FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is IHG One Rewards Access?
IHG One Rewards Access is a benefit made available exclusively to members of IHG One Rewards allowing them to redeem their IHG One Rewards points for unique experiences and other special “Access Rewards” through the IHG One Rewards Access website.
Who can redeem points on IHG® One Rewards Access?
To participate in IHG® One Rewards Access, you must be an IHG® One Rewards member with a valid account and age 18 years or older. Select prizes will be made available only to members holding specific membership levels (e.g., Platinum Elite, Diamond Elite). Also, select prizes will require members to be age 21 years or older and will be defined in the listing terms and conditions. Please note that your point balance will only be deducted if you are the winning bidder after the listing closes or you make a purchase using the “Redeem Now” feature.
Can I redeem for a reward if I live outside the United States?
Members residing outside the U.S. will be able to redeem for only select rewards and experiences due to local law and tax restrictions regarding fulfillment. These experiences will include “will-call” or digital assets for members to pick-up at the venue of the experience or include email instruction for finalizing redemption. There will be no mail delivery outside of the United States. Rewards that are not available for redemption by members residing outside the United States will be indicated on the product detail page.
How often are new rewards introduced onto IHG® One Rewards Access?
Rewards are regularly being added onto IHG® One Rewards Access. Members should come back frequently to the site to see what is new.
Is there a limit to how many rewards I can redeem for on IHG® One Rewards Access?
There is no limit to how many rewards you may win or purchase on IHG® One Rewards Access. Please note that if you are bidding or redeeming for multiple rewards at the same time, you must have sufficient points in your account to cover all bids.
What about the privacy of my information?

IHG® One Rewards is fully committed to protecting your privacy and security. Please read our Privacy Statement for details.

How do I log in?
You will need your IHG® One Rewards number and password to log in to the IHG® One Rewards Access site and redeem for rewards.
What do I do if I have lost my IHG® One Rewards number and/or forgotten my password?

To view your IHG® One Rewards account, visit ihgonerewards.com and click on the IHG® One Rewards logo near the top right corner of the page. Click on the “Reset password” link and enter the email address associated with your account into the entry field. You will receive an email with a link to reset your password.

Where can I update my email address?

You can update your email address at ihgonerewards.com. Sign in with your IHG® One Rewards number and password, click on ‘My Account’ on the top navigation bar. Click on ‘Personal Information’ and you will be able to change your password and other personal information. 

Status of your rewards will be sent by email. It is important to have a valid email address in your IHG® One Rewards profile. 

What is a “Redeem Now” reward?
Any reward with a “Redeem Now” button instead of “Bid Now” means the reward is being offered at a fixed amount of points, and in limited quantities. This is a “first come, first served” redemption opportunity. When the quantity available at the set point level has been redeemed, the reward will indicate it is sold out.
How do I Redeem Now?
Review the reward description on the listing page for any item that interests you. Once you have reviewed the reward description and are ready to redeem, hit “Redeem Now”. If you are not already logged in, you will be asked to log in with your IHG® One Rewards number and password. Now you can redeem for the reward. Points will automatically be deducted from your IHG® One Rewards account. An email confirming the reward will be sent to the email address you have in your IHG® One Rewards profile shortly thereafter.
What happens after I “Redeem Now”?
You will receive a confirmation email with your purchase details within 24 hours. For rewards with physical assets, you will receive a secondary shipping confirmation email and physical assets delivered to the address provided with a signature required. For all other rewards, you will receive a secondary email with detailed redemption instructions to finalize your reward.
The reward I want states that it is sold out. Can I still buy it?
The IHG® One Rewards Access site offers unique rewards and experiences that can only be offered for a limited time and in limited quantities. If all quantities of a reward are sold, the reward will indicate ‘Sold Out’ on the description and will no longer be available for redemption. Check back frequently for more great rewards.
What is a “Bid Now” reward
A ‘Bid Now’ reward is an item that allows members to bid points on a single package, and the highest bid wins at the close of the auction period. A reward may have multiple packages available, and each package represents its own auction and can be redeemed by the single highest bidder. The “Bid Now” button identifies this reward type.
How do I “Bid Now”?
Review the reward description on the listing page for any item that interests you. Once you have reviewed the reward description and are ready to bid, hit “Bid Now”. If you are not already logged in, you will be asked to log in with your IHG® One Rewards number and password. You will then be in the auction and can submit the number of points you would like to bid. An email confirming the bid you placed will be sent to the email address you have in your IHG® One Rewards profile shortly thereafter.
What is a bid increment?
The bid increment is the minimum number of points required to place a bid. For example, if the bid increment is 1,000 points and you click the “Bid Now” button, you are placing a bid for 1,000 points more than the current high bid. All bids must be made in required point increments as stated on the item reward description.
What is a maximum bid amount?
Your maximum bid amount is the maximum number of points you are willing to offer for a reward. You should determine this amount beforehand and then enter a single bid for that amount in the Bid field. An early bid supported by a high maximum bid amount will make the process simple by freeing you from submitting multiple bid increments manually and constantly checking back. You will be kept informed on your bid status by email.
Is my maximum bid amount visible to others?
If you are the current high bidder and you have placed a maximum bid, your maximum bid will not be shown to other bidders while the current high bid amount is below that maximum bid threshold. The highest amount that will appear is one bid increment above the most recent competitive bid.
Can I increase my maximum bid after I've placed a bid?
Yes. If your maximum bid amount has been outbid, you can place another maximum amount. You must have sufficient points in your account to cover all bids.
Can I place a bid even if I do not have enough points in my account balance now, but add points to my account later if I am the winner?
No. You may only redeem for packages if you have a sufficient number of points in your IHG® One Rewards account to cover all pending rewards.
Can I purchase or transfer missing points to top up my IHG® One Rewards Access bid?

At the time of redemption, you must have enough points in your account to cover the amount to redeem for rewards on IHG® One Rewards Access. You cannot top up your account to bid on a reward, however, you can purchase points or transfer points from one IHG® One Rewards account to another at ihgonerewards.com.  

Please note – there is a limit to the amount of points a member can purchase in a calendar year as stated in the IHG® One Rewards Membership Terms and Conditions and can take up to 72 hours for points to become available. Rewards or experiences cannot be held or guaranteed to be available during this time. 

Where can I monitor my activity?
You can monitor all your activity on the IHG® One Rewards Access site in the ‘Bid Status’ section on the top of the page.
How long are my bids valid?
A bid remains valid as long as the reward is open. The member whose bid is the highest at the time of listing closing wins the reward.
How long will a listing remain live?
Product duration will vary based on the reward type. Each reward will have an end date and time. You can find this in the reward description or in your bid confirmation email.
Can I submit a bid offline?
Bids can only be submitted via the online IHG® One Rewards Access site.
Can I retract a bid?
No. Once confirmed, all bids are final and cannot be retracted. If you are the winning bidder, points will be deducted from your IHG® One Rewards account automatically to use for your reward or experience from IHG® One Rewards Access.
Why am I seeing a different 'Current Bid' on the IHG® One Rewards Access home page than on the actual reward details page?
The 'Current Bid' amount on the reward details page will always be the most accurate, as it is refreshed with every bid. Other pages pointing to the reward details page may take a little longer to be updated.
What is Auto Bid Extend?
The Auto Bid Extend feature ensures that bidders will always have a chance to challenge bids placed in the final minutes of a listing. If a bid is placed during the last five minutes of a listing, the listing will automatically extend for an additional five minutes from the time of the last bid. The listing will close once all bidding activity has stopped for a period of five minutes.
Why does it appear that I have to place multiple bids in order for my bid to be accepted?

This is because a Maximum Bid has been placed, which is an amount higher than the bid increment. This is the maximum value that a bidder is prepared to offer in order to win this reward. You can place a maximum bid of your own in order to try to outbid the current bid, or you may choose to continue bidding in increments until your bid is accepted. Here is an example:

A reward has a starting bid of 10,000 points and a bidding increment of 1,000.

  • Member A bids 10,000 points and is in the winning position.
  • Member B bids 20,000 points as his maximum bid, and is now in the winning position, but with a bid of only 11,000 points.
  • Member C comes in, sees a leading bid of 11,000 points, and bids 12,000. Member C will expect to now be the winning bidder, but in reality, Member B is still winning at 13,000 points because his maximum bid is “upping” each bid automatically until his maximum bid is met.
  • Member C now bids 14,000 points, but Member B is still winning at 14,000. Eventually, member C bids up to 21,000 and is now in the winning position.
I appear to have been outbid by an amount smaller than the bid increment. How does this occur?

In some cases, it's possible that another bidder's standing maximum bid is greater than yours, but by less than the bid increment. In this case, the other bidder will be winning at exactly their maximum bid. Here is an example:

A reward has a starting bid of 10,000 points and a set bidding increment of 1,000 points.

  • Member A bids 10,000 points at the outset, and so is winning.
  • Member B decides to bid their entire current balance of 12,123 points set as their Maximum Bid. Member B is now winning with a bid of 11,000 points.
  • Member C comes in and bids 12,000 points, but Member B is still leading with a bid of 12,123 points. Note that this amount is greater than Member C's bid by only 123 points, even though the minimum bidding increment is 1,000 points, because when Member B entered their bid, it was 2,123 above the current winning bid.
Why did a bid from earlier today beat my bid?
This occurs if someone else has placed a maximum bid earlier in the bidding process and you have placed a matching maximum bid or bid of the same amount. The bid placed earlier in time takes priority over all bids at the same price. It can be to your advantage to get an initial bid in as early as possible to ensure time priority at your bid price!
The IHG® One Rewards Access site is down but I have placed a bid. How will I know if I won?

You will be kept informed of winning bids by email. If you are the winner, points will be automatically debited from your IHG® One Rewards account and the redemption will be indicated at auctions.ihg.com on the Bid Status page.

How do I find out if a reward has ended?
All closed rewards will appear under the heading “Closed” on the navigation bar on the left side of the screen. You can also check in the Bid Status section in your own account under Closed where you will see if the listing(s) you have been bidding on is/are closed.
What is my “Watch List”?
You can use the “Watch List” feature to keep track of rewards and experiences you’re not quite ready to bid on but want to monitor closely to bid on them when you are ready. On the listing page, there is a link titled ‘Watch’ on each reward and experience image. Click on that link to add an item of interest to your list. A reminder email will be sent for rewards on your Watch List a few hours before the reward closes.
What is a private experience?
From time to time, IHG® One Rewards Access will feature experiences for selected groups of members (e.g., IHG® Credit Card holders). Eligibility for private experiences is determined at the sole discretion of IHG® One Rewards.
How will I know if I win?
You will be notified by email immediately following your redemption, and another follow up e-mail confirming that the points have been successfully debited from your account. If you were bidding, you will be notified if you are the winner once the reward has closed. The winning bid amount will only be deducted if you are the winner after the listing closes, or you make a purchase (Redeem Now). If the funds are not debited successfully from your account, you will receive an e-mail providing further instructions. In addition, you can check to see if you have won by visiting the IHG® One Rewards Access site and checking the status of your bid in the Bid Status section.
How will my account be debited when I win?
Points will be automatically debited directly from your account at closing if you are the highest bidder or shortly after you hit “Redeem Now”. An e-mail will be sent to your e-mail address on file notifying you that you have won the reward and that the points have been successfully debited from your account. If the points were not successfully debited from your account, you will receive an e-mail notification with further instructions.
Can I cancel, refund or change my reward from IHG® One Rewards Access?

Rewards redeemed or won on IHG® One Rewards Access cannot be exchanged, modified, cancelled or refunded. Read the IHG® One Rewards Access Terms and Conditions for more information.

What happens if I do not have sufficient points in my account when the bid closes?
At the time you are ready to redeem or bid on a reward or experience, you will not be able to complete the transaction if you do not have sufficient points. If in the unlikely event a transaction successfully goes through, a member of the IHG® One Rewards Access team will be in contact via email to settle the account.
I won a reward on IHG® One Rewards Access and have not received details. What do I do?

Please allow 24 hours after close to hear from an IHG® One Rewards Access representative. If you have not heard from us, contact us at AccessExperiences@ihg.com and provide your IHG® One Rewards number and the reward you won to help us assist you. Please note our hours of operation: Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm EST.

What attendee information do I need to provide and why is it important?
Attendee information is needed to ensure a personalized and seamless experience. Exact information varies from experience to experience and can include the names of those attending, food allergies, special accommodations, etc.
What if I have a question about my reward or experience?

Please refer to this FAQ and the reward / experience itinerary provided before your event. If you still have a question, reach out to your day-of contact listed on the experience itinerary if one is provided or you can send an email to AccessExperiences@ihg.com and a team member will assist you.

What if I need special accommodations for my experience?
Please reach out to your day-of contact listed on your IHG® One Rewards Access experience itinerary if one is provided or you can send an email to AccessExperiences@ihg.com.
I need to change an attendee detail last minute, whom do I contact?
Please reach out to your day-of contact listed on your IHG® One Rewards Access experience itinerary as soon as possible. In some cases, changes may not be able to be made based on the experience.
Will I be refunded if an event is postponed due to local restrictions?
We are closely monitoring events and any changes that may occur. We will contact members who have redeemed for events that have been postponed or cancelled with updates and any potential actions
What are the safety measures taken by the event venue?
Your safety is our top priority. IHG® One Rewards Access is adhering to local COVID-19 safety precautions and following the guidelines set by each venue, event, and location. Guidelines and precautions will vary by experience. Any specific requirements for testing or vaccine will be included in the experience itinerary.
Will I be refunded if I have COVID-19 symptoms?
All IHG® One Access Rewards experiences are final and non-refundable.
Do I need to get tested before or do I need to bring a vaccine passport?
IHG® One Rewards Access is adhering to local COVID-19 safety precautions and following the guidelines set by each venue, event, and location. Guidelines and precautions will vary by experience. Any specific requirements for testing or vaccine will be included in the experience itinerary.
Do I need to wear a mask?
IHG® One Rewards Access is adhering to local COVID-19 safety precautions and following the guidelines set by each venue, event, and location. Guidelines and precautions will vary by experience. Any specific requirements for testing or vaccine will be included in the experience itinerary.
What are the local restrictions in relation to COVID-19?
IHG® One Rewards Access is adhering to local COVID-19 safety precautions and following the guidelines set by each venue, event, and location. Guidelines and precautions will vary by experience. Please check the COVID-19 guidelines in the city, state, or region of the event prior to attending.
Why can’t I use or see all of the IHG® One Rewards Access site’s functionalities?
It could be that the version of your browser is not supported by the IHG® One Rewards Access site. Please update your browser to see the fully optimized version of the site. The site will be supported on the last 2 versions of the following browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari. This version compatibility rule applies to both desktop and mobile versions of the aforementioned browsers. *Note: These browsers update on a monthly basis but are generally backwards compatible. Current version will apply.
Who do I contact if the IHG® One Rewards Access site is not working?

Please direct all questions related to IHG® One Rewards Access to AccessExperiences@ihg.com

Don't see your question listed here?

If you have further questions about IHG® One Rewards Access or the specific packages available for bidding, please click on the 'CONTACT US' link at the bottom of the page and send us your question. A member of our support team will respond as quickly as possible during normal business hours. Please note our hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm EST.

If you have a question about your IHG® One Rewards account, purchasing points, or any other IHG® One Rewards -related questions, please visit Customer Care to find out how to contact an IHG Customer Care team member.

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