RA new criteria now is under review
Aug 30, 2015, 10:57 pm
#31
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 202
my RA card says Aug 1, 2015, so I guess that makes it July 31
personally I am comfortable with the by invitation only qualification as I believe members who have been RAs for several years will see a bit more flexibility when it comes time to renew
personally I am comfortable with the by invitation only qualification as I believe members who have been RAs for several years will see a bit more flexibility when it comes time to renew
Aug 31, 2015, 11:40 am
#32
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Programs: UA 1K, DL Gold, IHG Diamond AMB, MR Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, National EE
Posts: 1,083
Just got notice of RA renewal. YTD 61 qualifying nights, 20 IC nights, 10 different IC locations.
To me it seems as if criteria hasn't changed, just public/hidden.
To me it seems as if criteria hasn't changed, just public/hidden.
Aug 31, 2015, 1:53 pm
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,773
Does your RA expire at the end of September? I haven't seen anything yet and am on about 90 paid nights with 31 IC.
Aug 31, 2015, 5:07 pm
#34
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Programs: UA 1K, DL Gold, IHG Diamond AMB, MR Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, National EE
Posts: 1,083
It actually ends at the end of November. I called a few days ago for them to do a manual count, was told I re-qualified, and asked for written confirmation. I did this as insurance just in case criteria changes within the next couple of months.
Aug 31, 2015, 7:42 pm
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,773
I have just called to ask why my autorenewal hasn't yet gone through and was told that it would happen as an automatic thing and that I had definitely hit the totals and the 60/20/3 rule was still in play right now.
I will give it a couple of days and then follow up.
Aug 31, 2015, 8:39 pm
#36
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Programs: UA 1K, DL Gold, IHG Diamond AMB, MR Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, National EE
Posts: 1,083
Good luck with your re-qual!
Aug 31, 2015, 10:15 pm
#37
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: YYC
Programs: IC - RA, AC - SE 1MM
Posts: 413
My RA was set to expire today, been and RA for ten years. Sent email, here was the reply: "Our records show that for the past 365 days, you have accumulated 73 qualifying nights, 21 of which were made at 6 different InterContinental Hotels. May we advise that Reward Night stays do not count towards the Royal Ambassador tier. In this regard, we are pleased to inform you that as of 31 August 2015, you have requalified for the Royal Ambassador status."
The reason for the lack of IC hotel nights was the cities I was traveling too just did not have them, like Vancouver BC etc. I also had about 50 reward nights.
The reason for the lack of IC hotel nights was the cities I was traveling too just did not have them, like Vancouver BC etc. I also had about 50 reward nights.
Aug 31, 2015, 10:36 pm
#38
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 202
hope they continue to add IC properties, maintaining RA has us all on the road at least 20% of the year and some of these HI, HIEX and CP stays can be brutal
rather than stay at the nice Hyatt in Tanzania, being forced to stay at a dreary HI ;-(
will limit my future reward stays and point usage to ICs in London + HK
rather than stay at the nice Hyatt in Tanzania, being forced to stay at a dreary HI ;-(
will limit my future reward stays and point usage to ICs in London + HK
Sep 1, 2015, 5:54 am
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: PARIS (France)
Programs: AF/KLM Club 2000 | InterContinental Diamond RA |AMEX Plat | Visa Infinite |Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 10,963
Very happy to see the magic line on my account (I think it is 10 years in a row now): ^^
31-Aug-2015 | Other | Royal Ambassador Renewal
(my RA status was supposed to expire on 1st October)
31-Aug-2015 | Other | Royal Ambassador Renewal
(my RA status was supposed to expire on 1st October)
Sep 1, 2015, 2:13 pm
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,773
Sep 2, 2015, 1:23 am
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: PARIS (France)
Programs: AF/KLM Club 2000 | InterContinental Diamond RA |AMEX Plat | Visa Infinite |Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 10,963
Still, remember that the current uncertainty is mainly fed by comments / rumors based on nothing tangible or official (the same for this very thread, posted by someone having written ...8 posts).
As we know that Royal Ambassador status is simply great (and no other competitor has any equivalent program), don't be surprised that - at the very moment IHG does not publish anymore the exact number of nights needed - anyone can say anything at anytime without the slightest official information.
So I am afraid that there will be a lot more comments based on nothing after this post...
Last edited by nicolas75; Sep 2, 2015 at 8:00 am
Sep 3, 2015, 2:01 pm
#42
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,690
Again I ask what civilised country allows unilateral change of consumer contracts in this way which potentially give rise to legal loss without a hefty dollop of consumer protection legislation to counter?
It doesn't matter what the T&C's say it matters what is allowed within the jurisdiction of the supplier entity (in this case the UK, so firmly caught by UTCC regs) and the jurisdiction of the customer/member, together with the T&C's.
The T&C's may be changed to allow any hotel GM to murder any guest they feel to be a pain (and I am quite sure that some would love that to be in the T&C's) but that doesn't practically confer that right does it?
In addition there is the commercial downside of behaving in an arbitrary way towards your most frequent guests.
It doesn't matter what the T&C's say it matters what is allowed within the jurisdiction of the supplier entity (in this case the UK, so firmly caught by UTCC regs) and the jurisdiction of the customer/member, together with the T&C's.
The T&C's may be changed to allow any hotel GM to murder any guest they feel to be a pain (and I am quite sure that some would love that to be in the T&C's) but that doesn't practically confer that right does it?
In addition there is the commercial downside of behaving in an arbitrary way towards your most frequent guests.
Sep 3, 2015, 2:06 pm
#43
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,690
Whatever is under review at the moment, I wish if they switch the criteria from "qualifying nights" to "based on spending" (i.e. 150k qualifying pts per ambassador calendar year).
I think it would be more fair for everyone geography! + it's win win situation for both, members and chain. though they can still have the IC's stays requirement.
I think it would be more fair for everyone geography! + it's win win situation for both, members and chain. though they can still have the IC's stays requirement.
Sep 3, 2015, 2:20 pm
#44
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,690
currently 40 HI nights @what USD100, and 20 IC nights @USD200 equates to 8K, plus additional ancillary spend.
my stay pattern has changed considerably over the past year, but i always get two suites, so spend is significant, but get the same number of nights as customers that take a single suite.
i think based on actual spend would be far more attractive to IHG, and customers, no matter what type.
and what about RA for life, after say 10 years.
Last edited by Tim O'Brien; Sep 3, 2015 at 2:41 pm
Sep 3, 2015, 2:26 pm
#45
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,690