Your Simple Guide To IHG Rewards Points

Hotel Rewards Points Calculators
Maximize your IHG Rewards Points with this simple guide and calculators. Learn how to earn and redeem points for free hotel stays and more!
Last Updated 2023-07-02 By R.Flowers III

IHG One Rewards Points: Quick Overview

Earning IHG Points: IHG points can be earned booking IHG hotels and Holiday Inn Club vacation packages, using credit cards, renting cars with Hertz, enjoying experiences and local activities, and dining out. You can also buy IHG points to top off your account.

Redeeming IHG Points: IHG points can be redeemed for free nights, gift cards, digital rewards, merchandise, and be donated to charity.

IHG Points Value: Based on our valuations, IHG points are worth 0.7 cents each on average. This means that 10,000 points are worth about $70 in value.

IHG Transfer Partners: IHG points can be transferred to over 40 airline partners, mostly at a rate of 10,000 IHG points for 2,000 airline miles.

IHG Credit Card Partners: Chase Ultimate Rewards is the only major credit card transfer partner of IHG One Rewards.

IHG points value

How much are IHG points worth? The answer: about 0.7 cents per point. This means that 10,000 points are equal to about $70 in value towards free nights at IHG brand hotels.

Here's The Point Calculator's valuations for IHG points:

Redemption Point Value (in cents)
Award Nights 0.7
IHG Rewards Catalog 0.2 - 0.3
Gift Cards 0.19 - 0.2

How to earn IHG points

The most straightforward and simplest way to earn IHG points is by staying at IHG brand hotels. You can also earn points using credit cards, spending with partners, and buying points.

Book hotel stays

As an IHG Rewards member, you will earn 10 IHG points for every $1 USD spent at most IHG hotels. The exception to this is Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites in which you will earn 5 points per $1 spent.

On top of earning base points on your IHG stays, you'll also earn bonus points based on your tier in the IHG One Rewards program.

Here's how many IHG points you will earn at each tier:

  • Club Member: 10 points per $1 spent (base).
  • Silver Elite: 12 points per $1 spent.
  • Gold Elite: 14 points per $1 spent
  • Platinum Elite: 16 points per $1 spent.
  • Diamond Elite: 20 points per $1 spent.

You can then add yet another layer of points on your hotel stays by using an IHG credit card to pay for your stay:

All-in-all, you can earn up to a total of 30 IHG points per $1 spent when combining base points, elite status points, and IHG credit card points.

Sign up for promos

IHG offers promos just about every season that can earn you bonus points on your stays. There's no cost to signing up for these, so if you're planning on staying at an IHG brand hotel, I highly recommend logging into your IHG Rewards account and activating any promotions they have going on.

Book Holiday Inn Club Vacations

You can earn IHG points booking vacations through Holiday Inn Club Vacations which offers the ability to choose between a resort vacation and hotel vacation. You can earn up to 10,000 IHG points, but do note that these require a timeshare presentation.

Use IHG credit cards

IHG offers three co-branded credit cards through Chase Bank. These cards not only allow you to earn IHG points on everyday purchases, but they also offer a wide range of benefits.

Here are IHG's credit cards:

Credit Card Benefits
  • Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Earn 10 IHG points per $1 spent at IHG properties
  • Earn 5 IHG points per $1 spent on travel, gas station, and restaurant purchases
  • Earn 3 IHG points per $1 spent on everything else
  • Receive a Free Night Award that's good for any IHG property that costs 40,000 IHG Points or less at the time of booking
  • Receive the 4th night free when booking a 4-night consecutive award stay
  • Receive complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status
  • $99 annual fee
  • Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
  • Earn 5 IHG points per $1 spent at IHG properties
  • Earn 3 IHG points per $1 spent on utilities, streaming services, gas station, and dining purchases
  • Earn 1 IHG point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Receive the 4th night free when booking a 4-night consecutive award stay
  • Receive complimentary IHG Gold Elite status
  • $0 annual fee.
  • Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Earn 10X points on IHG purchases
  • Earn 5X points on travel, gas station, dining, and select business purchases
  • Earn 3X points on everything else
  • Receive a Free Night Award that's good for any IHG property that costs 40,000 IHG Points or less at the time of booking
  • Receive the 4th night free when booking a 4-night consecutive award stay
  • Receive complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status
  • Earn up to $50 United Airlines TravelBank Cash each year
  • $99 annual fee

Transfer points to IHG

IHG has one major U.S. credit card rewards partner: Chase Ultimate Rewards. Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred directly to IHG One Rewards at a rate of 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points for 1,000 IHG points.

You can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to IHG using these cards:

Credit Card Highlights
Best For High Value & Travel Benefits
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • Earn 10X points on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • Earn 5X points on flights booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • Earn 3X points on travel worldwide and dining at restaurants
  • Earn 1X points on all other purchases
  • $300 statement credit for travel purchases charged to the card each anniversary year
  • Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership
  • Up to $100 towards a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee
  • 50% boost to point value on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • $550 annual fee
Best For Flexible Travel Rewards
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • Earn 5X points on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • Earn 3X points on dining, online grocery purchases, and on select streaming services
  • Earn 2X points on other travel purchases
  • Earn 1X points on all other purchases
  • 25% boost to point value on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • $50 credit every cardmember anniversary good towards hotel stays booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • 10% bonus points based on how much you spend the prior cardmember year
  • $95 annual fee
Best For Flexible Business Travel Rewards
  • New Cardmember Offer! Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Earn 3X points on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year
  • Earn 1X points on all other purchases
  • 25% boost to point value on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • $95 annual fee

Hertz car rentals

You can earn 1,500 IHG points on every car that you book with Hertz along with bonus points for each day booked. On top of that, you'll also save on base rates!

Experiences and local activities

You can book experiences, local tours, activities, and attractions through IHG and earn 1,000 IHG points. It's an easy way to earn some additional points whether they're for a far away trip or close to home.

Grubhub & Open Table

You can earn IHG points on food delivery orders from Grubhub and booking dining reservations through OpenTable. Every order or completed dining reservation will earn you up to 500 points.

IHG Dine & Earn

You can earn IHG points using the IHG Dine & Earn program. When you link a debit or credit card to your account and use that card to pay for your meal at a participating restaurant or bar, you'll earn up to 8 IHG points per $1 spent based on how often you use the program and whether or not you opt in for email communications.

Pair this with a card that earns a great return on dining (hint: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card) and you'll be able to easily double tip on rewards!

Buy IHG points

IHG points can be purchased directly from IHG to easily top off your account. This can be a great option if you're a few points shy of a redemption.

Ways to redeem IHG points

IHG points will have the best value when redeemed for stays at IHG brand hotels. Points can also be used for experiences, gift cards, merchandise, digital rewards, donations, and be transferred to airline partners.

Free night awards

IHG points can be used to book free nights at IHG hotels worldwide. This will give your IHG points the best value which is about 0.7 cents per point on average.

If you have an IHG credit card, you will be able to partake in IHG's 4th night free benefit which allows you to book 4-night consecutive award stays at an IHG hotel for the cost of 3 nights. This will not only save you points, but will also bump up the value of your points making it easy to get closer to 1 cent in value (or higher) at some of their more popular resorts.

Gift cards

IHG points can be redeemed for gift cards through the IHG Rewards Catalog. Redemptions start at 13,000 IHG points for a $25 gift card.

Digital rewards

You can redeem IHG points for movies, music, games, eMagazines, eBooks, and software through IHG's Digital Rewards portal.

Merchandise

You can redeem IHG points for merchandise through the IHG Rewards Catalog. This includes electronics, fashion, garden, kids, and many more categories.

Donations

IHG points can be donated to charity starting at 2,500 points. This includes American Red Cross, Goodwill, No Kid Hungry, and many more.

IHG transfer partners

IHG points can be transferred to over 40 airline programs, mostly at a 5:1 ratio. This means every 10,000 IHG points you convert will give you 2,000 miles with most airline partners.

If you're a few miles short of a free or discounted flight, it can be worth it to transfer your IHG points to top off your account. Just note that you will get more value using your points for free nights versus turning them into airline miles.

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IHG elite status

When you sign up for a free IHG One Rewards account, you will become a Club Member. This allows you to earn and redeem points as well as grants the ability to earn credit for you stays which will push you up the ladder of obtaining elite status in the program.

Here are the yearly requirements for each tier in the IHG One Rewards program:

  • Club Member: Sign up for a free account.
  • Silver Elite: 10 nights per year.
  • Gold Elite: 20 nights or 40,000 points per year.
  • Platinum Elite: 40 nights or 60,000 points per year.
  • Diamond Elite: 70 nights or 120,000 points per year.

Regardless of your tier in the program, as a member you will always have access to member rates, member promotions, free internet at properties, late 2pm checkout, and the ability to book reward nights with no blackout dates.

Club Member benefits

IHG Club Members receive 10 points per $1 spent at IHG properties.

Silver Elite benefits

IHG Silver Elite members receive 12 points per $1 spent at IHG properties and points earned do not expire.

Gold Elite benefits

IHG Gold Elite members receive 14 points per $1 spent at IHG properties, rollover nights for next year's status, and non-expiring points.

You can earn complimentary IHG Gold Elite tier by holding the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card.

Platinum Elite benefits

IHG Platinum Elite members receive 16 points per $1 spent at IHG properties, rollover nights for next year's status, non-expiring points, reward night discounts, 72 hour guaranteed room availability, complimentary upgrades, a welcome amenity at check-in (points or drink/snack), early check-in, and non-expiring points.

You can earn complimentary IHG Platinum Elite tier by holding the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card, or by signing up for the Intercontinental Ambassador program which costs $200 or 40,000 IHG points.

Diamond Elite benefits

IHG Diamond Elite members receive 20 points per $1 spent at IHG properties, rollover nights for next year's status, non-expiring points, reward night discounts, dedicated diamond support line, 72 hour guaranteed room availability, complimentary upgrades, a welcome amenity at check-in (free breakfast, points, drink/snack), early check-in, and non-expiring points.

You can earn IHG Diamond Elite tier by spending $40,000 or more on the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card during the calendar year.

It's not a listed perk, but if you sign up for the Intercontinental Ambassador program as a Diamond Elite member, you will be able to maintain your status in the IHG One Rewards program. Don't know how long this will be a perk, but it's worth it if you want to maintain Diamond and don't have the means to reach the requirements any given year.

IHG points calculator

Use the IHG points calculator to determine which credit cards will earn you the most points based on the monthly or yearly spending amounts you enter.

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These estimates are to help guide you towards making the best decision when it comes to picking up a rewards credit card. They should be used for illustrative purposes only.

You can click on the estimated earnings to see the calculations or click on the card to learn more and apply for the card through our partners.

Do note that all spend amounts entered into the tool above will carry over to every credit card rewards calculator on the site, so there's no need to re-enter spend if you choose to dive deeper into calculating rewards for credit cards on the site.

**Amount of rewards when transferred to program.

FAQ

What is IHG One Rewards?

IHG One Rewards is the loyalty program of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).

What's the value of IHG points?

Based on our valuations, IHG points are worth about 0.7 cents apiece when redeemed towards free night awards at IHG brand hotels.

What can you redeem IHG points for?

IHG points can be redeemed for free nights, gift cards, digital rewards, merchandise, and charitable donations. They can also be converted into airline miles with over 40 frequent flyer programs.

How do you earn IHG points?

IHG points can be earned booking stays at IHG brand hotels, using credit cards, renting cars, dining out, and booking experiences. You can also buy IHG points.

Can you transfer IHG points to airline miles?

IHG points can be converted to airline miles with over 40 frequent flyer programs. This is mostly at a rate of 10,000 IHG points for 2,000 airline miles.

How do you earn IHG Silver Elite tier?

IHG Silver Elite tier requires 10 nights per calendar year.

How do you earn IHG Gold Elite tier?

IHG Gold Elite tier requires 20 nights or 40,000 points per calendar year.

How do you earn IHG Platinum Elite tier?

IHG Platinum Elite tier requires 40 nights or 60,000 points per calendar year.

How do you earn IHG Diamond Elite tier?

IHG Diamond Elite tier requires 70 nights or 120,000 points per calendar year.

Does IHG offer credit cards?

IHG offers three co-branded credit cards that earn points and offer benefits at IHG brand hotels: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, IHG® Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card, and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card.

Which credit card partners transfers to IHG One Rewards?

Chase Ultimate Rewards is the only major credit card transfer partner of IHG One Rewards.

How are IHG points calculated?

IHG members earn up to 10 base points per $1 spent at IHG brand hotels, plus bonus points based on their tier in the IHG One Rewards program.

How many IHG points can you earn per stay?

You can earn up to 30 IHG points per stay at IHG brand hotels. This includes up to 10 base points, up to 10 points from elite status, and up to 10 points using an IHG credit card.

How much does IHG points cost?

IHG points can be purchased for as low as 1 cent each. There are several promotions during the year that allows you to buy them for as low as 0.5 cents each.

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