It isn't often that opportunities to earn a large number of points in one transaction arise. That's why I was ecstatic when I looked at Rakuten's Cash Back Unwrap calendar for 2024 and saw it aligned with a TV purchase I had planned. On Nov. 20, 2024, Rakuten offered a bonus of 20% cash back (or 20 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar spent) on LG purchases.
IHG is targeting select members with a compelling offer to buy elite qualifying points
17.12.2024 - 19:21 / thepointsguy.com / Matt Moffitt
Typically, offers to buy elite status aren't compelling. For example, American Airlines AAdvantage's offers to buy elite status are usually laughably bad. However, IHG One Rewards is giving select members an offer — first reported by LoyaltyLobby — that is compelling.
If IHG targeted you for this offer to buy status, you likely received an email. The title of this email is likely similar to the one TPG senior editor Christine Gallipeau got titled "Don't lose your Diamond Elite status, Christine," or the one TPG managing editor Matt Moffitt got titled "Upgrade to Diamond Elite status, Matthew."
These emails clearly state how many elite qualifying points you'd need to buy by Dec. 31, 2024, to secure a specified status through 2025. However, the elite qualifying points listed in your email are based on your account status as of Dec. 6, so the number won't be accurate if you've earned elite qualifying points since then.
Related: IHG elite status: What it is and how to earn it
Targeted members will also see a tile when they log in to their IHG account, click on their name in the upper right-hand corner and scroll down.
If you click the link in the email, tile or here, you'll land on a page where you can buy the required points. However, only targeted members will see an offer after logging in on that page. Sadly, I'm not targeted, so I can't take advantage of this offer.
As a reminder, you'll need 40,000 elite qualifying points for Gold Elite, 60,000 for Platinum Elite and 120,000 for Diamond Elite. When you consider that the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card offer complimentary Platinum Elite status to cardholders — and members who aren't eligible for either of these cards can get Platinum Elite status as a benefit of paid InterContinental Ambassador membership — the primary status you might be interested in buying elite qualifying points to claim is Diamond Elite status.
Normally, when you buy IHG points, the points aren't elite qualifying points. However, during this offer, select members can purchase elite qualifying points that are both redeemable and count toward elite status qualification. The terms for this offer state, "EQP Points are not refundable and are applicable toward all IHG One Rewards redemptions," where the terms previously defined EQP as elite qualifying points. The terms also state you can only make one purchase of elite qualifying points during this offer, so be sure to buy all that you need at once.
Related: When does it make sense to buy points and miles?
Christine said she's currently at 20 elite qualifying nights and 69,470 elite qualifying points, but she plans to stay four more nights with IHG in 2024, which should get her
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