New IHG Promotion: Free Nights, Big Bonuses, Oh My!

After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.

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InterContinental Hotels Group’s new “Accelerate” promotion extends IHG Rewards’ string of marketing initiatives targeting individual program members with offers tailored to their presumed potential for future hotel stays.

Because the offers are variable, your mileage may vary.

Offer Details

Between September 1 and December 31, IHG Rewards members can earn at least 50,000 bonus points, depending on their travel histories and profiles. And new Rewards members can earn a free night after completing two eligible stays during the promotion period, and a second free night after two more stays.

Registration is required.

Deal or No Deal

Here’s my personalized offer, as an existing (but not very active) Rewards member:

5,000 bonus points — one stay during September
5,000 bonus points — one stay
6,000 bonus points — three nights
3,000 bonus points — three more nights (six nights total)
3,000 bonus points — three more nights (nine nights total)
3,000 bonus points — three more nights (12 nights total)
3,000 bonus points — three more nights (15 nights total)
30,000 bonus points — three more nights (18 nights total)

The potential earnings total 58,000 bonus points. But more than half of that only kicks in at the very end, after completing 18 nights.

Other members’ offers, as reported on FlyerTalk, vary widely, crazily. Some boast the possibility, in theory, of earning well over 100,000 bonus points; others feature more modest maximums. Some set the bar low for earning significant bonuses; others (like mine) withhold the larger bonuses until high thresholds have been met. Welcome to the wonderful world of individualized promotions.

Bottom line: For some, this promotion can deliver significant value. The only way to determine whether you’re among the lucky or unlucky ones is to log onto the IHG Rewards website with your member credentials and review your personal offer.

On the other hand, the free-night offer for new members is a hands-down winner. If you’re not already an IHG Rewards member, earning a free night after two stays is a good reason to join the program and log a couple of stays.

Reader Reality Check

Are you a fan of the increasingly common practice of tailoring offers to individual loyalty-program members?

This article originally appeared on FrequentFlier.com.

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