IHG One Rewards typically is not as effectively cherished within the factors and miles group as applications like Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt. However IHG resorts and resorts can be found in lots of locations, and it is easy to get good worth when redeeming IHG factors.
Incomes IHG factors can be comparatively simple. For instance, new candidates for the $99-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card can earn 140,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. And new candidates for the no-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card can earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
So, let’s talk about how you can maximize IHG One Rewards redemptions.
Calculate your IHG redemption fee to maximise factors
IHG started utilizing dynamic award pricing in 2020. Now, IHG costs all of its award stays dynamically, that means the variety of factors you may must redeem for a keep varies based mostly in your reserving date, the property you select, your keep dates and different elements.
However even with dynamic pricing, getting good worth out of your IHG One Rewards factors continues to be potential. TPG’s November 2024 valuations peg the worth of IHG factors at 0.5 cents every, however you’ll be able to typically get the next redemption fee when redeeming IHG factors.
For instance, let’s assume you wish to ebook a normal room with one king mattress on the Vacation Inn Savannah Historic District for the night time of Aug. 15. You would ebook a fee with free cancellation till just a few days earlier than your keep for $418 or 69,000 factors. Should you redeem IHG factors for this night time, you may get a redemption fee of 0.61 cents per level.
That stated, you will not at all times get a great redemption worth. So, at all times evaluate the money fee to the factors fee and calculate your redemption fee. In case your redemption fee is low, think about reserving a paid fee in your keep and saving your factors for a higher-value redemption.
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Maximize IHG factors by being versatile
One other strategy to maximize your IHG factors is to be as versatile as potential. For instance, you might save factors (or cash) within the above situation by shifting your keep to different dates. Particularly, you might redeem 58,000 factors or pay $353 should you shifted your one-night keep every week earlier.
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Likewise, in case you are versatile as to the place you keep in a metropolis — and even the town you go to — you could possibly redeem fewer factors. For instance, you would possibly resolve to save lots of by staying out close to the Savannah airport for the one-night keep mentioned within the earlier part. By doing so, you might redeem 33,000 factors or pay $212 in your keep.
Briefly, being versatile may help you redeem fewer factors in your stays and maximize your factors.
Associated: Which bank card do you have to use for IHG stays?
Test Factors & Money redemptions
It is also price checking Factors & Money charges. Because the title suggests, Factors & Money charges allow you to mix IHG factors and cash to stretch your factors additional. You possibly can see these redemption choices by deciding on “Factors & Money” as soon as you choose a lodge from the search outcomes.
As with all redemptions, run the numbers to see if a Factors & Money reserving is smart. Within the above instance, you might ebook an evening that may price $212 or 33,000 factors for:
- 33,000 factors and $0 (redemption fee of 0.64 cents per level)
- 28,000 factors and $36 (redemption fee of 0.63 cents per level)
- 23,000 factors and $69 (redemption fee of 0.62 cents per level)
- 18,000 factors and $99 (redemption fee of 0.63 cents per level)
- 13,000 factors and $126 (redemption fee of 0.66 cents per level)
- 8,000 factors and $149 (redemption fee of 0.79 cents per level)
Once you make a Factors & Money reservation, you are shopping for factors utilizing the money portion of the reserving. Ought to it is advisable cancel, your refund will come totally in factors slightly than the mix of money and factors you initially used.
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Use the IHG fourth-night-reward perk
When you’ve got the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card, IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card or IHG One Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card, you’ll be able to profit out of your card’s fourth-night-reward perk on stays of 4 nights or extra if you ebook your keep totally with IHG factors. This perk successfully drops the price of each fourth night time on award stays of 4 nights or longer to zero factors.
To make use of this perk, log in to an account related to an eligible IHG bank card, seek for a keep of 4 nights or longer and choose to redeem IHG factors. You may see the discounted charges in your search outcomes.
There is not any cap on what number of instances you should use this perk yearly. And you’ll even get a couple of fourth-night reward on a single keep. For instance, you’d get two fourth-night rewards on a keep of eight to 11 nights and three on a keep of 12 to fifteen nights.
Associated: Why you need to get (and hold) the IHG One Rewards Premier card
Test for IHG value drops
You can too maximize your IHG factors by periodically checking for drops in award pricing in your upcoming stays.
To take action, do a brand new award seek for your dates and see if the charges are decrease. If they’re, cancel your keep and rebook (or, if in case you have sufficient factors in your account, ebook the brand new keep after which cancel the higher-priced keep). Sadly, I have never discovered a strategy to reprice IHG award stays with out making a brand new reserving.
Associated: Must you purchase IHG factors or switch rewards from Chase?
Earn IHG elite standing
Incomes IHG elite standing might offer you extra perks in your stays. The perfect perks — like the choice to decide on breakfast as a welcome amenity at full-service and select-service manufacturers — are solely obtainable for top-tier Diamond Elite members. You possibly can earn Diamond Elite standing by staying 70 qualifying nights, incomes 120,000 qualifying factors or spending $40,000 in your IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card or IHG One Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card in a calendar 12 months.
Even when Diamond Elite standing is out of attain, it is nonetheless simple to earn Platinum Elite standing. This standing usually requires 40 qualifying nights or 60,000 qualifying factors in a calendar 12 months. Nonetheless, you may get Platinum Elite standing as an automated perk by way of the InterContinental Ambassador program or by holding both the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card or the IHG One Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card.
If you wish to get extra advantages when redeeming IHG factors for stays, you may doubtless discover snagging IHG elite standing worthwhile. Plus, should you join InterContinental Ambassador, you may get further perks at InterContinental and Six Senses properties taking part in IHG One Rewards.
Associated: IHG Milestone Rewards: Earn confirmable suite upgrades, factors and extra
Backside line
It is comparatively simple to maximise redemptions with the IHG One Rewards program. By checking redemption charges earlier than reserving and opting to redeem factors when the redemption fee is excessive, you may get strong worth out of your IHG factors. And should you do not have already got an IHG bank card, think about including the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card, IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card or IHG One Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card to your pockets.
