scubaccr

1. You needed to be enrolled as Ambassador Member before the first stay of your 79nights. supposedly only nights stayed whilst enrolled as an Ambassador count towards becoming an RA
2. Also only PAID qualifying rate nights count (award nights or heavily discounted or OTA nights don't count)
3. Are all 79nights in a rolling 365 period (spanning 365 nights over two ambassador over years is allowed, een par month - part month)
4. were any IC/IHG nights manually corrected from nonqual -> qual nights. for some reason the "RA nights counter" ignores manually adjusted nights
5. RA Nights Counter only counts nights stayed after they are posted to your IHG @Rewards account. As such it is important those last 75-79 nights posted before your 1st-4th nights dropped off for being over 365days old
6. if manually adjusted nights drop count < 75 then contact Amb Helpdesk, ask to be put through to supervisor and then ask supervisor for a "manual count".
7. Remember lengthy negotiated stays where you sign a contract with an hotel for longe stay at discounted rates, by default contract states nights are non qualifying.

THEN
Assuming Paid+qual nights target 79/30/3 is met, then historically RA status shows up on your IHG account 2-3 working days (m-f) after the 75th night posts.