Apr 14, 2015, 7:18 pm
Last edit by: beltway
What points count towards status?
"Base points earned from Qualifying Rates paid for hotel stays, points collected from partner transactions, IHG® Rewards Club Bonus Points Packages and Meeting Rewards are considered Elite Qualifying Points and counted towards membership elite status."
What activity resets the one-year point expiration clock (i.e., prevents points from expiring)?
"Base points earned from Qualifying Rates paid for hotel stays, points collected from partner transactions, IHG® Rewards Club Bonus Points Packages and Meeting Rewards are considered Elite Qualifying Points and counted towards membership elite status."
- The bonus points received for the credit card sign-up are nonqualifying towards status.
- Points from credit card spend are qualifying points and will count toward a member's status qualification.
- Bonus Point Packages are qualifying points and will count toward a member's status qualification.
- Bonus points received through promos, including credit card offers, are nonqualifying points for status.
What activity resets the one-year point expiration clock (i.e., prevents points from expiring)?
- Maintaining elite status (including via the credit card, if your card offers that benefit)
- Any earning activity that increases your balance (including nonqualifying or bonus points), such as transfering points from programmes like e-rewards
- Any redemption activity that decreases your balance (including an award booking that is subsequently canceled)
- Being a dining rewards member
Change to IHG Rewards Club 2015
Apr 13, 2015, 5:11 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 727
Change to IHG Rewards Club 2015
IHG Rewards Club will evolve over 2015 and 2016 initially in the following ways:
• Introducing a new top membership level in July 2015. This new membership level can be reached by earning 75,000 qualifying points or staying at IHG hotels for 75 qualifying nights, over the course of a year.
• An industry first: IHG Rewards Club will offer its most loyal members in this new membership level 100% extra bonus points on qualifying stays. Members of this newest level will also be able to choose between receiving 25,000 points or upgrading a friend or family member to Platinum.
• The qualification requirements for all membership levels have been restructured to make it easier for members to be rewarded for their loyalty. Club members will need to earn just 10,000 qualifying points or stay for 10 qualifying nights to be eligible for Gold membership. Gold members will need to earn 40,000 qualifying points or stay for 40 qualifying nights to reach Platinum membership.
• IHG is enhancing its ability to learn about members and then utilise this information through a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. This system will enable hotels to respond to members’ preferences at every stage of the guest journey and offer services and experiences that are personally relevant to them. From recognising stay preferences such as room location or pillow type and tailoring their booking options, to relevant post stay offers.
• To enable IHG to reward our guests who stay with us most often, starting from May 2016, IHG will expire all points for IHG Rewards Club Members if they have not earned or redeemed any points at all in the previous 12 months. IHG Rewards Club members will continue to maintain their point balances simply by completing a qualifying stay at one of IHG’s 4,800 hotels or redeeming some of their existing points during a membership year.
• Introducing a new top membership level in July 2015. This new membership level can be reached by earning 75,000 qualifying points or staying at IHG hotels for 75 qualifying nights, over the course of a year.
• An industry first: IHG Rewards Club will offer its most loyal members in this new membership level 100% extra bonus points on qualifying stays. Members of this newest level will also be able to choose between receiving 25,000 points or upgrading a friend or family member to Platinum.
• The qualification requirements for all membership levels have been restructured to make it easier for members to be rewarded for their loyalty. Club members will need to earn just 10,000 qualifying points or stay for 10 qualifying nights to be eligible for Gold membership. Gold members will need to earn 40,000 qualifying points or stay for 40 qualifying nights to reach Platinum membership.
• IHG is enhancing its ability to learn about members and then utilise this information through a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. This system will enable hotels to respond to members’ preferences at every stage of the guest journey and offer services and experiences that are personally relevant to them. From recognising stay preferences such as room location or pillow type and tailoring their booking options, to relevant post stay offers.
• To enable IHG to reward our guests who stay with us most often, starting from May 2016, IHG will expire all points for IHG Rewards Club Members if they have not earned or redeemed any points at all in the previous 12 months. IHG Rewards Club members will continue to maintain their point balances simply by completing a qualifying stay at one of IHG’s 4,800 hotels or redeeming some of their existing points during a membership year.
Apr 13, 2015, 5:20 pm
#2
Company Representative, Intercontinental Hotels
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Programs: IHG Rewards Club
Posts: 69
Yes -- you beat me to the punch. 
Today we're announcing some changes for IHG Rewards Club, and I wanted to share them with you here.
For general information about the changes, please visit this page.
For additional questions that may arise, we've developed an FAQ page.
However, please don't hesitate to ask me specifically if you still need clarification about some of the details. If I don't have the information on hand, I will track it down for you. (As always, though, if you have an issue that needs to be resolved quickly, such as with your account or a reservation, the quickest option is to contact IHG Customer Care or the IHG Rewards Club Service Center.)
Today we're announcing some changes for IHG Rewards Club, and I wanted to share them with you here.
For general information about the changes, please visit this page.
For additional questions that may arise, we've developed an FAQ page.
However, please don't hesitate to ask me specifically if you still need clarification about some of the details. If I don't have the information on hand, I will track it down for you. (As always, though, if you have an issue that needs to be resolved quickly, such as with your account or a reservation, the quickest option is to contact IHG Customer Care or the IHG Rewards Club Service Center.)
Apr 13, 2015, 5:33 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: California
Programs: AA UA
Posts: 151
Thanks for the heads up!
I also copied a paragraph from IHG fag pertaining this new rule below:
Am I to assume any charge on the IHG card that earns IHG point will extend the expiration date for another 12 months?
...
• To enable IHG to reward our guests who stay with us most often, starting from May 2016, IHG will expire all points for IHG Rewards Club Members if they have not earned or redeemed any points at all in the previous 12 months. IHG Rewards Club members will continue to maintain their point balances simply by completing a qualifying stay at one of IHG’s 4,800 hotels or redeeming some of their existing points during a membership year.
• To enable IHG to reward our guests who stay with us most often, starting from May 2016, IHG will expire all points for IHG Rewards Club Members if they have not earned or redeemed any points at all in the previous 12 months. IHG Rewards Club members will continue to maintain their point balances simply by completing a qualifying stay at one of IHG’s 4,800 hotels or redeeming some of their existing points during a membership year.
It's very simple to extend your point balance period - any activity that earns additional points or uses your existing points will extend your 12 month window. Examples of qualifying earn activities include: a qualifying stay at any IHG hotel or resort, purchases on your IHG credit card, earning points via a promotional offer, or earning points with any IHG® Rewards Club partner. Examples of qualifying redemption activities include booking a Reward Night stay, donating points to charity, redeeming points for travel via our Flights Anywhere or Cars Anywhere products, or making a purchase from the IHG online redemption catalogue.
Apr 13, 2015, 5:43 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,517
The last FAQ, unrelated to the changes discussed so far:
Are the point requirements for Reward Nights changing?
Our point requirements are changing slightly for 2015, effective 1 May 2015. We'll be raising less than 300 hotels by 5,000 or 10,000 points and we're lowering about 150 hotels by 5,000 points. The overall point requirement of 10,000 to 50,000 points for all Reward Nights is not changing.
Our point requirements are changing slightly for 2015, effective 1 May 2015. We'll be raising less than 300 hotels by 5,000 or 10,000 points and we're lowering about 150 hotels by 5,000 points. The overall point requirement of 10,000 to 50,000 points for all Reward Nights is not changing.
Apr 13, 2015, 5:53 pm
#6
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
Yessssssssssss!!!!! Finally a top tier that isn't attainable by simply having a credit card!
REAL rewards for REAL loyal guests. Finally. The 100% bonus is nice, and hopefully some details of other perks will be released in the coming months. Loyalty to non-IC IHG brands night actually start having real benefits!
And if this is a late April Fools joke, it's cruel and I hate you.
REAL rewards for REAL loyal guests. Finally. The 100% bonus is nice, and hopefully some details of other perks will be released in the coming months. Loyalty to non-IC IHG brands night actually start having real benefits!
And if this is a late April Fools joke, it's cruel and I hate you.
Apr 13, 2015, 5:55 pm
#7
Company Representative, Intercontinental Hotels
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Programs: IHG Rewards Club
Posts: 69
Simple answer is yes. It will "restart the clock" whether you earn or redeem.
Apr 13, 2015, 5:59 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 31
Now the next question (unanswered on the FAQ page) is whether the Chase MasterCard will continue to automatically grant Platinum status, or if it will grant "New Membership Level" status.
ps It's quite sad they're announcing this program while calling it "New Membership Level". Sigh. Is the name held up in legal?
ps It's quite sad they're announcing this program while calling it "New Membership Level". Sigh. Is the name held up in legal?
Apr 13, 2015, 6:06 pm
#10
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
The whole secret name thing? That's part of the hype, and dare I say, mystique (yes, I have no life). Any guesses? My guess would be something along the lines of Diamond.
Apr 13, 2015, 6:13 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: HA, DL, UA, PC Gold, A/club Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Pl
Posts: 1,461
dislike the new pts expiration policy(what will be the easiest pts accural other then credit card or dining rewards network?)
dislike that 300 hotels will be increasing by 10k(or k5) and only 150 will be decreasing by 5k
neutral with the "top tier status" and its benefits
Why do i have a feeling that points breaks is gonna disappear with these "enhancements"?
dislike that 300 hotels will be increasing by 10k(or k5) and only 150 will be decreasing by 5k
neutral with the "top tier status" and its benefits
Why do i have a feeling that points breaks is gonna disappear with these "enhancements"?
Apr 13, 2015, 6:22 pm
#12
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
Given that they'll start giving 100% bonus for stays, I'm OK with the increases. I hardly ever use points at places other than ICs and they said they're not raising the ceiling from 50k. That's extremely important IMO. Imagine if they increased IC Bora Bora and the like to 75k points or something? That was my biggest fear all along.
Apr 13, 2015, 6:38 pm
#13
Formerly known as fsa_ea
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Up in the Air
Programs: UA GS/1MM,AS 75k,NK GLD,AA 2MM,DL 2MM,LH FT,AY PLT,IC RA,FMT LT PLT,HYT GLB,HLT DIA,MRT GLD,HRTZ PC
Posts: 2,229
Apr 13, 2015, 6:42 pm
#14
Company Representative, Intercontinental Hotels
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Programs: IHG Rewards Club
Posts: 69
dislike the new pts expiration policy(what will be the easiest pts accural other then credit card or dining rewards network?)
dislike that 300 hotels will be increasing by 10k(or k5) and only 150 will be decreasing by 5k
neutral with the "top tier status" and its benefits
Why do i have a feeling that points breaks is gonna disappear with these "enhancements"?
dislike that 300 hotels will be increasing by 10k(or k5) and only 150 will be decreasing by 5k
neutral with the "top tier status" and its benefits
Why do i have a feeling that points breaks is gonna disappear with these "enhancements"?
Apr 13, 2015, 6:43 pm
#15
Company Representative, Intercontinental Hotels
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Programs: IHG Rewards Club
Posts: 69