As of the beginning of last month, IHG Rewards members will earn 10 points for every $1 charged to your room including your nightly room rate, food and beverages charged to your room including room service, in-room movies, laundry and other services charged to your room folio at all InterContinental hotels worldwide. This replaces the earn rate of 2,000 points per stay for hotels outside the Americas. For more information, visit http://insideflyerus.wpengine.com/link/?11545 If you are curious how many points you will earn under the new earning structure, you can enter your membership level and estimated spend into the IHG Rewards Club Points calculator.

Bottom line: This is good news for IHG Rewards members who will now earn more points for international stays. The old earning structure offered the equivalent of spending $200 per night on a room – an amount that is easily exceeded outside of the Americas. Now, a person who spends $200 per night will not only earn 2,000 points for the room rate, but also 10 points for every $1 equivalent spent that is charged to your room. There are some charges that will not earn points, however, including gift certificates, spa fees, tickets sales and a few other items that can be charge to your room. This move by IHG Rewards matches the change starting February 2012, when hotels in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean starting offering 10 points per $1 spent instead of a flat 2,000 points per stay.