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IHG brings back its generous Accelerate hotel promotion for the summer

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IHG Rewards Club, the Holiday Inn, HI Express, Crowne Plaza, InterContinental etc loyalty scheme, has announced its Summer 2016 promotion – IHG Accelerate.  Yes, it is repeating the Autumn and Spring offer!

To be honest, IHG is the only major hotel chain offering a global promotion this Summer which offer genuine value.  Everyone has their own personal target but, for most of us, the challenge is pretty straightforward.

Here are the headline details:

IHG Accelerate (Version 3) covers stays from 1st June to 31st August

All hotels are participating

Your bonus is personalised – you need to log in here to discover yours 

This was my target for 55,000 points maximum, comprising:

  • 6,000 points on my next stay
  • 5,000 points for a stay in June
  • 10,000 points for staying five nights
  • 3,500 points for booking three stays via the IHG app
  • 6,400 points for booking 2 x 2-night weekend stays
  • 2,000 points for booking a Bonus Points Package
  • 1,000 points for purchasing IHG Rewards Club points
  • 21,100 points for completing five of the six targets above, excluding the June bonus

This isn’t bad.  Let’s ignore the ‘two weekend stays of two nights’ one as I doubt I will do that.

I will receive 48,600 bonus points – plus the base points – for completing five nights, as long as those nights involve at least three stays (booked on the app) and one is for a Bonus Points Package.  This is worth – assuming 0.4p per point of value – £200 of free future stays.

I could earn 13,000 bonus points from just one stay, as long as it is in June and is a Bonus Points Package.  I will do my best to hit that if nothing else.

My wife got an even easier one for 55,000 points:

  • 5,000 points on her next stay
  • 5,000 points for a stay in June
  • 10,000 points for staying five nights
  • 4,800 points for booking two stays via the IHG app
  • 3,000 points for booking a Bonus Points Package
  • 27,200 points for completing three of the four targets above excluding the June bonus

All she needs to do is book two one-night stays via the app as she can skip the ‘five nights’ one.  Job done, 45,000 points banked!  That is £180 of bonus points, plus base points, which should be possible fairly cheaply.

Note: if you have a target saying that you must spend $x on food and drink, be aware that this is EXCLUDING VAT.  Ensure you spend ‘x + 20%’ and then add on a bit more because IHG will probably use a duff exchange rate!

Conclusion

As long as your target is sensible, this is highly likely to be the most generous hotel promotion you are likely to see this Summer.

Log in to the Accelerate website here and see what your target is.

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IHG One Rewards news

IHG One Rewards update – April 2025:

Get bonus points: IHG is not currently running a global promotion.

New to IHG One Rewards?  Read our overview of IHG One Rewards here and our article on points expiry rules here. Our article on ‘What are IHG One Rewards points worth?’ is here.

Buy points: If you need additional IHG One Rewards points, you can buy them here.

Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from IHG and the other major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

Category

IHG One Rewards

Comments (141)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Roopin Mashru says:
    16 May16 May 05:56

    Just registered for the promotion. My targets are:

    1,000 points for first stay
    4,000 points if I complete four stays
    4,800 points for making two bookings on the app
    1,000 points for booking points plus cash
    39,200 achievement bonus
    5,000 for staying once in June

    In theory if I book four stays of one night each, 2 of which on my app, would I get the achievement bonus?

    Seems like I got lucky this time if that’s the case.

    • BillyBoy says:
      19 May19 May 15:33

      Anyone know how stackable the offers are ?

      Mine are:

      3,000 Stay Once Get 3,000
      7,500 Stay More, Earn More (5 nts)
      3,200 Travel with the IHG® App (Book 2 stays)
      8,000 Saturday Stays Bonus (Stay 2 weekend(s), including a Saturday night and another night)
      2,000 Earn More, Faster (book 1 Bonus Points Package stay(s))
      1,000 Points Purchase
      25,300 Your Achievement Bonus (Complete 5 of the 6 offers above)
      5,000 June Bonus Offer (Stay once in June)

      I already have a 2-night weekend booking, so if I book another 2-night weekend stay via the app, do I trigger:

      3,200 Travel with the IHG® App (Book 2 stays)
      +
      8,000 Saturday Stays Bonus (Stay 2 weekend(s), including a Saturday night and another night)
      +
      2,000 Earn More, Faster (book 1 Bonus Points Package stay(s))

  • Mark e says:
    16 May16 May 06:03

    can someone remind me please – I have a stay already booked in July, will this count towards this , or will I need to cancel and re-book ?

    • Rob says:
      16 May16 May 08:48

      Existing bookings are OK except for the ‘book via the app’ target. They refused to count a stay of mine as app booked last time for this reason (although I reckon the agent had misread the rules).

      • Mark e says:
        16 May16 May 22:49

        Thank you . I cant recall which of my existing bookings were app ones , so I have re-booked via the app to be totally safe .

  • Fenn says:
    16 May16 May 06:06

    Hi there, I have some bookings already made through the app which would be eligible stays. I’ve registered for the promotion. Do I need to cancel those bookings and make again now registered to take advantage or they automatically apply? Couldn’t see anything in T&Cs… many thanks

    • Rob says:
      16 May16 May 08:49

      See above. Last time, an app booked stay of mine made before the start date was refused for the app booking bonus.

      If you do rebook, wait until June.

  • Concerto says:
    16 May16 May 06:07

    Damn, just booked a stay in the Hilton sale to participate in the 3,500 Miles & More miles offer for 2 stays before end of August. That seems not too bad a deal to me.

  • flibbly says:
    16 May16 May 06:08

    Similar to yours Rob, but not quite the same…
    6000 – Stay once
    10000 – 5 nights
    2600 – Book nights via app
    6400 – 2 x 2 night weekends
    500 – $40 on F&B
    24500 – Complete 4 of the 5 above
    5000 – A night in June

    Will be a doddle to complete this (without the weekend stays) via work travel.

  • HiDeHi says:
    16 May16 May 06:22

    For many people, if done right, and if they actually need hotel stays over the summer, they can essentially end up getting their hotel stays for free. e.g. my partner needs 3 nights to get 80k points. I value 80k points at about £280, so as long as his three nights add up to less than £280, he has basically got the nights for free.

    • John says:
      16 May16 May 06:40

      It would be better to say he would have 6 nights at half price.

      Unless he would have booked the 3 nights without any bonus points.

      I work it out as I would be happy to pay £45 cash (actual cash – no credit card points etc) for a night. Although I pay lots more than £45 sometimes, and get lots of points, my stays over the past 6 years have worked out to this average figure per night – yes including Intercontinental stays -and I don’t even include the value of breakfast for being Hilton Gold/Diamond

  • Nathan says:
    16 May16 May 06:32

    Well this was disappointing:

    * 5000 June bonus
    * 1000 bonus points for any one stay
    * 30000 double points (double points on all subsequent stays to a maximum of 30000)

    It’s a pretty new IHG account, except for getting all the targets in the Spring promotion.

    • Todderz says:
      16 May16 May 07:17

      Same. The last one sucked too. At first glance I thought I’d be getting 30k points for the second stay, and then I woke up…

    • Stuart says:
      16 May16 May 08:24

      I have the same. I have one stay in June and that will be it

      • Kathy says:
        16 May16 May 21:43

        Me too. I guess because I haven’t had any stays at all since I triggered the 2 free nights.

    • Kim says:
      16 May16 May 09:05

      Yep same for both my husband and myself – really disappointed.

  • Neil says:
    16 May16 May 06:39

    Hmmmm 57,700 in total but for the 3rd consecutive Accelerate – not doable for me. Result hardly any business…

    6,000 Stay Once Get 6,000
    16,000 Stay More, Earn More – when you stay 8 night(s)
    5,400 Travel with the IHG® App
    6,400 Saturday Stays Bonus Stay 2 weekend(s), including a Saturday night
    4,000 Stay a Little Longer – book a single stay of four or more consecutive nights
    2,000 Earn More, Faster – when you book 1 Bonus Points Package
    900 Eat, Drink, and Earn – Spend $90 on food or beverages at IHG hotels
    12,000 Your Achievement Bonus – Complete 6 of the 7 offers above and earn (an additional)
    5,000 June Bonus Offer Stay once in June and get 5,000 bonus points Terms

    So single night in June booked via the App with a bonus point element worth it for 12,400 plus the room points but not the others…

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