InterContinental Hotels Group: Priority Club

Priority Club is the rewards program for the InterContinental Hotels Group, including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. They claim to be recognized as the best hotel rewards program going. This has been my rewards program of choice for the last year.

Points can be collected toward free hotel nights or converted into miles for your favorite member airline. In order to receive miles, the program must be saved as your earning preference. Each type of hotel provides a different number of miles for each program.

I usually stick with Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express. They’re pretty well priced and offer 2.5 miles per dollar with Northwest. Holiday Inn will entice you with things like free drinks at the bar or free breakfast if you’re a member. Most of them are fine, but a few could use some work. Such as the HIE in Texarkana, Texas.

Gold and platinum members can receive points bonuses for their respective levels. The catch, though, is that you must be earning IC points. You don’t get a bonus if you’re set up on an airline miles program.

IC has a limited number of non-airline partners, including Hertz car rentals and Office Max. They do have a dining for points program, of which I’m a big fan.