IHG Set to Overhaul Loyalty Program

Editor's note: IHG's revamped rewards program is now live. Check out our coverage here.

Big changes are coming to the IHG loyalty program later this year. IHG Hotels & Resorts announced today that a new tier and bonus point earning structure is set to launch in March 2022.

Among the changes you can expect to see:

• Four tiers of elite status (up from three).

• A higher bonus points earning rate on its Silver, Gold and Platinum elite tiers.

• Renaming of the highest "Spire Elite" tier to "Diamond Elite."

Here are the new tiers under the upcoming IHG loyalty program:

Other than bonus points, IHG has not yet unveiled details on the benefits for the new and adjusted tiers. However, the bonus points earned will be higher under the new loyalty program. Here’s how the new earnings compare versus the old program:

The changes will almost certainly impact IHG’s credit cards, as automatic Platinum Elite status is currently a benefit on the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, which has a $99 annual fee. With IHG’s $0-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, you can earn Gold Elite status if you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases and make one additional purchase in a calendar year. A spokesperson for IHG said the company would announce news regarding credit card benefits “very soon.”

The news comes amid frequently changing qualification requirements, particularly as loyalty programs reduced elite status requirements during the pandemic. Here’s a look at how the new tiers of IHG elite status compare to the old versions:

Qualifying nights needed per calendar year to earn IHG elite status

Qualifying points needed per calendar year to earn IHG elite status

If you currently have IHG elite status, you’re in luck — especially if you have Gold Elite status, which could have been earned with just 10 qualifying nights per calendar year (or fewer in 2021 due to the pandemic). That’s far fewer than the new 20 qualifying nights you’ll need when the program changes.

All current elite statues were recently extended through February 2023. That also means Gold Elite and Platinum Elite members’ tier names will not change during 2022. If you currently have Spire Elite status, you’ll see your status name change to Diamond Elite when the new program launches in March. If you have qualify for an upgrade, you’ll move to the higher tier once the new tier structure goes live in March.