rumbataz

But after July, it'll be even easier to become a Plat - only 40,000 points, and that's if you haven't got an IHG credit card.

What this means in practical terms is a surge in Plats after July this year. Hence, when booking a hotel, the likelihood of an upgrade is diminished considerably for anyone who is a Plat.

Unless the new top tier introduces some real practical benefits then the IHG 'loyalty' programme is not worth it if you are loyal. I know it sounds ironic!

Dave Noble

IHG isn't rare in giving away status to credit card holders

From my Amex card I get Platinum Accor , Gold Starwod, Club Carson Gold and Shangri-La Jade just for having the card

The Platinum Accor is the most useful of them and often makes Accor a good choice given the discount rate offered too

kit125

I guess my point was that Marriott was a big winner and I get next to no value out of being LT plat with them. Again, I guess I'm biased as an RA, but I very rarely have to ask for benefits at IHG properties, but must routinely at Marriott properties.

Given the credit card category, I though IHG would've carried it for reasons posted by others above.

I'll continue to be loyal to IHG, but in fairness, none of the programs are as good as they used to be.

Safe travels to all.

kit125

I should clarify that I will remain loyal at the minimum level I can. I travel on business 99% of the time. I spread my loyalty based on geography. SPG plat just doesn't do it when I can stay at an IC. And Marriott is now my number 3, given I've achieved LT plat and get no real benefits from it.

GrandOldTurkey

Because the product is poor! You would think that with all those hotels, there would be numbers to make a good showing. There's not! With the Kimpton purchase, perhaps IHG will learn from Kimpton, but my fear is Kimpton will go down. MD2020 wine hours!

Spock Seat

All the more reason to buy AMB and only stay at the IC (and not the others).

IflyfromABE

17 US locations only. IC and the AMB program is the weak link in the IHG program. Really.

If you want benefits in an exclusive hotel with limited locations, you might as well go to Loews instead of IC, since you don't have to buy status, there are plenty of benefits on their higher elite tiers, there are in 18 locations and hotel by hotel, are nicer than ICs...

Thankfully, it seams that AMB and RA will go away with the new changes and IHG status will mean something at IC

Tim O'Brien

it's surprising IHG haven't worked out offering lifetime status for RA's would be a good move for the company, in terms of growing, and retaining market share. Five consecutive years, or say 10 non consecutive for lifetime, those customers, that do stay in hotels a lot, and have an extensive stay history, are likely to continue that pattern, why not grab them for life, like every other marketing strategist dreams of? the cost to deliver the program is minimal relative to the revenue stream.

darthbimmer

This.

The bulk of the voting almost certainly comes from people looking at IHG's Silver/Gold/Platinum tiers and comparing them with the status ladders at Hilton, Marriott, et al. The value of platinum, IHG's top level status at 99% of its properties worldwide, falls somewhere between low- and mid-level status in key competitors' programs.

NJUPINTHEAIR

Darth is correct in his observations as well as the fact that those voting are over-represented Marriott and HHonors elites.

IHG did have some quite valuable promotions, but their execution was so poor that it left a bitter taste in many mouths and likely either did not provide the momentum for people to vote for them and/or even consider voting for them.

However, although there have been problems, consider the execution of Set Your Sights compared to ITN, as well as a more active IHG presence here on FT to troubleshoot most issues.

It now appears that neither SPG nor Marriott will be having a summer promotion and IHG's although not as good as the prior 2, is a darn sight better than none at all!

Let's see what develops for the future. @:-)

Tim O'Brien

i don't entirely understand that statement, their consistently substandard IT, has resulted in an apology already for SYS, and a statement conveying they will deposit 500 points, a USD3.50 value for problems accessing the URL, and enrolling?

sdsearch

Except you can also become Hilton HHonors Gold by applying for a credit card, and Hilton HHonors still gives free breakfast to Golds. (It has officially taken away lounge access for HH Golds, though some overseas locations still give lounge access to HH Golds.)

So IHG is diluting the programme because it's IHG, not because of the credit card.

Also, if you did a bit more research, you'd find that the ability to get Platinum from the IHG credit card only started a few years ago, and the guaranteed benefits of IHG Platinum were no better before then than now.

(Unless you count the shift from internet being free for elites only to internet being free to all IHG Club members as a "dilution" of benefits.)

rumbataz

But neither HHonors nor SPG will give you the top tier (Diamond and Platinum respectively) just for getting a credit card (unless I'm mistaken). IHG will.

Specifically I looked into SPG last week and reactivated my account. I stay a lot in hotels throughout the year and want some tangible benefits during my stays (not only whilst redeeming where IHG is actually very good IMO).

hhoope01

I would have thought IHG is actually very "bad" with tangible benefits during an award stay given officially you don't get elite benefits. (Isn't there a whole thread on which properties will break that rule and still give elite benefits for award stays?) Especially considering others (i.e. Marriott) offer elite benefits no matter the rate, how it was made or even whether it is an award or not.

sdsearch

1. HHonors has three levels of status, IHG up to now has had only two. So it's a little misleading to compare IHG Plat (as second tier up) to HHonors Diamond (as third tier up) simply because they're both "top tier" in their programs.

In any case, the benefits of HHonors second tier up (Gold) are so much better than the benefits of IHG second tier up (Plat) have ever been, it's laughable.

2. You can get Diamond from a credit card by getting one of the cards that give you Gold right away and then doing lots of spend ($20k? 40k? I forget, it's not worth for me doing that spend for the small-to-me differences between HH Gold and HH Diamond) in a calendar year. So yes, you can get HH Diamond solely from a credit card, even though not as simply as just "holding" a credit card (the way it is with IHG Plat).

Anyway, that's how it is up to now. Both IHG Club elite tiers and the IHG Club credit card may change before the year is out, and so this exact comparison may or may not be valid going much forward.