IHG One Rewards and Qatar Privilege Club have announced a new partnership that allows members to earn Avios on IHG hotel stays and transfer existing IHG points to Qatar Airways.
This may sound like another airline-hotel partnership destined to disappear into the loyalty programme news cycle, but there's a practical angle here for UK-based Avios collectors that goes beyond the headlines. Because Qatar Airways uses Avios as its rewards currency, those points can be transferred freely between British Airways, Iberia Plus, and Finnair Plus. That makes this another back door into the increasingly sprawling Avios universe.
Here's how it works, when it's worth using, and when it isn't.
How the Earnings Work
Members who set Qatar Airways as their preferred earning partner in their IHG One Rewards account will earn Avios directly on qualifying paid hotel stays, instead of IHG points. The rates are:
| IHG brand | Avios earned per US$1 spent |
|---|---|
| Most brands (InterContinental, Kimpton, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Hotel Indigo, voco) | 2 Avios |
| Extended-stay brands (Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, IHG Residences, IHG Army Hotels) | 1 Avios |
To activate this, simply:
- Log in to your IHG One Rewards account
- Change your earning preference to airline miles
- Select Qatar Airways
There's one important catch, though: switching to airline miles means you stop earning IHG One Rewards points on those stays. As ever with loyalty programmes, you have to pick a side.
What is the Transfer Ratio?
Separately from the earn-on-stays option, existing IHG One Rewards points balances can be transferred to Qatar Airways Avios at the following rate:
| From | To | Ratio | Minimum transfer |
|---|---|---|---|
| IHG One Rewards points | Qatar Avios | 5:1 (10,000 points = 2,000 Avios) | 10,000 IHG points |
This is the same ratio that IHG uses across virtually all of its airline transfer partners.
To begin the transfer, you need to contact an IHG One Rewards Service Centre directly rather than doing it through the website. Avios are deposited within up to six weeks, so factor that into any planning if you're transferring ahead of a specific booking.
Why Does this Matter for Avios Collectors?
The most interesting aspect of this partnership is what happens after the IHG-to-Qatar transfer. Qatar Airways Avios are part of the same shared universe as British Airways, Iberia Plus, and Finnair Plus Avios. That means points earned from your IHG hotel stay don't have to stay with Qatar Airways for long. You can move them across to British Airways, Iberia Plus, and Finnair Plus and book a reward flight with them.
For anyone asking what airlines accept Avios, the answer is now broader than many people realise. British Airways, Iberia, Qatar Airways, Finnair, and Aer Lingus all use the same Avios currency, and points can be transferred freely between them. This IHG partnership simply adds another earning route into that shared pool.
Is It Actually Worth It?
Now for the part loyalty enthusiasts enjoy most: the maths. If you're trying to work out how much Avios points are worth compared to IHG points, the short answer is not much, unless you have a very specific Avios redemption in mind. The comparison usually favours keeping your IHG points as IHG points. Here's why:
- 10,000 IHG points used for hotel nights are usually worth £40 to £60 in hotel value, at roughly 0.4p to 0.5p per point
- 10,000 IHG points transferred to Qatar Avios equal 2,000 Avios, worth approximately £20 to £30 depending on how you redeem them
The transfer loses value in most everyday cases. Use an Avios points calculator to check your specific redemption before committing, since the outcome depends heavily on what you plan to do with the Avios.
The exception is premium cabin long-haul flights. Data shows that Iberia Avios redeemed for long-haul Business Class have averaged around 4.49 cents per Avios, which would make 2,000 Avios worth roughly £70 at current exchange rates. This is one scenario where the transfer can outperform keeping your IHG points for hotel stays.
When Does the Partnership Make Sense?
The following are some of the situations where it does make sense:
- Topping up a short Avios balance: If you're 2,000 to 5,000 Avios short of a reward flight you want to book, transferring a block of IHG points is faster and cheaper than buying BA or Qatar Airways Avios outright or waiting to earn them through flights.
- You have IHG points sitting unused: If your IHG balance is accumulating without a clear hotel redemption in sight, converting to Avios preserves some value that would otherwise sit idle or expire. Remember that Club-level IHG members' points expire after 12 months of inactivity.
- You're heavily invested in the Avios ecosystem: If most of your travel strategy revolves around collecting and redeeming Avios, earning points directly from IHG stays can help steadily grow your balance without changing your spending habits. No one's getting a First Class redemption from one Crowne Plaza stay, but if you're a frequent traveller, this can work as an additional top-up alongside flights, credit cards, and other Avios-earning routes.
When Does It Make Sense to Leave Your IHG Points Where They Are?
Don't transfer speculatively or in large volumes. If you stay in IHG hotels regularly and use points for free nights, the hotel value is almost always better than the Avios conversion. Don't switch your earning preference to Avios unless you've worked out that the Avios are worth more to you than the IHG points would be.
The dedicated routes for earning Avios still remain stronger: a BA American Express card, a Barclays Avios credit card, Nectar point conversions, or simply flying on British Airways, Iberia, or Qatar Airways and collecting on the ticket price.
Moving Qatar Avios to British Airways or Iberia
Once Avios are in your Qatar Privilege Club account, moving them to British Airways Club or Iberia Plus is simple. All three programmes share the same Avios currency and operate a linked transfer system. Simply:
- Log into your Qatar Privilege Club account
- Navigate to the Avios transfer section
- Select the destination programme
- Transfer the points
Transfers between programmes are usually near-instant, which gives members flexibility over where they hold their balance. If you prefer booking through ba.com, transfer to British Airways. If you want to book Iberia long-haul Business Class at lower surcharges, transfer to Iberia Plus and book direct. Either way, the Qatar Privilege Club acts as a valid staging point for Avios earned through IHG stays.
The Bottom Line
The IHG and Qatar Privilege Club partnership is a solid addition to the Avios ecosystem, though not a game-changer. The transfer ratio is identical to IHG's other airline partners, and the value maths usually favour keeping IHG points for hotel nights rather than converting them.
However, if you regularly stay in IHG hotels for work, the option to earn Avios directly on stays creates a new passive earnings stream. And for those who occasionally find themselves a few thousand Avios short of a redemption, the transfer route is a cleaner top-up option than buying points outright.
The broader point is that IHG is now a feeding partner in the Avios ecosystem. And for Avios collectors, another earning route is rarely bad news.
