The expiration of elite status with IHG Rewards has been paused for the second consecutive year due to the current 2019 Novel Coronavirus pandemic — this time, until sometime in February of 2023, to provide you ample time to retain elite status — and at that time, your points will only expire if your membership account has been inactive for a minimum of 12 months, as IHG Rewards points do not expire as long as you have elite status.
IHG Rewards Extends Elite Expiration Policies Into February of 2023
At the bottom of this official Internet web site under the heading of Status Updates is the sentence “All members’ program status has been automatically extended through February 2023.”
Oddly enough, no other verbiage has changed — yet, anyway — as members who currently have already earned elite status with IHG Rewards will be informed sometime before the end of 2021 that their elite status has indeed been extended.
No exact date has been given; so assume that the date is Wednesday, February 1, 2023 — which means that you will continue to enjoy all the Spire, Platinum, or Gold elite status level benefits to which you have access today for the next 15 months.
As a reminder, ways to qualify for IHG Rewards Elite status in 2021 have been reduced for 2021:
| 2019 | 2021 | 2019 | 2021 | ||
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qualifying points per calendar year |
qualifying nights per calendar year |
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| Spire Elite | 75,000 | 55,000 | 75 | 55 | |
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| Platinum Elite | 40,000 | 30,000 | 40 | 30 | |
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| Gold Elite | 10,000 | 7,000 | 10 | 7 | |
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Elite status target reduction applies for 2021 activity only. Covers earning period of Friday, January 1, 2021 to Friday, December 31, 2021, for elite status re-qualification up until Saturday, December 31, 2022.
The extension of the expiration of elite status has also been implemented in the frequent guest loyalty programs of other major lodging companies — including Hilton and Marriott International, Incorporated.
Final Boarding Call
Well, at least you will not need to scramble to retain elite status with IHG Rewards before the end of the year — but at the time this article was written, no word was given as to whether the same courtesy was given to members who currently have Spire Inner Circle status or InterContinental Royal Ambassador status.
Also, whether the expiration of IHG Rewards points themselves will be extended beyond Friday, December 31, 2021 is not publicly known at the time this article was written…
Photograph ©2021 by Brian Cohen.
