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Earn at Least 30,000 Points With IHG's Q1 Accelerate Promotion

Dec. 10, 2016
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3 min read
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Earn at Least 30,000 Points With IHG's Q1 Accelerate Promotion
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Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available – IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card

Each quarter, IHG offers its Rewards Club members an individualized slate of "Accelerate" challenges. Challenges include staying a certain number of nights, at a certain number of brands or using a certain type of rate plan (i.e., Points and Cash).

Today, the Q1 2017 Accelerate promotion has been released for stays between January 1 and April 15, 2017. To see your challenges, click here to register for the promotion.

Here's my Q1 Accelerate offer.

My offer was fairly solid:

  • 3,000 Book and stay Once Get 3,000
  • 10,000 Stay More, Earn More — 5 night(s)
  • 19,200 Discover Our Brands — 3 brands
  • 2,000 Stay for Less and Earn — 1 stay(s) using Points and Cash
  • 1,500 Spend on your IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card — pay for one stay with your IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card
  • 13,000 Your Achievement Bonus — Complete 4 of the 5 offers [above]
  • 1,000 January Bonus Offer — Book and stay once in January

If this is your first Accelerate challenge, it's good to know that IHG will give you credit toward multiple challenges from the same stay. So, I can earn the maximum 49,700 points from my promotion in just three stays over five nights. Here's one possible combination:

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  • 1 night at a Holiday Inn Express paid for with my IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card
  • 2 nights at a Holiday Inn using a Points and Cash rate
  • 2 nights at a Candlewood Suites in January

Here are some terms and conditions to keep in mind for your planning:

  • Each member will have the opportunity to earn at least 30,000 points
  • Each offer must be completed between January 1, 2017 and April 15, 2017 (both dates inclusive)
  • A stay is defined as one night or consecutive nights at the same hotel, regardless of frequency of check-in/out. So, you can't rack up multiple stays at the same hotel just by checking out and checking back in.
  • The following don't count as qualifying stays: any stay at a Kimpton Hotel, net wholesale individual and group rate, certain package rates, employee discount rate, friends and family rate, crew rate, special discounted contract rates, seasonal worker/crew rate, 50% travel club discount rate, travel industry discount rate, distressed passenger rate, IHG Rewards Club Reward Nights/Airline Hotel Reward rate, rates booked through third-party websites, complimentary hotel stays and any other rates not defined as a Qualifying Room Rate at IHG's sole discretion
Double-dip with IHG's Priceless Surprises promotion.

If your offer is good enough for you to focus on IHG hotels over the next few months, make sure to also register for this year's Priceless Surprises promotion. If you stay twice and pay for the stays with a MasterCard — such as the IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card — you'll earn a MasterCard gift card and an entry into the grand prize.

What is your Accelerate offer?

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American Express® Gold Card

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Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.

Rewards rate
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
5XNew! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
3XEarn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
2XEarn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
1XEarn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Intro offer
Open Intro bonus
As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.
Annual fee
$325
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Recommended credit
Open Credit score description
Excellent to Good

Pros

  • Valuable dining and food-related credits
  • Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
  • Multiple travel and purchase protections
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
  • Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
  • New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
  • Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
  • Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
  • Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.