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IHG Rewards Guide 2025: Fast Track to Elite Status

IHG^® One Rewards is IHG’s free hotel loyalty program, which allows members to earn points toward free hotel stays at more than 6,000 hotels across 20 IHG brands worldwide.
IHG One Rewards members can earn elite status for additional benefits.
LendingTree values IHG points at around 0.5 cents per point according to LendingTree’s value methodology, where 10,000 IHG points are worth around $50.*
IHG award nights vary drastically in cost, from as low as 5,000 points per night at budget brands to over 120,000 points per night for luxury-brand properties.
The easiest way to quickly earn IHG points is by signing up for an IHG credit card.

*Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

IHG Hotels & Resorts is a global hotel chain with more than 6,700 properties across 20 distinct hotel brands. IHG brands range from budget-friendly options like Holiday Inn Express to luxury InterContinental and boutique Kimpton hotels.

Travelers who frequently book with IHG can get a lot of additional value through IHG credit cards, which can offer automatic elite status and free night stays every year. IHG members in certain elite status tiers can get complimentary benefits like late check-out, early check-in, automatic room upgrades and more.

However, IHG Rewards have a low value per point, especially when compared to other hotel brands, so make sure you calculate the total number of points you need per award night and compare it to the cash price to find the best deal.

→ See our brand comparison below.

This guide will help you maximize IHG One Rewards so you can enjoy free hotel stays worldwide.

What hotels are part of IHG Rewards?

IHG has a global footprint of more than 6,700 total hotels in over 100 countries around the world. With that many hotels, it’s easy to find an IHG-branded hotel no matter where you travel.

IHG also offers a wide range of experiences, from ultra-luxury (Intercontinental) to budget (Holiday Inn Express) and extended-stay (Candlewood Suites).

IHG brands

Brand	Type of property	Number of locations
Six Senses	Luxury	27
Regent	Luxury	11
Intercontinental	Luxury	237
Vignette Collection	Luxury	27
Kimpton	Luxury	83
Hotel Indigo	Luxury	183
Voco	Premium	117
Ruby	Premium	16
Hualuxe	Premium	23
Crowne Plaza	Premium	419
Iberostar	Premium	57
Even	Premium	45
Holiday Inn Express	Budget/family	3,275
Holiday Inn	Budget/family	1,242
Garner	Budget/family	72
Avid	Budget/family	82
Atwell Suites	Budget/long-term	7
Staybridge Suites	Budget/long-term	343
Holiday Inn Club Vacations	Budget/long-term	30
Candlewood Suites	Budget/long-term	413

Pros and cons of the IHG Rewards program

Pros

High number of hotel properties
Wide selection of hotel types
Redeem three nights, get the fourth night free with an IHG credit card
Many ways to get IHG points

Cons

Points can expire after 12 months of inactivity
IHG points have low value per cent
Large number of points per night needed for high-end properties

How much are IHG points worth?

We estimate them to be worth roughly 0.5 cents each. This means 10,000 IHG points are worth approximately $50.

Based on LendingTree’s value methodology.

Brand comparison: Average rewards earned per $1 spent*

IHG Rewards aren’t worth very much per point, especially when compared against loyalty programs like Hyatt. However, they can be quite valuable when strategically used to book luxury hotel stays.

By contrast, 10,000 points are worth approximately $70 for Marriott Bonvoy points and $200 for World of Hyatt points. However, these points fluctuate in value depending on how you redeem them. You might wind up redeeming points for more or less than our estimated value.

There’s a simple strategy to maximize your rewards: Try to only use your points when they are more valuable than the cash booking rate.

How do you know if using IHG points is worth it?

IHG points are generally valued around $0.005 per point — if a hotel stay is worth around half a cent per point, then it’s likely worth it to use them. To calculate the value of IHG points, use this simple equation:

Cash price (including taxes and fees) / Number of points needed for hotel stay = Points value for that specific reservation

How to earn IHG points

There are a lot of ways to earn IHG points, which makes it easier to save them up for a free hotel stay.

IHG credit cards

Having an IHG credit card is the fastest way to accumulate a large number of IHG points. You can score a generous amount up-front by earning the sign-up bonus on one of the cards below.

Credit Cards	Our Ratings	Annual Fee	Rewards Rate	Welcome Offer
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card* Learn More	3.6	$99	3X - 26X points Earn up to 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, gas stations, and restaurants Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases	140,000 Bonus Points Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	Learn More
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card*	3.0	$0	2X - 17X points Earn up to 17 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel Earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, gas stations, and restaurants Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases	80,000 points Earn 80,000 Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card* Learn More	3.6	$99	3X - 26X points Earn up to 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel. Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, select advertising, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases	140,000 points Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	Learn More

*The information related to the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms Apply.

The $99-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is best for frequent travelers who want premium perks like automatic Platinum Elite status, free nights and strong point-earning potential.

Infrequent travelers will find the no-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card sufficient for earning enough rewards for occasional stays.

Finally, the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card is tailored for business owners who want to combine travel rewards and benefits with expense management for company purchases.

→ Learn more about the best IHG credit cards

Staying at IHG hotels is one of the most rewarding ways to earn IHG One Rewards points, especially for members with elite status. The elite status boosts can dramatically accelerate your earnings per dollar spent with IHG.

Brand	Basic IHG member earns	Diamond Elite member earns
Six Senses	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Regent	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Intercontinental	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Vignette Collection	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Kimpton	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Hotel Indigo	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Voco	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Ruby	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Hualuxe	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Crowne Plaza	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Iberostar	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Even	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Holiday Inn Express	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Holiday Inn	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Garner	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Avid	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Atwell Suites	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Holiday Inn Club Vacations	10 points per dollar	20 points per dollar
Staybridge Suites	5 points per dollar	10 points per dollar
Candlewood Suites	5 points per dollar	10 points per dollar

You can maximize your IHG earnings even further by stacking promotions with credit card rewards. For example, if a hotel stay qualifies for a double points promotion, you’ll earn your base points as well as the promo amount in addition to any elite status boost.

Paying with an IHG credit card adds even more points per dollar. IHG Premier cardholders earn 10 points per dollar spent on IHG purchases, on top of any rewards from basic stays as well as elite membership.

Stacking your earning opportunities can help you earn free nights much more quickly.

IHG elite status is structured in tiers, with higher IHG status levels unlocking richer rewards and perks. Each tier boosts your point-earning rate, so the more you stay, the faster your balance grows.

You can earn elite status through qualifying nights or points. Alternatively, you can get automatic elite status as an IHG credit cardholder, allowing you to enjoy bonus points, upgrades and free nights right away without meeting traditional stay requirements.

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card cardholders get automatic Platinum Elite status, while IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card cardholders get automatic Silver Elite status.

When you have elite status, your points earnings will increase as follows:

Silver Elite: 20% bonus earnings
Gold Elite: 40% bonus earnings
Platinum Elite: 60% bonus earnings
Diamond Elite: 100% bonus earnings

You can find a full breakdown below in the Membership Levels section of this guide.

You can also unlock additional benefits, called Milestone Rewards, for every 10 nights you stay at an IHG hotel, regardless of your elite status tier. You’ll get the biggest rewards at the 40-night and 70-night tiers, when you can choose two benefits at once instead of a single option.

When you stay this number of qualifying nights:	You can choose one of the following benefits:
20 nights	5,000 bonus points Two food and beverage rewards Confirmable suite upgrade
30 nights	5,000 bonus points Two food and beverage rewards
40 nights	Choose two of the following benefits: 10,000 bonus points Five food and beverage rewards Confirmable suite upgrade Annual lounge membership
50 nights	10,000 bonus points Five food and beverage rewards
60 nights	10,000 bonus points Five food and beverage rewards
70 nights	Choose two of the following benefits: 10,000 bonus points Five food and beverage rewards Two confirmable suite upgrades Annual lounge membership
80 nights	10,000 bonus points Five food and beverage rewards
90 nights	10,000 bonus points Five food and beverage rewards
100 nights	10,000 bonus points Five food and beverage rewards

IHG regularly offers limited-time promotions that allow you to earn extra points, save on redemptions or unlock unique perks. You can find these offers via email, in the IHG app and on the IHG offers page.

Common IHG promotions include:

Bonus points on stays, such as double points on eligible purchases
Discounted award night redemptions
Discounts on cash bookings
Targeted offers for specific destinations or brands

To ensure you never miss out, opt into promotional emails and check the IHG app on a regular basis. For example, you could stack a double-points promotion with an elite status bonus, then pay with an IHG credit card to triple your reward potential on a single purchase.

Membership level	Requirements	IHG points / dollar
VIP member	Elect to receive emails from IHG Hotels & Resorts Dining and provide your email address You have already completed 11 qualified transactions in the calendar year	8
Select member	Elect to receive emails from IHG Hotels & Resorts Dining and provide your email address	5
Basic member	Do not elect to receive email communications from IHG Hotels & Resorts Dining account	1

How to sign up for the IHG One Rewards Dine & Earn program

To join the dining program, visit IHG’s sign-up page. The number of participating restaurants is limited, so check out this interactive map to find out which restaurants participate in your area.

You can buy IHG points if you need to top up your stash. However, we don’t usually recommend this option since purchasing points can cost more than they’re worth.

Purchasing IHG points is best for people who need to top off their points balance for a stay, not for purchasing in large quantities. However, IHG periodically offers discounts on purchased points that may be a decent value.

You can usually buy IHG points in increments of 1,000, and they usually cost $13.50 per 1,000 points. During promotional discount periods, you may be able to buy IHG Rewards points with up to a 100% bonus — for example, if you buy 1,000 points for $13.50, you’ll actually receive 2,000 points for the same cost.

Chase is the only major bank that allows its points to be transferred to IHG. You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards^® to IHG points at a 1:1 ratio.

The following Chase credit cards earn Ultimate Rewards points:

IHG allows all members to transfer points to other IHG One Rewards members for a fee of $5 per 1,000 transferred points. Diamond Elite members and Business Rewards program members are allowed to transfer points for free according to online reports from IHG members.

These transfers could be useful for combining points across multiple accounts to reach a large redemption goal — for example, if you and your spouse both accumulate IHG points, you could combine your rewards to book a luxurious hotel stay.

However, the transfer fee is almost always cost-prohibitive, since LendingTree values IHG points at just $0.005 cents per point — the same amount as the transfer fee. Thus, it’s usually only a good idea to transfer points if you don’t have to pay the transfer fee, or if you only need a few thousand extra points in another account.

Eligible Chase cardholders can also earn points by referring friends and family to apply for a participating IHG One credit card. If your friend or family member applies through your personalized link and is approved, you can earn 10,000 IHG Rewards points, up to a maximum of 50,000 points each year.

You can earn IHG One Rewards points by booking car rentals with partners like Hertz, Avis and Budget through IHG’s partner booking portal. Reward rates will vary across cities, demand and many other factors, such as elite status with the rental car company.

How to use IHG points

Free night awards

IHG doesn’t offer an award chart with fixed prices for each night. Instead, the number of required points varies based on the demand for your specific travel date.

IHG award nights can cost as little as 5,000 points per night, although this rate is rare even in the lowest-cost destinations. On the high end, award nights can cost more than 120,000 points per night. For example, the InterContinental New York Barclay and the InterContinental New York Times Square can sometimes cost over 120,000 points per night on weekends.

Higher-end IHG hotels typically cost more IHG points. If you’re looking to stretch your rewards across more stays, seek out other lower-tier hotel brands that charge far less per night. For example, a Holiday Inn Express will almost always cost less per night than a Kimpton or a Six Senses hotel.
IHG 4th night free benefit

If you have the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, you can take advantage of one of the best deals from any hotel chain.

With this benefit, you can get the fourth night free when you book the first three nights using IHG points. This is a great way to stretch your points further and works for stays in increments of four. For example, you can plan a 10-night vacation to get two free nights after paying for eight.

If you plan to stay often with IHG hotels, getting one of these credit cards can potentially save you thousands of points.

How to use the IHG Rewards credit card annual free night

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card also comes with a certificate that’s good for a free night each year on your anniversary. These anniversary free night certificates are good for hotels where the nightly cost is 40,000 points or less.
Points & Cash bookings

IHG’s Points & Cash option allows you to combine points with money to book a reward night. You’ll use the points you already have, then pay cash for the remaining amount due to “buy” the extra points needed for the stay.

This can be a smart deal if you’re just short of a redemption, since the effective cost per point is often lower than buying points outright. However, Points & Cash isn’t a great deal if you need to buy a lot of points for your stay. And if you cancel, you’ll only get points back, not a cash refund so Points & Cash is less useful when your plans aren’t firm.

Transfer IHG points to airline partners

You can convert IHG One Rewards points into airline miles by transferring them to IHG airline partners, but we generally don’t recommend doing so since the value is usually poor compared to using them for hotel stays.

Most IHG transfers to airlines convert at a 5:1 ratio, where 10,000 IHG points = 2,000 miles and require a transfer minimum of 10,000 IHG points. Furthermore, transactions aren’t necessarily instantaneous, making this option a poor choice in most scenarios.

That being said, transferring IHG points to an airline partner can make sense if you’re just a few miles short of an award flight and don’t want to buy miles. This feature is also useful if you rarely stay at IHG hotels but have points sitting unused and want to keep them from expiring.

Here are a few popular IHG transfer airlines:

Airline partner	Transfer ratio	Minimum transfer
Aeromexico	10,000 : 2,000	10,000 IHG points
Air Canada	10,000 : 2,000	10,000 IHG points
American Airlines	10,000 : 2,000	10,000 IHG points
British Airways	10,000 : 2,000	10,000 IHG points
Delta Air Lines	10,000 : 2,000	10,000 IHG points
JetBlue	10,000 : 2,000	10,000 IHG points
United Airlines	10,000 : 2,000	10,000 IHG points

Other ways to redeem IHG points
If you accumulate IHG points but don’t travel often, you can always redeem points for options other than hotel rooms. However, these redemptions almost always offer poor value, so you should generally only use them if you don’t think you’ll ever be able to redeem your IHG Rewards points for hotel stays.
- Purchase merchandise from the IHG online catalog
- Purchase magazine subscriptions
- Donate your points to a variety of nonprofit organizations
- Purchase an Ambassador membership

How to join IHG One Rewards

It doesn’t cost anything to join IHG One Rewards. To sign up, you’ll need to visit the IHG One Rewards enrollment page, provide some personal details (name, email address and country of residence) and create a password. After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email with your new membership number, which allows you to start earning points immediately.

Once enrolled, you can begin earning points for hotel stays, dining and other eligible activities. On occasion, new members may be eligible for bonus points after their first qualifying stay, depending on current promotions. For example, the “Stay and Get 3K Points” offer gives you 3,000 bonus points when you complete a qualifying stay within 21 days of joining the program.

How to get IHG Elite Status

You can earn IHG elite status through booking qualifying hotel stays, by earning elite qualifying points or by holding select co-branded hotel credit cards.

Elite qualifying points: You can earn elite qualifying points on spending on qualifying hotel stays, spending with qualified partners, purchasing IHG One Rewards bonus points packages, qualified spending through IHG Business Rewards or spending on IHG credit cards in the United Kingdom and Greater China.
Hotel nights: You can earn IHG elite status by booking and staying in IHG hotels — the more nights you spend with IHG in a calendar year, the higher your status. Note, only one night per day will count as a qualifying night. For example, if you book two rooms for the same day, only one will count as an elite qualifying night.

IHG One Rewards members can also get automatic elite status with an IHG credit card. For example, you’ll earn automatic Silver Elite status after being approved for the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card and automatic Platinum Elite status after being approved for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card.

Having IHG elite status is a great way to make your hotel stay experience go from good to great, with benefits like complimentary internet, late checkouts and room upgrades.

IHG One Rewards Membership Levels

IHG One Rewards offers four elite status tiers: Club, Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite. Each tier provides increasingly enhanced benefits, unlocking enhanced perks and bonus rewards.

You can qualify for these tiers through qualifying hotel nights, qualifying points or by holding specific IHG co-branded credit cards.

IHG One Rewards Membership Levels.xlsx
Status levels	Requirements to earn	Member benefits
Club member	Join the program	No blackout dates on reward nights Earn points for Reward Nights and more Member rates and promotions Free internet 2 p.m. late check-out when available
Silver Elite	10 hotel nights	Club member benefits plus... 20% bonus points on top of base points Elite Members' points don't expire
Gold Elite	20 hotel nights or 40,000 elite qualifying points	Silver member benefits plus... 40% bonus points on top of base points Rollover nights for next year's status Hertz Five-Star rental car elite status
Platinum Elite	40 hotel nights or 60,000 elite qualifying points	Gold member benefits plus... 60% bonus earnings on top of base points Reward night promotional discounts Guaranteed room availability Complimentary upgrades when available Welcome amenity (points or snack) Early check-in when available
Diamond Elite	70 hotel nights or 120,000 elite qualifying points	Platinum member benefits plus... 100% bonus earnings on top of base points Dedicated Diamond support Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® Five Star® Upgrade upon receiving status Welcome amenity upgrade includes options of breakfast or points in addition to the existing choice of snack/drink

Once you earn an elite status level, it’s valid until the end of the following calendar year. So if you earn elite status in January 2026, you’ll maintain that status level until December 2027.

InterContinental Ambassador Program

The InterContinental Ambassador Program is a paid membership designed for frequent InterContinental hotel travelers.

For an annual fee, members receive perks such as a guaranteed one-category room upgrade, late check-out and a free weekend night certificate that can be redeemed at participating InterContinental hotels worldwide. Membership also includes priority check-in and exclusive offers through the IHG app or website.

This program is ideal for travelers who often stay at luxury InterContinental properties, want consistent elite treatment and can take advantage of the weekend certificate to maximize value from their stays.

While the InterContinental Ambassador is an IHG program, it’s specifically beneficial for InterContinental loyalists; general IHG fans may not find enough value from this brand-specific membership to justify the expense unless they stay almost exclusively at InterContinental hotels.

Member benefits

Guaranteed one-category room upgrade
Late checkout (4 p.m. check-out)
Complimentary weekend night
Platinum Elite status in IHG One Rewards
Daily restaurant and bar credit of up to $20
Exclusive member rates and offers through the IHG app or website

A small percentage of InterContinental Ambassador members may be invited to receive Royal Ambassador status, which includes perks like guaranteed 10 a.m. check-in, waived amenity or destination fees and complimentary Club InterContinental lounge access.

Frequently asked questions

IHG free nights can cost as little as 5,000 IHG points per night for budget brands in low-cost countries or more than 120,000 points per night in premium hotels in top-tier destinations. Within the U.S., many mid-tier hotels range from 30,000 points per night to 90,000 points per night.

IHG Rewards credit cardholders get every fourth night free on award stays of four nights or longer. This perk automatically lowers the points required when booking with points.

Yes, IHG One Rewards members can transfer IHG points to another member for a fee of $5 per 1,000 points.

Points don’t expire for IHG elite members. For non-elites, points expire after 12 months of no account activity such as earning or redeeming.

You can check your IHG rewards points balance by logging into your IHG One Rewards account online or in the IHG mobile app. Your current balance appears on your account dashboard.

Buying IHG points can make sense if you find a discounted promotion or if you need a few extra points to reach the threshold for a free night. Otherwise, you’ll usually get better value by earning IHG points through stays or credit card spending.

The information related to the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve^® and Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.

The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.

IHG Rewards Guide 2025: Fast Track to Elite Status

Key takeaways