IHG has had three loyalty and guest recognition programs for years: IHG One Rewards, InterContinental Ambassador (paid), and Inner Circle (Kimpton). Previously, Kimpton had its Karma, which was folded into the chainwide loyalty offering.
The invitation-only Royal Ambassador level has had variable qualification and requalification requirements throughout the years, from never-ending referral certs (even referred members used to get another referral) to merely visiting three ICs and a set number of total IHG nights to the current undisclosed revenue requirement.
You can access IHG’s page for the Ambassador program here, and Kimpton Inner Circle here.
READ MORE: IHG One Rewards Rate & Bonus Points Offers
The Kimpton Inner Circle has never had precise qualification requirements; however, select IHG One Rewards members who frequent this brand get a surprise invitation that may even come with a Royal Ambassador status.
IHG tends to have their initial Royal Ambassador and Kimpton Inner Circle processing in December, and it seems that in 2024, these have taken place a week or two earlier than in 2023, as members have started to see renewal lines on their online account statements based reports on FlyerTalk (access here).
IHG has yet to inform renewed or upgraded members, but you should see this information in your online account statement.
Note that this is the initial renewal of members that have already reached the undisclosed threshold for 2025, but there will be further reviews through early next year,
In 2020, IHG disclosed that, at least for that year, spending at Six Senses, Regent, InterContinental, and Kimpton was considered for renewals and upgrades. That appears to be ongoing, as, based on reader reports, you don’t need a single InterContinental stay to get Royal Ambassador status if you have had a few expensive stays at Six Senses (those stays can be pricey).
There have been variable spending requirements between various IHG markets to get a Royal Ambassador invitation or renewal, which is often lower in Mainland China.
It is unclear what the exact requalification requirements are for the 2025 membership year, and it would help if readers could share their approximate spending and nights at Six Sense, Regent, InterContinental, and Kimpton brands.
In previous years, spending of $12K to $15K at InterContinental, Regent, Six Senses, and Kimptons has been adequate.
Royal Ambassador Requirements & Renewal Coverage:
InterContinental Royal Ambassador & Kimpton Inner Circle Renewal And invitation Emails Have Gone Out (January 2024)
IHG InterContinental Royal Ambassador Upgrades & Renewals For 2024 (Share Yours) (December 2023)
IHG InterContinental Royal Ambassador Renewals & Downgrade Emails For 2023 Have Gone Out (share Your Stats) (January 2023)
IHG InterContinental Royal Ambassador Renewals For 2023 (Share Your Stats) (December 2022)
IHG InterContinental Royal Ambassador Renewals & Invitations For 2021 Have Gone Out (December 2020)
IHG InterContinental Royal Ambassador & Kimpton Inner Circle Renewals Through January 2022 (April 2020)
IHG Rewards InterContinental Royal Ambassador & Kimpton Inner Circle Renewals Processed (December 2019)
InterContinental Royal Ambassador Renewals Processed January 4, 2018 (Post Your Numbers!) (January 2018)
InterContinental Royal Ambassador Renewal 2016 (September 2016)
InterContinental Royal Ambassador Qualification Requirements (& My Renewal) (September 2015)
UPDATE: InterContinental Royal Ambassador Qualification Requirements (Confirmed) (August 2015)
InterContinental Royal Ambassador Renewal October, 2014 (Mine) (October 2014)
InterContinental Royal Ambassador Requalification Requirement: Three Different InterContinental Hotels (July 2013)
Ambassador Or Royal Ambassador Renewal (Or Maybe Downgrade)? (May 2013)
InterContinental Royal Ambassador Renewal Requirement (September 2012)
Conclusion
There is always some drama involved with Royal Ambassador renewals and qualifications that are sometimes only processed if a member requests a manual review. There has been anecdotal evidence that stays requiring manual intervention from IHG to post have been missed during these automated reviews.
The Royal Ambassador, Ambassador, and IHG One Rewards programs have changed over the past few years. Royal Ambassador benefits have been watered down, from unlimited minibar to $100 credit per stay to $500 in F&B credits (read more here), from confirmed suite upgrade to a two-category one, and from guaranteed 8 AM check-in to 10 AM.
The IHG One Rewards benefits have been enhanced through the Milestone Rewards and Diamond tier.
You can now get lounge access at InterContinental and all other hotels that have them by staying 40 nights within a calendar year and choosing the Annual Lounge Pass as a Milestone Reward.
Suite Upgrade certificates are a Milestone Reward option at 20 (one), 40 (one), and 70 (two) nights. Each certificate can be used to upgrade a stay of up to 5 nights, trumping Royal Ambassador guaranteed two category upgrades at many InterContinentals (also apply for other iHG brands).
I’m standing at 68 IHG nights for 2024, of which 15 are from a promo. My qualifying spend is $8K (without taxes/fees). If this were $15K, there would be a chance of getting RA, as I stay at other than these four IHG brands, whose revenue is Royal Ambassador qualifying.
I have a lifetime Diamond with Hilton and a lifetime Marriott Bonvoy Titanium. I have put quite a few stays this year into Hyatt to eventually reach lifetime Globalist, which requires a million base points, which is $200,000 I’m qualifying spend. I am roughly 72% done right now.
The InterContinental Royal Ambassador tier is genuinely good, as many hotels offer better upgrades than what is mandated by the program, but chasing it is a “fruitless” endeavor because the qualification criteria are unclear. An expensive Six Senses might get you there, but 60 paid nights at InterContinentals not.
I feel that I am getting 80% to 90% of the Royal Ambassador benefits by having the Annual Lounge Pass and confirmable suite upgrade certs without committing to staying at some of the properties I don’t like (all chains have them). There is no penalty for using points, either.
Has your Royal Ambassador or Inner Circle tier been renewed? Please comment below and share your stats. You can also email me.
