IHG Platinum Elite: Room Upgrades, Late Checkout, Award Discounts, and More (2024)

AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.

Despite being just one step below top-tier Diamond Elite status, IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status holds its own as IHG's elite status sweet spot. From bonus points on stays to complimentary upgrades to Milestone Rewards and more, it's clear why this tier shines brighter than the ones below it. And on top of that, you can earn it relatively easily — for as little as $99 annually if you carry one of two IHG co-branded credit cards.

Here's everything you need to know about IHG Platinum Elite status.

IHG Platinum Elite Benefits

With a lengthy list of benefits, you'll quickly see why IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite is the brand's status sweet spot. Status holders can take advantage of several valuable benefits.

IHG Platinum Elite: Room Upgrades, Late Checkout, Award Discounts, and More (1)

Bonus points

Platinum Elite members can bank 60% bonus points on all eligible IHG stays. You'll earn these points on top of the 10 base points per dollar spent at IHG, which equates to 16 redeemable One Rewards points per dollar spent.

Complimentary space-available upgrades

If there's availability, IHG offers complimentary upgrades to better rooms for Platinum members — all the way up to standard suites.

Welcome amenity

Platinum Elites can enjoy a complimentary drink, snack, or bonus points at participating properties as a welcome gift.

Rollover nights

Qualifying paid and reward nights earned above the Platinum Elite threshold will count towards next year's status qualification.

Milestone Rewards

Starting at 20 qualifying nights and every 10 nights after that, IHG offers you a choice of rewards. Depending on the milestone, the options might include bonus points, an annual lounge membership, a confirmable suite upgrade, and more.

Reward night discounts

Throughout the year, IHG will offer reward night discounts to Platinum members. When these promotions come around, you could save, on average, between 15% and 20% on the points cost of a redemption. Depending on the property you redeem One Rewards points for, the savings can be substantial.

Guaranteed room availability

If you reserve a room at least 72 hours in advance of arrival, IHG will guarantee you room availability. Unfortunately, you may pay a lot for this privilege if close-in nightly rates are high.

Early check-in, late checkout

IHG One Rewards Platinum members can enjoy early check-in and a 2 p.m. late checkout — subject to availability.

Additional benefits

Alongside the above, Platinum Elite members can also enjoy the following:

Your IHG One Rewards points won't expire
No blackout dates for reward nights
Exclusive member rates
Complimentary internet

How To Earn IHG Platinum Elite

You can earn IHG One Rewards Platinum status through qualifying activity or by carrying a credit card that offers complimentary status as a perk.

Earning IHG Platinum Elite through stays

The most traditional path to IHG Platinum Elite status is by hitting the road. To earn Platinum, you'll need to spend 40 nights at an IHG property in a calendar year. Even better, award nights count as a qualifying night.

IHG Platinum Elite: Room Upgrades, Late Checkout, Award Discounts, and More (2)

Alternatively, you can achieve Platinum Elite by earning 60,000 qualifying points in a calendar year. IHG members earn 10 qualifying base points per dollar spent at most IHG brands and five points per dollar spent on stays at Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites.

At a minimum, Platinum Elite is attainable after spending $6,000 on IHG stays if you take the points route. However, you also can earn qualifying points in a handful of other ways to speed up the status-earning process. Some examples include:

Buying qualifying points while making an IHG reservation
Earning points through IHG's Business Rewards program
Spending on IHG credit cards from the U.K. and China

Get IHG Platinum Elite through credit cards

Presently, two IHG One Rewards credit cards offer complimentary Platinum Elite status as a perk. Even better, there's no spending requirement to pick up Platinum Elite. The status is yours as long as you pay the annual fee and keep your account open.

For consumers, the $99-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is the key to unlocking instant Platinum Elite status without stepping foot in an IHG property. To learn more about the slew of benefits on this card, check out our full IHG One Rewards Premier Card review.
Small business owners can also enjoy Platinum Elite status, courtesy of the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card. This card also carries a $99 annual fee and offers IHG loyalists numerous perks. To learn more, check out our full review of the IHG One Rewards Business Card.

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

Welcome BonusEarn 5 Free Nights after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Apply Now

Annual Fee$99

Credit ScoreExcellent, Good

Earn 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
5X points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, gas stations, and restaurants
3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases

The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:

Earn 10X points for being a IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card member
Earn 6X points from IHG^® with Platinum Elite Status, a benefit of having this card
Earn 10X points from IHG^® for being an IHG^® One Rewards member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG^® loyalty program)

Is It Worth Earning IHG Platinum Elite Status?

If IHG is your brand of choice, earning One Rewards Platinum Elite status is an easy way to make stays more rewarding. You'll earn more points each time you reserve a night or two at an IHG property, and, occasionally, IHG will throw loyalists a bone and offer a redemption discount. Even better, IHG's Milestone Rewards are a neat and rewarding way to encourage you to stay loyal.

However, Platinum Elite is comparatively weak compared to Marriott Platinum Elite and Hilton Honors Gold — two other mid-to-upper-tier hotel elite status sweet spots. The absence of free breakfast is a big reason why. Complimentary upgrades are also hit or miss, and there's no guaranteed late checkout.

IHG Platinum Elite: Room Upgrades, Late Checkout, Award Discounts, and More (6)

Sure, Platinum Elite is easy to get. For just $99 annually, the status is yours to keep if you carry an IHG credit card that offers Platinum as a perk. But if you're going to spend money to get status, you might as well pay up for IHG Ambassador status. For $200 per year, you can bank Platinum Elite status, guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkouts, a complimentary weekend night, a restaurant and bar credit of $20 per stay, and more.

Ultimately, deciding whether it's right to pursue Platinum Elite is primarily a function of what perks you're after. If you want heavy perks with IHG, you'll need to set your sights on Diamond Elite or pay up for Ambassador status. But if you don't need much by way of perks, Platinum Elite might be sufficient.

Final Thoughts

For IHG loyalists, Platinum Elite status might offer all the perks you need to make each stay more rewarding. But if you require a lot of perks and value ancillary benefits like free breakfast, you'll want to earn your way past Platinum Elite and target Diamond Elite status. Or, you can also pay to play and purchase IHG Ambassador status.