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)
Aug 26, 2017, 2:58 pm
#136
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Motown
Programs: DL, WN, AA, IHG Diamond, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,408
Only if you get to be IHG Platinum with paid stays. I know it doesn't happen if you're IHG Platinum solely through IHG Chase credit card in the USA (I assume you're based in the USA given your user name). I also doubt it would happen if you got to Platinum almost solely through award stays (though you'd have to be burning a lot of points to be in that situation).
Aug 26, 2017, 3:03 pm
#137
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Motown
Programs: DL, WN, AA, IHG Diamond, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,408
Not at 250.00EUR for the night I am there. And for Q3, I won't make the 16 nights on one of the other offers anyway.
Aug 27, 2017, 12:16 am
#138
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
Aug 27, 2017, 2:13 am
#139
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 169
Hi, I have a silly question. I am planning a 3 nights trip at Intercontinental. I am planning to split this trip between me and my wife, with sole purpose to achieve more "stay" count.
I plan book night 1 in my name, night 2 in my wife's name and night 3 again in my name, same category room.
Do you think it would count as 2 "stays" for me to complete Q3 Accelerate offer? Do I need to book diff category rooms?
"Stay 2 times using our member exclusive discount, Your Rate, and earn 2,000 bonus points"
Also, it this offer stack able with other offers being run by IHG, i.e. 71,000 bonus offer and others.
I plan book night 1 in my name, night 2 in my wife's name and night 3 again in my name, same category room.
Do you think it would count as 2 "stays" for me to complete Q3 Accelerate offer? Do I need to book diff category rooms?
"Stay 2 times using our member exclusive discount, Your Rate, and earn 2,000 bonus points"
Also, it this offer stack able with other offers being run by IHG, i.e. 71,000 bonus offer and others.
Last edited by agarwaga; Aug 27, 2017 at 2:21 am
Aug 27, 2017, 8:08 am
#140
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1
Mine:
AccelerateEarn 102,800 total bonus points.Complete all of your Accelerate offers and earn 102,800 total bonus pointsStay Once, Get 2,000 bonus pointsThank you for being a loyal IHG® Rewards Club member. Stay once and earn 2,000 bonus points.
Stay More, Earn MoreGet closer to the rewards you want when you stay 37 night(s) and earn 74,000 bonus points.
Stay for Less and EarnEarn 2,400 bonus points when you book 1 stay(s) using Points & Cash. We’ll reward you with bonus points when you use a combination of Points & Cash, allowing you to stretch your Reward Nights even farther.
Stay a Little LongerEarn 4,000 bonus points when you book a single stay of 4 or more consecutive nights.
Big City BonusStay in 1 of 6 major cities: Boston, Chicago, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Orlando or San Francisco and earn 2,400 bonus points.
Apply for the IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit CardApply here for the IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card and earn 2,000 bonus points.
Earn When You RedeemYou earned your points, now use them! Redeem your points for anything, from a digital download to a Reward Night, and you’ll earn 1,000 bonus points.
Your Achievement BonusComplete 6 of the 7 offers and earn (an additional) 7,000 bonus points.
Big Apple BonusStay 2 or more nights at participating IHG® hotels in New York City and earn 3,000 bonus points.
September Bonus OfferStay once in September and get 5,000 bonus points.
Aug 27, 2017, 11:13 am
#141
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Gold Country, California
Programs: Hilton Gold, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,199
I really don't like my Accelerate offers so far this year. Apparently when you get to be IHG Platinum, they assume you travel internationally at least once a quarter. Both my 2nd Qtr and now 3rd Qtr offers include a stay outside of North America. I will actually be in Barcelona for a night in September, but on points, not a paid stay. 
I would not assume just being a credit card holder or platinum would trigger it.
Aug 27, 2017, 6:59 pm
#142
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: Delta Gold, Alaska Gold 75K, LATAM Black
Posts: 3,393
"Be the Readiest"
stay at any 2 Holiday Inn Express hotels
I think I remember from previous accelerate promotions that holiday inn express & SUITES do not count? Could somebody confirm? I just booked a night at an express & Suites partially due to this promotion. Thanks guys
stay at any 2 Holiday Inn Express hotels
I think I remember from previous accelerate promotions that holiday inn express & SUITES do not count? Could somebody confirm? I just booked a night at an express & Suites partially due to this promotion. Thanks guys
Aug 27, 2017, 7:43 pm
#143
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,548
"Big Apple BonusStay 2 or more nights at participating IHG® hotels in New York City and earn 3,000 bonus points"
What is your interpretation of this? 2 consecutive nights in one hotel or can it be 1 night each at 2 different NYC hotels?
What is your interpretation of this? 2 consecutive nights in one hotel or can it be 1 night each at 2 different NYC hotels?
Aug 27, 2017, 8:10 pm
#144
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,185
From your post, I'd interpret that as two one-night stays qualify.
As far as I know "and Suites" are still Holiday Inn Expresses.
As far as I know "and Suites" are still Holiday Inn Expresses.
Aug 27, 2017, 8:47 pm
#145
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 169
Hi, please someone help me understand this :
Night 1 : Booking in my name
Night 2 : Booking in Spouse name
Night 3 : Booking in my name
All three nights in same hotel. Will it be counted as 2 stays for me?
Thanks in advance.
Night 1 : Booking in my name
Night 2 : Booking in Spouse name
Night 3 : Booking in my name
All three nights in same hotel. Will it be counted as 2 stays for me?
Thanks in advance.
Hi, I have a silly question. I am planning a 3 nights trip at Intercontinental. I am planning to split this trip between me and my wife, with sole purpose to achieve more "stay" count.
I plan book night 1 in my name, night 2 in my wife's name and night 3 again in my name, same category room.
Do you think it would count as 2 "stays" for me to complete Q3 Accelerate offer? Do I need to book diff category rooms?
"Stay 2 times using our member exclusive discount, Your Rate, and earn 2,000 bonus points"
Also, it this offer stack able with other offers being run by IHG, i.e. 71,000 bonus offer and others.
I plan book night 1 in my name, night 2 in my wife's name and night 3 again in my name, same category room.
Do you think it would count as 2 "stays" for me to complete Q3 Accelerate offer? Do I need to book diff category rooms?
"Stay 2 times using our member exclusive discount, Your Rate, and earn 2,000 bonus points"
Also, it this offer stack able with other offers being run by IHG, i.e. 71,000 bonus offer and others.
Aug 27, 2017, 11:08 pm
#146
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,284
I think I have an easy offer this time. Please check my assumptions. [...] As I read it, if I stay one night in September and pay with my IHG Mastercard, then I get 2,000 + 1,500 + 3,000 bonus points plus the 5x on the card for the hotel cost plus the points for the one-night stay. Do I have that right?
Then if I stay four more nights (which would be four one-night stays, and which I would put on the IHG Mastercard, but I believe those are irrelevant details) by the end of December, I would get 10,000 + 26,500 bonus points plus whatever I get independent of Accelerate. Do I have that right?
If I have that all right, it does seem like an easy offer, perhaps because I haven't stayed at IHG much for the past year. It makes me wonder what the next offer would be if I skip this Accelerate promotion.
Aug 28, 2017, 3:05 am
#147
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,419
Aug 28, 2017, 8:38 am
#148
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Just booked a HIX stay from 8/31 to 9/1. I'm guessing the stay will count for this promotion, not the 2nd Quarter promotion?
Aug 28, 2017, 8:52 am
#149
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: flyover country
Posts: 2,434
Thanks for the confirmations about my understandings.
Since I can hit the 5 nights this quarter easily, I suppose I'll collect the points on this promotion. It might be different if my crystal ball told me of easier tasks in the future if I only stayed one night this time, but I can't see things getting much simpler than 36,500 points for 4 nights now.
If you max out this promo you'll have tougher goals in a future promo. Possibly not the next quarter but potentially the one after that. (I suspect IHG's goal-setting algorithms read data 6-12 months old.) Staying 5 nights this quarter might increase your target to 7-9 nights in the future. Staying 1 night this quarter probably won't increase future targets at all.
Aug 28, 2017, 2:20 pm
#150
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: UA*G(1K), PC Diamond Amb, Marriott Titanium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,667
