Aug 8, 2017, 12:23 pm
Last edit by: beachmouse
Another quarter, another Accelerate. Answers to some Frequently Asked Questions below:
For newcomers to IHG promotions, note that Holiday Inn Express and Holiday Inn (including Holiday Inn Resorts) are two different brand categories for these things. If your dashboard says 'stay at a Holiday Inn Express' as one of the tasks and you stay at a Holiday Inn, it will NOT credit for the Holiday Inn Express task. (and vice versa)
An award stay only counts toward a task that specifically requires an award stay and will not count toward other tasks and night requirements for the purposes of the promotion. (Award stays do count toward general elite qualification, but that's outside this promotion)
At IHG, points + cash stays are simply points stays where you bought some of the points at the time of the reservation. Once you finish the reservation, a points + cash stay shows as a points stay. Thus points + cash stays only count for tasks where they are specified, and not other tasks.
Doing a points + cash booking and then cancelling it does NOT trigger a 'buy points' task completion. A 'buy points' task is a points transaction that is processed through points.com
The 'pay with your IHG credit card' task has typically been very slow to post. If it does within about two weeks of completing a stay, that's relatively quick, and it will often be several weeks beyond that, depending on when your statement closing date is and how IHG's system sweep is timed.
Some offers require booking within the promotion period in addition to staying during the promotion period.
Registration & dashboard link:
https://www.ihg.com/content/us/en/offers/q3accelerate2017
For newcomers to IHG promotions, note that Holiday Inn Express and Holiday Inn (including Holiday Inn Resorts) are two different brand categories for these things. If your dashboard says 'stay at a Holiday Inn Express' as one of the tasks and you stay at a Holiday Inn, it will NOT credit for the Holiday Inn Express task. (and vice versa)
An award stay only counts toward a task that specifically requires an award stay and will not count toward other tasks and night requirements for the purposes of the promotion. (Award stays do count toward general elite qualification, but that's outside this promotion)
At IHG, points + cash stays are simply points stays where you bought some of the points at the time of the reservation. Once you finish the reservation, a points + cash stay shows as a points stay. Thus points + cash stays only count for tasks where they are specified, and not other tasks.
Doing a points + cash booking and then cancelling it does NOT trigger a 'buy points' task completion. A 'buy points' task is a points transaction that is processed through points.com
The 'pay with your IHG credit card' task has typically been very slow to post. If it does within about two weeks of completing a stay, that's relatively quick, and it will often be several weeks beyond that, depending on when your statement closing date is and how IHG's system sweep is timed.
Some offers require booking within the promotion period in addition to staying during the promotion period.
Registration & dashboard link:
https://www.ihg.com/content/us/en/offers/q3accelerate2017
IHG Accelerate Q3 2017 (1st September to 31st December)
Aug 16, 2017, 10:12 pm
#106
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
I haven't redeemed for these two on Accelerate before:
2,400 Stay for Less and Earn
Earn 2,400 bonus points when you book 1 stay(s) using Points & Cash. We’ll reward you with bonus points when you use a combination of Points & Cash, allowing you to stretch your Reward Nights even farther. Terms
1,500 Spend on your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card
Book and pay for one stay with your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card and earn bonus points. Terms
Do any of you know if you have to purchase the WHOLE night for the 1500 points, or if you do the points+cash for 2400, if that also qualifies you for the 1500 if you spend the cash part on your CC? I'd love to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. . . Otherwise I'd have to stay 2 separate nights to get it.
2,400 Stay for Less and Earn
Earn 2,400 bonus points when you book 1 stay(s) using Points & Cash. We’ll reward you with bonus points when you use a combination of Points & Cash, allowing you to stretch your Reward Nights even farther. Terms
1,500 Spend on your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card
Book and pay for one stay with your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card and earn bonus points. Terms
Do any of you know if you have to purchase the WHOLE night for the 1500 points, or if you do the points+cash for 2400, if that also qualifies you for the 1500 if you spend the cash part on your CC? I'd love to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. . . Otherwise I'd have to stay 2 separate nights to get it.
So therefore the 1500 has to be for a truly paid stay, not a points + cash stay.
And thus you have to do 2 separate nights for those two separate bonus tasks.
Aug 18, 2017, 1:08 am
#108
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Asia
Programs: KF Gold | IHG Amb | SPG LTG | HH Gold
Posts: 548
Looks much better for me this time round:
Stay Once, Get 2,000 bonus points
Get closer to the rewards you want when you stay 5 night(s) and earn 10,000 bonus points
Stay 2 nights at any InterContinental® Hotels and Resorts in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and earn 2,800 bonus points
Complete 3 of the 3 offers and earn (an additional) 25,200 bonus points
Stay 2 or more nights at participating IHG® hotels in New York City and earn 4,000 bonus points
Stay once in September and get 3,000 bonus points
Stay Once, Get 2,000 bonus points
Get closer to the rewards you want when you stay 5 night(s) and earn 10,000 bonus points
Stay 2 nights at any InterContinental® Hotels and Resorts in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and earn 2,800 bonus points
Complete 3 of the 3 offers and earn (an additional) 25,200 bonus points
Stay 2 or more nights at participating IHG® hotels in New York City and earn 4,000 bonus points
Stay once in September and get 3,000 bonus points
Aug 18, 2017, 3:55 am
#109
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,422
Quite new to IHG (accelerate) but these are getting progressively more difficult for me (perhaps unsurprisingly).
2000 Stay once and earn 2,000 bonus points.
2500 Stay 2 time(s) using your corporate rate and earn 2,500 bonus points.
22000 Stay 11 night(s) and earn 22,000 bonus points.
1000 Earn When You Redeem
4000 Single stay of 4 or more consecutive nights.
4000 Stay with us for the weekend and earn 4,000 bonus points.
5600 Stay 4 nights at participating IHG® hotels in Germany
10000 Your Achievement Bonus (6/7)
The 2x 4 nighters do not fit in with my travel plans.
I have an Ambassador Weekend Certifacte night coming up in December - could anyone tell me if that qualifies for the weekend stay challenge?
2000 Stay once and earn 2,000 bonus points.
2500 Stay 2 time(s) using your corporate rate and earn 2,500 bonus points.
22000 Stay 11 night(s) and earn 22,000 bonus points.
1000 Earn When You Redeem
4000 Single stay of 4 or more consecutive nights.
4000 Stay with us for the weekend and earn 4,000 bonus points.
5600 Stay 4 nights at participating IHG® hotels in Germany
10000 Your Achievement Bonus (6/7)
The 2x 4 nighters do not fit in with my travel plans.
I have an Ambassador Weekend Certifacte night coming up in December - could anyone tell me if that qualifies for the weekend stay challenge?
Aug 19, 2017, 10:25 pm
#111
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 112
My Offer:
2,000 Stay Once, Get 2,000 bonus points
Thank you for being a loyal IHG® Rewards Club member. Stay once and earn 2,000 bonus points.
10,000 Stay More, Earn More
Get closer to the rewards you want when you stay 5 night(s) and earn 10,000 bonus points.
6,600 Earn More, Faster
Earn 6,600 bonus points when you book 1 Bonus Points Package stay(s) and get to your next reward faster.
1,500 Spend on your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card
Book and pay for one stay with your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card and earn bonus points.
19,900 Your Achievement Bonus
Complete 3 of the 4 offers and earn (an additional) 19,900 bonus points.
3,000 Big Apple Bonus
Stay 2 or more nights at participating IHG® hotels in New York City and earn 3,000 bonus points.
3,000 September Bonus Offer
QUESTION:
So, Can I book 1 night in September to fulfill 3 of my 4 offers above (not the 5 night one) and end up with the following:
2,000 for staying once
6,600 for booking a bonus points package
1,500 for using my IHG for the 1 stay
19,900 for completing 3 of 4 tasks
3,000 for staying 1 night in September
= 33,000 points for 1 night stay?????
Am I understanding this correctly?
Thanks for answering. I have never looked at this program even though I have had the card for about 1 year. I've been using other hotel loyalty cards for years.
2,000 Stay Once, Get 2,000 bonus points
Thank you for being a loyal IHG® Rewards Club member. Stay once and earn 2,000 bonus points.
10,000 Stay More, Earn More
Get closer to the rewards you want when you stay 5 night(s) and earn 10,000 bonus points.
6,600 Earn More, Faster
Earn 6,600 bonus points when you book 1 Bonus Points Package stay(s) and get to your next reward faster.
1,500 Spend on your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card
Book and pay for one stay with your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card and earn bonus points.
19,900 Your Achievement Bonus
Complete 3 of the 4 offers and earn (an additional) 19,900 bonus points.
3,000 Big Apple Bonus
Stay 2 or more nights at participating IHG® hotels in New York City and earn 3,000 bonus points.
3,000 September Bonus Offer
QUESTION:
So, Can I book 1 night in September to fulfill 3 of my 4 offers above (not the 5 night one) and end up with the following:
2,000 for staying once
6,600 for booking a bonus points package
1,500 for using my IHG for the 1 stay
19,900 for completing 3 of 4 tasks
3,000 for staying 1 night in September
= 33,000 points for 1 night stay?????
Am I understanding this correctly?
Thanks for answering. I have never looked at this program even though I have had the card for about 1 year. I've been using other hotel loyalty cards for years.
Aug 20, 2017, 4:58 am
#112
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: HH D
Posts: 1,639
My targets are:
Have always been a Club-level member, never reached Gold & staying only at IHG because these easy points are a nice payback. After this summer's promo I'm at 6 nights (for 2017) and a 178000 point balance. Thinking about reaching 180000 points and use those next year on a three night IC stay in some big city. Or a week at an Any/Any property. One $60-stay would do, or I could do 3 cheap HI's for some extra bonus points (13000+rate points). Or even better: stay at home and buy the points needed.
- 1000 Stay Once Get 1000 Bonus Points
- 7200 Stay at 3 Holiday Inn hotels—including <...> and earn 7200 bonus points.
- 6000 <...> when you stay 6 nights and earn 6,000 bonus points.
- 8000 Stay in any country <outside of Europe, my own continent> and earn 8000 bonus points.
- 2800 Complete 2 Your Rate Bonus Point Package stays.
- 15000 Complete 4 of the 5 offers and earn (an additional) 15000 bonus points.
- 2000 Stay once in September and get 2000 bonus points.
Have always been a Club-level member, never reached Gold & staying only at IHG because these easy points are a nice payback. After this summer's promo I'm at 6 nights (for 2017) and a 178000 point balance. Thinking about reaching 180000 points and use those next year on a three night IC stay in some big city. Or a week at an Any/Any property. One $60-stay would do, or I could do 3 cheap HI's for some extra bonus points (13000+rate points). Or even better: stay at home and buy the points needed.
Aug 20, 2017, 8:46 pm
#113
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: IHG Spire
Posts: 19
Looks like I will be resetting the targets this quarter. I managed to get the previous Accelerate goal of 31 nights for 62,000 points. But it is getting out of hand with 35. Should be able to cut if down and grab 20 nights or so to get a much lower January goal. Hitting 120 nights a year is really about all I want to do. 30~ish a quarter is good enough for me
Should hit the rest fairly easily though.
103,000 Points Total Offer
Stay Once, Get 2,000 bonus points
Stay once and earn 2,000 bonus points.
70,000 Stay More, Earn More
stay 35 night(s) and earn 70,000 bonus points.
6,000 A Bonus Weekend Stay
Stay with us for the weekend and earn 6,000 bonus points.
2,400 Stay for Less and Earn
Earn 2,400 bonus points when you book 1 stay(s) using Points & Cash.
3,600 Big City Bonus
Stay in 1 of 6 major cities: Boston, Chicago, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Orlando or San Francisco and earn 3,600 bonus points.
1,500 Spend on your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card
1,000 Earn When You Redeem
You earned your points, now use them! Redeem your points for anything, from a digital download to a Reward Night, and you’ll earn 1,000 bonus points.
Should hit the rest fairly easily though.
103,000 Points Total Offer
Stay Once, Get 2,000 bonus points
Stay once and earn 2,000 bonus points.
70,000 Stay More, Earn More
stay 35 night(s) and earn 70,000 bonus points.
6,000 A Bonus Weekend Stay
Stay with us for the weekend and earn 6,000 bonus points.
2,400 Stay for Less and Earn
Earn 2,400 bonus points when you book 1 stay(s) using Points & Cash.
3,600 Big City Bonus
Stay in 1 of 6 major cities: Boston, Chicago, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Orlando or San Francisco and earn 3,600 bonus points.
1,500 Spend on your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card
1,000 Earn When You Redeem
You earned your points, now use them! Redeem your points for anything, from a digital download to a Reward Night, and you’ll earn 1,000 bonus points.
Aug 21, 2017, 7:15 am
#114
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 17
I had two quick questions I Needed a response on pretty quick if possible. I have a bunch of rooms to book several in EARLY September. I know you can't book before signing up for accelerate (I've made that mistake before), but can I book now for a stay Sept 2-7? It completes several at once and I didn't want to screw it up.
My second question if I do a Points+$$ Stay and use my IHG card to pay for it does that satisfy pay for a room with your IHG card or does it need to be a cash only room?
Need to try and book these today since one is getting very close and several more are stacked up right after that.
I read the terms and it is not clear at all about booking time only that you must stay Sept 1-Dec 31 inclusive.
My second question if I do a Points+$$ Stay and use my IHG card to pay for it does that satisfy pay for a room with your IHG card or does it need to be a cash only room?
Need to try and book these today since one is getting very close and several more are stacked up right after that.
I read the terms and it is not clear at all about booking time only that you must stay Sept 1-Dec 31 inclusive.
Aug 21, 2017, 8:05 am
#115
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Somewhere in Europe
Posts: 3,362
I had two quick questions I Needed a response on pretty quick if possible. I have a bunch of rooms to book several in EARLY September. I know you can't book before signing up for accelerate (I've made that mistake before), but can I book now for a stay Sept 2-7? It completes several at once and I didn't want to screw it up.
My second question if I do a Points+$$ Stay and use my IHG card to pay for it does that satisfy pay for a room with your IHG card or does it need to be a cash only room?
Need to try and book these today since one is getting very close and several more are stacked up right after that.
I read the terms and it is not clear at all about booking time only that you must stay Sept 1-Dec 31 inclusive.
My second question if I do a Points+$$ Stay and use my IHG card to pay for it does that satisfy pay for a room with your IHG card or does it need to be a cash only room?
Need to try and book these today since one is getting very close and several more are stacked up right after that.
I read the terms and it is not clear at all about booking time only that you must stay Sept 1-Dec 31 inclusive.
Looking at my own offers the booking with the app and P&C ones are book and consume so those will need to wait until 1st Sep.
Booking a P&C with your IHG CC will not satisfy the pay using the IHG CC as you are actually buying the additional points and not the room plus the P&C one is "Book and consume" offer so will need to wait until Sep 1st.
Book & consume is the wording you are looking for in the individual terms and conditions - those ones need to wait until September 1st.
Aug 21, 2017, 9:11 am
#116
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
Aug 21, 2017, 5:14 pm
#117
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: New York
Posts: 12
I have a question concerning Accelerate. One of the offers is Stay More, Earn More. Get closer to the rewards you want when you stay 3 night(s) and earn 2,000 bonus points. Another offer is A Bonus Weekend Stay. Stay with us for the weekend and earn 2,000 bonus points. A Friday and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday night stay required. If I stay Saturday, Sunday and Monday night will I have satisfied the requirement of both offers and receive 4000 bonus points?
Aug 21, 2017, 7:26 pm
#118
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: WAW
Programs: A3(*G), Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,534
I have a question concerning Accelerate. One of the offers is Stay More, Earn More. Get closer to the rewards you want when you stay 3 night(s) and earn 2,000 bonus points. Another offer is A Bonus Weekend Stay. Stay with us for the weekend and earn 2,000 bonus points. A Friday and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday night stay required. If I stay Saturday, Sunday and Monday night will I have satisfied the requirement of both offers and receive 4000 bonus points?
Having said that, I'm curious about your offer of 'stay 3 night(s) and earn 2,000 bonus points'. That would mean an earning rate of less than 1K per night for the task. I don't think I've ever seen that before in Accelerate. Are you sure it's not 3,000 points?
Aug 22, 2017, 1:54 pm
#119
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: New York
Posts: 12
Yes, you have what is known as a stackable bonus, which is what makes Accelerate worthwhile, and which IHG for some reason has decided to stop offering me (I only get morbidly boring repeaters of stay X nights for X,000 points).
Having said that, I'm curious about your offer of 'stay 3 night(s) and earn 2,000 bonus points'. That would mean an earning rate of less than 1K per night for the task. I don't think I've ever seen that before in Accelerate. Are you sure it's not 3,000 points?
Having said that, I'm curious about your offer of 'stay 3 night(s) and earn 2,000 bonus points'. That would mean an earning rate of less than 1K per night for the task. I don't think I've ever seen that before in Accelerate. Are you sure it's not 3,000 points?
Points Value Offer Description Status
500 Download the IHG® App
Earn 500 bonus points when you download and sign in to the IHG® App. You'll get mobile-exclusive rates, access your virtual membership card & find more ways to earn, faster. Terms
2,000 Stay More, Earn More
Get closer to the rewards you want when you stay 3 night(s) and earn 2,000 bonus points. Terms
2,000 Your Rate
Stay 2 times using our member exclusive discount, Your Rate, and earn 2,000 bonus points. Terms
2,000 Change Your View®
Stay at 3 Holiday Inn® hotel(s)—including Holiday Inn Resort® and Holiday Inn Club Vacations®—and earn 2,000 bonus points. Terms
2,000 A Bonus Weekend Stay
Stay with us for the weekend and earn 2,000 bonus points. A Friday and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday night stay required. Terms
21,500 Your Achievement Bonus
Complete 5 of the 5 offers and earn (an additional) 21,500 bonus points.
The other offer is: Ready. Set. Let’s go.
5,000
Stay More, Earn More
Get closer to the rewards you want when you stay 4 nights and earn 5,000 bonus points.
5,000
Book with IHG®
Book 2 stays directly through IHG and earn 5,000 bonus points. From our website, using the IHG mobile app or through our Central Reservations Office, book with us for the best rate.
5,000
Earn More, Faster
Earn 5,000 bonus points when you book 1 Bonus Points Package stay(s) and get to your next reward faster.
5,000
Saturday Stays Bonus
Stay 2 weekend(s), including a Saturday night and another night, and earn 5,000 bonus points.
10,000
Your Achievement Bonus
Complete 4 of 5 offers and earn (an additional) 10,000 bonus points.
I like the second one better. Can I take advantage of BOTH offers at the same time?
Aug 22, 2017, 2:11 pm
#120
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: New York
Posts: 12
Yes, you have what is known as a stackable bonus, which is what makes Accelerate worthwhile, and which IHG for some reason has decided to stop offering me (I only get morbidly boring repeaters of stay X nights for X,000 points).
Having said that, I'm curious about your offer of 'stay 3 night(s) and earn 2,000 bonus points'. That would mean an earning rate of less than 1K per night for the task. I don't think I've ever seen that before in Accelerate. Are you sure it's not 3,000 points?
Having said that, I'm curious about your offer of 'stay 3 night(s) and earn 2,000 bonus points'. That would mean an earning rate of less than 1K per night for the task. I don't think I've ever seen that before in Accelerate. Are you sure it's not 3,000 points?
500 Download the IHG® App
Earn 500 bonus points when you download and sign in to the IHG® App. You'll get mobile-exclusive rates, access your virtual membership card & find more ways to earn, faster. Terms
2,000 Stay More, Earn More
Get closer to the rewards you want when you stay 3 night(s) and earn 2,000 bonus points. Terms
2,000 Your Rate
Stay 2 times using our member exclusive discount, Your Rate, and earn 2,000 bonus points. Terms
2,000 Change Your View®
Stay at 3 Holiday Inn® hotel(s)—including Holiday Inn Resort® and Holiday Inn Club Vacations®—and earn 2,000 bonus points. Terms
2,000 A Bonus Weekend Stay
Stay with us for the weekend and earn 2,000 bonus points. A Friday and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday night stay required. Terms
21,500 Your Achievement Bonus
Complete 5 of the 5 offers and earn (an additional) 21,500 bonus points.
The other offer is Ready. Set. Let’s go.
5,000
Stay More, Earn More
Get closer to the rewards you want when you stay 4 nights and earn 5,000 bonus points.
5,000
Book with IHG®
Book 2 stays directly through IHG and earn 5,000 bonus points. From our website, using the IHG mobile app or through our Central Reservations Office, book with us for the best rate.
5,000
Earn More, Faster
Earn 5,000 bonus points when you book 1 Bonus Points Package stay(s) and get to your next reward faster.
5,000
Saturday Stays Bonus
Stay 2 weekend(s), including a Saturday night and another night, and earn 5,000 bonus points.
10,000
Your Achievement Bonus
Complete 4 of 5 offers and earn (an additional) 10,000 bonus points.
I like the second one better. Can I take advantage of both offers at the same time? I stay for a weekend would I receive 2000 points from Accelerate and another 5000 points from Ready. Set. Let’s go?