In Brief: Air India and IHG Hotels & Resorts have launched a loyalty partnership enabling members of both programs to earn and redeem points across airline and hotel stays, aiming to enhance customer engagement and increase repeat business for both companies.
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Air India, IHG Hotels & Resorts Launch Loyalty Partnership – Image Credit IHG Hotels & Resorts
Air India and IHG Hotels & Resorts have launched a loyalty partnership that lets Maharaja Club members earn points at IHG properties, and IHG One Rewards members exchange points for Maharaja Points.
Air India and IHG Hotels & Resorts today announced a new partnership, enabling Air India’s Maharaja Club members to earn reward points during stays at IHG Hotels & Resorts, while giving IHG One Rewards members the flexibility to exchange their points for Maharaja Points.
The partnership brings together IHG’s global portfolio of more than 7,100 hotels in over 100 countries with Air India’s network across India and five continents to offer members greater value, choice and flexibility across their travel journey.
Earn Maharaja Points through stays at IHG Hotels & Resorts worldwide
Through the partnership, Air India’s Maharaja Club members can earn Maharaja Points when staying at IHG Hotels & Resorts worldwide. Members will earn 2 Maharaja Points for every US$1 spent at most IHG Hotels and Resorts, while stays at Candlewood Suites, Staybridge Suites, IHG Residences and IHG Army Hotels will earn 1 Maharaja Point for every US$1 spent.
Members will also have the flexibility to convert their IHG One Rewards Points into Maharaja Points, with 1,000 IHG One Rewards Points exchangeable for 200 Maharaja Points. The minimum exchange threshold is 1,000 IHG One Rewards Points, giving members flexibility in how they use their loyalty rewards towards future travel.
The partnership builds on IHG One Rewards’ focus on offering greater flexibility to its growing membership base, while further expanding Maharaja Club’s partner ecosystem and opportunities for members to earn Maharaja Points beyond their airline spend.
Sudeep Jain, Managing Director, South West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “India continues to be one of IHG’s most important growth markets, and we are focused on expanding our presence while building deeper and more meaningful engagement with our guests. Our partnership with Air India brings together two leading travel brands and creates greater value for members across their journeys. By connecting IHG One Rewards with Maharaja Club, we are giving our members more choice and flexibility in how they use their rewards, while strengthening the reach and relevance of IHG One Rewards in India. This partnership further supports our ambition to grow our loyalty base and drive preference for our hotels as we continue to expand our portfolio across the country.”
Award-winning IHG One Rewards is one of the world’s largest hotel loyalty programmes with a growing base of over 160 million members, globally.
Sunil Suresh, Head of Marketing, Loyalty and E-commerce, Air India, said: “Maharaja Club is evolving alongside Air India’s transformation, with a strong emphasis on creating richer experiences for our members beyond the flight itself. By partnering with IHG Hotels & Resorts, we are extending the programme’s reach into another important part of the travel journey and making it easier for members to benefit from their loyalty across a broader range of travel experiences. As we continue to grow the Maharaja Club ecosystem, our vision is to make Maharaja Points an increasingly relevant part of our members’ travel and lifestyle journeys, with more opportunities to earn and redeem them across categories, markets and moments that matter most to our customers.”
Special launch offer for members
To mark the launch of the partnership, Maharaja Club members will be eligible to earn 3x Maharaja Points on qualifying stays between 15 September and 31 December 2026, with no blackout dates applicable during the period. Members are required to register for the promotion to benefit from the offer.
The partnership also reflects IHG’s continued commitment to India and its long-term growth strategy in the market, strengthening its loyalty proposition and creating more opportunities to engage travellers across their travel journeys.
IHG currently has 53 hotels operating across seven brands in India, including Six Senses, InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, Vignette Collection, Crowne Plaza, voco Hotels, Holiday Inn Resort and Holiday Inn Express, and a strong pipeline of 110 hotels due to open in the next 3-5 years.