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IHG brings back its generous ‘Accelerate’ promotion for the Summer

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UPDATE – APRIL 2024:  This article is now out of date, but don’t worry.  We produce a monthly summary of the top hotel bonus point offers – please click HERE or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ menu above.

Click here for our article on IHG’s ‘2000 Bonus Points’ promotion which runs from 1st April to 31st May 2024. You can register for the offer by clicking here.

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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.


IHG One Rewards update – April 2024:

Get bonus points: IHG One Rewards is offering 2,000 bonus points for every two cash nights you stay (not necessarily consecutive) between 1st April and 31st May 2024. You can read our full article here and you can register here.

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.

Comments (142)

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

  • Gavin says:

    For me it’s:

    Stay once – 3000 points
    Book bonus points – 2000 points
    Stay 7 nights – 10500 points
    Stay 2×2 weekends including a Saturday – 6400 points
    Complete 3/4 to get a bonus 28100 points

    And Stay in June -5000 points

    Looks like 1 stay in June for 10000 points is the banker. Doubt any of the others will happen but let’s see

  • Stephen C says:

    The break over May is really irritating. Staying at a Crowne Plaza tonight and tomorrow, nothing else on the radar. If it was June I’d be 10,000 points up and part way towards the bonus 🙁

  • Ed says:

    Can someone remind me what counts as a qualifying night. Do points and cash stays count?

    • Dan says:

      No. With IHG there are no points and cash stays from the hotel PoV, only reward stays. When you book a points and cash stay IHG rewards just sell you the points to use towards a normal all-points redemption.

    • whiskerxx says:

      The devil is in the detail with some of these offers.
      Points plus cash didn’t count towards “nights” or “stays” last time. It’s an offer that doesn’t combine with the others because it is deemed a non qualifying stay.
      Also anyone with the “eat, drink and earn” offer needs to understand that the offer is US $ spend and for spend BEFORE tax is added. So if you spend in UK you have to deduct VAT from your bill before you convert to $

      • Rob says:

        I will add that back in, I didnt know if that one was still around as we didn’t get it.

  • Adam says:

    Do stays booked through Orbitz count?

  • Dan says:

    Mine includes renewing my ambassador membership for 5k points 🙁

    I STILL haven’t received my pack from when I joined last July (despite chasing every few weeks) so I’m already owed 5k points and a weekend night voucher! So disappointed with ambassador 🙁

    • Sididdly says:

      Write and complain. I renewed last July and wrote to complain about none receipt of pack. They gave me 5000 points and extended my Spire Ambassador membership until end of 2017. I then waited another six months and really need my weekend cert. Still no sign of resolution but they gave me another 10000 points.

  • ben says:

    Mine seems too easy.

    5,000 for staying once.
    10,000 for staying 5 nights.
    1,000 for a stay using points and cash.
    34,000 for completing the above 3.
    5,000 for staying once in june.

    • JamesWag says:

      Very easy. Nice little earner there. Wish mine was as good as that.

  • ben says:

    Any ideas how cheapest to accomplish my accelrate above is appreciated!

  • barnaby100 says:

    3,000 Stay Once Get 3,000
    Thank you for being a loyal IHG® Rewards Club member. Stay once and earn 3,000 bonus points. Terms
    9,000 Stay More, Earn More
    Get closer to the rewards you want when you stay 6 night(s) and earn 9,000 bonus points. Terms
    3,200 Go Places with the IHG® App
    Earn 3,200 bonus points when you download, sign in and book 2 stay(s) with the IHG® App. The IHG® App allows you to get mobile-exclusive rates, access your virtual membership card and more. Terms
    8,000 Saturday Stays Bonus
    Stay 2 weekend(s), including a Saturday night and another night, and earn 8,000 bonus points. Terms
    2,000 Earn More, Faster
    Earn 2,000 bonus points when you book 1 Bonus Points Package stay(s) and get to your next reward faster. Terms
    2,100 Eat, Drink, and Earn
    Spend $190 on food or beverages at IHG hotels and earn 2,100 bonus points. Terms
    1,000 Points Purchase
    Earn 1,000 bonus points by purchasing IHG® Rewards Club points Terms

    21,700 Your Achievement Bonus
    Complete 6 of the 7 offers above and earn (an additional) 21,700 bonus points. Terms
    5,000

    June Bonus Offer Stay once in June and get 5,000 bonus points Terms

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