IHG Rewards Club adds an extra Accelerate promotion target

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

• Jim says:

  14 Jun14 June 12:30

  OT:
  Have Priority Pass from my Platinum Card so that will let me and my wife in to airport lounge tomorrow.

  Have discovered that my sister and brother in law will be at the airport at the same time.

  Can I use my as-yet-unused Lounge Passes from my Gold Card to let them in to join us in the lounge?

  If not – if I get a supplementary for my wife on my platinum and if it’s approved immediately, do you think I could get the priority pass for first platinum sup info from Amex over the phone before 4.30am tomorrow morning?

  Cheers

  • Alex M says:

    14 Jun14 June 12:58

    Just use Lounge Passes – from experience reception staff can’t care less about what card is used as long as cardholder is present. And don’t ask them whether you can do it, just tell them – These two people go on this card, I and my wife go on this card. simples.

    • VJ says:

      14 Jun14 June 15:57

      Can you use both free lounges passed on Gold Amex at same time not get charged extra.

• fivebobbill says:

  14 Jun14 June 13:44

  Hadn’t seen that Andrew, in other words booking an “Advanced Purchase Rate” in my case means practically nothing at all! That statement is no more than a cop out.
  Hilton should be supplying customers with the quoted LOCAL currency charge when the conversion/quote is given online, together with their USD “estimate”, at least then the local currency quote should match what’s on the final bill at checkout.
  Hilton didn’t/don’t, I have no idea what price Hilton were quoted in Belarusian Rubles, ergo nothing to insist the hotel shoud have adhered to. Consequently I am then left open to what the hotel considers a “reasonable” USD exchange rate.
  Being ripped off for $40 is one thing, but it’s not just the money, it’s the convoluted way it is done that just leaves a very bad taste in the mouth.
  At $10 a night mark up, I’m just glad I wasn’t there for a fortnight…

  • John says:

    14 Jun14 June 14:46

    No you are missing the point, the hotel quotes its rates in USD but you can’t pay in USD. I bet they wouldn’t accept $611 in US cash either (unlike the Maldives where the hotels operate completely in USD and don’t use MVR at all). The “local currency” is USD for this hotel but their billing system does a dodgy conversion when you pay. If you asked the hotel directly you could possibly get a rate quoted in BYN

    Hilton Budapest quotes in euros but they display their EUR/HUF rate at the front desk every day, it is not the interbank rate. Hilton Sofia quotes in euros but because the Bulgarian Lev was equal to the German Mark, there is a fixed rate and they can’t scam you (and in fact they also accept payment in Euro cash)

  • fivebobbill says:

    14 Jun14 June 17:06

    I get all that, but it still doesn’t explain why, in my case, if the hotel quoted £611, I was then charged closer to $660. This wasn’t a flexible rate, it was an advance purchase, if the hotel used a certain rate back in March to issue my quote, I would expect that price to be locked in if I am paying an Advance Purchase Rate.

  • John says:

    14 Jun14 June 19:46

    They quoted $611 but what they didn’t say is that the $611 will be converted to BYN at an exchange rate of their choosing at the time they charge you.

    Advance or not doesn’t make a difference, the same thing would have happened if it was a flexible rate, or if they charged you in advance of your arrival.

    It is effectively extortion as you have no control over the exchange rate they choose, at least the first time you stay there.

    Btw, just to make sure, did you pay on a CC with no forex fees or factor the forex fees into your calculation? And was your card charged in BYN or GBP? They might have DCCed you in addition to screwing with the USD/BYN rate.

    By all means contact the hotel and ask them to justify the exchange rate they used. The problem with Hilton is that if you do a chargeback with your credit card, the hotel will inform Hilton and Hilton will close your Honors account, unless Amex decides to refund you off its own back (effectively saying that the hotel can continue this dodgy practice).

  • fivebobbill says:

    14 Jun14 June 20:33

    Paid with my LLoyds Avios Amex John, so straight rates, charge still showing as pending though, so no finer details available on the transaction yet. However I still have the old Lloyds versions and have never paid any transaction or FX fees.
    Regardless, the numbers still don’t add up, the price of 337 BYN per night doesn’t come anywhere near the $152 I was quoted, even when converted to what is pending in £ on my statement.
    The USD/BYN rate on Weds/Thurs was 1 USD – 2.07 BYN, if that had been applied the room should have cost 315 BYN per night, not 337!
    Anyway, usually takes a few days to go from “pending” to “charged” on the Lloyds account, so should maybe know better tomorrow.
    Appreciate the input.

• Lee says:

  14 Jun14 June 13:47

  OT – related to IHG
  I am new to IHG, thinking of IHG credit card. For Free Night voucher, is there any restriction to use it? As read on an American blog that mentioned the biggest change with the new card is that the free night certificate can only be used at hotels that cost 40,000 points or less per night. Thanks, as trying to find some alternative to AMEX.

  • Optimus Prime says:

    14 Jun14 June 13:55

    Can be used on any IHG hotel as long as they have reward rooms available. Doesn’t matter if points per night is 40k or 70k.

    • Lee says:

      14 Jun14 June 14:01

      Thanks OP, I guess that just apply to US version voucher then.
      On IHG web, it states:
      *Anniversary Free Night is valid at IHG® Hotels with a current point redemption level of 40,000 points or less, and must be redeemed, and stay must be completed, within 12 months from date of issue. Below is a list of hotels whose redemption threshold is higher than 40,000 points.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        14 Jun14 June 14:09

        yep not relevant to the UK voucher. Used it at 70k properties both times so far

  • Lady London says:

    14 Jun14 June 23:27

    Same credit card or charge card always has different offerings and conditions according to each country of issue.

    For example, cost of Amex Plat is very different according to country. But most people only have a financial track record in one country. so it’s not practical to apply for a card in another country just because it’s cheaper. Also benefits are completely different across countries for same card.

    To give an example, Amex cards issued in Asia Pacific (such as Australia), the USA and Germany (as from 1st August for Germany), no longer give a priority pass card that can be used at some airports around the world, in a small list of restaurants at the airport. This was particularly helpful where lounge access with Priority Pass was difficult or impossible at particular airports. And whereas in the UK, the Priority Pass that is issued with Amex Plat will admit 2 people to an airport lounge, in other countries such as Germany it only admits 1 person.

    These things only apply to Priority Passes issued due to having an Amex Plat and not to Prioirty Pass purchased from PP themselves.

• xcalx says:

  14 Jun14 June 13:55

  IHG Used the free night voucher X 2 from the cheap Leeds Met stays at the Intercontinental San Juan, both went through without CC charge but the online invoices show $106 ( not even close to the room rate) and we both received 1060 points and stay credit. Nice little bonus re the accelerate target.

• Wongster says:

  14 Jun14 June 14:44

  Hi folks, I’m thinking of cancelling my Amex Plat. However I have an upcoming FHR reservation. Would I lose my FHR benefits if I cancel my Amex Plat before my trip? Just wondering if any of yous had gone through this before and know what would happen. Thanks!

  • Matthew says:

    14 Jun14 June 14:50

    IIRC your Plat card has to be used at check in/check out as they are not pre paid rates to receive the benefits….

    • Wongster says:

      14 Jun14 June 14:56

      Oh, will they check though, as last time at a particular hotel in Dublin, they didn’t ask to see my Plat card. I paid with a different Amex

      • Matthew says:

        14 Jun14 June 14:58

        To be fair I’ve only done it once and they asked for it but doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the rule. Take a chance maybe and just claim you forgot it?!

      • Darren says:

        14 Jun14 June 15:22

        I just handed it over rather than try another Amex, but I think it’s required.

  • Rob says:

    14 Jun14 June 15:52

    The hotel may insist you pay on an Amex but any Amex will do. FHR rules even say ‘any Amex’.

    • illuminatus says:

      14 Jun14 June 21:48

      +1, I always used BA Amex or Lloyds Amex upon ckeckin to a FHR booking

• Pid says:

  14 Jun14 June 16:07

  OT – Advice required on Marriott Travel Packages

  Prior to the changes last summer I made 3 separate reward bookings to cover a 7 day booking, I could not make one booking as the same room type was not available for one of the nights. I attempted to add my travel package but as they could not make it into one reservation they were unable to do so. The customer services rep spoke to the hotel and once availability opened up, which was post the changes in Aug, Customer Services were able to combine all bookings into one. Customer Services confirmed the vacation had been booked and they had attached the travel package.

  This week I received an email stating that I had insufficient points for the booking. Having spoken to Customer Services they now state that they are unable to add the travel package as the hotel is a higher category than the certificate I have. The points they are quoting are also at the new higher rates, which is significantly higher than the points required for my initial booking. I have logged a complaint but it will take 3 working days for them to come back to me and I fly a week on Sunday so time is running tight.

  Despite the travel package being added after the changes in Aug it was logged against a point booking that had been made before the changes and the Customer Service Agent confirmed by email it was booked. What are my chances of getting them to honor it?

  If I do decide to transfer MR points to pay for the booking if they do not let me use the travel package, should I not be paying the lower rate when I booked the room, rather than the higher rate quoted now?

  How long is the average transfer time from Amex to Marriott?

  Any advice is welcome!

  • Rooster says:

    14 Jun14 June 16:38

    Amex to Marriot is usually within 3 working days.

    Don’t expect them to be helpful at all or give any compensation/points.

    • Pid says:

      14 Jun14 June 16:47

      useful to know thanks. Trouble is if they take the full 3 working days to get back to me then I will have missed the transfer window. So have to make the decision as to whether to go early.

      I can only do that though if they honor the points per room from when I originally booked the room and not the higher rate they are quoting now.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        14 Jun14 June 19:51

        They should honour the rate when it was booked have you called the uk customer service?

        Also if your very is the wrong type you can get it converted. There is a guide on flyertalk with the exact language to use. Worked a great for me and very was upgraded and confirmed against a booking within 20 mins.

        • TGLoyalty says:

          14 Jun14 June 19:51

          *cert not very. Bloody iPhone.

      • Lady London says:

        14 Jun14 June 22:52

        I’d tell them I would revert to the original booking strucure if they were not going to be helpful and honour the rates at the time the original booking was made.

        But first I’d ask nicely. It may be that they don’t realise the intervening rate changes should not really be applied to your booking in the circumstances and a nicely stated request has a good chance of getting it sorted.

  • Pid says:

    14 Jun14 June 23:29

    Spoke to a different agent in the US this time and he spent a lot of time with one of the back room specialists looking into the history to see if they could resolve it. They said it looks like when the agent merged my 3 bookings into one it changed it to a higher rate, which should not have happened.

    They could not fix it but have raised it up to their senior specialist. Recommended that I call again on Mon to see if there is progress.

    Lady London – I agree if they do that then I can afford it on MR points, although I would then be stuck with a travel package which I may not have time to use!

    fingers crossed.

• Marc says:

  14 Jun14 June 16:14

  OT – advice greatly received.

  Is there any feasible way of using a 2-4-1 voucher to travel to Australia? (I know, I know…). Is it possible to, for example, fly to Tokyo for 2-3 days, then get another flight to Australia – all under the same 2-4-1 voucher umbrella?

  Has anybody else found any creative ways to get to Australia using the 2-4-1 voucher?

  As an aside, I assume it is ok to add my 12 month old son to the booking for me and my wife’s 2-4-1 voucher?

  Thanks!

  • marcw says:

    14 Jun14 June 16:29

    You can only use your 241 on BA metal. Either you try your luck on the Sydney service, or you redeem to SIN/HKG/TYO/KIX/KUL… or wherever you like. Then you only need to buy (or redeem) a ticket to Australia, but that’s not within your 241 allowance.

    Yes you can add your infant to the booking.

  • Rob says:

    14 Jun14 June 16:29

    Only option is via SIN as must be BA flights. Best chance of you are happy stopping in SIN for a while to match up availability on both legs.

  • Dave says:

    14 Jun14 June 18:07

    Hi Marc, We managed to get outbound LHR-HKG and inbound from SYD-LHR on 241. Filled in the gaps with partner redemptions on bookings via VS and BA. Hope that helps

• Benylin says:

  14 Jun14 June 19:23

  OT: Got my IHG premium card (black card) in September 2018. Hit the 10k spend months ago. When can I book the free night, now or at/after anniversary?

  • TGLoyalty says:

    14 Jun14 June 19:53

    In September 2019 unfortunately the certificate will show in your account same time as the points hit after your anniversary.

  • MarkH says:

    14 Jun14 June 19:54

    You will get the voucher at the end of Sept 2019 i.e. with first statement after anniversary

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