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Through Thursday (March 22, 2018), 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.
The 100% bonus kicks in at 5,000+ points purchased.
*If you buy 58,000 IHG points by March 22 you’ll actually receive 116,000 points for $580, or 0.5 cents each, as View from the Wing pointed out. Who knows why–looks like an error to me.
The maximum number of points you can purchase is 60,000 plus bonus points, meaning 120,000 total points.
IHG range from 10,000 to 70,000 points per night. There was a devaluation many were unhappy with that hit this past January. There are some OK deals on this chart–not nearly as many as before January–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 (or .5) cents each and redeeming free nights at the 5,000 point PointBreaks price means hotels cost $28.75 per night (or $25 if you buy 58k points + 58k bonus points).
When to Buy (Math)
Is buying IHG points for 0.575 (or .5) cents each a good deal?
I would not buy IHG points speculatively for 0.575 (nor .5) cents each because I value them at 0.5 cents each and I’d rather have cash than hotel points. 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 (or $25) per night. Category 1 properties would be $57.50 (or $50) per night. Top tier properties would be $402.50 per night. Remember those numbers are before taxes, as you will pay taxes in addition to points.
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.
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 or with the card that earns the point or mile you value the highest.
Bottom Line
You can buy IHG Points for as little as 0.575 (or .5) cents until Thursday. It’s pretty much never a good idea to buy points speculatively in these kind of sales, 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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