Some links to products and partners on this website will earn an affiliate commission.
IHG Rewards has launched one of its limited time offers to buy points with a 100% bonus. The flash sale will be available until March 16th, 2021.
You must buy at least 11,000 points to benefit from the bonus. But the best price is reserved for purchases of 26,000 points or more. You would pay 0.5 cents (~0.36p) per point when buying 26,000+ points (you would receive double that of course)
Is It Worth It?
I certainly would NOT recommend that you buy points speculatively.
But you can definitely find many hotels where you will save money by buying points at the 0.36p price, instead of simply paying the cash price.
Of course, you also need to take into account the fact that you can earn substantial number of points on paid stays, especially when a good promotion is running. So buying points might not make sense in a year where both paid rates are low and promotions are likely to become more lucrative to tempt people into travelling again.
Don’t Forget Cashback
You can jump to IHG’s Buy Points page by clicking here. However, it’s a far better idea to click here and re-read this post on how to earn cashback when buying points!
What do you think? Are you a buyer of IHG Rewards points at this price? Let us know in the comments section…
Perhaps the litmus of value for money is what you pay to renew Ambassador membership. I believe I am right in saying that initial and renewal rates are now the same and the cash cost is $200.00 USD. Even with the 100% bonus, you have to part with $230.00 USD to purchase 20k, doubled up to 40k, which is the pay with points price.
I rest my case m’lud! (Sorry if this means little to non – UK readers. I guess “m’lud” = “your honor” for those not of the British Empire, or those who many years ago threw off the shackles of being part of it!!)
Well, you could buy 26k points to end up at 0.5 cents per point, which using your Ambassador comparison does make $200 equal 40k points. You’re right that IHG would look goofy if you could buy those 40k points for less than $200…
Thanks Craig – you make a good point. I hadn’t spotted the better price when you buy over 26k points – or the crazy consequence that (including the 100% bonus) 50k points cost $287.50, and 56k points cost $280.00. I wonder how many people buy the ‘wrong’ permutation!