IHG One Rewards typically is not as nicely beloved within the factors and miles group as packages like Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt. However IHG accommodations 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 straightforward. 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 one can maximize IHG One Rewards redemptions.
Calculate your IHG redemption charge 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 will must redeem for a keep varies based mostly in your reserving date, the property you select, your keep dates and different components.
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 may typically get a better redemption charge when redeeming IHG factors.
For instance, let’s assume you need to guide a normal room with one king mattress on the Vacation Inn Savannah Historic District for the evening of Aug. 15. You would guide a charge with free cancellation till a couple of days earlier than your keep for $418 or 69,000 factors. When you redeem IHG factors for this evening, you will get a redemption charge of 0.61 cents per level.
That stated, you will not all the time get a great redemption worth. So, all the time examine the money charge to the factors charge and calculate your redemption charge. In case your redemption charge is low, contemplate reserving a paid charge in your keep and saving your factors for a higher-value redemption.
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Maximize IHG factors by being versatile
One other method to maximize your IHG factors is to be as versatile as potential. For instance, you might save factors (or cash) within the above state of affairs by shifting your keep to different dates. Particularly, you might redeem 58,000 factors or pay $353 if you happen to shifted your one-night keep every week earlier.
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Likewise, if you’re versatile as to the place you keep in a metropolis — and even town you go to — you might be able to redeem fewer factors. For instance, you would possibly resolve to avoid wasting 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.
In brief, being versatile may help you redeem fewer factors in your stays and maximize your factors.
Associated: Which bank card must you use for IHG stays?
Test Factors & Money redemptions
It is also value 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’ll be able to 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 guide an evening that might value $212 or 33,000 factors for:
- 33,000 factors and $0 (redemption charge of 0.64 cents per level)
- 28,000 factors and $36 (redemption charge of 0.63 cents per level)
- 23,000 factors and $69 (redemption charge of 0.62 cents per level)
- 18,000 factors and $99 (redemption charge of 0.63 cents per level)
- 13,000 factors and $126 (redemption charge of 0.66 cents per level)
- 8,000 factors and $149 (redemption charge 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’s essential cancel, your refund will come fully in factors slightly than the mixture 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 may profit out of your card’s fourth-night-reward perk on stays of 4 nights or extra while you guide your keep fully with IHG factors. This perk successfully drops the price of each fourth evening 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 occasions you need to use this perk yearly. And you may even get multiple 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 maintain) the IHG One Rewards Premier card
Test for IHG worth 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, when you have sufficient factors in your account, guide the brand new keep after which cancel the higher-priced keep). Sadly, I have never discovered a method 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 provide you with extra perks in your stays. The most effective perks — like the choice to decide on breakfast as a welcome amenity at full-service and select-service manufacturers — are solely out there for top-tier Diamond Elite members. You’ll be able to 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 straightforward to earn Platinum Elite standing. This standing sometimes requires 40 qualifying nights or 60,000 qualifying factors in a calendar 12 months. Nevertheless, you will get Platinum Elite standing as an computerized perk by means 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 will possible discover snagging IHG elite standing worthwhile. Plus, if you happen to join InterContinental Ambassador, you will get additional 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 straightforward to maximise redemptions with the IHG One Rewards program. By checking redemption charges earlier than reserving and opting to redeem factors when the redemption charge is excessive, you will get stable worth out of your IHG factors. And if you happen to do not have already got an IHG bank card, contemplate 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.
