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Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
February 5, 2025 • 13 min read
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Quick summary
IHG elite status offers a range of benefits at IHG hotels worldwide, with perks increasing at higher tiers.
Status is earned by meeting qualifying night or point thresholds each calendar year, with five membership tiers available.
Benefits include bonus points, potential room upgrades, welcome amenities and reward night discounts, though many perks depend on individual property discretion.
Platinum Elite status is generally considered the most attainable tier with meaningful benefits, while Diamond Elite requires a significant commitment.
What to consider
Qualifying nights and points reset every Jan. 1, so status must be re-earned annually.
Many benefits, such as upgrades and late checkout, are subject to availability and may vary widely by property.
Some perks, like daily breakfast, are only available at the top-tier Diamond Elite level and may have exclusions or regional differences.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of how to maximize IHG elite status, including strategies for earning status and understanding which benefits are most valuable at each tier.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
As with every type of hotel elite status, you'll find positives and negatives when comparing IHG elite status to other programs. That said, I've gotten great value from IHG elite status and the IHG One Rewards program over the last nine years.
IHG elite status won’t always get you upgrades, even at the top-tier Diamond Elite level, and more benefits than I’d like are subject to the discretion of each property. But, especially due to the value I can get when redeeming IHG points and IHG’s extensive worldwide portfolio, I’ve found IHG elite status worthwhile.
Here’s what you should know about earning IHG elite status and using its benefits.
What is IHG elite status?
IHG elite status provides perks when staying at IHG hotels and resorts. The IHG portfolio includes brands ranging from Candlewood Suites and Holiday Inn to Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza and InterContinental. With IHG elite status, you can enjoy benefits at a wide range of properties.
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort in Vietnam. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
You can earn most tiers of IHG status by accruing set amounts of qualifying nights or elite qualifying points during a calendar year. Once you earn a specific IHG elite status tier within a calendar year, you’ll keep the status through the end of the following year. However, each Jan. 1, your qualifying nights and points toward elite status reset to zero.
The IHG One Rewards program offers five membership tiers. The first membership tier — Club member — doesn’t have any requirements. To earn IHG elite status, you’ll need to meet the following requirements each calendar year:
Silver Elite: 10 qualifying nights
Gold Elite: 20 qualifying nights or 40,000 qualifying points
Platinum Elite: 40 qualifying nights or 60,000 qualifying points
Diamond Elite: 70 qualifying nights or 120,000 qualifying points
Holiday Inn Johannesburg Airport in South Africa. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
In addition to these IHG elite status tiers, you may get invited to Kimpton Inner Circle if you have Diamond Elite status and frequently stay at Kimpton properties. You can also purchase an InterContinental Ambassador membership and potentially get an upgrade to Royal Ambassador based on your qualifying activity at InterContinental hotels and resorts.
You’ll earn rewards through IHG’s Milestone Rewards program as you accrue qualifying nights each calendar year as well.
To earn IHG elite status, you’ll need to accrue specific amounts of qualifying nights or points each calendar year. As discussed above, you’ll need to accrue 10 nights for Silver Elite status, 20 nights or 40,000 points for Gold Elite status, 40 nights or 60,000 points for Platinum Elite status and 70 nights or 120,000 points for Diamond Elite status.
InterContinental Phuket Resort in Thailand. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Qualifying nights are nights you book with IHG points or at a qualifying rate — which is easiest defined as a rate that earns IHG points. In short, if you book directly with IHG, you’ll likely get qualifying nights.
Qualifying points are a bit trickier. IHG offers two types of points: elite qualifying points and nonelite qualifying points. The difference between these two types of points is only important for earning elite status. In short, here’s a list of the types of activities that earn elite qualifying points:
Hotel stays for which you pay a qualifying rate
Spending with select partners, including Hertz car rentals, OpenTable reservations and Viator experiences
Points vouchers, purchases, deposits and transfers (unless otherwise indicated)
If you book expensive stays at qualifying rates, heavily utilize the IHG Business Rewards program or frequently use an IHG One Rewards card issued in the U.K. or Greater China, you may find it easy to qualify for IHG elite status based on qualifying points. However, most members find qualifying nights an easier metric to meet.
IHG elite status offers some valuable perks to travelers who frequently stay at IHG hotels and resorts. Here’s a look at some of the most useful perks, including how they differ by status tier.
Bonus points
IHG members earn 10 points per dollar spent on qualifying stays at most IHG properties. However, you’ll only earn 5 points per dollar spent at Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites and residences (serviced apartments and extended stay units) properties; 3 points per dollar spent at IHG Army Hotels; and 2,000 points per stay at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas and The Palazzo at The Venetian Resort (for stays before March 31, 2025, booked by Dec. 31, 2024).
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
IHG elite members get bonus points on qualifying stays. Silver Elite members get a 20% bonus, Gold Elite members get a 40% bonus, Platinum Elite members get a 60% bonus and Diamond Elite members get a 100% bonus. But remember, these bonus points aren’t elite qualifying points.
Rollover nights
This perk may be helpful if you usually qualify for IHG status based on qualifying nights. At the end of each calendar year, IHG will calculate the rollover nights for Gold Elite and above members as the qualifying nights they earned above the number required for their status. These nights will roll over and count toward earning elite status in the new calendar year.
However, rollover nights are only valid for one calendar year. IHG calculates rollover nights as your total qualifying nights at the end of the calendar year (including rollover nights from the previous year) minus the nights required for the IHG elite status you earned minus the rollover nights from the previous year.
These reward night discounts are periodically available for IHG One Rewards credit card holders, Platinum Elite members and Diamond Elite members, but members with IHG One Rewards credit cards usually get early access.
Complimentary upgrades
Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite members are eligible for complimentary upgrades subject to availability and at the hotel’s discretion. However, complimentary upgrades to club-level rooms or floors don’t include club-level benefits or lounge access. And since upgrades are at each property’s discretion, I've found some hotels and resorts are much more generous than others.
Welcome amenity
Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite members can enjoy a welcome amenity when checking in to IHG hotels or resorts. Silver Elite and Gold Elite members also enjoy a welcome amenity for stays in Greater China.
The options vary by brand and region but often include a snack, a food-and-beverage credit or points. Top-tier Diamond Elite members also get daily breakfast for the member and a guest staying in the same room as a welcome amenity choice at full-service and select-service brands. IHG defines breakfast as unlimited nonalcoholic beverages and one main menu item or full buffet, although some menu items and specialty drinks may be excluded.
Breakfast at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Note that using digital check-in may automatically give you points as a welcome amenity. If you'd rather have something else, it's best to check in to your room in person.
Early check-in and late checkout
Only Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite members can request early check-in, which is subject to availability and provided as early or late as the hotel chooses.
Meanwhile, late checkout is available to all IHG members — including nonelite members — upon request, subject to availability and until 2 p.m. at the latest. This is a great perk for members without status, but it's frustrating to be denied late checkout as a top-tier Diamond Elite or only given an additional hour or two over the standard checkout time. Plus, many IHG properties won't confirm a late checkout request until the checkout day, which makes it difficult to rely on this benefit.
Credit cards can help you earn IHG elite status. If you have an IHG One Rewards credit card issued in the U.K. or Greater China, you can earn elite qualifying points toward status with your spending. However, IHG One Rewards credit cards issued in the U.S. offer complimentary IHG elite status and opportunities to spend to earn higher tiers of status.
MILORAD KRAVIC/GETTY IMAGES
For example, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (see ) offer automatic Gold Elite status as a cardmember benefit and the IHG One Rewards Business Credit Card (see ) offer automatic Platinum Elite status as a cardmember benefit. You can also earn Diamond Elite status by spending at least $40,000 on your IHG Premier card or $50,000 on your IHG Premier Business card in a calendar year. Status is valid through the end of the following calendar year.
Meanwhile, the no-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Credit Card (see ) offers automatic Silver Elite status as a cardmember benefit. You can earn Gold Elite status through the end of the following calendar year after you make purchases totaling $15,000 or more on your IHG One Rewards card in a single calendar year.
ANDRESWD/GETTY IMAGES
All four IHG credit cards issued in the U.S. offer a valuable fourth-night-free reward perk. This perk drops the cost of every fourth night on stays of four nights or more that you book with IHG points to zero points. This can indirectly help you earn IHG elite status since you can stretch your points across more nights if you frequently stay in increments of four nights. However, starting in 2027, IHG One Rewards Credit Card holders will need to spend $5,000 on purchases in a calendar year to unlock this benefit.
Likewise, if you are a primary United Club℠ Card (see ) member, you can enroll in complimentary Platinum Elite status as a perk of your card.
IHG elite status is undoubtedly worth it for some travelers; the question is whether or not it's worth it for you. The benefits at the Silver Elite and Gold Elite tiers usually won’t be worth striving for — although if you earn these statuses organically, you’ll benefit from bonus points and may earn some IHG Milestone Rewards.
Club InterContinental Lounge at the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort in Australia. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Platinum Elite status offers some valuable perks worth striving for over Gold Elite or Silver Elite status. So, if you stay with IHG at least a few times a year, it may be worth getting the IHG Premier Credit Card, the IHG Business Credit Card, the United Club Card or an InterContinental Ambassador membership — all of which offer complimentary Platinum Elite status as well as other perks that can help you justify paying an annual fee. I like the IHG Premier Credit Card since I get significantly more value than the card’s $99 annual fee each year using the fourth-night reward perk and the anniversary free night certificate.
However, you’ll need top-tier Diamond Elite status to choose daily breakfast as a welcome amenity when staying at full-service and select-service brands. This status requires 70 qualifying nights or 120,000 qualifying points each calendar year, a lot compared to other hotel loyalty programs. Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status at 50 nights or World of Hyatt Globalist status at 60 nights (or 100,000 base points) are comparable statuses that both offer ways to earn elite qualifying nights through credit card spending.
The lower tiers of IHG status don’t offer many perks. Meanwhile, top-tier Diamond Elite status requires a lot of nights, elite qualifying points or spending on the IHG Premier Credit Card or the IHG Business Credit Card. So, for most travelers, IHG Platinum Elite status is the sweet spot.
After all, you can get Platinum Elite status as a perk of the IHG Premier Credit Card, the IHG Premier Business Credit Card, the United Club Card or an InterContinental Ambassador membership. This way, you can enjoy IHG elite status even if you don’t stay with IHG all that frequently.
