As the end of the year approaches, you may wonder how you will earn your desired level of elite status with IHG One Rewards this year. This guide will discuss strategies for earning IHG Elite status before the end of the year, including ways to earn more qualifying nights or qualifying points.

IHG Elite status overview

IHG revamped its loyalty program in 2022, adding more benefits and a new elite tier. Here are the current IHG One Rewards elite levels and the requirements for each:

  • Silver Elite: 10 qualifying nights
  • Gold Elite: 20 qualifying nights or 40,000 qualifying points
  • Platinum Elite: 40 qualifying nights or 60,000 qualifying points
  • Diamond Elite: 70 qualifying nights or 120,000 qualifying points

As you can see, you can earn most of the IHG Elite status tiers through Qualifying Nights or Qualifying Points. IHG uses the calendar year as its qualification period, so you have January 1 to December 31 of each year to earn enough nights or points for your desired elite level. Then, you will retain your position until the end of the following calendar year.

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Additionally, you can earn IHG Milestone Rewards based on your qualifying nights in each calendar year. Starting with just 20 qualifying nights per calendar year, you’ll earn Milestone Rewards for every 10 qualifying nights (up to 100 qualifying nights per calendar year).

Related: IHG Elite Status: What It Is and How to Earn It

Strategies for earning more qualifying nights

Unfortunately, there is no shortcut to earning qualifying nights with IHG One Rewards. You’ll earn one elite-qualifying night for every night of qualifying stays, including award stays.

InterContinental Phuket Resort in Thailand. Katie Genter/The Points Guy

This IHG Terms and Conditions Please note that if you no-show or cancel after the hotel cancellation time (even if you have paid for the room in full and it is non-refundable) you will not earn any qualifying nights for the stay. Therefore, you will need to stay at the hotel and stay at a qualifying paid rate or award stay to earn qualifying nights.

Additionally, if you book two rooms for the same calendar day, only one night will count as a qualifying night. As such, if you need more qualifying nights than you have remaining in the calendar year, you may not qualify for your desired status based on nights.

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Holiday Inn Johannesburg Airport in South Africa. Katie Genter/The Points Guy

If you need more qualifying nights, look at your plans for the rest of the year and see when you can stay at an IHG hotel. Even if an IHG hotel is more expensive than your other options, it’s worth it if it helps you earn a higher elite level or an additional milestone reward.

If you can’t get the qualifying nights you need on the trips you plan to take, consider a staycation or mattress run closer to home. Or plan a destination getaway with cheap IHG hotels or resorts.

RELATED: Earn elite nights on award stays with these hotel loyalty programs

Strategies to get more qualifying points

is based on IHG Terms and ConditionsOnly the following activities earn elite-qualifying points:

  • Paying qualifying rates for hotel stays
  • Spending on Hertz Car Rentals, OpenTable Reservations and Viator Experiences
  • Buying an IHG One Rewards Bonus Points package
  • Qualifying spend through IHG Business Rewards
  • Purchases on IHG One Rewards Credit Cards issued in the UK and Greater China
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Earning through IHG partner activities such as Hertz car rentals, OpenTable reservations and Viator experiences can help if you need to earn a small amount of extra qualifying points to reach your desired higher status. And if you’re eligible for an IHG card issued in the UK or Greater China, you can use it to earn more on your qualifying purchases.

But for most US-based IHG loyalists, the best way to earn more qualifying points is to add bonus points packages to upcoming paid stays. For example, here’s an offer I saw on a stay at the Holiday Inn Ocean City in Maryland:

IHG.COM

If you add 5,000 points for $32 per night, you’ll buy points for 0.64 cents each. This purchase rate is higher than TPG’s October 2024 valuation of IHG points (0.5 cents each) but lower than what I typically get when redeeming IHG points. Plus, the points you buy with your stay are elite-qualifying.

Related: How to earn IHG points through investments, credit cards and more

Another strategy to get IHG elite status fast

As you may have noticed, there aren’t many shortcuts to getting more qualifying nights or points. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t shortcuts to earning IHG elite status. Here are a few ways you can quickly earn IHG elite status.

Get an IHG credit card

Many The IHG Credit Card offers automatic Elite status as a cardholder benefit and allows you to spend towards higher Elite status levels:

  • IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card: Enjoy automatic Silver Elite status for as long as you remain an IHG Traveler Card Member, plus earn Gold Elite status by the end of each calendar year you make purchases totaling $20,000 or more with your card.
  • IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card And IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card: Enjoy automatic Platinum Elite status as long as you remain an IHG Premier Card Member, plus Diamond Elite status by the end of each calendar year you make purchases totaling $40,000 or more with your card.
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You can also enroll in complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status with the United Clubâ„  Infinity Card.

RELATED: Why you should get (and keep) the IHG One Rewards Premier Card.

Pay for an Intercontinental Ambassador membership

Another way to get Platinum Elite status faster is to purchase an Intercontinental Ambassador Membership. A 12-month Ambassador membership costs $225 or 45,000 points. But, membership offers Platinum Elite status in the IHG One Rewards program and the following benefits when staying at InterContinental properties:

  • Guaranteed one-class room upgrade
  • 4pm late checkout guaranteed
  • Complimentary weekend night
  • Up to $20 credit per stay at restaurants and bars
  • Complimentary mineral water
  • Complimentary internet
  • Dedicated check-in area
  • Single room rate for double occupancy
InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta in Georgia. Katie Genter/The Points Guy

If you want Platinum Elite status and don’t have a credit card that offers this status, maintaining an InterContinental Ambassador membership may be a good choice, even if you only occasionally stay at InterContinental properties.

Related: How Much Value Is IHG One Rewards Status When You Book Direct?

Use targeted offers

It’s also worth checking your email and the offers section in your IHG account to see if you have any targeted offers. Finally, some IHG members have reported receiving targeted Diamond Elite fast-track offers. Through this offer, target members after registering by the end of 2025 and after Oct. Diamond Elite status can be earned by staying 10 promotion-qualifying nights between December 1 and 31.

Related: What to do when a hotel doesn’t want to honor your elite benefits

The bottom line

You can earn IHG Elite-qualifying points by adding bonus points to subsequent paid IHG stays, but there is no shortcut to earning IHG Elite-qualifying nights.

However, earning IHG elite status is not difficult. You can enjoy Platinum Elite status as an Intercontinental Ambassador membership benefit, and many cards offer automatic Platinum Elite status as long as you’re a cardholder. Plus, you can earn top-tier Diamond Elite status by spending $40,000 or more by the end of next year. IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card in one calendar year.

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