Targeted: Last Chance to Buy Back IHG Diamond Elite Status for 2026

If you are currently an IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite member but fell short of the 70 nights or 120,000 points required to renew your status for 2026, IHG has thrown out a final lifeline. A number of targeted members have received an invitation to purchase Elite Qualifying Points (EQP) to secure their Diamond status through 31 December 2026. This is effectively a buy back offer allowing you to pay to retain your top-tier benefits (like complimentary breakfast and upgrades) while also topping up your points balance for future redemptions.

Photo Credit: IHG One Rewards

This offer seems to be strictly targeted and it should have been sent primarily to current Diamond members who have not yet requalified for the upcoming year. The mechanics are simple: you purchase a block of points that count both as redeemable points and Elite Qualifying Points. This is different from a standard points purchase promotion as those generally do not count towards status qualification. Under this specific offer, the 120,000 points you buy will be added to your Year-To-Date Elite Qualifying Points balance, instantly qualifying you for Diamond status (which requires 120,000 EQP).

Photo Credit: Kimpton Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong

To decide if this makes sense, you need to look at two things: the cost of the points versus the value you get from them. Since you are receiving 120,000 redeemable points, you are essentially pre-paying for future hotel stays. If the redemption value of those points exceeds the cash price you pay, the Diamond status is effectively a free bonus.

One of the best ways to justify purchasing points is to look at your redemption history to see what kind of value you can realistically achieve. I recently redeemed 155,000 points for a three-night stay at the Kimpton Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong. The cash rate for this reservation would have been HKD 9,772 (approximately S$1,620). While this represents an excellent redemption, it is important to manage expectations: a typical IHG One Rewards redemption usually yields a value between 0.7 and 0.8 Singapore cents per point.

Photo Credit: IHG One Rewards

Based on the targeted offer of 120,000 points for USD 1,000, here is how the numbers stack up in Singapore Dollars:

• Cost of Purchase: S$1,290 (assuming USD 1 = SGD 1.36)

• Points Received: 120,000

• Cost per Point: ~1.08 Singapore cents

At 1.08 cents per point, I am essentially given the option to purchase points at a rate slightly higher than the 1.05 cents value I achieved at the Kimpton Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong. However as I have mentioned previously, the 1.05 cents redemption value is quite atypical so you should be looking at a more conservative 0.8 cents redemption rate instead. This means you are effectively paying approximately S$330 to secure IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite status for the whole of 2026. I will personally not be pursuing this as I will be focusing my nights and money with World of Hyatt and Marriott Bonvoy (as well as some Hilton Honors and ALL Accor) in 2026.