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I have Diamond Elite and stayed at IHG hotels 3 times this year and discovered after recent stay in Intercontinental Toronto that unless bookings are made through IHG they don’t qualify for points or stays. Last two bookings done through BA as part of flight booking(why wouldn’t you!?) and both show up as “non-qualifying stay: online travel agency”. I’m pretty sure this was never the case under the old program as got to status primarily through work which was also done through corporate travel. Diamond status due to expire on 31/12/2022 and with condition that you can only earn points or stays if booking through IHG does not add any incentive to stay loyal. I’ve raised a points missing and made a complaint through their website but don’t expect any change.
Anyone else experienced this and managed to get points or stays credited? Thanks. Al
Bookings through BA Holidays certainly don’t qualify for earning nights/points.
Bookings through corporate travel portals usually (depending on the portal used / what agreements they have etc) qualify for earning nights/points.
Why wouldn’t you? You’ve answered this yourself.
If you book through an agent the hotel is paying the agent a commission, so why would they pay you points too?
“if booking through IHG does not add any incentive to stay loyal.” The points are an incentive to book direct, thus creating “loyalty”.Loyalty is always a strange term what is absolutely a commercial transaction. Book by this method and we’ll offer you this incentive, book via an agent and the onus is on them to offer the incentive.
Why wouldn’t you? You’ve answered this yourself.
If you book through an agent the hotel is paying the agent a commission, so why would they pay you points too?
“if booking through IHG does not add any incentive to stay loyal.” The points are an incentive to book direct, thus creating “loyalty”.Loyalty is always a strange term what is absolutely a commercial transaction. Book by this method and we’ll offer you this incentive, book via an agent and the onus is on them to offer the incentive.
There is also the option of booking directly with the hotel thereby getting your points but securing better benefits including guaranteed upgrades than you will get booking through IHG to whom the hotel owner has to pay a referral fee/commission on top of maybe benefits, something they don’t much like doing.
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