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IHG Rewards, the loyalty program for InterContinental, Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza (amongst others) has a couple of promotions going on that are probably worth reminding you about. The IHG Double Up Miles promotion is for those who have elected to earn airline miles instead of IHG Rewards points and the 15% off Points & Cash bookings is for Spire Elite and Platinum Elite members.
IHG Double Up Miles
IHG Rewards members can elect to earn miles in various airline programs when they stay at IHG properties rather than earning IHG Rewards. The list of participating airlines is long and can be found here.
You can generally earn 2 miles per dollar spent at most IHG properties (you’ll earn less at Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites). Here are a few examples:
- Delta – 2 SkyMiles/dollar
- British Airways – 2 Avios/dollar
- American Airlines – 2 AAdvantage Miles/dollar
- United – 2 miles/dollar
- Singapore Airlines – 2 KrisFlyer miles/dollar
- Emirates – 500 Skyward Miles per qualifying stay
- Etihad – 500 Etihad Guest miles per qualifying stay
As those opting to earn IHG Rewards points earn 10 points/dollar spent, the option to earn airline miles is probably only best for those who have little or no interest in accumulating IHG Rewards points.
If you happen to be one of those people then this could be a promotion for you (if you also happen to have an IHG stay coming up).
From now until 30 April IHG Rewards is offering double miles every time you stay at an IHG hotel, starting with your next stay.
The full terms and conditions are on the promotion page here…but there are the important ones:
- Must be an IHG® Rewards Club member with miles as the chosen earning preference
- Must register member number in advance to participate in “Double Up” miles campaign
- Maximum bonus award is 10,000 bonus miles or 1,250 AIR MILES® (on top of base miles earned)
Note: Not all Airlines appear to be taking part in this promotion as the list on the promotion page is a lot shorter than the list of airlines participating in IHG Rewards.
Participating Airline Loyalty Programs
Save 15% On Points & Cash Bookings
IHG Rewards’ Points & Cash program is probably best known, in the miles & points world, for enabling members to purchase IHG Rewards points on the cheap. But, when they system isn’t being used for that, it also offers IHG Rewards members the opportunity to book rooms with a combination of cash and points (as you’ve, hopefully, already gathered from the name!).
If you don’t have enough points to book one of the top InterContinental Hotels because they’ve just shot up in price to 60,000 points/night, IHG will allow you to use some cash to offset your shortfall in points:
In the case above, if you selected the 50,000 points + $70 option, you would effectively be buying IHG Rewards points for 0.7 cents each.
Under this promotion Platinum & Spire Elites can save a bit more:
Combining Points & Cash allows you to reach Reward Nights without the wait. As a Platinum Elite [or Spire Elite] member, you’ll save 15% on Points & Cash bookings* made between February 25 – March 26, 2016.
This offer is valid for all stays through April 30, 2016. So whether you are visiting relatives, conducting business or hitting the slopes, combining Points & Cash is the best way to ensure you are saving throughout the season.
If you’re logged in to your account and you choose to view Reward Night rates, as long as you’re a Platinum or Spire Elite you’ll see the discount applied:
Terms & Conditions:
• 15% discount is offered at time of booking and only pertains to the cash cost of bookings.
• Must be a Platinum Elite or Spire Elite member at the time of booking to be eligible for offer.
• *Bookings for The Venetian® and The Palazzo® hotels are excluded from discounts.
• This offer is subject to the general IHG® Rewards Club membership terms and conditions
Bottom Line
If you’re not an IHG Rewards fan but, for one reason or another, are about to find yourself staying at an IHG property then you may as well get some airline miles out of the stay…so make sure you register for the promotion.
If you’re short on IHG Rewards points and need a hotel stay then the Points & Cash option isn’t a bad one…and with 15% discount (if you have one of the top two levels of status) is a nice bonus.
