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IHG announces major IHG Rewards program overhaul

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IHG dropped some big news today – a major IHG Rewards brand overhaul will be unveiled throughout 2022 and the first shoe just dropped. I got a chance to speak with some IHG execs and they assured that this isn’t just a renaming of the tiers and changing bonus points, but that larger program revisions were in store and were very excited about program enhancements that improve the program and make it more competitive. Here’s what we know so far…

New status tiers go into effect March 2022

Here’s a look at the new tier levels – the program has shifted from 4 to 5 tiers. There is a focus on the mid-tier, with Gold begin hit at 20 nights. To put this in perspective, Marriott Gold is 25 nights, Hilton Gold is usually 40 ( this year 28 nights – potentially better compared with IHG Platinum ), and Hyatt Explorist is 30 nights. Time will tell as to how the new IHG Gold will compare to these other mid-tiers, but its clear IHG is making a play this market.

  • Existing Club
    • Stays the Same
  • Existing Gold to be renamed Silver
    • 10 nights
    • Bonus points go from 10% to 20%
  • New Gold ——–>
    • 20 nights
    • 40k Points qualification
    • 40% bonus points
  • Existing Platinum
    • 40 nights stay same
    • but point qualification goes from 40k to 60k
    • point bonus will upped to 60%
  • Existing Spire renamed Diamond
    •  75 nights drop to 70 nights
    • Points move from 75k to 120k
    • 100% bonus stays in tact

a chart of different colors

Looking at the existing program benefits compared to the new tier structure

The new tier structure will go into effect sometime in March, but we haven’t heard what benefits will change.

 

What I’d love to see IHG implement

Currently, there is a lot of improvement that IHG can make. There is an incredibly inconsistent application of award recognition and benefits across brands. I’ve traveled as both Platinum and Spire and there  is little to no incentive to have anything other than IHG Platinum status which can be attained via the IHG Rewards Premier credit card. Obviously that needs to change.

While I love Intercontinental Ambassador…I think a parallel program creates more confusion than anything else – if this new program streamlined benefits across brands, all under one umbrella, it would serve the custom better in the long term. Selfishly, I hope Ambassador stays since I milk that bad boy for all its worth.

Here is a list of what I’d love to see happen – some are quite obvious like suites, lounge access, breakfast, etc. Others are benefits that are provided by other brands that if implemented within IHG could really do a lot to steal customers away from Marriott and Hilton.

  • Food and Beverage Benefit
    • Competitors give a breakfast benefit to upper tiers – Personally I don’t think it needs to be specifically breakfast, but a F/B benefit would be a big improvement for Platinum and Diamond. At the very least Diamond needs it to be competitive with top tier offerings of Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt
  • Guaranteed Club Lounge Access
    • Perhaps this is given to Platinum, but at the very least Diamonds need across the board club access including Intercontinental hotels.
  • Suite Upgrades
    • Hyatt offers Confirmed Suite Upgrades at the time of booking to their Globalists – IHG would differentiate itself from Marriott and Hilton if they gave this to Diamonds at time of booking
    • At the very least, it’d be nice to see them compete with Marriott and notify suite upgrades within a window of check-in
  • 4th night free for Platinum and Diamonds
    • This is a perk of the IHG Rewards Premier. If I can pay an annual fee to get a 4th night free, why not rewards everyone who has spent time and money earning the status the hard way?
  • Free night for organic Platinums, up to 40k
    • If I can get a free night every year with the IHG Rewards Premier, people staying 40 nights should get a similar benefit.
  • Free night at any property in the IHG umbrella upon reaching Diamond
    • Perhaps there would be exceptions, like properties that don’t accept points or haven’t been folded in yet, but reward top tier status with a free night anywhere in the world. If this was teamed up with a 4th night free, pool pooling, and unlimited point purchases.
  • Guaranteed late check out for elites
    • Gold/Platinum let’s say 1 or 2pm
    • Diamond – 4pm
  • Point upgrades to club level/suites
    • This is something that Hyatt provides that I think could add a lot of value for that mid-tier traveler that may want an enhanced experience that their elite status doesn’t provide in the way of club level access or suite upgrades
    • Book with cash and at the time of booking guarantee these upgrades
  • No point purchase limit
    • Currently, IHG limits the amount of points you can purchase at 150k per annum
      • eliminate the cap for elite members, or stagger it allowing higher caps for higher status
  • Point Pooling for elites
    • Allow point pooling between accounts
      • Currently IHG charges $5 per 1000 points to pool – comparatively, Hilton allows pooling up to 2 million points per year.
  • Incentivize Credit Card spend
    • Make credit card purchases count towards elite status point qualification
  • Select connecting room at time of booking
    • This is a feature that Hilton rolled out and its really nice for groups and families
  • Waived or reduced pet fees for elites
    • One of the big draws for Kimpton hotels is no pet fees. We have a dog, and if there was some consideration for reduced pet fees as you climb the elite status ladder, it’d go a long way with guests
  • Waived Resort fees for Diamonds
    • Hyatt offers this to Globalists and if IHG implemented this…it would separate them from Hilton and Marriott
  • Give Ambassador to Diamonds
    • assuming Ambassador stays in some iteration, provide the status to those hitting 70 nights.
    • Maybe this could be something given to 80 nights, etc
  • Elite night pooling
    • Ok…this is a long shot, but Covid has changed a lot of the way we travel. If you’re in a two person household where travel is a part of the job, but has been greatly reduced, the ability to pool elite nights in a household to push one person over the threshold could be an innovative way to lure two travelers to the brand.

 

 

 

 

 

Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

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5 Comments

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  • Julie January 19, 2022

    I would love to see the rewards ALL applicable to ALL countries. Currently you can only see the rewards that are applicable in your own country (by your address) – GUESS WHAT – I don’t always travel in my own country and would like to see other rewards without having to go through the hassle of changing my address. AND having things like gift cards sent to my HOME, not an address in the country I am visiting and NOT having to GUESS when they will arrive.

  • Adam January 19, 2022

    Would love to see a better integration with Kimpton and Six Senses properties as well but that is probably asking waaay too much…

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