First hotel loyalty program to offer cents-per-gallon discounts for members through Fuel Rewards program

IHG Rewards Club, the loyalty program for IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, is making travel even more rewarding for its millions of U.S. members by offering savings on fuel through the Fuel Rewards program at participating Shell stations across the nation.

In addition to earning points that can be redeemed for travel, merchandise and more, IHG Rewards Club members receive a variety of meaningful benefits such as exclusive rates, free Internet access at properties worldwide, invitations to member-only events and complimentary access to Kindle books. And now with the program’s newest benefit, members can save even more during their travels by enjoying cents-per-gallon Fuel Rewards savings.

Based on their loyalty status, IHG Rewards Club members can save up to 7 cents per gallon on fuel every time they fill up at a participating Shell station. As members of the Fuel Rewards program, IHG Rewards Club members can stack additional fuel savings from purchases made at a variety of participating retailers, restaurants and merchants.

Discounts per gallon will be offered to IHG Rewards Club members based upon their membership level. Within the membership tiers, discounts will be:

•  5 cents per gallon everyday savings for Club and Gold Elite members (minimum 10 nights or 10,000 qualifying points in a calendar year)
•  6 cents per gallon everyday savings for Platinum Elite members (40 nights or 40,000 qualifying points)
•  7 cents per gallon everyday savings for Spire Elite (75 nights or 75,000 qualifying points) members

The "perfect fit" for hotel loyalty

Liz Crisafi, Head of Portfolio Marketing, Loyalty and Partnerships, the Americas at IHG said:“Fuel discounts are a perfect fit for our members. We know that consumers value the ability to save on fuel as they travel, and the Fuel Rewards program affiliation helps us reward our existing members with an exciting and highly valued travel perk, as well as attract new members to the IHG Rewards Club family.”

The Fuel Rewards program is operated by Excentus, the only company that provides loyalty marketing and technology solutions while managing its own loyalty program. Since 1996, the Fuel Rewards program's 8 million members have saved more than $2 billion on fuel through loyalty partnerships with leading national brands and retailers.

Jeff Hassman, Chief Marketing Officer of Excentus said: “We know how much today’s consumers value saving on fuel as a reward and a preferred loyalty program currency. Watching cents-per-gallon savings on fuel roll down at the pump builds additional savings into the travel experience. Our platform also keeps the earning and redeeming process simple for millions of IHG Rewards Club members to save at more than 14,000 Shell locations throughout the U.S.”

 A hotel trend: strengthen loyalty by broadening perks 

In response to changing member and guest needs, the hotel industry is exploring different types of benefits for guests through loyalty partnerships that make travel more enjoyable for road warriors and leisure travelers alike. The Fuel Rewards program as well as other member benefits recently introduced by IHG Rewards Club will serve to build deeper and more meaningful relationships with members by rewarding loyalty through valuable benefits and unique experiences beyond points. 

Guests can enroll in IHG Rewards Club online for free or by downloading the IHG App. IHG’s hotel portfolio encompasses InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo Hotels, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Resort Hotels, Holiday Inn Club Vacations Hotels, Holiday Inn Express Hotels, Staybridge Suites Hotels, Candlewood Suites Hotels, EVEN Hotels and HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts. 

Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of the Royal Dutch Shell plc, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with operations in more than 70 countries. In the U.S., Shell operates in 50 states and employs more than 20,000. 

About IHG

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns nearly 5,200 hotels and 770,000 guest rooms in almost 100 countries, with nearly 1,500 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG Rewards Club, the world’s first and largest hotel loyalty programme with more than 100 million enrolled members worldwide. 

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 350,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices globally.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club.