Start here: IHG One Rewards

Steps 1–2: the programme and joining

The programme's terms describe it as a loyalty programme that includes InterContinental Ambassador and IHG Business Rewards, and they list the participating brands, from Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express through Crowne Plaza, voco, Hotel Indigo, Kimpton, InterContinental, Regent and Six Senses, plus participating Iberostar Beachfront Resorts and participating Ruby Hotels. [3] Brands may be added or removed at IHG's discretion. [3]

There is no fee to join. New members enrol by completing the required information on the programme website, at an IHG branded hotel, through the IHG One Rewards app or through other channels IHG authorises. [3] The terms attach conditions: one account per person at a time, only the member may use the account, the member must be the registered guest, the name on the account must match legal photo identification, one email address per account, and the member must be the age of majority in their state, province or country, whichever is older. Only individuals may enrol. [3]

Points have no retail value, cannot be redeemed for cash, and have no value until presented for redemption. [3] IHG may modify the terms or suspend or cancel the programme at any time, and continuing membership after a change counts as agreement to the updated terms. [3]

Step 3: how earning works

Members earn 10 points per US dollar or local currency equivalent on qualifying stays at most IHG branded hotels, 5 points at Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites and Residences, and 3 points at IHG Army Hotels. [3] A stay is one night or consecutive nights at the same hotel, and it becomes a qualifying stay when the member pays a qualifying rate. Qualifying rates include member rates, the employee discount rate and most business and leisure rates such as Advance Saver and Best Flexible; non-qualifying rates include complimentary rooms, online travel agency bookings such as Expedia or Priceline, tour operator and wholesaler rates, crew rates and most group rates. [3] Points can also be earned on other eligible charges billed to the room, such as food and beverage, laundry and in-room movies, but not on tax, service charges, gratuities or incidentals. [3]

Bookings must be made through IHG Customer Care, IHG websites, the app, the IHG WeChat mini program, Iberostar channels, directly with the hotel or through Authorized Travel Agents; online travel agency bookings do not earn. [3] Members may earn on up to nine rooms used alongside their own stay at the same hotel if their account number is recorded on each reservation, and where several members share a room only the member named on the reservation earns. [3] Club-level points expire after 12 months with no earn or redeem transaction, and the annual free night given to IHG One Rewards credit card holders does not count as such activity. [3] Points can be bought, up to 200,000 per calendar year in increments of at least 1,000, and transferred between two designated accounts for US$5 per 1,000 points. [3] For the wider picture, see Start here: hotel points.

Step 4: how to use points

Points are redeemed for Reward Nights, and the number required can vary by brand, hotel and day of week. [3] IHG says reward nights start at 10,000 points and that there are no blackout dates, though inventory is limited and subject to prior sale. [1] [3] Reservations must be made in advance on the website, in the app or through IHG Customer Care, with the member logged in to redeem online, and a credit card is required to guarantee the booking. [3]

A Reward Night covers a standard room for one night including government-mandated, state or locally administered taxes and fees; food and beverage, gratuities and incidentals are not included except at all-inclusive properties, and hotels may charge resort fees or service charges directly. [3] Cancelling before the hotel's cancellation time returns the points at brands other than Six Senses; a no-show is charged to the guarantee card under the hotel's policy. [3] At Six Senses, cancelling or no-showing after the cancellation window forfeits the points and/or voids the Free Night certificate, and cancellation policies vary by hotel. [3] A secondary guest can be added so that someone else checks in without the member, provided local law permits and the guest presents photo identification and their own payment method; for Greater China the member must give the guest's details to IHG Customer Care at least seven days before the stay. [3] Points & Cash lets members combine existing points with points bought at the time of booking. [3]

Steps 5–6: status and a first award stay

The base level is Club; above it sit Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite. [3] Status is earned in a calendar year, 1 January to 31 December: Silver needs 10 qualifying nights, Gold needs 40,000 Elite Qualifying Points or 20 nights, Platinum needs 60,000 points or 40 nights, and Diamond needs 120,000 points or 70 nights. [3] Status earned in one calendar year is maintained through the end of the following one. [3] For the points route, only Elite Qualifying Points count toward Elite status. [3] The terms list as elite-qualifying: qualifying-rate hotel spend; spend on select partner activity, namely Hertz car rentals, OpenTable reservations and Viator experiences; qualified spend through IHG Business Rewards; purchases on Greater China IHG One Rewards credit cards; purchases on United Kingdom IHG One Rewards debit cards; and purchases on U.S. IHG One Rewards credit cards plus Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfers to IHG One Rewards. [3] They list as non-elite-qualifying: IHG One Rewards Bonus Points Packages; new cardmember bonuses or selected Bonus Points promotions offered through IHG One Rewards credit cards unless otherwise indicated; Points or Bonus Points earned from IHG and select partner promotions; Elite Tier Bonus Points; and point vouchers, purchases and deposits, with transfers non-elite-qualifying only where not otherwise indicated. [3] Elite tiers also add bonus points of 20% for Silver, 40% for Gold, 60% for Platinum and 100% for Diamond on qualifying stays, and Milestone Rewards are earned every 10 nights from 20 to 100. [3]

For a first award stay, check the balance, search a hotel and date in the app or on the website, book in advance with a card to guarantee, note the hotel's cancellation deadline, and budget for charges points do not cover, such as resort fees or extra-person charges. [3] Member benefits apply on Reward Night stays, except the Guaranteed Room Availability benefit for Platinum and Diamond members, and most benefits require booking through IHG's own channels or directly with the hotel. [3] For tier-by-tier comparisons across programmes, see Start here: status and lounges.

Exceptions and limits

• Reward Nights may not be redeemable at IHG Army Hotels or Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, and the programme applies only at specific Six Senses properties and at participating Iberostar and Ruby hotels. [3]
• At Iberostar Beachfront Resorts the member pays local or conditional taxes and fees, and at Iberostar and Royal Resorts by Holiday Inn Club Vacations guests beyond the original reservation may be charged. [3]
• No points are earned on the room rate equivalent of a Reward Night, or for no-shows and rooms cancelled after the hotel's cancellation time even when paid in full. [3]
• A Reward Night price published in error may be cancelled and the points refunded. [3]
• IHG may cancel a membership and revoke unredeemed points for reasons listed in the terms, including multiple accounts and misuse of benefits, and may permanently cancel an account with no activity for five years. [3]
• The programme is void where prohibited by law, some employers restrict participation, and members residing in China should use the Chinese translated version of the terms. [3]

Related pages

IHG One Rewards programme profile · Start here: hotel points · Start here: status and lounges · Frequent flyer glossary

Sources

Sources checked on 18 October 2026. Other hotel programmes, including Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt and Accor ALL, are not covered here.

1. IHG One Rewards programme home page, checked 18 October 2026
2. IHG One Rewards membership terms and conditions, checked 18 October 2026