IHG Friends and Family Rate: What It Is, How It Worked, and What’s Replacing It

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Table of Contents[Hide][Show]

What is the IHG Friends and Family Rate?
IHG Friends & Family Rate Is Being Retired
What’s Replacing It: The IHG One Pass Program+−
- Key Changes With IHG One Pass
Are Points or Elite Nights Earned?
Alternatives If You Are Not Eligible (or Post-Retirement)+−
Final Thoughts
More Great Content for IHG Rewards Fans

For years, the IHG Friends and Family Rate was a way for friends and relatives of IHG employees to access discounted room rates at IHG hotels around the world. However, that legacy benefit is now being retired and replaced by the new IHG One Pass program, which fundamentally changes how employee-connected travel perks are shared.

This article explains what the Friends and Family Rate was, why it’s ending, how the new IHG One Pass approach works, and what alternatives exist if you’re not eligible for employee-linked benefits.

What is the IHG Friends and Family Rate?

The traditional IHG Friends and Family Rate was a special discounted room rate available only through IHG employees. It was intended for:

Friends and family of full-time and part-time IHG employees
Approved guests of IHG hotel owners, managers, or franchisees

These rates often delivered meaningful discounts compared with public rates, with availability and pricing determined by each hotel’s inventory and occupancy levels. Bookings were typically made through a friends & family reservation link provided by an employee.

Key points of the legacy program included:

Availability and pricing determined independently by participating hotels
Discounts generally below publicly available rates
Eligibility tied to an employee’s shared booking link
Maximum stay limits (e.g., seven nights), room limits, and a required first-night deposit in some regions

While it was possible for authorized friends and family to use the rate without the employee being present during the stay, the rate was not intended for general public access and always required an employee-issued link.

IHG Friends & Family Rate Is Being Retired

IHG has confirmed that the legacy Friends & Family Rate program will be retired as of December 31, 2025. After that date:

Friends & Family reservation booking links will be disabled
New bookings under the old rate will no longer be permitted
Existing reservations already booked under the old program will still be honored through their stay

The program’s retirement is part of a broader shift in how IHG manages employee travel benefits.

What’s Replacing It: The IHG One Pass Program

In place of the old Friends & Family Rate, IHG has introduced a new system called IHG One Pass. According to IHG, this program is designed to streamline how employees and their guests access travel benefits across IHG’s global portfolio of more than 6,800 properties.

Key Changes With IHG One Pass

While details are still emerging and subject to change, initial information suggests that:

IHG One Pass becomes the primary benefit platform for employees to secure discounted travel for themselves and authorized guests
Employees and guests may share travel perks through this centralized program
A shared annual benefit cap (for example, a 30-night limit across employee and guest travel) applies in some cases, which is stricter than the unrestricted legacy Friends & Family Rate framework

IHG has positioned One Pass as part of a broader refresh of employee benefits, emphasizing flexibility and ease of use while consolidating employee travel perks into one overarching system.

Because the One Pass rollout is ongoing and certain operational details remain fluid, it’s important to consult internal IHG resources or HR materials for the most precise instructions on eligibility and booking mechanics under the new system.

IHG’s Friends & Family rules are part of a broader set of employee-extended discounts outlined in our guide to friends and family hotel discounts.

Are Points or Elite Nights Earned?

Traditionally, the IHG Friends & Family Rate sometimes did qualify for IHG One Rewards points, but it was never as straightforward as standard member rates, and elite night credit was often not earned depending on how the rate was coded.

Under the IHG One Pass framework, points and elite credit treatment will depend on how the new program’s rate types are structured and may vary by specific benefit category.

Alternatives If You Are Not Eligible (or Post-Retirement)

With the Friends & Family Rate retired, non-employees and guests who don’t qualify for One Pass benefits still have several legitimate ways to save on IHG stays.

IHG One Rewards Member Rates

Anyone can join IHG One Rewards for free. Member rates:

Are widely available
Earn full IHG One Rewards points
Count toward elite night credits
Include access to member-exclusive promotions and pricing IHG

This is typically the most reliable and transparent way to save.

Public Discounted Rates

IHG frequently offers public promotions such as:

Seasonal sales
Visa or partner discount rates
Weekend or regional offers

These are available to all guests with no employee affiliation required.

Corporate and Negotiated Rates

If your employer or an organization you belong to has an IHG negotiated rate, these can provide savings and still earn points and credits.

Final Thoughts

The IHG Friends & Family Rate has been a longstanding perk for associates and their guests, but the benefit is officially being phased out in favor of the IHG One Pass program. While legacy bookings will be honored through their stay dates, new bookings under the old framework will end after 2025.

If you are an IHG employee or guest, acquaint yourself with the new One Pass rules as they roll out. If you’re not eligible, IHG One Rewards and other public rate strategies still provide dependable ways to save on future stays.