Double IHG Rewards base points (although 11% cashback or 30% off the better alternative)

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Via headforpoints, you can currently earn double IHG Rewards Club base points on all of your IHG stays. To benefit, you simply need to book by clicking through from this link.

ihg rewards

While a good offer on paper, at present it does not compete with the alternative of a massive 11% cashback via Quidco or circa 30% off on advance bookings.

The Quidco cashback is straightforward, simply sign up to Quidco and then use their dedicated IHG page to book your IHG stays. While the 11% cashback was originally time-limited, it now appears to be indefinite.

But that’s not where it ends… 

Use the MasterCard Partner Booking Page instead to save even more. There are no date restrictions apart from the requirement that the reservation be made a minimum of 21 days before a stay, plus you don’t need to pay with MasterCard. While the rate is available to everyone, I would still print out and fill in the voucher (put MasterCard as the company), because although the vast majority of hotels do not ask for it, we have found one or two that do.

IHG MasterCard

The MasterCard rate claims to save 30%, but that is derived from the best flexible rate and MasterCard rate bookings are actually non-refundable – so the real saving is less than advertised, but still substantial.

Given that an IHG Reward point is worth around 0.4-0.5p, it’s worth doing the maths on whether you’re better off getting double base points or going with the 11% rebate or 30% discount.

Irrespective of the appeal of extra base points, using the MasterCard booking page is consistently the best value way to book IHG hotels in Europe. 

Comments

  1. Nick Burch says

    Raffles indicated that it isn’t enough just to book with their link – you have to go to Head For Points first, then click through to the special booking page. There’s even a warning on the post announcing it:

    Please note this very important rule – you MUST click through from the link on this page of HFP to ihg.com. Do NOT bookmark the ihg.com page. IHG will not award double points if they do not see that you clicked through directly from Head for Points.

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