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IHG just launched its latest sale for purchased points. This is being promoted as a mystery bonus, so not all members may be eligible.
Flash Sale on Purchased IHG Points
IHG Rewards offers a 100% bonus up to 11,000 points for purchases through Friday, October 8, 2021. This offer is available to eligible customers who purchase at least 11,000 points in a single transaction.
You would receive 300,000 points if you purchased 250,000 points before the bonus and maxed out this promotion. This is a rate 0.5 cents per IHG points.
IHG Rewards often sells points. The bonus range is usually between 75-100%. This is the best offer you can get. This bonus is still a mystery, so it's possible that not everyone will be eligible.
The IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card (review), offers a 20% discount when you purchase points at normal price. This benefit wouldn't apply here.
The card offers an additional benefit: a fourth night is free when you redeem your award points. This means that you can book four nights for the price of three. Consider it a 25% discount if you stay for more than four nights.
Which credit card should I use to buy IHG points?
Points.com processes IHG Rewards points purchases, so they don't count as hotel purchases for credit card spending.
So I recommend that you use a card where you are trying to meet a minimum spending requirement or a credit card that maximizes the return on your everyday spending like the Citi Double Cash Card (review) and Chase Freedom Unlimited (review).
For more information on the best credit cards for buying points, see this post.
Is it worth purchasing IHG points?
IHG Rewards has had to devalue its redemption rates quite often over the years. However, for those who have purchased points, this has not been necessarily bad news. IHG has reduced the cost of purchasing points. With many promotions, the limit on the number of points you can purchase has been raised. The IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card (review), and IHG Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card offer great benefits such as a fourth-night free.
At 0.5 cents per IHG Rewards point, you can acquire 210,000 IHG points for $1,050.
You can get four nights at this rate if you have the IHG Premier Card. This is equivalent to paying $263 per person for a night at IHG's top properties, including all taxes and fees.
This is a significant discount on the usual hotel rates.
IHG recently introduced dynamic award pricing. It all depends on how you stay. IHG members can now redeem IHG points at Six Senses properties. This has exciting potential.
Although I would not speculatively purchase points, there is value in the right circumstances. This can sometimes be a deal at IHG's most expensive hotels. Other times, there is value in mid-range properties.
Here's an example of how I bought points
IHG points were purchased with a 75% bonus a few years back. I was planning to go to Beirut and chose the InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut. It is generally considered one of the best five hotels in the city and many people recommend it to me.
It was a great use of points. My three-night stay cost $868, including taxes and fees.
It was actually the pre-paid rate. The flexible rate would have been more than $1,000 for three nights (and it's probably what I would have booked).
This hotel costs only 30,000 IHG Rewards Points per night.
I did not have many IHG Rewards points and I never speculatively purchased them in the past.
The 75% bonus allowed me to buy 91,000 points, enough to last three nights, for $510 which was roughly half the rate flexible.
Sometimes it is helpful to explain the reasons why I purchase points and share my buying circumstances. Because I believe everyone should buy them, I don't promote buying points at discounts. It's all about purchasing points with the right purpose in mind.
Bottom line
IHG Rewards has a sale on points purchased. Members can get up to a 100 percent bonus on their purchased points. This is at a rate of 0.5c per point. This offer is the best IHG promotion on purchased points.
It is possible to purchase IHG points in certain circumstances. I believe it is worth having an IHG point reserve, considering the brand's global reach.
IHG points can be used in conjunction with the IHG card to get more value. This can give you up to a fourth night free of charge on award redemptions.
Are you planning to purchase IHG points with a bonus of 100%?
