IHG One Rewards: The Full Guide to Maximising Your Stays.

The Basics

• Full Name: IHG One Rewards
• Parent Company: InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
• Launched: Originally as Priority Club; revamped to IHG One Rewards in 2022
• Number of Hotels: ~6,500
• Brands: 19 (from Six Senses to Holiday Inn Express)
• UK Credit & Debit Cards: None currently available
• Transfer Partners: Yes, but value is weak
• Points Expiry: After 12 months of inactivity (waived for elite members)
• Point Sharing: You can transfer up to 100,000 points per calendar year to another member for free

What’s the Vibe?

IHG One Rewards may not have the flashiest name in the loyalty lounge, but it’s grown into one of the most flexible and friendly hotel programmes out there. Since its 2022 glow-up, it’s been quietly building a rep for straightforward perks and serious global reach.

IHG’s stable includes some heavyweight brands:

• InterContinental
• Kimpton
• Crowne Plaza
• Holiday Inn / Express
• Hotel Indigo
• Six Senses
• Vignette Collection
• Regent
• Voco, EVEN, Staybridge Suites, and more.

Whether you’re laying low in a London Holiday Inn or checking into a Six Senses beach hut, there’s likely an IHG hotel not far away.

How Do You Earn Points?

Here’s how point-earning stacks up:

Elite status earns you a bonus on top:

Other ways to boost your balance:

• Car hire, dining partners, and Virgin Point transfers (1:1, but low value)
• Reward nights count toward elite status.
• Partner bonuses pop up now and then.
• IHG Business Rewards: You can earn points by booking events or rooms on behalf of others, which is ideal if you’re planning meetings or group stays

UK note: There’s currently no IHG credit card in the UK, and no Amex Membership Rewards transfer route either. Stick to earning natively through stays or if you must convert Virgin Points, though the value rarely justifies it.

IHG One Rewards Status: Hit or Miss?

IHG’s elite tiers are straightforward:

Don’t expect guaranteed upgrades or suite confirmations, but Diamond Breakfast is a real win. Perks can vary wildly by hotel, but the basics are solid.

Fast Track Tip: IHG occasionally runs fast-track promotions that let you earn Platinum or Diamond status with just a handful of stays. Keep an eye on your inbox around Q1 or Q4. These promos are time-sensitive but powerful.

Milestone Rewards: Choose Your Own Adventure

This is where IHG stands out. You unlock a new perk every 10 nights, from 20 to 100 nights per year, regardless of your elite tier.

Your options include:

• Confirmable suite upgrades (usable at select hotels)
• Bonus points (usually 5,000+)
• $20–$40 food & beverage credits
• At 40 nights: a lounge membership for the rest of the year

You choose your reward at each milestone. This structure can pay off quickly if you’re hopping around with many one-night stays.

Redeeming Points: Flexible but Fluctuating

IHG has adopted dynamic pricing, meaning there’s no fixed award chart. Once upon a time, luxury redemptions were capped at 70,000 points per night, but prices now soar past 120,000+ at peak InterContinentals.

The good news?

• Reward nights count toward elite status
• No blackout dates (at least 5% room availability guaranteed)
• VAT still applies in the UK/EU (unlike in the US)
• No fifth-night-free benefit, unlike Hilton and Marriott
• You can’t upgrade rooms using points (what you book is what you get)

The average point value is around 0.4p per point. Some of the best redemptions are in Southeast Asia or the Middle East, where cash rates are low, but hotels are lovely.

Ambassador: Worth the Add-On?

If you’re loyal to InterContinental, you can buy Ambassador status for:

• USD 200/year or
• 40,000 IHG points

Benefits include:

• A free weekend night certificate when you book a paid night
• Guaranteed 4pm checkout
• Room upgrades (even into Club rooms, depending on the hotel)
• Welcome treats like water and early check-in

Important: This status only applies to InterContinental hotels. Not Six Senses, Kimpton, or other IHG brands.

Six Senses, Kind Of?

Six Senses is technically part of IHG, but integration is patchy. Some properties participate in IHG One Rewards, and some don’t.

Even when they do, you might not get full elite benefits, such as guaranteed breakfast, room upgrades, or points earned.

The same goes for Regent Hotels and previously for Mr & Mrs Smith properties, which vanished from IHG in 2024 after Hyatt bought the brand. That dreamy Cornish eco-hotel you booked with points? Yeah, gone.

IHG One Rewards in a Nutshell

So… Is IHG One Rewards Worth It?

Absolutely, if you’re in it for the flexibility.

IHG One Rewards isn’t trying to be Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. It’s doing its own thing, and for frequent travellers who value choice, global options, and straightforward perks, it hits the sweet spot.

If you’re the type who wants structured tiers, a fifth-night-free guarantee, and easy airline transfers, you’ll be left wanting. But if you’re racking up short stays and like the idea of unlocking lounge passes or suite upgrades just to hit milestones, you’ll do well here.

Sign-Up Link

👉 Join IHG One Rewards here – and maybe start plotting those Milestone Rewards now.

Keep the Miles Rolling

Still deciding where to snooze and earn? Check out our Hilton and Marriott guides for side-by-side loyalty lounge gossip.

• The Ultimate Guide to Marriott Bonvoy: Rewards, Status & Tips
• The Ultimate Guide to Hilton Honors: How to Earn, Burn, and Maximise Rewards.
• The Ultimate Guide to Radisson Rewards: Perks, Points & Pitfalls.