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)
Oct 5, 2017, 6:28 am
#256
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: HAG
Programs: Der 5* FTL
Posts: 8,065
It would make sense not to check for employment - there's multitude of valid reasons for a corporation to book a corporate rate night for non-employee; whether a candidate, vendor, employee of a parent company or a daughter company...
There might be however corporate rates which are only valid for employees. One would probably have to check the specific rate conditions, if at all available.
If anyone is keeping track of what offers are being made, IHG has made it pretty easy for me. I've got the basic stay once for 1000 points, 5 nights for 5000 points, stay at 2 Holiday Inns for 5600 points and 2 stays via App for 3200.
3 out of 4 of these would make me get 25.200, so a mattress run it is. I've got some travel planned, so I just switch from a hotel to a Holiday Inn when looking for lodging and 35K points for some $50 extra spend... sounds good.
They've also given me a 4K offer for staying 2 nights in New York, and, annoyingly, one September stay for 2K even though I only registered in October. [note: just noticed. I have just registered now, but the goals were generated in advance apparently. I've found an email from August listing them.]
As per my history, I've only stayed once in the last year, on a reward night in May. Wierdly, it counts as qualifying, with $25.90 which I don't remember paying for anything. Helped me with some 2 Accelerate goals back then. I haven't stayed in a bit before then, so I just got the basic stay 3 nights increments.
There might be however corporate rates which are only valid for employees. One would probably have to check the specific rate conditions, if at all available.
If anyone is keeping track of what offers are being made, IHG has made it pretty easy for me. I've got the basic stay once for 1000 points, 5 nights for 5000 points, stay at 2 Holiday Inns for 5600 points and 2 stays via App for 3200.
3 out of 4 of these would make me get 25.200, so a mattress run it is. I've got some travel planned, so I just switch from a hotel to a Holiday Inn when looking for lodging and 35K points for some $50 extra spend... sounds good.
They've also given me a 4K offer for staying 2 nights in New York, and, annoyingly, one September stay for 2K even though I only registered in October. [note: just noticed. I have just registered now, but the goals were generated in advance apparently. I've found an email from August listing them.]
As per my history, I've only stayed once in the last year, on a reward night in May. Wierdly, it counts as qualifying, with $25.90 which I don't remember paying for anything. Helped me with some 2 Accelerate goals back then. I haven't stayed in a bit before then, so I just got the basic stay 3 nights increments.
Oct 5, 2017, 11:16 am
#257
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: NJ (EWR) - USA
Programs: UA Silver - IHG Spire AMB - Hilton Gold - Choice Hotels Platinum - Hertz Gold FiveStar
Posts: 396
Both my stays from last week 9/27 & 9/28 just posted to Accelerate Tasks today, so 7-8 days.
Oct 5, 2017, 12:07 pm
#258
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: North West UK
Programs: IHG Plat Visa IHG Plat Mastercard
Posts: 87
In similar vein, I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express on Thursday 28 Sept and a different HIEx on Sunday 1 October. The first stay has posted on Accelerate today, Thursday 5 Oct, but the second has not. It seems to take about a week?
Oct 5, 2017, 1:50 pm
#259
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: South West England
Programs: BA exec club, Flying Blue, VFC, IHG Rewards, EasyJet Plus
Posts: 233
My stay from 24/9 has reached the dashboard today.
Oct 5, 2017, 7:10 pm
#260
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: AA Gold, 1MM; Hyatt Explorist; MR Gold; HH Diamond
Posts: 535
Earn 99,500 total bonus points.
2000 - Stay Once
10000 -Stay More, Earn More (5 nights)
33000 - Discover Our Brands (4 brands)
12600 - Change Your View (2 Holiday Inns)
2400 - Stay for Less and Earn (1 stay points and cash)
1500 - Spend on your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card
26000 - Your Achievement Bonus (5/6 achievements)
3000 - Big Apple Bonus (2 nights in NYC)
3000 - Cardmember Exclusive: Stay 2 nights in October
3000 - September Bonus Offer
3000 - October Bonus Offer
2000 - Stay Once
10000 -Stay More, Earn More (5 nights)
33000 - Discover Our Brands (4 brands)
12600 - Change Your View (2 Holiday Inns)
2400 - Stay for Less and Earn (1 stay points and cash)
1500 - Spend on your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card
26000 - Your Achievement Bonus (5/6 achievements)
3000 - Big Apple Bonus (2 nights in NYC)
3000 - Cardmember Exclusive: Stay 2 nights in October
3000 - September Bonus Offer
3000 - October Bonus Offer
Oct 5, 2017, 7:15 pm
#261
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: Delta Gold, Alaska Gold 75K, LATAM Black
Posts: 3,393
Earn 99,500 total bonus points.
2000 - Stay Once
10000 -Stay More, Earn More (5 nights)
33000 - Discover Our Brands (4 brands)
12600 - Change Your View (2 Holiday Inns)
2400 - Stay for Less and Earn (1 stay points and cash)
1500 - Spend on your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card
26000 - Your Achievement Bonus (5/6 achievements)
3000 - Big Apple Bonus (2 nights in NYC)
3000 - Cardmember Exclusive: Stay 2 nights in October
3000 - September Bonus Offer
3000 - October Bonus Offer
2000 - Stay Once
10000 -Stay More, Earn More (5 nights)
33000 - Discover Our Brands (4 brands)
12600 - Change Your View (2 Holiday Inns)
2400 - Stay for Less and Earn (1 stay points and cash)
1500 - Spend on your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card
26000 - Your Achievement Bonus (5/6 achievements)
3000 - Big Apple Bonus (2 nights in NYC)
3000 - Cardmember Exclusive: Stay 2 nights in October
3000 - September Bonus Offer
3000 - October Bonus Offer
Oct 6, 2017, 6:37 am
#264
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Programs: American Executive Platinum
Posts: 368
Trying to figure this out:
1) Do challenges have to be completed sequentially? In other words, if I missed the "Stay once in September" challenge, am I then ineligible to do any of the challenges after that?
2) Challenge #2 is "Stay once" and Challenge #3 is "Stay 4 nights" - Are those separate, or do the nights for "Stay Once" count toward the "Stay 4 nights" challenge?
With that last one, I have a four night trip coming up in November, and I could always check out of one Holiday Inn after one night, then check into a second (same city, different property) for the last 3 nights to start toward the "Stay 4 nights" challenge. Of course, it would be vastly easier just to stay in the same room.
1) Do challenges have to be completed sequentially? In other words, if I missed the "Stay once in September" challenge, am I then ineligible to do any of the challenges after that?
2) Challenge #2 is "Stay once" and Challenge #3 is "Stay 4 nights" - Are those separate, or do the nights for "Stay Once" count toward the "Stay 4 nights" challenge?
With that last one, I have a four night trip coming up in November, and I could always check out of one Holiday Inn after one night, then check into a second (same city, different property) for the last 3 nights to start toward the "Stay 4 nights" challenge. Of course, it would be vastly easier just to stay in the same room.
Oct 6, 2017, 7:30 am
#265
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,321
Trying to figure this out:
1) Do challenges have to be completed sequentially? In other words, if I missed the "Stay once in September" challenge, am I then ineligible to do any of the challenges after that?
2) Challenge #2 is "Stay once" and Challenge #3 is "Stay 4 nights" - Are those separate, or do the nights for "Stay Once" count toward the "Stay 4 nights" challenge?
With that last one, I have a four night trip coming up in November, and I could always check out of one Holiday Inn after one night, then check into a second (same city, different property) for the last 3 nights to start toward the "Stay 4 nights" challenge. Of course, it would be vastly easier just to stay in the same room.
1) Do challenges have to be completed sequentially? In other words, if I missed the "Stay once in September" challenge, am I then ineligible to do any of the challenges after that?
2) Challenge #2 is "Stay once" and Challenge #3 is "Stay 4 nights" - Are those separate, or do the nights for "Stay Once" count toward the "Stay 4 nights" challenge?
With that last one, I have a four night trip coming up in November, and I could always check out of one Holiday Inn after one night, then check into a second (same city, different property) for the last 3 nights to start toward the "Stay 4 nights" challenge. Of course, it would be vastly easier just to stay in the same room.
1) No.
2) A single stay can count for multiple challenges. A 4 night stay would count for both the Stay once and Stay 4 Nights. If you checked out and did a 3 night booking and a 1 night booking, you might not get credit for the stay 4 nights. Dont do that.
Oct 6, 2017, 8:07 am
#266
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Programs: American Executive Platinum
Posts: 368
Oct 6, 2017, 12:19 pm
#267
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
Only just got around to posting mine:
2,000 : Stay once - already booked
22,000 : 11 nights - 7 booked
10,800 : 3 Holiday Inns - 2 booked, the rest are HIX
6,000 : Weekend stay - booked
6,000 : 1 x 4-night stay - booked
4,200 : 2 x Your Rate Bonus points packages - booked
1,000 : Redeem - done and credited
15,000 : 6 out of 7
A pretty easy 70k for me this time.
2,000 : Stay once - already booked
22,000 : 11 nights - 7 booked
10,800 : 3 Holiday Inns - 2 booked, the rest are HIX
6,000 : Weekend stay - booked
6,000 : 1 x 4-night stay - booked
4,200 : 2 x Your Rate Bonus points packages - booked
1,000 : Redeem - done and credited
15,000 : 6 out of 7
A pretty easy 70k for me this time.
Oct 6, 2017, 12:34 pm
#268
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 166
Accelerate Offer Totally Changed!!!!
I was initially offered the easiest tasks I've ever received. Basically just required making a points purchase and one stay in the UK. I proceeded to buy points and unfortunately make a non refundable stay at a British property. Rather unbelievably, IHG has now changed my Accelerate tasks dramatically, such that I would not bother participating this quarter. Any insight how this could happen? Doesn't seem legit to encourage spend with IHG to then turnaround and change the offer once they've received the $.
I was initially offered the easiest tasks I've ever received. Basically just required making a points purchase and one stay in the UK. I proceeded to buy points and unfortunately make a non refundable stay at a British property. Rather unbelievably, IHG has now changed my Accelerate tasks dramatically, such that I would not bother participating this quarter. Any insight how this could happen? Doesn't seem legit to encourage spend with IHG to then turnaround and change the offer once they've received the $.
Oct 6, 2017, 2:01 pm
#269
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,185
Just noticed this one that must have been added recently:
Book and pay for 2 nights between October 1 and October 31 with your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card and earn 3,000 bonus points.
Book and pay for 2 nights between October 1 and October 31 with your IHG® Rewards Club Credit Card and earn 3,000 bonus points.