Overview
Introduction to IHG Group hotels
IHG has a wide variety of hotels in different categories. Its best-known hotel brand is Holiday Inn.
They target the mid-range budgets, but also have interesting high-end hotels with Crowne Plaza andInterContinental.
Since July 2023, the Iberostar brand of all-inclusive hotels has been part of the IHG One Rewards program. It is now possible to earn IHG points by staying at these hotels. Soon it will also be possible to redeem IHG points to stay there.
Earning points
In Canada, unlike the Marriott Bonvoy hotel loyalty program, there is no credit card for direct accumulation of IHG points.
You can earn points by staying nights at IHG Group hotels. There are two categories of points: base points and bonus points.
If you hold elite status with the IHG One Rewards loyalty program, you will be eligible for:
- accelerated accumulation of base points: 40% (Gold Elite status), 60% (Platinum Elite status) and 100% (Diamond status)
Finally, it is possible to purchase IHG points through the traditional points purchase method, where IHG One Rewards regularly runs promotions.
There are no transfers from external loyalty programs (such as American Express Membership Rewards, BMO or RBC points, etc.).
Value of IHG One Rewards points
1,000 IHG One Rewards points are worth approximately $5.
IHG One Rewards points expire after 12 months of inactivity on the account.
Use IHG One Rewards points
- Holiday Inn
- Holiday Inn Express
- Holiday Inn Club Vacations
- InterContinental Hotels
- Crowne Plaza
- Kimpton
- Indigo Hotels
- Candlewood Suites
- Staybridge Suites
- Atwell Suites
- Avid
- Even Hotels
- Hualuxe
- Six Senses
- Iberostar Beachfront Resorts
- Vignette Collection
- Indigo
- Voco
Status
Many benefits are available for members who have reached a certain IHG Rewards status.
Gold Elite (20 nights or 40,000 points accumulated)
- Plus:
- Priority registration (subject to availability)
- Late departure (subject to availability)
- 10% points bonus
- Nights in excess of 20rolled over to the following year to reach the next level more quickly
Platinum Elite (40 nights or 60,000 points)
- Plus:
- Elite Nights carried over from one year to the next to get the status (over 40 nights)
- Free upgrade (subject to availability)
- Guaranteed availability (72h before)
- Points or drinks/snacks on arrival
- Late check-out or early check-in (subject to availability)
- 60% points bonus
- Eligible for points-based discount promotions for free rooms
Diamond Elite (70 nights or 120,000 points)
- Plus:
- Elite Nights carried over from one year to the next to get the status (over 75 nights)
- Early arrival as early as 10am (subject to availability)
- Exclusive telephone line
- Complimentary breakfast, beverage or snack
- 100% points bonus
Credit cards
There are no credit card in Canada that allow you to earn IHG points.
If you’d like to earn points for your hotel stays, here are two cards available in Canada:
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $120 | |||
| $150 |
Posts
Frequently Asked Questions about IHG One Rewards
Here are the most frequently asked questions from the Milesopedia community about IHG One Rewards, its 18 hotel brands (InterContinental, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Kimpton, voco, Six Senses) and its elite tiers.
What hotel brands are part of the IHG group?
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) operates more than 6,900 hotels in 100 countries across 18 brands:
- Luxury: Six Senses, Regent, InterContinental
- Premium: Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, voco, Vignette Collection
- Mid-scale: Crowne Plaza, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express
- Economy: Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Garner
- Long-stay: Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, Atwell Suites, Avid Hotels
InterContinental and Six Senses anchor the luxury tier, while Holiday Inn Express dominates the North American economy segment. All brands earn IHG One Rewards points equally.
How many IHG points do you earn per dollar?
The base rate is 10 points per US dollar on eligible room charges. Two key exceptions:
- Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites: only 5 points per dollar
- Status bonuses on top: +20% Silver, +40% Gold, +60% Platinum, +100% Diamond
For a 4-night, $250/night stay at a Crowne Plaza, a Platinum member earns roughly 16,000 points, enough for a free night at a regional Holiday Inn Express. Diamond status pushes the same stay to 20,000 points, putting an urban InterContinental within reach.
How does the IHG One Rewards 4th-night-free benefit work?
The «4th-night reward» benefit is exclusive to Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite members. In practice:
- Book 4 or more consecutive nights at the same hotel using points
- The 4th night is granted free, with zero additional point cost
- The benefit applies automatically when you book on ihg.com
For a 4-night stay at 30,000 points/night, you pay just 90,000 points instead of 120,000 — a 25% saving. It is one of the most valuable benefits in the program, especially for long business trips or week-long family vacations.
What are the IHG One Rewards elite tiers?
IHG One Rewards has four elite tiers above the base Club level:
- Silver Elite: 10 nights or 20,000 qualifying points (20% bonus, priority lines)
- Gold Elite: 20 nights or 40,000 points (40% bonus, late checkout)
- Platinum Elite: 40 nights or 60,000 points (room upgrades, guaranteed availability, 4th-night reward)
- Diamond Elite: 70 nights or 120,000 points (free breakfast, 24/7 concierge, lounge access)
Diamond status is one of the toughest to earn in the industry, but the benefits rival Bonvoy Titanium and Hilton Diamond.
Is there an IHG credit card in Canada?
No — in Canada, no credit card directly earns IHG One Rewards points. Several Chase IHG cards exist in the United States (IHG One Rewards Premier, Traveler), but they are not available to Canadian residents.
Alternative strategies to earn IHG points:
- Always book directly on ihg.com rather than through Expedia or Booking
- Pay with a no-FX card like the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card to avoid the 2.5% surcharge
- Watch for the seasonal «Accelerate» promotions (quarterly targeted offers)
- Consider a flexible rewards card such as the American Express Platinum for travel-category bonuses
How many points do you need for a free InterContinental or Holiday Inn night?
IHG runs a fully dynamic award chart. Typical ranges:
- Holiday Inn Express, suburban: 10,000 to 20,000 points/night
- Holiday Inn / Crowne Plaza, urban: 25,000 to 45,000 points/night
- InterContinental: 50,000 to 80,000 points/night
- Six Senses, Regent: 80,000 to 130,000 points/night
- InterContinental Bora Bora or Maldives: 100,000+ points/night
Average IHG point value sits near 0.5 cent, but luxury redemptions (InterContinental Maldives) can reach 1.2 cents per point. Stack with the Platinum 4th-night-free benefit to amplify the value.
Point values
| Redemption type | ¢ / point | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| otherdefault | 0.70 | medium |
