InterContinental Ambassador

IHG One Rewards is the primary loyalty program associated with all of IHG's brands, but the InterContinental brand has its own rewards program too. This is called InterContinental Ambassador and in this article, I'll take a look at what that program offers.

There aren't many things that you can point to that got better as a result of the Covid pandemic but the rules surrounding some of the benefits offered by the InterContinental Ambassador program can be counted among them. Now, because the world is almost back to how it was in 2019 (albeit, sadly, without the low interest rates!), IHG is rolling back those positive changes.

Almost a week after the news quietly first appeared on its website, IHG Rewards has now started sending out emails to members to let them know that their elite status will be extended through February 2023. The emails also contain further good news so we now also know that select free night certificates will have their expiration dates extended and that two other IHG elite status programs will be extending select elite statuses.

Around a month ago, we were given a heads up that IHG was about to launch a new promotion to try to encourage members to renew their InterContinental Ambassador membership. Since then, however, there doesn't appear to have been any official announcement of the promotion (at least not one that I've seen) and, even though the promotion is now live, it would be very easy for someone to not realize that a promotion is running when they go to renew their membership.

Apparently someone has pointed out to IHG that it needs to up its game because, all of a sudden, the InterContinental Ambassador program is looking a lot more interesting than it has for a while. First, we get the news that the InterContinetal Ambassador free night benefit can be used at Kimpton properties (and midweek) and now we're seeing the program expanded (albeit on a trial basis) to select Regent properties too.

One of the more major benefits of the InterContinental Ambassador program just became more valuable - the free weekend night certificate that all Ambassador members are given as part of their benefits pack can now be used at Kimpton properties worldwide and, to make things even better, the Kimpton bookings are not restricted to weekends!

My InterContinental Ambassador membership was set to expire next month so I've been wondering if IHG would be offering an extension and, if an extension was forthcoming, what it would look like. With no announcement of any kind coming from IHG I emailed the hotelier to see if I could find out what may be in works and, although I have yet to receive a reply, I got my answer when I checked my account this morning.

In the normal course of events I usually find myself having to chase up various loyalty programs to ensure that my accounts are credited with the miles and points I'm due, but right now I'm a little unsure as to why one hotely loyalty program has just credited my account with a nice chunk of points.

On top of its quarterly Accelerate promotion (which is both mostly woeful and not open to all members) IHG Rewards has now launched a couple of new promotions targeted at travelers booking stays at its InterContinental properties.

As IHG has been devaluing its points on a yearly basis and, more recently, has appeared to significantly devalue its PointBreaks deals as well, I've been spending a lot less time at IHG properties and, as a result, I gave up my InterContinental Ambassador status in May 2018....but now I think I may want it back.