What IHG Hotels Membership Gives You

IHG Hotels membership is a free loyalty program run by InterContinental Hotels Group that lets you earn points when you stay at their properties and redeem those points for free nights, room upgrades, and other perks. You join at no cost, and the program covers over 900 hotels worldwide under brands like Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, InterContinental, and Kimpton.

The core benefit is straightforward: every dollar you spend on a room stay earns you points. You can then use those points to book free nights, extend your stay, or pay for dining and spa services at participating hotels. Members also get perks like free Wi-Fi, late checkout, and room upgrades based on their membership tier.

If you hold an IHG-branded credit card, you earn points faster and unlock additional benefits like annual free night certificates and elite status. But the membership itself costs nothing to join or maintain.

Key Takeaways

  • IHG membership is free to join and covers stays at over 900 hotels under multiple brands including Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, and InterContinental.
  • You earn points on every dollar spent at IHG properties and can redeem points for free nights, room upgrades, or other hotel services.
  • Your membership tier (Club, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond) determines how many bonus points you earn and what perks you receive.
  • An IHG credit card accelerates point earning and adds benefits like annual free night certificates, but membership itself requires no card.
  • Points do not expire as long as you have account activity at least once every 24 months.

How to Join IHG Hotels Membership

Go to the IHG website and click the membership sign-up link, usually labeled "Join IHG One Rewards" or similar. You will need to provide your name, email address, date of birth, and country of residence. Create a password and confirm your email address through a link they send you.

Once your account is active, you receive a membership number when ready. You can start earning points right away by providing your membership number when you book a room or check in at any IHG property. If you already have an account, log in and link any past stays to your membership so those points are credited retroactively.

There is no approval process, no credit check, and no waiting period. Your account is ready to use the same day you create it.

How Points Earning Works

Base earning is 10 points per dollar spent on your room rate at any IHG hotel. This applies to the nightly room charge only, not taxes or resort fees. If you stay at a higher-tier hotel like an InterContinental, you earn the same 10 points per dollar as you would at a Holiday Inn Express.

Your membership tier multiplies your earning. A Silver member earns 10% bonus points on top of base earning. A Gold member earns 20% bonus. Platinum earns 50%, and Diamond earns 100% (meaning you earn double points). You move up tiers by staying a certain number of nights or earning a certain number of points in a calendar year.

If you hold an IHG credit card, you earn bonus points per dollar spent on the card, plus additional points just for staying as a cardholder. The exact bonus varies by card, but typically ranges from 2 to 5 extra points per dollar on hotel stays.

Membership Tiers and What Each One Offers

You start at Club level when you join. There are no perks beyond base point earning at this tier. To move up, you need to complete may have access to nights or earn may have access to points in a calendar year.

Silver Elite requires 10 nights or 25,000 points per year. You get 10% bonus points, free room upgrade (if available), and complimentary late checkout until 4 p.m.

Gold Elite requires 20 nights or 50,000 points per year. You earn 20% bonus points, may provide room upgrade (if available), late checkout until 6 p.m., and complimentary breakfast at select properties.

Platinum Elite requires 35 nights or 70,000 points per year. You earn 50% bonus points, may provide suite upgrade (if available), late checkout until noon, complimentary breakfast, and lounge access at select properties.

Diamond Elite requires 70 nights or 120,000 points per year. You earn 100% bonus points (double points), may provide suite upgrade, late checkout until 4 p.m., complimentary breakfast, lounge access, and room upgrades to the best available room at check-in.

How to Redeem Points for Free Nights

Log into your IHG account and search for available redemption dates and properties. The point cost varies by hotel and season. A budget Holiday Inn might cost 10,000 points for a free night, while a luxury InterContinental could cost 50,000 or more for the same night. Peak season nights cost more points than off-season nights at the same property.

Once you find a night you want, select it and confirm the redemption. The points are deducted from your account when ready, and your free night is booked. You will receive a confirmation number via email. Check in as you normally would and present your membership number at the desk.

You can also use points to extend a paid stay, book a room upgrade, or pay for dining and spa services at participating hotels. Some properties let you transfer points to a travel partner or donate them to charity, though this is less common.

Points Expiration and Account Maintenance

IHG points do not expire as long as your account has activity at least once every 24 months. Activity means earning or redeeming points, or staying at an IHG property. If your account goes inactive for two years, your points will be removed and your account may be closed.

To keep your account active if you are not staying regularly, you can earn points through partner activities. IHG partners with airlines, car rental companies, and credit card issuers. You can earn points by flying with a partner airline, renting a car, or making a purchase with an IHG credit card. Even a small purchase counts as account activity.

If your points do expire, you can request reinstatement within a certain window by contacting IHG customer service, though this is not may provide.

IHG Credit Cards and How They Fit In

IHG offers several co-branded credit cards through Chase. The most common is the IHG One Rewards card. When you open the card, you typically receive a welcome bonus of 50,000 to 80,000 points (the exact amount changes). You also get an annual free night certificate each year you keep the card, valid at most IHG properties up to a certain point value.

Cardholders earn bonus points on every purchase made with the card, not just hotel stays. You might earn 2 points per dollar on dining and gas, and 5 points per dollar on IHG hotel stays. These bonuses stack on top of your membership tier bonuses.

The card carries an annual fee, typically $49 to $99 depending on the card variant. Whether the card makes sense depends on how often you stay at IHG properties and whether the annual free night certificate and bonus points offset the fee for your travel patterns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I earn points on a stay I already completed before joining?

Yes. If you stayed at an IHG property before you had a membership account, you can link that stay to your new account after you join. You will need your confirmation number or the dates of your stay. IHG can usually credit the points within a few days.

What happens to my points if I don't stay for a year?

Your points will expire if your account has no activity for 24 months. Activity includes earning points through a credit card purchase, redeeming points, or staying at a hotel. You can also keep your account active by transferring points to a partner or making a small credit card purchase.

Can I book a free night at any IHG hotel?

Almost any IHG property accepts point redemptions, but the point cost varies widely. Budget properties cost fewer points than luxury properties. Some premium or new properties may have blackout dates or higher point requirements. Check availability before you redeem to see the exact cost.

Do I need a credit card to earn points?

No. You earn points on every dollar spent at an IHG hotel just by providing your membership number at check-in. A credit card speeds up earning and adds perks, but it is not required to be a member or earn points.

How do I move up to the next membership tier?

You move up by completing a certain number of may have access to nights or earning a certain number of may have access to points in a calendar year. For example, Silver Elite requires 10 nights or 25,000 points. Nights and points earned through credit card bonuses count toward tier qualification.