changed my status. I have 10 nights booked at an IHG hotel next week!
Me too. Getting some strange answers from IHG call centre, one agent said outside the US you have to wait until June 1st.
Same. One rep told me I had to stay 5 nights to get the status when the promotion clearly says the status is updated upon registration. Another told me that outside the US it doesn’t start until June 1. Very poor training and organization with the IHG support staff…
I am lifetime titanium. Will I get lifetime diamond?
I am an exisiting Platinum Elite, will I need to clock up 15 nights to achieve Diamond, or do I only need 10 nights to achieve Diamond?
@ Oakerztory -- You would still need to stay 15 nights to earn Diamond status.
If I book a reward night and spend and charge to the room over $30 (eg parking, meals, etc), will such stay qualify?
@ Krzysztof Jarosz -- Nope, unfortunately the rate itself needs to be at least $30, and incidentals don't count.
It's worth a reminder that you can't use the benefits or earn rewards unless booked via IHG channels. My AMEX Fine Hotels & Resorts booking at an Intercontinental will earn me bupkis.
@ Mike -- Indeed third party bookings typically don't qualify toward hotel points and status. However, with most brands (Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott), Virtuoso and Amex FHR are an exception. I've definitely earned IHG points at an InterContinental on a Virtuoso booking, so is Amex FHR just excluded for some reason, or...?
So I am a Marriott guy and have not stayed at Hilton maybe 5-7 years. I am
Titanium with Marriott, would I automatically get diamond status or do I still need to stay the 15 days?
Is this really worth switching? I am pretty loyal Marriott.
Thank you
@ Brian Morabito -- You'd still need to stay 15 nights and would only get Platinum (and not Diamond) at the beginning of the challenge. Is it worth switching? Unless you have a specific reason you want to switch (IHG properties work for your portfolio, etc.) I think it's for the most part unlikely that you'd get more value from IHG One Rewards than from Marriott Bonvoy.
I would love to take advantage of this, but I can't log in. I just get a perpetual spinner, even after a password reset and using multiple browsers. :-(
Anyone else having issues logging in to IHG.com?
@lucky
You used stay slot at IHG properties back in the day what happened
@ Joe -- Hah, I did indeed back in the day when there was a never-ending loop of Royal Ambassador referrals. Those were good times!
Lucky, Many thanks for this write-up. IMHO we should consider avoiding the "Greater China" framing; Wikipedia describes the term this way: "Greater China is a notional geographical area implying cultural homogeny among the Han Chinese people, The term 'Greater China' usually refers to the area that encompasses Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan in East Asia."
Of course, given how cozy hotel brands like to get with the CCP, I'm sure they'll keep using...
Lucky, Many thanks for this write-up. IMHO we should consider avoiding the "Greater China" framing; Wikipedia describes the term this way: "Greater China is a notional geographical area implying cultural homogeny among the Han Chinese people, The term 'Greater China' usually refers to the area that encompasses Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan in East Asia."
Of course, given how cozy hotel brands like to get with the CCP, I'm sure they'll keep using it but we don't have to :)
Much easier to just say greater China than all of Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Plus this is an article about IHG status match not a political article on what we are calling a certain geographic region.
@Steve
And yet China likes to make every issue a political issue.
And yet America likes to be the world police. And yet Korea thinks its country is the best in the world. And yet the British have stiff upper lips. And yet the French think their language is the best so they hate speaking English. And yet, you want to politicize a travel blog? No stereotypes and discrimination needed here. Steve made a good point. Lucky is a travel writer not a political science writer.
The fact that you think China’s official policy is a stereotype and discrimination is hilarious.
The fact that you think that Western countries are not hypocrites is utterly hilarious.
Awesome and just in time! I have 5 nights coming up anyway starting next week so no brainer here! The new IHG One rewards is the the best out there especially when coupled with the Premier card! 5X total points on travel, dining, and gas, 3x on everything else, 4th night free on reward stays, Anniversary Free Night, suite upgrades, 26 x points on stays...then when I earn Diamond that will be 30x points and free breakfast...BOOM!