Club ITC hotel loyalty program: What is it and how to maximise its benefits with credit card reward points? | Mint

In India, some domestic and international hotel chains offer loyalty programs to their customers. The programs provide members (customers) who regularly stay at these hotels various benefits like discounts on room rates, complimentary breakfast, loyalty points, free nights, room upgrades, etc. 

One such loyalty program is the Club ITC, offered by ITC Hotels. In this article, we will understand the features and benefits of Club ITC and how to maximise its benefits with credit card reward points.

What is Club ITC?

The Club ITC is the loyalty program offered by ITC Hotels. ITC Hotels is one of India’s largest hotel groups, with 140+ hotels in 90+ destinations spread across six brands. These brands include ITC Hotels, Mementos, Welcomhotel, Storii, Fortune Hotels, and WelcomHeritage Hotels. The brands cater to customers across various categories, from luxurious experiences to budget stays.

The Club ITC is one of India’s most transparent, flexible and easy-to-use loyalty programs for over three decades. The Club ITC membership is lifetime free i.e., there is no joining or annual renewal fee. It is a multi-tier membership program wherein members get a wide range of benefits which accelerate as they move up the tiers. Some of the benefits include free stays, room upgrades, dining experiences, spa therapies and more.

Benefits of the Club ITC program

Some of the benefits of the Club ITC program include the following.

Member-only rates

The members get up to 10% additional savings for all bookings made through the ITC Hotels website.

Green points

The eligible spends at ITC hotels earn 2-5% Green Points (the Club ITC currency for the loyalty program). The value of each Green Point is Rs. 1. The Green Points can be used to pay for hotel stays, dining, spas, and other eligible spends at ITC hotels.

When you transfer your credit card reward points to Club ITC, they get converted to Green Points. The Green Points can be gifted or transferred to the accounts of other Club ITC members.

Reward nights

Members can use Green Points to book hotel stays (reward nights). When using Green Points to book reward nights, members can save up to 20% on the best available rates.

Free Wi-Fi

Members get complimentary access to Wi-Fi during their hotel stays.

E-vouchers

Members receive e-vouchers when they achieve or retain higher tier status. The e-vouchers can be for room upgrades, discounts on dining, spas, etc.

Membership tiers and their benefits

The Club ITC program has various membership tiers. On registration, everyone starts as a member. The benefits increase as an individual moves up from one membership tier to another. Let us look at the various membership tiers, their qualifying criteria, and benefits.

Some of the facilities mentioned above, like late check-out, enhanced room upgrades, etc., are subject to availability. As seen in the above table, the more the number of nights you stay at ITC hotels, the higher your membership tier goes, and the more benefits you get.

How to maximise Club ITC benefits with credit card reward points

Some banks have a tie-up with ITC Hotels and allow their credit cardholders to transfer their credit card reward points to the Club ITC loyalty program. On transfer to credit card reward points to the Club ITC program, they get converted to Green Points. The transfer ratio varies among banks and the credit card variant that you hold.

Some partners from which you can transfer credit card reward points to Club ITC include Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, IndusInd Bank, SBI Card, Fi Money, etc. For example, the Edge Miles (reward points) from Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card can be transferred to Club ITC in the 1:2 ratio. So, 1 Edge Mile = 2 Green Points.

Similarly, reward points from HDFC Bank (Infinia, Diners Black, and Regalia Gold credit cards) can be transferred to Club ITC in the 2:1 ratio. So, 2 reward points = 1 Green Point.

Once the credit card reward points are converted to ITC Club Green Points, they can be further used to book hotel stays at ITC hotels. During your stay, you can use the Green Points to pay for meals, spa services and other eligible expenses. Thus, if you have sufficient credit card reward points, you can enjoy free vacations at various ITC properties.

Should you join the Club ITC loyalty program?

The Club ITC loyalty program is lifetime free. It provides various benefits like member-only rates, Green Points, reward nights, complimentary Wi-Fi, etc., to all members. Based on your membership tier, you can enjoy additional benefits.

If you have adequate credit card reward points, you can convert them into Green Points and enjoy free stays at various ITC properties. Thus, if ITC Hotels is your preferred brand for hotel stays, you must join the Club ITC loyalty program.

Gopal Gidwani is a freelance personal finance content writer with 15+ years of experience. He can be reached at LinkedIn.