I’ve been writing a few posts on the best uses of various airline miles. In this post, I figured I’d explore a hotel option. I’ll be talking about some of the (broad-brush) ways you can maximise the value of your IHG points, which are quite easy to earn, either through staying at a hotel linked to the IHG network, using an IHG credit card, or transferring from a transferrable currency.
This is a post I’m writing in conjunction with open-loop loyalty programme HeyMax, which allows you to earn Max Miles based on Max Miles are transferrable to 30+ different points currencies, of which IHG points is one.
How to earn IHG Points
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) points are easiest earned by staying at an IHG property. This is quite easy – IHG’s portfolio includes all InterContinental, Six Senses, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, Regent, Crowne Plaza, voco, Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express hotels (among others). You can earn 10 points per US$1 spent at all of these properties, whereas it’s 5 points per US$1 spent at Staybridge and Candlewood Suites. Elite members earn more points.
Hotel Indigo is part of the properties that let you earn IHG Points
You can also earn points with Viator experiences when booking them through the IHG site – I believe you get a flat rate of 1,000 IHG points per experience.
In different countries, here are a few ways you can transfer points to IHG:
- In the U.S., convert Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, or Bilt Rewards points to IHG
- In the UK, you’re stuck with HSBC Rewards
- In Hong Kong and Singapore, HSBC RewardCash transfers to IHG, and HeyMax Max Miles also transfer to IHG
With that in mind, here are my favourite ways to redeem IHG points:
Redeem IHG points for >0.6 cent (USD) per point
I’m not going to put all of the different IHG properties that it’d be good to redeem points at, as there could be countless properties with good rates at different times. Instead, I’ll just share the working principle that typically IHG points are valued at around 0.5p (USD)/point. So >0.6 cent per point would be considered a very good value.
Take this example at the InterContinental Sydney. A base room costs US$421/night, but the same room would cost 98,000 points. Dividing 421/98,000, that’s a 0.43p value per point, so I’d prefer to pay cash for this room.
Meanwhile, at the voco Shanghai Hongqiao Hub, a standard room costs US$126, but 19,000 points. That’s a 6.63p value per point, which I’d consider to be a much better value.
Even amongst property types, I’ve not found much rhyme or reason (some luxury properties have provided better value), so I’d just do the maths based on where I wanted to stay. The better points values tend to be in East Asia (including Japan, China, and southeast Asia), as opposed to in Europe, Australia, or the U.S..
Redeem points during surge pricing at Holiday Inn properties
Okay, this one is perhaps a bit less glamorous. However, there are multiple Holiday Inn properties that will charge a high amount if there’s a conference going, or if demand is stronger in other ways. Generally, although IHG prices properties dynamically, you won’t find the same inflation power in the points cost as with the revenue cost, so it could be worth getting >0.6 cent per point.
Holiday Inn properties tend to price at around 10,000-15,000 points per night.
Redeem IHG points for Holiday Inn properties during surge pricing
Get a card that gives you a “fourth night free” benefit
Some IHG co-branded credit cards give you a “fourth night free” benefit, though these cards are restricted to the U.S. at the moment.
Convert IHG points to Japan Airlines/Virgin Atlantic miles
You can convert IHG points to 37 different airlines at a 5:1 ratio. Generally, this is terrible value, unless you’ve got to top up a small number of miles. However, I’m singling out Japan Airlines and Virgin Atlantic miles as the two currencies that could be a decent value, especially if you stay a lot at IHG properties.
Why? That’s because both of these miles are hard to come by, especially outside of the U.S. with Japan Airlines, or outside of the UK with Virgin Atlantic miles. IHG points might be one of the only pathways to reasonably obtaining either, especially if you live in Southeast Asia. I’ve also singled out these programmes because both of them require a lower number of miles in order to fly business class with the respective airlines – Virgin Atlantic Upper Class redemptions go from 29,000 miles one-way (+ fees), meaning that you’d require 145,000 IHG miles; Japan Airlines business class redemptions go from 55,000 miles one-way (275,000 IHG miles). Perhaps if you stay at IHG properties a lot or are trying to shoot for a Japan Airlines/Virgin Atlantic redemption, this could be a good value.
Use your IHG points to fly Virgin Atlantic
Conclusion
Generally, if you can find a >0.6 cent value with your IHG points when booking at a property, I’d consider using my IHG points as opposed to using cash. There are also a few other ways you can use your IHG points for otherwise hard-to-reach miles opportunities.
What are your favourite ways to use IHG points?
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