InterContinental Priority Club point earning changes for Americas

The InterContinental Hotels Group is changing how its Priority Club frequent guest loyalty program points earning works for InterContinental hotels in the Americas, with a per-dollar points rate replacing the old per-stay rate.

You'll now pick up 10 points per US dollar spent at InterContinentals in the US, Canada, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean. That's the same model that already works at Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels.

The rest of the world will keep the 2000 points per stay model at InterContinentals. (If you're a Priority Club Platinum you earn an extra 1000 points, plus an extra 1000 if you are an invitation-only top tier InterContinental Royal Ambassador, adding up to a maximum of 4000 points per stay.)

Overall, these Priority Club changes are mostly good news for travellers staying at InterContinental hotels on typical 2-3 night business trips.

Most InterContinental stays will end up costing more than $200, which is the points equivalent of the flat 2000 points per stay rate.

But some minor US cities have InterContinental hotels where the nightly rate can be under $100.

So the changes remove the incentive for more cunning frequent flyers among us to "hotel hop" -- changing hotels every night to bank that "per stay" point rate.

Here are the relevant parts of the updated terms and conditions.

• InterContinental Hotels & Resorts outside of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean plus all InterContinental Alliance Resorts worldwide, you will receive 2,000 points per Qualifying Stay or the applicable airline miles, which may vary by participating airline.
• Effective 2012 February 15, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean plus all Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, and Holiday Inn Express hotel brands worldwide, you will receive ten (10) points for each USD dollar or local currency equivalent paid toward Eligible Charges on your individual hotel room bill, when you pay Qualifying Room Rates, or the applicable airline miles.

John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.