The NEW Priority Club, Ambassador and Royal Ambassador Master Thread
Oct 29, 2013, 1:22 pm
#556
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
What happens when you get upgraded like this after the beginning of your Ambassador year?
I was downgraded from RA to Plat with circa 45 nights total with 30+ IC nights and 2 brands (since I only really like to stay at IC's and the odd CP where I know they are decent. I broadly try to avoid HI's etc. like the plague). Nonetheless I spent over $25k on the stays I did have so feel rather aggrieved.
Due to Big Win I will be staying at a few HI's just for the sake of triggering the bonuses and getting the Big Win total. This is likely to push me North of 60 nights and >31 IC nights at more than 10 different IC's within the calendar year but my Ambassador year runs from October.
I really like IC's but Plat Ambassador benefits are pretty weak compared to SPG Plat and Hilton Diamond. It seems crazy to me that the only certain way to get a renewal is to spend $450 on a RA referral from ebay rather than spending North of $25k actually in IC properties.
I was downgraded from RA to Plat with circa 45 nights total with 30+ IC nights and 2 brands (since I only really like to stay at IC's and the odd CP where I know they are decent. I broadly try to avoid HI's etc. like the plague). Nonetheless I spent over $25k on the stays I did have so feel rather aggrieved.
Due to Big Win I will be staying at a few HI's just for the sake of triggering the bonuses and getting the Big Win total. This is likely to push me North of 60 nights and >31 IC nights at more than 10 different IC's within the calendar year but my Ambassador year runs from October.
I really like IC's but Plat Ambassador benefits are pretty weak compared to SPG Plat and Hilton Diamond. It seems crazy to me that the only certain way to get a renewal is to spend $450 on a RA referral from ebay rather than spending North of $25k actually in IC properties.
Even if you fail to requalify as RA, and get gratis soft letdown to Plain ambassador, IHG still monitors your stay counts over a rolling 365 days.
So If you had stays of 60+ days in last 12 months, although only reached 2 months into your downgraded Ambassador year (2 months after RA renewal was not qualified) IHG should auto promote you to RA until end of your new Ambassador year with no prompting needed by you.
Oct 29, 2013, 5:05 pm
#557
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
Even if you fail to requalify as RA, and get gratis soft letdown to Plain ambassador, IHG still monitors your stay counts over a rolling 365 days.
So If you had stays of 60+ days in last 12 months, although only reached 2 months into your downgraded Ambassador year (2 months after RA renewal was not qualified) IHG should auto promote you to RA until end of your new Ambassador year with no prompting needed by you.
So If you had stays of 60+ days in last 12 months, although only reached 2 months into your downgraded Ambassador year (2 months after RA renewal was not qualified) IHG should auto promote you to RA until end of your new Ambassador year with no prompting needed by you.
I will use a referral from a friend if I don't get upgraded in the next few days. I still find it very strange though that since Ambassador is effectively an IC scheme why lots of nights at crappy HI's and HIX's in the middle of nowhere should trump considerable spend at IC's.
Oct 30, 2013, 12:30 am
#558
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
But you get a diminishing period of RA I assume? If my year ends in September being upgraded to RA in February would suck, given that I would potentially only get 6 months or so of RA. If I didn't have RA my stays at IC's would also start to diminish since it becomes more appealing to stay at Starwoods or Hiltons than IC's without RA benefits.
I will use a referral from a friend if I don't get upgraded in the next few days. I still find it very strange though that since Ambassador is effectively an IC scheme why lots of nights at crappy HI's and HIX's in the middle of nowhere should trump considerable spend at IC's.
I will use a referral from a friend if I don't get upgraded in the next few days. I still find it very strange though that since Ambassador is effectively an IC scheme why lots of nights at crappy HI's and HIX's in the middle of nowhere should trump considerable spend at IC's.
Well if one was just a few night short of requal as RA and got the free Ambassador downgrade, but had very few (or zero) stays in the first 4-6 weeks of ones past RA year, the opportunity is always there to book a few cheap HIX nights, checkin+leave but not sleep there, instead of buying on ebay or swapping in coupon connection.
Oct 31, 2013, 11:35 pm
#559
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: ICHotels, Qantas FF, Enrich
Posts: 24
Hi,
Does anyone know when the RA Renewal will occur for 2014? My Ambassador status will expire on 31 Dec 2013, and, hopefully it still is, my Ambassador renewal will be included as a part of the RA renewal.
Cheers
Does anyone know when the RA Renewal will occur for 2014? My Ambassador status will expire on 31 Dec 2013, and, hopefully it still is, my Ambassador renewal will be included as a part of the RA renewal.
Cheers
Nov 1, 2013, 12:09 pm
#560
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Dallas, Tx, USA
Posts: 74
What happens when you get upgraded like this after the beginning of your Ambassador year?
I was downgraded from RA to Plat with circa 45 nights total with 30+ IC nights and 2 brands (since I only really like to stay at IC's and the odd CP where I know they are decent. I broadly try to avoid HI's etc. like the plague). Nonetheless I spent over $25k on the stays I did have so feel rather aggrieved.
Due to Big Win I will be staying at a few HI's just for the sake of triggering the bonuses and getting the Big Win total. This is likely to push me North of 60 nights and >31 IC nights at more than 10 different IC's within the calendar year but my Ambassador year runs from October.
I really like IC's but Plat Ambassador benefits are pretty weak compared to SPG Plat and Hilton Diamond. It seems crazy to me that the only certain way to get a renewal is to spend $450 on a RA referral from ebay rather than spending North of $25k actually in IC properties.
I was downgraded from RA to Plat with circa 45 nights total with 30+ IC nights and 2 brands (since I only really like to stay at IC's and the odd CP where I know they are decent. I broadly try to avoid HI's etc. like the plague). Nonetheless I spent over $25k on the stays I did have so feel rather aggrieved.
Due to Big Win I will be staying at a few HI's just for the sake of triggering the bonuses and getting the Big Win total. This is likely to push me North of 60 nights and >31 IC nights at more than 10 different IC's within the calendar year but my Ambassador year runs from October.
I really like IC's but Plat Ambassador benefits are pretty weak compared to SPG Plat and Hilton Diamond. It seems crazy to me that the only certain way to get a renewal is to spend $450 on a RA referral from ebay rather than spending North of $25k actually in IC properties.
Nov 9, 2013, 9:53 am
#561
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Bay Area
Programs: HH, PC, SPG, MR, GP, US, UA, AA
Posts: 3,466
I just received a RA referral cert, I'm currently plat. My question is that should I join the ambassador first, then mail in the cert, or just do it all in one step? If I choose option 1, what should I do about the payment section of the RA cert? Just ignore it since I'm already ambassador? Thanks.
Nov 9, 2013, 5:59 pm
#562
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,690
join ambassador first, get your BOGO and 5K code, then send in the RA after you receive your ambassador pack, and get your BOGO and 5 or 10k code with your RA pack
I just received a RA referral cert, I'm currently plat. My question is that should I join the ambassador first, then mail in the cert, or just do it all in one step? If I choose option 1, what should I do about the payment section of the RA cert? Just ignore it since I'm already ambassador? Thanks.
Nov 10, 2013, 9:39 am
#563
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Bay Area
Programs: HH, PC, SPG, MR, GP, US, UA, AA
Posts: 3,466
Nov 10, 2013, 9:47 am
#564
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,690
Nov 10, 2013, 10:09 am
#565
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Manchester, UK
Programs: IHG Spire Ambassador, HH Diamond
Posts: 948
Is it true that when they consider RA requalification that they take into account non paid stays?
ie. points nights, brgs, 241 nights etc?
I am showing 14 elite qualifying nights, but have had a lot of points stays etc
ie. points nights, brgs, 241 nights etc?
I am showing 14 elite qualifying nights, but have had a lot of points stays etc
Nov 10, 2013, 12:36 pm
#566
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
I know for definite, as in July/August, when I was checking if I'd requalified as RA after 11months, I was told by Ambassador Helpdesk, not quite as they see me as having enough IC stay nights in my total, but only 59 Total IHG nights and I needed 60.
On top of those 59 nights I had 20nights in IC's, CP's HI's as I burnt up lots of saved points summer 2012 due to report about account thefts points into emailed amazon vouchers.
So proven there is no RA credit for Award nights.
Nov 10, 2013, 12:47 pm
#567
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,690
before the recent change, the consensus i believe was theat award nights didn't count towards RA but that the counted for number of IC's, for example, if you had paid nights at two IC's and award night/s at a third, that it would satisfy the three IC minimum
Definitely no credit for Award nights whether IC's or the other IHG Brands towards RA requal (or promotion from Ambassador to RA).
I know for definite, as in July/August, when I was checking if I'd requalified as RA after 11months, I was told by Ambassador Helpdesk, not quite as they see me as having enough IC stay nights in my total, but only 59 Total IHG nights and I needed 60.
On top of those 59 nights I had 20nights in IC's, CP's HI's as I burnt up lots of saved points summer 2012 due to report about account thefts points into emailed amazon vouchers.
So proven there is no RA credit for Award nights.
I know for definite, as in July/August, when I was checking if I'd requalified as RA after 11months, I was told by Ambassador Helpdesk, not quite as they see me as having enough IC stay nights in my total, but only 59 Total IHG nights and I needed 60.
On top of those 59 nights I had 20nights in IC's, CP's HI's as I burnt up lots of saved points summer 2012 due to report about account thefts points into emailed amazon vouchers.
So proven there is no RA credit for Award nights.
Nov 15, 2013, 11:09 am
#568
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
How long should it take to process a RA referral certificate at the moment (assume sent next day UPS)?
Nov 15, 2013, 5:25 pm
#569
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Programs: BA Silver, EY Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 12,210
Nov 15, 2013, 10:35 pm
#570
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072