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Through Friday (February 17, 2017), you can buy 5,000+ IHG Rewards Club points with a 100% bonus. That brings the per-point price down to 0.575 cents, which means you can book certain hotels for as low as $29.
IHG is the loyalty program of these brands, including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, and Holiday Inn.
IHG points normally cost 1.15 to 1.35 cent each.
- 1,000 – 10,000 points for $13.50 per 1,000 points
- 11,000 – 25,000 points for $12.50 per 1,000 points
- 26,000 – 60,000 points for $11.50 per 1,000 points
The 100% bonus kicks in at 5,000+ points purchased.
If you buy 26,000 IHG points by November 16–the smallest number that gets the lowest price–you’ll receive 52,000 points for $299 or 0.575 cents each.
The maximum number of points you can purchase is 60,000 plus bonus points, meaning 120,000 total points.
IHG has nine categories of hotels that cost 10,000 to 50,000 points per night. There are some OK deals on this chart, but the best use of IHG Rewards points is always to book PointBreaks hotels for 5,000 points per night.
Buying points for 0.575 cents each and redeeming free nights at the 5,000 point PointBreaks price means hotels cost $28.75 per night.
When to Buy (Math)
Is buying IHG points for 0.575 cents each a good deal?
I would not buy IHG points speculatively for 0.575 cents each because I value them at 0.5 cents each. But if you have an immediate high value redemption in mind or if you are preparing your account for future PointBreaks, buying points can be a good deal.
For instance, with a 100% bonus, PointBreaks hotels are $28.75 per night. Category 1 properties would be $57.50 per night. Top tier Category 9 properties would be $287.50 per night. For all these categories, you can get a big discount off the retail nightly rate if you travel at a peak time.
Search your dream hotel to see how many points you’d need to book the hotel you want for a night. Search the dates you’d like to stay to see the paid price. If buying the points makes sense, there is award space on your dates, and you are ready to redeem now, buy the points.
For instance, this summer The InterContinental Resort and Spa Moorea Hotelin French Polynesia costs 40,000 points (Category 7) per night or about $300 after taxes.
For $690, you can buy 120,000 IHG Rewards points and redeem them for three free nights at the hotel, saving $210 off of retail.
Buy IHG Points with These Credit Cards
IHG points purchases are processed by points.com, so the purchases will not code as a bonus “travel” or “hotel” purchase on any credit card. You will not earn category bonuses from the purchase of IHG points.
That means you should make the purchase with whatever card you need to meet a minimum spending requirement on.
Bottom Line
You can buy IHG Points for as little as 0.575 cents until Friday. That’s too high to buy speculatively, but there are a lot of immediate awards you can book where that price offers great value.
The best use of IHG Rewards points is always to book PointBreaks hotels for 5,000 points per night.
Purchase link: Buy IHG Rewards Club points with a 100% bonus
Just getting started in the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for you to start with.
With a bonus of 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!
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