InterContinental Offers 10,000 Points for Partner Transactions

Last week, I kvetched about [% 3514655 | | US Airways’ %] latest “Grand Slam” promotion, which offers as many as 50,000 bonus miles for doing business with various Dividend Miles partner companies. Generous? Potentially. But annoyingly complicated.

Indeed, that has been so much the norm for these multi-partner promotions that I reflexively roll my eyes whenever I come across a new one. But the new promotion from InterContinental Hotels’ Priority Club Rewards program turns out to be a refreshing exception to that rule.

Between August 20 and October 31, Priority Club members can earn up to 10,000 bonus points for completing four partner transactions as follows: 1,000 points after the first transaction; 2,000 after the second; 3,000 after the third; and 4,000 points after the fourth transaction, for a cumulative total of 10,000 points.

Among the eligible transactions: purchasing Priority Club points; points conversions through Points.com, Diners Club, or American Express; charges to the Priority Club credit card; Hertz rentals; Priority Club Rewards Shopping; Priority Club Dining; and so on.

Note, though, that transactions only count toward the bonus if you have not earned points for the same transaction within the past 18 months.

What’s so great about this offer? First, it’s reasonably generous, albeit not exceptionally so. Second, it’s simple and straightforward. Transactions are rewarded directly with bonus points—not intermediate rewards currency that later converts into bonus points. And each and every transaction is rewarded—not just the third, fifth, and so on, as is so often the case with these offers.

And finally, it’s a fairly uncomplicated matter to earn the maximum 10,000 points with a very modest expenditure of time and money.

So, for consumers, this is an offer worth taking advantage of. And for travel suppliers—particularly airlines, which regularly roll out such promotions—it’s a model worth emulating.