Update 6/19/20: Cancellation policy has been extended. Bookings made prior to April 6th can be changed or cancelled for stays up to August 31, 2020. Hat tip to Mithridel
Update 4/22/20: Status will be extended through January 2022 (this includes spire elite benefits of 25,000 points/gift of Platinum elite status). Hat tip to Loyalty Lobby
Update 4/5/20: IHG has announced some additional measures regarding free night certificates:
- We are extending the expiration date of anniversary and free night certificates that are set to expire in 2020. Certificates expiring from March 1, 2020 can now be used through December 31, 2020.
- Certificates issued in 2020 will have an 18-month redemption time period.
Hat tip to FM
Original post: IHG has announced some changes in response to COVID-19.
- Cancellation fees are waived for existing and new bookings at all IHG hotels globally for all stays before April 30th, 2020.
- Elite requirements will be reduced by 25% or more (see revised 2020 criteria)
IHG also announced changes to groups and meetings bookings, but that’s unlikely to affect most/any readers and IHG will be dealing with that on a case by case basis.
Hat tip to TheWinStore
And charging taxes on award redemptions now
ugh..
IHG gave me Spire Elite last year just because as I only had 1 IHG stay in 2019. Now that I don’t have to work to extend Marriott Titanium, I can test out Spire maybe once or twice with the extension.
Any language on extending Ambassador status?
It’s in the IHG link:
InterContinental Ambassador:
We have provided a complimentary three-month membership extension to members of our InterContinental Ambassador program (on 15 March 2020)
These members will also receive a three-month extension on unredeemed Weekend Night Certificates. The new date these certificates are valid until will be automatically reflected in members accounts in the coming weeks.
Hilariously weak.
Way to go, IHG, giving a seven month extension of my anniversary free night. Such class; Hyatt extended by more than a year and a half. Now that’s class. And I have a lot more IHG stays than Hyatt.
The true customer forward businesses are shining (Delta, Hyatt, Hilton), the rest can go eat it. Like we won’t remember how we were treated?
BonVoy extension is indifferent to when the cert expires – all to 1/31/2021.
As a result, our 3 certs dont even get 3 weeks extension as their original expiration dates are between 12/18 to 12/22/2020.
So IHG’s actually adding 6 extra months on certs issued in 2020 is much better than BonVoy’s.
I achieved Spire Elite through a status match-I thought it was supposed to expire 1/1/20. I recently checked my status-still Spire Elite. The language in the status match at the time was that I would not receive the 25,000 benefit. I wonder if as I am still Spire Elite and they talk about the 25,000 in the announcement if I may receive the 25,000.
Just checked my IHG account and my free night certificate has been extended to 12/31/2020. Original expiration was 11/20/2020 so only a little over a month extension, but it’s the thought that counts!
I checked it every other day, and you are right, it was extended today! 7 more months in my case so even though not as good as Hyatt extending to Dec 2021, it still much better than expiring.
Just called IGH rewards club for extension of my chase free night since it was expiring next week 4/15. The rep said the system will automatically update to 12/31. She will not do any manual adjustment. Her answer seems different from other’s posts, should i take her words or call back? thanks
DP: My April 2018 certificate that was expiring in April 2019 was booked for April 2020 – IHG refused to reissue it, they said there was nothing they can do, even though the hotel is closed for public. I called the hotel directly and they moved the date by 6 months to my new desired date. No email confirmation but I guess the hotel has a record of it.
Mine just got updated, but only till 10/9/20… can’t find any emails from IHG about this either. All the airlines and hotels I had membership with had sent out email notices…
My certificate hasn’t been automatically extended, should I contact them?
Right, it certainly hasn’t happened yet. I had a hotel in Madrid booked with my certificate for earlier this month (whoops!), and now my certificate is due to expire at the end of the month. When I called a week ago, they said they’d extend it for 6 months, but that I should call back in a few weeks because the 6 months starts when they make the adjustment. Obviously, this is a better deal: hopefully it gets done automatically, but otherwise I’ll call next week given my situation. I’m going to like getting 18 months on the new certificates: my family has a few IHG cards, so it will be nice to get the extra months, especially given the current travel uncertainty.