A complete guide to IHG One Rewards' annual lounge membership benefits

When IHG One Rewards launched in 2022, it introduced the Milestone Rewards program. This allows you to earn IHG points or food and beverage perks at most Milestone Rewards levels. Additionally, you can choose an IHG annual lounge membership upon reaching the 40-night or 70-night milestones.

While most IHG hotels and resorts don't feature club lounges, you can access them at select properties with the following options:

• Book a room with lounge access or purchase lounge access during your stay
• Hold an IHG annual lounge membership
• Stay at an InterContinental property with Royal Ambassador status

Remember, even if an IHG property upgrades you to a club-level room, lounge access isn't guaranteed. In IHG club lounges, you’ll generally enjoy complimentary breakfast, non-alcoholic drinks throughout the day, and sometimes even afternoon tea, evening drinks, and hors d'oeuvres.

Everything you need to know about IHG's annual lounge membership, including how to earn and utilize it.

What exactly is IHG's annual lounge membership?

IHG's annual lounge membership, available through the Milestone Rewards program, grants access to the club lounge for you and a guest at IHG properties that feature a club lounge.

With an annual lounge membership, you can access the club lounge and its amenities during your stay. However, IHG’s terms and conditions state that lounge access may be restricted due to renovations, closures, or other limitations. This membership doesn’t include access to Club Regent or Club InterContinental services beyond the physical lounge space.

As per IHG's terms and conditions, an annual lounge membership grants access to club lounges during qualified stays, including reward nights, free nights, and stays booked through online travel agencies. When staying at participating Iberostar Beachfront Resorts, this membership gives you access to the Star Prestige facilities and services (excluding Star Prestige rooms). However, lounge access is not available at InterContinental Alliance Resorts in Las Vegas and Macau.

Unfortunately, there's no simple method to identify which IHG hotels in a city feature club lounges. I've found that the easiest way is to look for hotels that list rooms with lounge access in the room name or description.

How to earn your IHG annual lounge membership

To earn an IHG annual lounge membership, you must select it as a Milestone Reward after reaching either the 40-night or 70-night milestone. You will accumulate Milestone Rewards as you hit the following tiers each calendar year:

• 20 nights: Earn 5,000 bonus points, two $20 food and beverage rewards, or one confirmable suite upgrade
• 30 nights: Earn 5,000 bonus points or two $20 food and beverage rewards
• 40 nights (choose two): Select from 10,000 bonus points, five $20 food and beverage rewards, one confirmable suite upgrade (limit one), or one annual lounge membership (limit one)
• 50 nights: Choose from 10,000 bonus points or five $20 food and beverage rewards
• 60 nights: Select from 10,000 bonus points or five $20 food and beverage rewards
• 70 nights (choose two): Pick from 10,000 bonus points, five $20 food and beverage rewards, two confirmable suite upgrades (limit one), or one annual lounge membership (limit one)
• 80 nights: Earn 10,000 bonus points or five $20 food and beverage rewards
• 90 nights: Choose from 10,000 bonus points or five $20 food and beverage rewards
• 100 nights: Select from 10,000 bonus points or five $20 food and beverage rewards

Once you select an annual lounge membership as your Milestone Reward, it remains valid through the end of the next calendar year. For example, if you choose an annual lounge membership this year, it will be valid until Dec. 31 of the following year.

With a 90-day window to choose your Milestone Reward after hitting a milestone, Frequent Miler found that if you reach the 40-night or 70-night milestone on or after October 3, and select an annual lounge membership at the start of January, you can enjoy nearly two full calendar years of lounge access.

How to make the most of your IHG annual lounge membership

There’s no limit to how many times you can use your IHG annual lounge membership between the time you earn it and when it expires.

When you check into an IHG hotel or resort with a club lounge, simply present your annual lounge membership to the front desk. You can find your membership in your IHG account’s Rewards Wallet under 'Rewards to enhance your stay.' Click 'Redeem' and show the resulting page to the front desk. The staff will either add lounge access to your room key or guide you on how to access the lounge.

To use your annual lounge membership, you must be the primary guest on a qualifying reservation. An IHG spokesperson confirmed that the member with the lounge membership needs to be listed as the primary guest so the hotel can verify the Annual Lounge Pass on your account.

While club lounges are commonly found at InterContinental properties, other IHG brands like Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn occasionally offer lounges as well.

Is an IHG lounge membership worth the effort?

Should you choose an annual lounge membership at the 40-night or 70-night milestone? And is it worth aiming for 40 nights at IHG hotels to earn the lounge membership as a Milestone Reward?

The answer isn’t a simple 'yes' or 'no.' After my husband redeemed an annual lounge membership in early 2023, I’ve had the opportunity to experience several IHG lounges. All the lounges I’ve visited offered a great variety of food and drinks, including complimentary evening alcoholic beverages. Personally, I’ve been happy with our decision to select an annual lounge membership at the 40-night Milestone Rewards tier.

You’ll also want to think about how often you’ll actually use your IHG annual lounge membership. Specifically, consider how important access to a club lounge is to you in the destinations you plan to visit. For example, we picked the InterContinental Cartagena de Indias in Colombia and the Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium in Singapore largely because their award rates were attractive and we knew both properties had club lounges.

Once you assess the value of the annual lounge membership, weigh it against the other Milestone Rewards options at the 40-night or 70-night tier. For instance, at the 40-night milestone, would you prefer 10,000 bonus points, five $20 food and beverage rewards, or a confirmable suite upgrade over the annual lounge membership? According to TPG’s June 2024 valuations, 10,000 bonus points are worth around $50, while the five $20 food and beverage rewards are valued at approximately $100.

Bottom line

I’ve been extremely satisfied with IHG’s annual lounge membership. If you frequently stay at IHG hotels that offer club lounges, I believe you’ll find it worthwhile to choose an annual lounge membership through the Milestone Rewards program after staying 40 or 70 nights in a calendar year.

However, if you don’t often stay at IHG properties with club lounges, travel with more than one companion, or don’t prioritize lounge access, you may not get enough value from an annual lounge membership to make it the best choice over other Milestone Rewards at the 40-night or 70-night tiers.