IHG One Rewards offering 100% bonus on points purchases

IHG One Rewards has launched a new flash sale on points, which runs from now till 31 December 2023, 11.59 a.m SGT.

During this period, members will receive up to a 100% bonus on points purchases, which reduces the cost per point to 0.5 US cents each. This is the highest bonus we ever see IHG offering, though it happens frequently enough that you shouldn’t feel FOMO.

While these points will not count towards elite status qualification or requalification, you should be aware of a separate offer IHG is running that sells Elite Qualifying Points (EQPs) to Diamond members.

Buy IHG Rewards points with a 100% bonus

Buy IHG One Rewards Points

IHG One Rewards members can now buy points with up to a 100% bonus. Do note that different accounts may be targeted for different bonuses, so you’ll need to login and see what offer you have. 

A minimum purchase of 5,000 points is required, and a maximum of 150,000 points (pre-bonus) can be purchased during this sale.

IHG One Rewards points never expire for elite members. For entry-level Club members, points will expire after 12 months if you do not earn or redeem at least one point. 

What can I do with IHG One Rewards points?

IHG One Rewards does not publish an official award chart, and award nights are priced dynamically based on demand. 

This means you should do a search for your preferred dates and destinations and do a cash versus points comparison. A few things to note:

• When you redeem points, you don’t need to pay taxes or fees. Therefore, you should use the post-tax, post-fees cash rate when calculating the value you get per point
• If the difference between cash rates or buying points is marginal, the cash rate would make more sense because it lets you earn IHG points

Some properties which might be of interest include (remember that the prices below may change depending on which date you’re looking at):

• Six Senses Laamu Maldives (100,000 points per night, versus US$1,500 per night)
• InterContinental London Park Lane (120,000 points per night, versus US$820 per night)
• Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo (79,000 points per night versus US$527 per night)
• InterContinental Hotels Osaka (87,000 points per night versus US$547 per night)

Don’t forget that IHG periodically runs discounts on hotel redemptions worldwide, which allow you to stretch your points even further. We recently saw a 15% off sale for Diamond and Platinum Elite members, valid at all IHG properties worldwide. 

Save 15% off IHG One Rewards hotel redemptions worldwide

What card should I use to purchase IHG One Rewards points?

IHG One Rewards points purchases do not code as hotel transactions. Instead, they are processed by in USD by Points.com under MCC 7399: Business Services Not Elsewhere Classified.

Here’s the best cards to maximize the miles earned on your purchase:

Card	Earn Rate	Remarks
Citi Rewards Card Apply	4 mpd	Cap of S$1K per s. month
UOB Visa Signature Apply	4 mpd	Min S$1K, max S$2K FCY spend per s. month
SCB Visa Infinite Apply	3 mpd	Min spend S$2K per s. month
HSBC TravelOne Card Apply	2.4 mpd	No cap
UOB PRVI Miles Apply	2.4 mpd	No cap
S. Month= Statement Month | C. Month= Calendar Month

Remember, you can always pair the Citi Rewards Card with the Instarem Amaze Card to earn 4 mpd on Points.com purchases, while enjoying competitive exchange rates.

I personally don’t recommend the DBS Woman’s World Card for Points.com purchases, as MCC 7399 is a problematic MCC for DBS, and many people have reported issues with getting the bonus points properly credited.

For the period of November and December 2023, you might also consider using the StanChart Journey Card, which offers 2 mpd on all foreign currency spend and a cash rebate of the usual 3.5% FCY fee.

Alternative offer for Diamonds

If you’re an IHG One Diamond member, you may have received a targeted email for a different kind of points sale. 

This allows members to purchase up to 120,000 EQPs, requalifying for Diamond status for another year. Do note that offers will differ from person to person. Here’s what mine looks like:

In other words, you could buy all the way up to Diamond status, even if you currently have zero EQPs.

Per the eDM, the EQPs you buy can also be used for reward nights, which offsets the cost in a sense.

These points lock in your Diamond Elite status through 2024 and can also be redeemed for Reward Nights, experiences, catalogue items, and much more.

I value 1 IHG One Rewards point at 0.5 US cents, so if we adjust for that, the picture becomes a bit more favourable. 

Points purchases made under this offer will not count towards the yearly 150,000 points purchase cap.

EQPs may only be purchased once under this promotion, so you need to decide upfront how many you think you’ll need. If you requalify for Diamond status via EQP purchases, you’ll hold that status for the entire 2024 calendar year.

EQPs will be awarded upon completion of the transaction, and new Elite status will be reflected within 5-10 business days.

Conclusion

IHG One Rewards is offering a 100% bonus on points purchases till 31 December 2023, which reduces the cost per point to 0.5 US cents each.

Buying points can help you save money on hotel stays, but you shouldn’t do so speculatively. IHG’s programme uses dynamic pricing, which means the prices you see now may not be the prices you see a few months down the road.

A 100% bonus is offered every few months, so there’ll definitely be another chance down the road.