InterContinental Hotels: Priority Club & Inter-Continental Ambassador - 12,920 points to Platinum. What to do ?

Hi all,

Currently I'm Gold at Priority Club and needs 22,632 pts to Platinum. However, I think that I will only have 1 remaining stay at IHG Properties this year since I will stay on other properties for the remaining for my stays on this year. My upcoming reservation will credit another 3,712 pts. I haven't became IC Ambassador so probably I will convert my points to become Ambassador member on December (to maximize benefit period). I have also registered couple promotions for my upcoming reservation but I didn't remember the detail of the promotion (I only remember the welcome back bonus 1,000 pts below).

So, the calculation would be:
Points earned to date on this year 37,368 pts
Upcoming reservation 3,712 pts
Points from signing-upAmbassador 5,000 pts
Points from welcome back bonus 1,000 pts
Total 47,080 pts

It means that I need another 12,920 pts to reach platinum. Perhaps anyone here knew what should I do next? Will buying points or got transfer from other members would be counted toward Platinum status? Never try it before...or perhaps any other suggestion (other than signing up credit card since I'm living in South East Asia which ineligible to do so). Thankss

What is the point of becoming Platinum with PC? Gold and Plat is almost the same

You could get the PC Visa, if you wanted to go that route.

You could get the PC Visa, if you wanted to go that route.

The OP did say no Credit Card :)

...or perhaps any other suggestion (other than signing up credit card since I'm living in South East Asia which ineligible to do so). Thankss

If you are willing to pay to get Platinum, try and see if you can change your rate to one of those that give you extra bonus PCR points. The max I see is 10K, but most of them only 1K or 3K. Another option that I heard others had done is book a points+cash reward stay and cancel the reservation afterward. maybe others can comment if this is still a true method. Also for the hotel that you are going to stay, is it a full service hotel? If so, eat every meals at the hotel and charge it to the room. So, if you can find a rate that give you bonus points and eat everything at the hotel, you might be very very close.

Hope this give you some idea how to get to what you want.

What is the point of becoming Platinum with PC? Gold and Plat is almost the same

Oh, so is it better for me not chasing Platinum status? I've never reached Platinum on PC before.

You could get the PC Visa, if you wanted to go that route.

As I previously mentioned, I'm living at South East Asia so I could not apply PC CC.:(

So I stopped reading one line too early.... :p

If you are willing to pay to get Platinum, try and see if you can change your rate to one of those that give you extra bonus PCR points. The max I see is 10K, but most of them only 1K or 3K. Another option that I heard others had done is book a points+cash reward stay and cancel the reservation afterward. maybe others can comment if this is still a true method. Also for the hotel that you are going to stay, is it a full service hotel? If so, eat every meals at the hotel and charge it to the room. So, if you can find a rate that give you bonus points and eat everything at the hotel, you might be very very close.

Hope this give you some idea how to get to what you want.

Yea, never thought that dining idea. I will stay at Crowne Plaza so yea..it's full service hotel. I've ever heard about points + cash rewards and cancel it but it won't count toward to Elite status. But...I think it would be ok, at least I get some points by doing so. :D

Thanks alc

So I stopped reading one line too early.... :p

Lol...:p

Cash and points and cancel does not count towards status.

Buying PC points directly does.

If you are buying Ambassador, you could swap your free weekend night voucher for someone else's 5,000 point code. I have done that many times over the years as family commitments make it hard to use the voucher.

Once you get to 180 posts you'll have access to Coupon Connection where you can do the trade.

I'd also look heavily at some of the promo codes out there. check out the two threads on this site plus google "ihg promo codes".

Depending on how many days you're staying on your next stay you could easily get that many points.

Try codes 2120 and 5221 I think one of them requires a 3 night stay but it includes 5000 bonus points and automatic upgrade to platinum.

I only stay at one property so I'm probably not the best to comment, but ivenoticed virtually no difference between platinum and being a general member (except the points bonus). They pull crap like telling me I've been upgraded and I get to the room and it's the same thing as the week before.

Transfers of points from Amex Members Rewards counts towards status. (3 for 2 transfer rate as I recall). However perhaps not the best use of those points.

The best way is to actually have a couple more stays (with good bonus codes it should be possible to get the required points from 1 or 2 stays). If you stay so infrequently why do you want Platinum so much?

If you live or work near a ICHG property, you can check in on Foursquare/Topguest at 50 points a time, potentially over 8000 points could be earned that way over the rest of the year.

You can also earn points towards status via car hire partners, and also PC shopping.

I'd also look heavily at some of the promo codes out there. check out the two threads on this site plus google "ihg promo codes".

Depending on how many days you're staying on your next stay you could easily get that many points.

Try codes 2120 and 5221 I think one of them requires a 3 night stay but it includes 5000 bonus points and automatic upgrade to platinum.

Umm..thank you. Actually I only got two nights on my upcoming stay so probably I won't be able to sign up that promotion.

I only stay at one property so I'm probably not the best to comment, but ivenoticed virtually no difference between platinum and being a general member (except the points bonus). They pull crap like telling me I've been upgraded and I get to the room and it's the same thing as the week before.

I realized that IHG Properties in Asia are quite generous in giving upgrades for their elite perks. I stayed in Holiday Inn Penang last month and I got upgraded to seaview. Then I imagine how if I became Platinum so I will likely to be upgraded.

Transfers of points from Amex Members Rewards counts towards status. (3 for 2 transfer rate as I recall). However perhaps not the best use of those points.

The best way is to actually have a couple more stays (with good bonus codes it should be possible to get the required points from 1 or 2 stays). If you stay so infrequently why do you want Platinum so much?

If you live or work near a ICHG property, you can check in on Foursquare/Topguest at 50 points a time, potentially over 8000 points could be earned that way over the rest of the year.

I always plan everything in advanced, so most of my remaining stays on this year will be in Accor since I'm gonna keep my Gold level in Accor. Being Gold in Accor is quite good, got late check-out up to 3 or 4 pm most of the time, several early check-in at 8 am, and several times got upgraded to suite or club floor with club access in Pullman and Novotel. However, I'm planning to visit somewhere that will have many IHG properties next year so I think that being Platinum in IHG would be better.

I have also checked-in using Topguest and have collected around 4,000 pts.. However, it has stopped since 20 June. I keep check-in and topsquare said that I earned bla..bla..bla.. but none of them posted to my account since then. Probably the program has maximum number of points earned in Topguest.:confused:

There is no maximum, I'm over 5k now. There is a thread about top guest somewhere on FT, you will see plenty of people reporting that periodically points stop posting. I had this but after a while they posted.

There is no maximum, I'm over 5k now. There is a thread about top guest somewhere on FT, you will see plenty of people reporting that periodically points stop posting. I had this but after a while they posted.

It's been more than two weeks that my points from TG were not posting. So I have stopped check-in about one week ago. How many days that you got your points stop posting?

Umm..thank you. Actually I only got two nights on my upcoming stay so probably I won't be able to sign up that promotion.



I would (and do) sign up for EVERY promo they offer. If I'm not eligible they will tell me when I try to register. Otherwise, if I meet the requirements I get the points. If I don't, I don't.

I just had a two night stay at an IC and got over 19,000 points with the single biggest bonus only being 5,000.

I'd recommend entering EVERY code you can find. What do you have to loose?

I'd recommend entering EVERY code you can find. What do you have to loose?

You have your account with all your points to lose if PC decides that you are abusing the system. Only sign up for codes that make sense, and spread this over several stays.

To the OP: it's my experience as well that many Asian properties (Malaysia, China, once in Korea, Taiwan) give nice upgrades. Many Chinese properties do the same as the Ambassador programm and give a one-level upgrade, so if you book below the Exec level, you get all Exec privileges including lounge access and breakfast. The returns are much less in Japan, Europe and the US.

HTB.

You have your account with all your points to lose if PC decides that you are abusing the system. Only sign up for codes that make sense, and spread this over several stays.



If you are doing something dodgy like using a corporate discount code that you're not allowed to use, yes, I can see that. However, if they publish a code and allow you to use it, well, that's not abusing the system. Thats USING the system.

For frequent users it does tend to pay to use them over several stays (and in fact you have to for many of the offers unless you stay 5-15 nights at a time) but not for the OP in this case. He has ONE stay of two nights.

Also, which codes make sense in your mind. The ones that make sense in mine are the ones they publish and allow me to use.

It's been more than two weeks that my points from TG were not posting. So I have stopped check-in about one week ago. How many days that you got your points stop posting?

I don't recall, but I suggest you start checking in again and they may start posting again. And there may also be a catch up posting.

Some credit card reward programs allow you to transfer points to PC even if you are outside of US. In my country, both American Express and CITI allow you to do that. Points from such transfer counts against status. In most case, such transfers are not necessary the most economically sound (transferring to airline miles might be better sometimes). However, it might help you get the points you want.

what's the point to get platinum if you aren't gonna stay more nights?

It means that I need another 12,920 pts to reach platinum. Perhaps anyone here knew what should I do next?

How many miles do you have with V6 (aka: Virgin Atlantic)? 1 Flying Club point to 1 PC Point, minimum 10,000 with 5000 increments above the 10K.

So if you have 10K with V6, there's a free 10K in PC points. It's a free transfer (wait about 7 - 14 days for it to appear).

Very simple answer.

Spock Seat.

If you are doing something dodgy like using a corporate discount code that you're not allowed to use, yes, I can see that. However, if they publish a code and allow you to use it, well, that's not abusing the system. Thats USING the system.


Bear in mind that 90+% of the codes you see out there are not published buy ICHG. Technically they are targeted (sent by email, etc to certain members) even though their system lets anyone and his uncle register.