Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to use IHG One Rewards Free Night certificates
IHG One Rewards Free Night certificates are vouchers that cover a night at a participating IHG hotel instead of a points redemption, and the programme's member terms name one source directly: the one night per year provided to IHG One Rewards credit card holders. [1] A certificate night is a stay on a Qualifying Rate, so it earns points on eligible incidental charges but not on the room rate. [1]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- IHG One Rewards credit cards are offered in select regions only, and the member terms describe cardholders as receiving one night per year. [1] [4]
- The terms list Reward Nights and Free Nights side by side, and at Six Senses a late cancellation can mean either points forfeited or the certificate voided, so the certificate is treated as its own instrument rather than a second way of spending points. [1]
- No points or partner rewards are earned on the room rate or room rate equivalent of a Reward Night or Free Night stay, though other eligible charges still earn. [1]
- A member can add a secondary guest to a Free Night reservation so that guest checks in and stays without the member, provided local law permits it. [1]
- Using the annual cardholder night does not count as "earn" or "redeem" activity, so on its own it does not keep a points balance from expiring. [1]
What is an IHG One Rewards Free Night certificate?
IHG One Rewards is built around points that members redeem for Reward Nights, which the programme describes as starting at 10,000 points at more than 7,000 hotels and resorts, with no blackout dates but availability that is limited and subject to prior sale. [3] [4] A Free Night certificate arrives at the same front desk by a different route: what the member hands over for the night is the certificate, not a points balance, which is why the cancellation clause for Six Senses treats "points forfeited" and "certificate voided" as two different outcomes. [1]
| Point | What IHG publishes |
|---|---|
| Starting points | From 10,000 points per Reward Night [3] [4] |
| Points price | Varies by brand, hotel and day of week [1] |
| Availability | No blackout dates, but room inventory is limited and subject to prior sale [4] |
| Where points are restricted | Members may not be able to redeem points for Reward Nights at IHG Army Hotels or Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas [1] |
Holding a certificate is not the same as holding points, and the member terms treat the two separately when a stay goes wrong. [1] A member who wants the flexibility of points pricing rather than a fixed certificate night can compare the two before booking. [1]
Who can check in on a certificate?
Membership eligibility requires the member to be the registered guest staying at the hotel, with a stated exclusion for Reward Nights. [1] Alongside that, the terms allow a member to add a secondary guest to a Reward Night or Free Night reservation so the secondary guest can check in and stay without the member present, provided this is not prohibited by applicable local laws and regulations. [1]
If the secondary guest's details are wrong, or local law does not permit a guest to stay without the member, the secondary guest cannot check in and the reservation may be cancelled; the member is responsible for confirming local regulatory requirements with the hotel. [1] The secondary guest must show valid photo identification and provide their own method of payment for incidentals and other hotel charges. [1] For Reward and Free Night reservations in Greater China (Chinese mainland, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, Macao Special Administrative Region of China and Taiwan Region of China), the member must contact IHG Customer Care at least 7 days before the stay date to supply the secondary guest's information, and any later change to those details must go through Customer Care. [1]
In-hotel member benefits sit apart from the guest rule: benefits are for the individual member, are not transferable, and a member must personally check in and stay to enjoy them. [1] Coverage also depends on the property — IHG One Rewards applies only at specific Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas properties, participating Iberostar Beachfront Resorts and participating Ruby Hotels, with participating brands added or removed at IHG's discretion. [1]
What does a certificate stay earn?
IHG lists Reward Night and Free Night among Qualifying Rates, and a stay counts as a Qualifying Stay when a member pays a Qualifying Rate for it. [1] When staying on a Reward Night or Free Night, members do not earn points or partner rewards on the room rate or the room rate equivalent, but points or partner rewards are awarded for all other eligible charges, such as food and beverage charged to the room. [1] Separately, Reward Nights used by members count as Qualifying Nights towards elite qualification. [1]
A certificate night also sits outside the activity that keeps a points balance alive. Club-level points expire if the account has no earn or redeem transaction for twelve months or longer, and using the one night per year provided to IHG One Rewards credit card holders does not constitute earn or redeem activity for that purpose. [1] Elite members' points do not expire as long as elite status is maintained. [1] IHG's own summary describes points as never expiring as long as the account remains active. [4]
Exceptions and limits
- Six Senses cancellations. At Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, if a member cancels or no-shows a Reward Night or Free Night after the cancellation window has passed, the member's points will be forfeited and/or the Free Night certificate voided, and cancellation policies vary by hotel. [1]
- Lost accounts. Members whose accounts are cancelled, by IHG or by the member, forfeit all points, point vouchers, Reward Nights and any other associated benefits, and IHG reserves the right to cancel membership permanently after five years without activity. [1]
- Sale and barter. The sale or barter of points, point vouchers or Reward Nights is listed among the grounds on which IHG may cancel a membership and revoke unredeemed points, benefits and rewards. [1]
- Benefits on a guest stay. Member benefits are not transferable, so an in-hotel benefit requires the member to check in and stay personally. [1]
- Brand coverage. Ruby Hotels are being integrated into IHG One Rewards starting in January 2026, and members should check the individual hotel website for participation information. [1]
- Card geography. IHG One Rewards credit cards are available only in select regions. [4]
- Changing terms. IHG reserves the right to modify the membership terms and to modify, suspend or cancel the programme at any time. [1]
Frequently asked questions
Is an IHG Free Night certificate the same as a Reward Night?
No. A Reward Night is booked by redeeming points, starting at 10,000 points with no blackout dates but limited inventory. [3] [4] A Free Night certificate is named as a separate item in the guest and cancellation clauses. [1]
Can someone else stay on my Free Night certificate?
A member may add a secondary guest to a Reward Night or Free Night reservation so that guest checks in without the member, provided local law allows it and the guest's details are correct. [1] In Greater China the member must contact IHG Customer Care at least 7 days before the stay date. [1]
Do I earn points on a Free Night certificate stay?
Not on the room rate or room rate equivalent, but points or partner rewards are awarded for all other eligible charges. [1]
Does using my annual cardholder night stop my points expiring?
No. The terms state that use of the one night per year provided to credit card holders does not count as earn or redeem activity to prevent point expiration. [1]
What happens if I cancel a Free Night at Six Senses?
If the cancellation or no-show falls after the cancellation window, points are forfeited and/or the certificate is voided, and policies vary by hotel. [1]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Other hotel programmes, including Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt, are not covered here; see the hotel free night certificate guide.
- IHG One Rewards membership terms and conditions, checked 18 October 2026
- IHG One Rewards programme home page, checked 18 October 2026
- IHG Hotels and Resorts home page and FAQs, checked 18 October 2026