Double IHG Elite Night Credits Are Back: Earn Up to 5 Bonus Nights Through May 31, 2026

IHG One Rewards has launched a new targeted promotion for select members: you can now earn 1 Bonus Elite Night Credit for every qualifying night stayed between April 1 and May 31, 2026, up to a maximum of 5 bonus nights. In effect, each such night counts double toward status and Milestone Rewards in 2026.

Unlike the previous offer which doubled up to 10 bonus Elite Night Credits for stays through March 31, 2026, the new promotion has a lower limit — up to 5 bonus nights — but runs during a new timeframe: from April 1 to May 31, 2026. It also remains targeted, meaning it is available only to participants who received an invitation and registered in advance.

This comes just after everyone’s elite status resets, so it’s a great chance to climb back up or reach a new level – especially if you dropped down a tier. Keep in mind, though, that this isn’t for everyone. It’s a special offer only for those who get the invite and sign up before hand through their IHG account.

How the Double Elite Nights Offer Works

After registering, members will receive 1 Bonus Elite Night Credit for each qualifying room night during the promotion period, up to a maximum of 5 bonus nights in total. For example, if you stay for 3 qualifying nights, you will receive 3 base elite qualifying nights + 3 bonus elite night credits, for a total of 6 night credits toward status and Milestone Rewards in 2026. 

IHG explicitly states that these bonus nights:
• count toward elite membership status and Milestone Rewards in 2026,
• are not rollover nights,
• are not used for other program purposes.

Who is eligible

This offer is not available to everyone. IHG’s terms and conditions explicitly state that a member must:
1. be an IHG One Rewards member,
2. receive an invitation,
3. register in advance before the stay is counted toward the promotion. 

In other words, this is not a general public promotion for all accounts, but rather a targeted offer.

Which stays count

For a night to count toward the promotion, it must be part of a Promotion-Eligible Qualifying Stay. According to IHG’s terms, this means:
• a minimum of 1 night at a participating hotel,
• a booking at a Qualifying Rate,
• spending of at least $30 USD per night or the equivalent in local currency,
• the stay must fall between April 1 and May 31, 2026. 

The following do not count:
• Reward Nights,
• Points + Cash,
• bookings made through OTAs such as Booking.com or Expedia,
• nights from a stay completed before registering for the promotion.

Why This Matters

With IHG One Rewards, you need 10 nights for Silver, 20 for Gold, 40 for Platinum, and 70 for Diamond. If you’re starting the year at a lower level or trying to reach the next tier, earning up to 5 bonus Elite Night Credits can make that climb easier.

For example, if you stay 5 paid qualifying nights during the promotion, you’d earn your 5 base nights plus 5 bonus nights, giving you 10 total Elite Night Credits. That would be enough for Silver status without any additional stays. If you stay 10 paid qualifying nights, you would still only receive 5 bonus nights, so your total would be 15 Elite Night Credits — not 20 — because the offer is capped at 5 bonus nights.

Plus, these bonus nights help you earn Milestone Rewards. These rewards give you things like bonus points, food and drink credits, or suite upgrades once you hit certain night amounts, which makes the whole year better.

If you mostly use award nights, this might not be that useful for you. Also, if you didn’t get the invite or don’t register, you’re out of luck. But IHG seems to be letting more people in on the offer, so it’s worth checking your account regularly.

Takeaway

The new IHG One Rewards targeted promotion lets you earn up to 5 Bonus Elite Night Credits for stays from April 1 through May 31, 2026. This means that each qualifying night can effectively count double toward status and Milestone Rewards. The offer isn’t as generous as the previous version, which had a limit of 10 bonus nights, but it can still be useful for those who already have paid stays planned and want to advance to the next IHG elite status level faster.