IHG One Rewards

What IHG One Rewards is

IHG One Rewards is the loyalty programme for InterContinental Hotels Group. One free membership covers a very wide brand ladder, from Holiday Inn Express and Holiday Inn to Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Kimpton, InterContinental, Regent, and Six Senses.

IHG matters when you want global coverage across many price points, and when your cards still transfer into IHG at a fair ratio. Award nights are dynamic, so you must compare cash versus points every time.

Brands under the umbrella

• Luxury and lifestyle examples: Six Senses, Regent, InterContinental, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, Vignette Collection
• Premium examples: Crowne Plaza, voco, EVEN Hotels
• Essentials examples: Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Avid, Garner
• Suites and extended stay: Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, Atwell Suites
• Partner collection examples such as Iberostar Beachfront Resorts may also earn and burn under published rules

How to join

1. Create a free IHG One Rewards account on IHG’s official site or app.
2. Save your membership number and keep your name consistent with your ID.
3. Add the number on every eligible booking before check-in.
4. Prefer member or direct rates when you want the stay to earn. Many OTA deals skip loyalty.

How you earn points

• Eligible hotel stays: many brands commonly earn about 10 points per US dollar. Some extended-stay brands earn less.
• Elite bonuses raise the earn rate as you move up Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond.
• Bank transfers from credit cards that still list IHG. Common routes people discuss include HSBC around 1:1, HDFC premium cards around 2:1, and SBI Miles around 1:1. Confirm live ratios before transferring.
• Buying points can make sense during a large bonus sale if you already know the award stay. Do not buy blindly.
• Meetings and events can earn through IHG Business Rewards when the hotel participates.

Elite status

Club is the free starting tier. Higher tiers add bonus earn, late checkout style soft benefits, upgrades when available, and stronger support. Thresholds below are the commonly published night paths and can change.

IHG also sells InterContinental Ambassador in some markets. It can unlock Platinum-style benefits and InterContinental-focused perks such as a weekend night certificate. Only buy it if your InterContinental stays make the maths work.

Milestone rewards

Milestones are one of IHG’s best features for frequent stayers. As you hit night counts through the year, you can often choose rewards such as bonus points, dining vouchers, suite upgrades, or lounge-style memberships. Award nights usually count toward milestones. Pick the choice you will actually use before the voucher expires.

Feeding IHG from credit cards

How to redeem points

• Award nights are dynamic. There is no simple fixed chart for every hotel.
• A practical teaching target many members use is roughly 0.5 paise per point or better versus the cash rate after taxes. Your own target can be higher or lower.
• Points and cash can help when you are slightly short. Some redemptions start from a low point floor.
• Transferring IHG points into airlines is usually a weak use unless the points would otherwise go unused.
• Family point moves may cost a fee except for some higher-status or Business Rewards setups. Confirm before pooling.

Practical tips

• Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza coverage can be useful across many cities in India and Asia.
• If your cards transfer cleanly into IHG, it can compete with Accor for some trips. If they do not, prefer the programme your cards actually feed.
• Ambassador or Milestone value depends on real stays. Do not buy extras for a one-off trip unless the certificate alone pays for it.
• Business travellers should confirm whether the company rate still earns IHG points and nights.
• Keep one IHG login. Duplicate accounts make missing credit harder to fix.

Common beginner mistakes

• Transferring a large bank balance before checking the dynamic award price.
• Chasing Diamond when Platinum or Gold already covers the perks you use.
• Ignoring Milestone choices until vouchers expire.
• Moving IHG points into airlines at a weak ratio.
• Assuming every brand earns at the same points-per-dollar rate.

Simple starter plan

1. Join IHG One Rewards and add the number on your next eligible stay.
2. Check whether your bank still lists IHG before you plan card transfers around it.
3. Use Milestone choices on nights you were going to stay anyway.
4. Redeem only when points beat cash after taxes, or when Points and Cash clearly helps.

• Hotel programmes
• Airline programmes
• Accor ALL guide
• Marriott Bonvoy guide

Card transfer snapshot

Official programme site