IHG One Rewards members who hold Diamond Elite status or belong to IHG’s Business Rewards program can now transfer up to 500,000 IHG One Rewards points per calendar year to other members without paying any transfer fees. This new perk was first reported by One Mile at a Time and is excellent news for travelers who love redeeming IHG points.
Previously, all members initiating transfers needed to pay a fee of $5 per 1,000 points. But now, Diamond Elite members and members of IHG’s Business Rewards program who initiate transfers won’t need to pay this fee. This is a significant benefit, as it allows members to freely transfer points to friends, family, or colleagues without incurring any additional costs.
To transfer IHG One Rewards points to another member, members can simply log into their IHG account, fill out the points transfer form, and provide the requested details about their account. The transfer can be done in increments of 1,000 points and both the sender and receiver accounts need to be at least 30 days old.
Once the transfer is initiated, the points will be processed within the next 72 hours. After the transfer is completed, no cancellations or refunds are permitted, and the member who initiated the transfer has no right to the transferred points.
This new perk is particularly useful for travelers who need more points than the maximum amount they can purchase in a year. Instead of purchasing points, they can have another member buy points and transfer them without paying any fees. It also benefits members who have Diamond Elite status but expect only one of them to requalify next year. They can transfer points between their accounts to utilize them effectively.
To be eligible for free IHG points transfers, members need to have Diamond Elite status or be a member of IHG’s Business Rewards program. Diamond Elite status requires 70 qualifying nights or 120,000 qualifying points per calendar year. Alternatively, members can earn Diamond Elite status by making purchases totaling $40,000 or more during a calendar year on their IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card.
Becoming a Business Rewards member is relatively easy, as it is available to individuals who are either corporate bookers, business travel/meetings agents, or individual bookers. Individual bookers are defined as people who book qualifying spend at participating hotels on their own behalf or on behalf of someone else.
In conclusion, the removal of transfer fees for Diamond Elite and Business Rewards members is a fantastic development for IHG One Rewards members. It allows them to freely transfer points to others without incurring any extra costs, making it easier to maximize the value of their points. Whether it’s for sharing a room with a friend or pooling points for a future redemption, this new perk provides added flexibility and benefits for IHG members.