IHG Q3: Global RevPAR Up 5.3%, Greater China Slips 3.3% as Pipeline Hits 2,426 Hotels

IHG reported its third-quarter trading update on Oct 22, and the numbers say a lot about where your next IHG One Rewards stay is likely to be. Demand is strong in the Americas, softer in Greater China, and the company is still adding hotels at a steady clip.

Where room demand is strongest

Global RevPAR (revenue per available room) rose 5.3% in Q3 and 4.6% year to date. The Americas led at +6.8% for the quarter (+5.6% YTD). EMEAA, which covers Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa outside Greater China, grew 5.0% (+3.7% YTD). Greater China was the outlier at -3.3% for the quarter, though it is still +1.0% year to date.

For travelers, rising RevPAR in the Americas generally means less discounting on cash rates, so points redemptions can look relatively better in busy markets. Treat that as a rule of thumb, not an IHG statement.

Growth and pipeline

• System size: 1,060k rooms across 7,186 hotels; net system growth +4.9% year over year, gross growth +6.3%.
• Q3 openings: 92 hotels (12.9k rooms). Year to date: 289 hotels (44.4k rooms).
• Q3 signings: 164 hotels (21.1k rooms). Year to date: 516 hotels (70.3k rooms).
• Pipeline: 353k rooms across 2,426 hotels, up 3.2% year over year and equal to 33% of the current system.

All figures:

Shareholder returns and outlook

IHG has completed $707m of its $950m 2026 buyback, reducing the share count by 3.1%, and is on track to return over $1.2bn to shareholders in 2026 through buybacks and dividends. It says it is confident of meeting full-year consensus expectations.

What to do

This update contains no program or points changes, so there is nothing to act on today. Watch IHG One Rewards promotions and award pricing over the coming months, and check current terms on ihg.com before booking, as of Oct 27, 2026; confirm on the IHG news page above.

Sources

• https://www.ihgplc.com/en/news-and-media/news-releases/2026/third-quarter-trading-update-to-30-september-2026
• https://www.ihgplc.com/en/news-and-media/news-releases