(DEAD) CRAZY IHG OFFER: free Diamond status until 31st December, shows instantly

UPDATE – DECEMBER 2023:  This article is now out of date, but don’t worry.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.  Thank you.

IHG One Rewards is offering a 100% bonus (some members may be offered less) when you buy points by 30th December. Click here to buy.

Marriott Bonvoy is offering a 30% bonus when you buy points by 20th December. Click here to buy.

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Well, this is potentially one of the craziest hotel loyalty offers that we have ever seen.

We are used to seeing ‘status challenges’ – where a hotel group will temporarily match your status in another programme for a short period – but this usually requires you to already be top tier elsewhere. This is also usually only offered to status levels with no real tangible benefits.

This is different.

EDIT: This deal is no longer working, unsurprisingly! Let’s see if IHG allows those who signed up to keep their status for the 10 remaining weeks of 2022.

IHG One Rewards is offering an INSTANT upgrade to its top-tier, Diamond Elite.

Click this link, type in your membership number and you’ll be upgraded. That’s all you need to do. You’ll receive this by email:

Here’s my wife’s account before:

and five minutes later:

The upgrade lasts until 31st December 2022.

Diamond Elite benefits include eligibility for suite upgrades and free breakfast. Free breakfast applies at all brands, and includes reward stays. Diamond Elite does not include lounge access, where available.

You will retain your Diamond Elite status for 2023 if you complete 10 cash nights between now and the end of the year.

The only caveat I have is that I don’t know where this offer originated. A few non-UK frequent flyer sites have posted it. There is no ‘puff’ page apart from this registration link. It could be aimed at specific groups or employees of certain companies. The comments suggest that this is somehow linked to Amazon although no-one has found a link to confirm this.

However, whilst there is a caveat emptor to this, in reality the worst that could happen is that IHG downgrades you back to your original status level. Be wary of making pre-paid IHG bookings purely because you will receive Diamond benefits. My gut feeling is that IHG may ride it out, given that the status only lasts for 10 weeks.

I should, however, highlight the official notice on the registration page:

Many offers are only available to IHG One Rewards Club members who receive a specific, targeted communication from IHG. Successful registration does not guarantee that you will receive the points or miles offered when the offer requirements are met if you are not eligible per the offer terms and conditions. Six Continents Hotels, Inc.(SCH) and its subsidiaries and affiliates which are InterContinental Hotels Group companies (collectively IHG) reserve the right to cancel any IHG One Rewards Club membership and revoke any and all unredeemed IHG One Rewards Club points for fraud or abuse of any portion of the program per the IHG One Rewards Club membership terms and conditions.

You can upgrade your account here. You can learn more about IHG One Rewards in our overview article here.

Click here for a complete guide to getting hotel elite status from UK credit cards.

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IHG One Rewards update – December 2023:

Get bonus points: Our article on IHG’s current bonus promotion is here. You will receive 2,000 bonus points for every two cash nights you stay until 31st December. Nights do not need to be consecutive. Click here to register.

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.

IHG is offering a 100% bonus (some members may be offered less) when you buy points by 30th December 2023. Click here to buy.

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.