Start here: Shangri-La Circle

What are the six steps to start with Shangri-La Circle?

Shangri-La Circle's updated terms took effect on 28 April 2022 and replaced the earlier Golden Circle terms. [3]

1. Check eligibility. Membership is open to individuals aged 18 and above, and corporations or other legal entities cannot join. [3]
2. Join. There is no enrolment fee under the terms effective 28 April 2022, and successful enrolment gives Gold membership and a membership number. [3]
3. Book direct. Points are earned only on stays at Participating Hotels at Qualifying Room Rates booked through Qualifying Room Reservation Channels. [3]
4. Choose your earning preference. On eligible rates, choose Points or airline miles in one Airline Partner Programme before check-out; Points are the default. [3]
5. Track posting and expiry. Points are credited two weeks after an eligible stay or payment in full, and Points earned in an Accrual Year expire on the second anniversary of the end of that year. [3]
6. Plan status and redemption. Jade and Diamond are earned through Qualifying Nights or Tier Points, and Room Awards are redeemed with Points at Participating Hotels. [3]

How do you earn Shangri-La Circle Points?

The base earning rate applies to spend at Qualifying Room Rates, Qualifying Incidental Charges and Qualifying Spend. [3] Spending in local currencies is converted to US dollars using a predetermined conversion rate that can be updated. [3]

Qualifying Room Rates include Rack Rate, Flexible Rate, BonusChoice, Book Early and Save, CustomStay, hotel packages, negotiated corporate rates, convention or meeting rates, Long Stay Rate and Room Awards Redemption Rate. [3] Qualifying Incidental Charges cover food and beverage, laundry and full-priced spa treatment charged to the member's room at a Participating Hotel. [3] Qualifying Spend covers food and beverage or full-priced spa treatment at a Participating Hotel whether staying or not, and purchases on Shangri-La Boutique. [3]

Jade and Diamond members receive 25% and 50% bonus Points respectively on Points earned from Qualifying Room Rates, Qualifying Incidental Charges during a stay and Qualifying Spend during a non-hotel stay. [3] On Flexible Rates, Book Early and Save, Members Online Exclusive Rate, Members Online Saver Rate or corporate rates, a member can choose airline miles in one Airline Partner Programme instead of Points, but not both for the same stay; Points are the default if no choice is made before check-out. [3]

How do you use Shangri-La Circle Points for a first award stay?

Points can be redeemed for Room Awards, which are free room nights at Participating Hotels, and Non-Room Awards such as dining or spa vouchers at a Participating Hotel. [3] The programme also offers Cash & Points room awards and Instant Redemption Awards. [3]

For a first award stay, choose a Room Award at a Participating Hotel and redeem the required number of Points while they are valid. [3] Check that the property is not on the programme's non-participating list, which includes serviced apartments and residences and named hotel outlets. [3]

Points can also be converted to airline miles with Airline Partners, with a minimum of 1,000 Points per request and additional conversions in 500-Point increments. [3] Processing may take four to six weeks, the stated rate is 1 Point to 1 airline mile, and specific Airline Partners may have different rates. [3] Converted Points are no longer available for Redemption Awards, and a conversion cannot be cancelled or amended. [3]

Purchased Points can only be used for Redemption Awards, cannot be converted into third-party points or awards, are non-refundable, have no cash value and do not count toward tier status. [3] They follow the normal Points expiry rules unless their own terms say otherwise. [3]

How does Shangri-La Circle status work?

Shangri-La Circle has three tiers: Gold, Jade and Diamond, and Gold is the entry tier. [3] A Membership Year runs from 1 January to 31 December. [3]

Tier Points are earned on spend at Qualifying Room Rates, Qualifying Incidental Charges and Qualifying Spend. [3] An upgrade needs enough Qualifying Nights or enough Tier Points, not a combination, and a member can move only one tier at a time. [3] The upgraded tier is valid until 31 December of the next calendar year. [3]

Qualifying Nights and Tier Points reset to zero on 1 January of the following year, but Jade and Diamond members can roll over surplus Qualifying Nights, not Tier Points, for the following Membership Year only. [3]

What are the exceptions and limits?

• Several charges earn no Points: government and local taxes, service charges, tips, in-room movies, telephone charges, business centre charges, transportation, third-party services, retail outlets, merchandise, gift certificates or vouchers, health club, function room charges, banqueting, catering and event spend (except under Event Rewards), late charges, no-show charges and cancellation penalties. [3]
• A member can earn Points at only one hotel at a time, including multiple stays at different properties in the same period or simultaneous restaurant, bar or spa visits. [3]
• If a member pays for up to three rooms and physically occupies one, eligible room and incidental charges for all three can earn Points, but only the member settling the bill earns; Jade and Diamond members receive 25% and 50% bonus Points respectively on those multiple-room Points. [3]
• Accounts inactive for 36 continuous months are closed if not reactivated through a qualifying stay or spending within 12 months from the date of inactive status. [3]
• Membership and Points cannot be sold, bartered or transferred, joint accounts and multiple enrolments are not allowed, and Points have no monetary face value. [3]
• Shangri-La may modify the programme structure, benefits or terms, or discontinue the programme at any time, and members are responsible for staying up to date. [3] The English version of the terms prevails if there is a discrepancy with another language. [3]

Frequently asked questions

Is Shangri-La Circle free to join?

There is no enrolment fee under the terms effective 28 April 2022, membership is open to individuals aged 18 and above, and successful enrolment gives Gold membership. [3]

Do Shangri-La Circle Points expire?

Yes. Points earned in an Accrual Year expire on the second anniversary of the end of that year. [3] The programme gives the expiry moment as 00:00 GMT+8 on 1 January, so Points can expire before the member's local time. [3]

Can you earn Points on stays booked through Booking.com or Expedia?

No. Third-party platforms such as Expedia.com, Booking.com, TripAdvisor.com, Ctrip.com and Fliggy.com are not Qualifying Room Reservation Channels, so stays booked through them do not earn Points. [3]

Can you earn both Points and airline miles on one stay?

No. A member can choose one Airline Partner Programme instead of Points on eligible rates, but cannot earn both for the same stay; Points are the default if no choice is made before check-out. [3]

How many nights are needed for Jade or Diamond?

Under the terms effective 28 April 2022, Jade requires 20 Qualifying Nights or 6,000 Tier Points, and Diamond requires 50 Qualifying Nights or 15,000 Tier Points. [3]

Related pages

Programme: Shangri-La Circle. Beginner courses: hotel points and status and lounges. Reference: frequent flyer glossary.

Sources

Sources checked on 18 October 2026. This course covers Shangri-La Circle only; other hotel programmes, including Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt and IHG One Rewards, are not covered.

1. Shangri-La Circle terms and conditions, checked 18 October 2026