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IHG Rewards adds new elite tier

Changes have come to InterContinental's IHG Rewards program. (Image: Bill Holmes/Flickr)

Changes have come to InterContinental’s IHG Rewards program. (Image: Bill Holmes/Flickr)

A few months back, we mentioned that InterContinental Hotels Group was planning to bring some changes to its IHG Rewards Club this summer, and now those changes have taken effect — including a new top elite level.

That level will be known as Spire Elite, gained by earning 75,000 qualifying program points or accumulating 75 nights at member properties over a calendar year. What’ll that get you? Spire Elites will earn 100 percent bonus points on qualifying stays; they’ll also be able to choose between getting 25,000 bonus points or upgrading someone (friend or family member) to Platinum status in IHG Rewards.

The company has also revised the requirements for other membership levels, starting this month. From now on, 10,000 points or 10 nights is good for Gold status in the program. To upgrade to the next level, Golds can reach Platinum status with 40,000 points or 40 nights’ total stays.

Did you know: Get automatic platinum status & 60,000 IHG Rewards points here

More changes will be coming in the future. IHG said that starting in May 2016, Rewards members who go for a full 12 months without earning or redeeming any points will find their balances have expired.

The company is also developing a new Customer Relationship Management system that will learn about members’ personal preferences during their stays, and will allow hotels to offer them “services and experiences that are personally relevant to them,” like room location preferences, type of pillows and so on.

The company’s brands include InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Indigo, Even Hotels, Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites. Although IHG recently acquired the popular boutique group Kimpton Hotels, it has not yet brought Kimpton’s Karma Rewards loyalty program into IHG Rewards, and continues to operate Kimpton as a separate company.

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