Priority Privilege worth it?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Would have been nice for 'High Coffee' too, but as we know, no PP to be accepted at Cortile.
 
Just attempted to sign up but the website bombed out after submitting my details!
 
Hi

When would you consider a PP membership a better deal than becoming an IHG "Ambassador" ?

Only useful @ IC properties for Ambassador, for a start.

Would appreciate your thoughts or experiences

Cheers
 
legroom said:
Hi

When would you consider a PP membership a better deal than becoming an IHG "Ambassador" ?

Only useful @ IC properties for Ambassador, for a start.

Would appreciate your thoughts or experiences

Cheers
Click to expand...

I've had both at times. Quite simply.... Are you going to stay in an IC? If no the answer is simple. If yes, you have to weigh up how often you stay at IC vs HI / CP etc and also think about how often you eat in their restaurants. For most people the PP membership will be a better option.
 
It is a bummer that Crown took over Burswood in Perth.
The IC in Melbourne was a big let down.
So for us it is Sydney or bust but at $199 net of the voucher it works great.
We renewed Hyatt in Perth for 2 years each so with 2 cards we can comp our visitors if we go as a table of four.
 
legroom said:
Hi

When would you consider a PP membership a better deal than becoming an IHG "Ambassador" ?

Only useful @ IC properties for Ambassador, for a start.

Would appreciate your thoughts or experiences

Cheers
Click to expand...

I'm sure not the best person to answer this question, but I have been mulling over the options over the last week or two and have arrived at this conclusion.

After you first buy ambassador ($200), the renewals are $150 per annum. For that, you get guaranteed room upgrades, automatic PC gold (free internet), fruit/water/gift, double @ single rate, 4pm checkout, newspaper, movie, and a guaranteed weekend BOGO. One IC stay could pay back the membership, two or more effectively means you're getting a number of status benefits usually only given to people who stay quite a lot.

PP costs $299 and I'm sure you know the benefits. Most agree the cost of the card can be easily recovered provided you do actually use it.

PC plat requires a larger commitment these days to gain/retain and seemingly offers little over and above the gold benefits, a higher bonus points earn (50% rather than 10% more) and possible (thought not guaranteed) room upgrades at non IC hotels (plus a couple of other less useful to most, advantages).

Given my travel destinations now and for the next few years, I do see definite value in having both IC ambassador and a PP membership. As markis10 has posted elsewhere, from that combo, it's possible to have many free nights thanks to the BOGOs, PP newsletter and "forgetful" check-in staff plus many of the elite status benefits of which at least some are worth money savings (2 on a single rate and internet for example). I don't see the value for me, to push for platinum status unless they add some benefits (lack of club access stands out like a sore thumb). I also don't really see the benefits of non IC brands. In Oz, Hilton provides almost as many locations and offers a far better level of elite benefits than IHG with the exception perhaps of some ICs (SYD being one).

So my decision (at the moment) is to continue to retain HH diamond, renew both IC Amb and the PP card and perhaps go for SPG gold or plat (but I'm still looking at the value of SPG over the No.of stays I'm likely to do). Remember, most of the worthwhile benefits of any of the loyalty programmes can be bought by simply choosing a better room (suites etc) and there is a very valid and somewhat compelling argument to choose the hotel/room/rate that best suits you at the time and forget status completely. That said, without HH membership, I wouldn't have a free week booked at the Maldives in an AU$2200/night room! There's certainly something to be said for that, too!
 
AMEX Velocity Platinum Card Benefits
Australia's highest-earning Velocity Frequent Flyer credit card: Offer expires: 21 Jan 2025
- Earn 60,000 bonus Velocity Points
- Get unlimited Virgin Australia Lounge access
- Enjoy a complimentary return Virgin Australia domestic flight each year

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

swanning_it said:
I'm sure not the best person to answer this question, but I have been mulling over the options over the last week or two and have arrived at this conclusion.

After you first buy ambassador ($200), the renewals are $150 per annum. For that, you get guaranteed room upgrades, automatic PC gold (free internet), fruit/water/gift, double @ single rate, 4pm checkout, newspaper, movie, and a guaranteed weekend BOGO. One IC stay could pay back the membership, two or more effectively means you're getting a number of status benefits usually only given to people who stay quite a lot.

PP costs $299 and I'm sure you know the benefits. Most agree the cost of the card can be easily recovered provided you do actually use it.

PC plat requires a larger commitment these days to gain/retain and seemingly offers little over and above the gold benefits, a higher bonus points earn (50% rather than 10% more) and possible (thought not guaranteed) room upgrades at non IC hotels (plus a couple of other less useful to most, advantages).

Given my travel destinations now and for the next few years, I do see definite value in having both IC ambassador and a PP membership. As markis10 has posted elsewhere, from that combo, it's possible to have many free nights thanks to the BOGOs, PP newsletter and "forgetful" check-in staff plus many of the elite status benefits of which at least some are worth money savings (2 on a single rate and internet for example). I don't see the value for me, to push for platinum status unless they add some benefits (lack of club access stands out like a sore thumb). I also don't really see the benefits of non IC brands. In Oz, Hilton provides almost as many locations and offers a far better level of elite benefits than IHG with the exception perhaps of some ICs (SYD being one).

So my decision (at the moment) is to continue to retain HH diamond, renew both IC Amb and the PP card and perhaps go for SPG gold or plat (but I'm still looking at the value of SPG over the No.of stays I'm likely to do). Remember, most of the worthwhile benefits of any of the loyalty programmes can be bought by simply choosing a better room (suites etc) and there is a very valid and somewhat compelling argument to choose the hotel/room/rate that best suits you at the time and forget status completely. That said, without HH membership, I wouldn't have a free week booked at the Maldives in an AU$2200/night room! There's certainly something to be said for that, too!
Click to expand...

I was having a similar thought process as my PP in up for renewal in Sept, and now with Amex Plat giving accor advantage plus from 1 Oct, I was not sure what to do.

Maybe I will renew PP for one more year then change to IC Amb, (with the added accor adv I will be covered) don't forget they also give you 5000 IHG points as well, enough for a point breaks night, and I assume they give you these points each year, which I guess you could hoard if you don't do too many stays over a couple of years ?

I also noted that some Hiltons do great Govt discounts, I have a conference in early Nov so booked a room at HSP for the night ...
 
Ricardo said:
I was having a similar thought process as my PP in up for renewal in Sept, and now with Amex Plat giving accor advantage plus from 1 Oct, I was not sure what to do.

Maybe I will renew PP for one more year then change to IC Amb, (with the added accor adv I will be covered) don't forget they also give you 5000 IHG points as well, enough for a point breaks night, and I assume they give you these points each year, which I guess you could hoard if you don't do too many stays over a couple of years ?

I also noted that some Hiltons do great Govt discounts, I have a conference in early Nov so booked a room at HSP for the night ...
Click to expand...

The renewals don't come with the 5K as of this year.
 
swanning_it said:
I'm sure not the best person to answer this question, but I have been mulling over the options over the last week or two and have arrived at this conclusion.

After you first buy ambassador ($200), the renewals are $150 per annum. For that, you get guaranteed room upgrades, automatic PC gold (free internet), fruit/water/gift, double @ single rate, 4pm checkout, newspaper, movie, and a guaranteed weekend BOGO. One IC stay could pay back the membership, two or more effectively means you're getting a number of status benefits usually only given to people who stay quite a lot.

PP costs $299 and I'm sure you know the benefits. Most agree the cost of the card can be easily recovered provided you do actually use it.

PC plat requires a larger commitment these days to gain/retain and seemingly offers little over and above the gold benefits, a higher bonus points earn (50% rather than 10% more) and possible (thought not guaranteed) room upgrades at non IC hotels (plus a couple of other less useful to most, advantages).

Given my travel destinations now and for the next few years, I do see definite value in having both IC ambassador and a PP membership. As markis10 has posted elsewhere, from that combo, it's possible to have many free nights thanks to the BOGOs, PP newsletter and "forgetful" check-in staff plus many of the elite status benefits of which at least some are worth money savings (2 on a single rate and internet for example). I don't see the value for me, to push for platinum status unless they add some benefits (lack of club access stands out like a sore thumb). I also don't really see the benefits of non IC brands. In Oz, Hilton provides almost as many locations and offers a far better level of elite benefits than IHG with the exception perhaps of some ICs (SYD being one).

So my decision (at the moment) is to continue to retain HH diamond, renew both IC Amb and the PP card and perhaps go for SPG gold or plat (but I'm still looking at the value of SPG over the No.of stays I'm likely to do). Remember, most of the worthwhile benefits of any of the loyalty programmes can be bought by simply choosing a better room (suites etc) and there is a very valid and somewhat compelling argument to choose the hotel/room/rate that best suits you at the time and forget status completely. That said, without HH membership, I wouldn't have a free week booked at the Maldives in an AU$2200/night room! There's certainly something to be said for that, too!
Click to expand...

For the time being, I am leaning towards only the IC Ambassador but things may change.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
 
markis10 said:
Ahh, forget you needed the 6 digits 518542
Click to expand...

This is excellent - so I understand; you then have to book and stay at an SPG property. Then, on checkout, you pay with any Mastercard and you become Gold. Do you get Gold days/weeks later after the stay posts?
 
thatsthatmattressman said:
This is excellent - so I understand; you then have to book and stay at an SPG property. Then, on checkout, you pay with any Mastercard and you become Gold. Do you get Gold days/weeks later after the stay posts?
Click to expand...


I think it tooka week at max after the stay.
 
Signed up last night and whilst I received a newsletter today I've still not received an email with login details, is this normal?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Become an AFF member!

Join Australian Frequent Flyer (AFF) for free and unlock insider tips, exclusive deals, and global meetups with 65,000+ frequent flyers.

AFF members can also access our Frequent Flyer Training courses, and upgrade to Fast-track your way to expert traveller status and unlock even more exclusive discounts!

AFF forum abbreviations

Wondering about Y, J or any of the other abbreviations used on our forum?

Check out our guide to common AFF acronyms & abbreviations.

Recent Posts

Currently Active Users

Total: 234 (members: 20, guests: 214)
Back
Top