Hotels & Travel (IHG Hotels & Resorts)

IHG Military & Veteran Discount

A minimum of 5% off the Best Flexible Rate for US and Canadian active duty, veterans, retirees, and their families — verified with a military or veteran ID at check-in.

Yes — IHG Hotels & Resorts (Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza, Kimpton, InterContinental, Staybridge, Candlewood, Hotel Indigo and more) offers a real Military Leisure Rate: a minimum of 5% off the Best Flexible Rate (more at some hotels, based on availability) for US and Canadian active-duty, veterans, retired military, and their family members. It’s for leisure travel, you book it by selecting the Government/Military rate on IHG.com or the app, and you show a valid military or veteran ID at check-in.

Keep two things straight. First, the separate Government Rate is for official travel — government employees, military on orders, and contractors — and requires official ID or work orders at check-in; it’s not a general veteran vacation discount. Second, because the military minimum is only about 5%, IHG’s own member advance-purchase rates often beat it — so on locked-in dates, compare both and book the cheaper. Either way you still earn IHG One Rewards points.

This is an independent guide. NavyWeek is not affiliated with IHG; IHG sets and can change these terms at any time.

Written by

T Madden Alford — U.S. Naval Academy '02 · U.S. Navy Reserve Captain (O-6) · Former submarine officer, USS Key West

Reviewed by

Erik Rivera — U.S. Naval Academy '04 · Former U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officer

Publish date: July 12, 2026 · Last reviewed: July 12, 2026

How we research & review: Our editorial process

Verify & redeem at IHG Hotels & Resorts

Opens www.ihg.com/content/us/en/deals/hotel-offers/government/military-leisure-rate · Verification via In-store ID

IHG Hotels & Resorts Military Discount — Key Facts

Military discount: Military Leisure Rate: minimum 5% off Best Flexible Rate (more at some hotels, availability-limited)
Who qualifies: US/Canadian active duty, veterans, retired military + family members (leisure travel)
Government Rate: Official travel: government employees, military on orders, defense/CRC contractors, state-funded universities/healthcare
Verification: Valid military or veteran ID at check-in (Government Rate: official ID or work orders) — no ID.me/SheerID
Where to redeem: IHG.com or the IHG app — select "Government/Military Rate"; direct bookings only
Stacking: Not combinable with other offers, promo codes, or reward nights; IHG One Rewards points still earn
Best value tip: Compare the member advance-purchase rate (often 10-20% off) — it can beat the 5% military minimum
Region: US & Canada (Military Leisure Rate); Government Rate at participating hotels

Source: Great military rates (Military Leisure Rate) — official · Last verified: July 12, 2026

WHO QUALIFIES

IHG’s Military Leisure Rate is a minimum of 5% off the Best Flexible Rate (more at some hotels, availability-limited) for US and Canadian active duty, veterans, retired military, and their families, for leisure travel, with a valid military or veteran ID shown at check-in. A separate Government Rate covers official travel.

US and Canadian active-duty service members qualify for the Military Leisure Rate for leisure travel.
Veterans qualify for the Military Leisure Rate with a valid veteran ID shown at check-in.
Retired military members qualify for the Military Leisure Rate.
Military family members qualify for the Military Leisure Rate ("family members with valid ID").
Government employees (federal, state, county, local), military on official orders, and defense/Cost-Reimbursable Contractors qualify for the separate Government Rate (official travel; official ID or work orders required).
State-funded universities and healthcare facilities qualify for the Government Rate.
IHG Army Hotels (on-base lodging) is a separate program requiring base access and military ID — the Military Leisure Rate does not apply there.

IHG Hotels & Resorts discount by community
Audience	Discount
US/Canadian active duty, veterans, retired military & family membersFor leisure travel; more at some hotels, subject to availability. Book by selecting the Government/Military rate on IHG.com or the app; show valid military or veteran ID at check-in. Not available at IHG Army Hotels; blackout dates apply.	Military Leisure Rate — minimum 5% off Best Flexible Rate
Government employees, military on orders & defense/CRC contractorsOfficial travel only. Requires official ID or work orders at check-in — "without proper ID, discount cannot be given." Not applicable with other discounted-rate promotions or group bookings; blackout dates apply.	Government Rate — % off Best Flexible Rate (hotel-controlled)
Guests with US Army base accessOn-base lodging (Candlewood Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Express) at roughly 39 Army installations; requires base access + military ID. The public Military Leisure Rate does not apply here.	IHG Army Hotels (on-base) — typically well below local hotel rates

HOW TO REDEEM

Online at www.ihg.com

Search your hotel and dates on IHG.com or the IHG app
Look up your Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza, Kimpton, InterContinental, Staybridge, Candlewood, or Hotel Indigo stay as usual. Book direct — these rates are IHG-direct only.
Select the "Government/Military Rate"
In the rate/room list, choose the Government/Military Rate; where shown, pick the veteran/retiree option via the "i" info icon. The exact discounted amount for your dates appears when you select the rate.
Compare the member advance-purchase rate before you book
Because the military minimum is only ~5%, IHG’s member advance-purchase (non-refundable) rate often runs 10-20% under Best Flex and can beat it on locked-in dates. Join IHG One Rewards free and book the lower of the two — you earn points either way.
Or book by phone
Military leisure booking help and government-rate/official-orders stays can also be arranged by phone with IHG reservations. Verify current numbers on IHG’s pages.

In store

Bring valid ID to check-in
For the Military Leisure Rate, show a valid military or veteran ID. For the Government Rate, show official government/military ID or work orders. The reservation should be in the name of the eligible ID holder.
Eligibility is verified in person at the front desk
IHG uses no ID.me/SheerID online pre-verification. Staff check your ID at check-in — without proper ID, the discount cannot be given. It is checked per stay; there is no re-verification cycle.

HOW IT WORKS

The number one mistake is conflating IHG’s two first-party programs. The Military Leisure Rate is the one veterans can use for a vacation — a minimum of 5% off Best Flexible Rate, open to US and Canadian active duty, veterans, retired military, and family members, verified with a military or veteran ID at check-in. The Government Rate is an official-travel rate for government employees, military on orders, and defense/CRC contractors that requires official ID or work orders; some hotels align it toward the GSA per-diem cap, though IHG’s own page describes it as a percentage off Best Flex.

Both are rates, not stackable coupons. IHG’s terms state the Military Leisure Rate "cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, discount or promotion" — including promo codes and reward (points) nights — and the Government Rate is "not applicable with other discounted-rate promotions" or group bookings. What does still apply is loyalty: IHG One Rewards points accrue on qualifying military/government cash rates and elite benefits still apply. That’s the classic hotel-loyalty pattern — status layers on, but the rates themselves are mutually exclusive.

Because the military minimum is only ~5%, the honest best-value play is to compare rates for your exact dates. IHG’s member advance-purchase (non-refundable) rate routinely runs 10-20% under Best Flex and often beats the military rate outright — while public flash/"Cyber" member sales can beat it too. If your dates might change, the refundable Military Leisure Rate is the safer pick; if they’re locked, price the member advance rate and book the lower one. Coupon aggregators present the military benefit as a stackable sitewide code — it is not; it’s a rate you book by selecting the Government/Military option.

If you have US Army base access, IHG Army Hotels — on-base lodging (Candlewood Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Express) at roughly 39 installations — is usually the cheapest option of all, but it’s a separate program requiring base access and military ID, and the public leisure rate does not apply there. IHG and its individual hotels control these rates and can change them at any time, so confirm the current terms and the exact percentage for your stay before booking.

Exclusions & fine print

The Military Leisure Rate is leisure travel only, a minimum of 5% off Best Flex, not available at IHG Army Hotels, with blackout dates and rooms limited/subject to prior sale.
The Government Rate is not applicable with other discounted-rate promotions and not applicable to group bookings; certain room types may be excluded; blackout dates apply.
Neither rate combines with other offers, promo codes, or reward (points) nights — they are standalone rates, not stackable coupons.
Taxes and occupancy fees are additional; the discount applies to the room rate only.
IHG Army Hotels is a closed on-base channel (base access + military ID required); the public military leisure rate does not apply there.

SOURCES

Great military rates (Military Leisure Rate) — official — IHG Hotels & Resorts
Saluting service with savings (Government Rate) — official — IHG Hotels & Resorts
IHG Hotel Military Discounts (leisure vs. government, IHG Army Hotels) — The Military Wallet

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Does IHG offer a military discount?

Yes. IHG’s Military Leisure Rate gives US and Canadian active-duty, veterans, retired military, and their families a minimum of 5% off the Best Flexible Rate (more at some hotels) for leisure travel, with a valid military or veteran ID required at check-in.

How much is the IHG military discount?

A minimum of 5% off the Best Flexible Rate, varying by hotel and subject to availability. Some properties offer more; the exact amount shows when you select the Government/Military rate for your dates.

Do veterans, retirees, and family members qualify?

Yes — the Military Leisure Rate explicitly covers US and Canadian active duty, veterans, retired military, and family members with valid ID. You show that ID at check-in.

What’s the difference between the Military Leisure Rate and the Government Rate?

The Military Leisure Rate is for vacation travel (military or veteran ID). The Government Rate is for official travel — government employees, military on orders, and contractors — and requires official ID or work orders at check-in. Don’t book the government rate for a personal vacation unless you qualify.

How do I verify my military status with IHG?

There’s no online ID.me or SheerID step. You select the Government/Military rate when booking and prove eligibility with your ID at the front desk at check-in. The booking should be in the eligible person’s name.

Does IHG use ID.me, GovX, SheerID, or WeSalute?

No. IHG verifies in person at check-in rather than through a third-party online verifier, and there’s no IHG storefront on GovX or WeSalute that beats the first-party rate. Book direct on IHG.com or the app.

Can I combine the IHG military rate with promo codes, points, or sales?

No. The military and government rates cannot be combined with other offers, promo codes, or reward nights — they’re standalone rates. You do still earn IHG One Rewards points on qualifying cash bookings.

Is the IHG military rate actually the cheapest option?

Not always. Because the military minimum is ~5%, IHG’s member advance-purchase rate often beats it on fixed dates. Compare both for your trip and book the lower one — and if you have Army base access, IHG Army Hotels is usually cheapest of all.

Does IHG offer a first responder, teacher, or nurse discount?

IHG’s Government Rate covers government employees and state-funded universities and healthcare facilities (official travel). There’s no separate public first-responder, teacher, or nurse leisure rate confirmed on IHG’s own pages.

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Editorial policy

Source priority. We cite IHG Hotels & Resorts's official discount page and the identity-verification provider (In-store ID) first. Discount amounts, eligibility, and exclusions are quoted from those sources and confirmed on the "Last verified" date above.
Independence. NavyWeek.org is not affiliated with the U.S. Navy, the Department of Defense, NAVCO, or any federal agency. We do not accept payment to recommend specific recruiters, schools, vendors, or services.
Review cadence. Because IHG Hotels & Resorts can change these terms at any time, the offer is re-verified against the official page on a recurring basis and whenever a reader reports a change.
Reviewer. The page is reviewed for accuracy by the reviewer named in the byline. The "Last reviewed" date at the top of the page reflects the most recent review pass.
Corrections. Factual errors are corrected as soon as we can verify the issue against an official source. See the "Report an outdated fact" link below.
Not advice. This page is informational only. For decisions about service, benefits, pay, or assignment, rely on official .mil sources and your chain of command, detailer, recruiter, or accredited representative.

See something out of date? Report an outdated fact or reach the editors via the contact page. Please include a link to the official .gov or .mil source you believe is more current.