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IHG Rewards Club points are best used to book stays at IHG hotels, although you can also use your points to purchase gift cards and other merchandise or donate to charity. Rewards Club members can also transfer their points to 39 different travel partners.
However, your points won’t be stretched that far with some redemption options, so weigh the value carefully before cashing out.
Earn 125,000 Bonus Points in the first three months
IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card |
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Why should you get this card? Although IHG points are a bit on the high side, the bonus on the new IHG Rewards Club Premier card is a great incentive to sign up. To learn more |
What else do you need to know:
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IHG Rewards Club redemption options
| Repayment option | Point value (cents) |
|---|---|
| Premium Nights | 0.55 |
| Gift cards | 0.25 |
| Merchandise / digital downloads | 0.25 |
| Flights (via IHG Travel Portal) | 0.3 |
| Non-IHG Hotels (via IHG Travel Portal) | 0.23 |
Premium Nights
By redeeming your points for bonus nights, you can maximize their value, which is currently around 0.55 cents per point. This is calculated based on the average exchange value for properties of different prices (including budget properties, mid-range properties and luxury properties) on different dates and locations.
A bonus night at an IHG hotel is worth between 10,000 and 70,000 points. But given IHG Rewards Club’s recent move from a fixed rewards table to a dynamic pricing model, prices will vary depending on a number of factors, including demand, when you plan to travel, and the cost of living on a cash basis.
Luxury brands such as InterContinental and Kimpton offered the best price, on average, at 0.79 cents per point. This is compared to an average of 0.71 cents per point redeemed at mid-range hotels like the Crowne Plaza and 0.74 cents per point redeemed at budget hotels like the Holiday Inn Express.
We may see price increases in the near future, which could further reduce the value of IHG Points.
It is not uncommon to receive such a benefit from IHG reward nights. According to The Points Guy, some IGH reward credit cards will even let you earn a fourth night reward when redeeming IHG points. You will pay zero points for every fourth night when you redeem points for stays of four nights or more.
Gift cards
If you don’t have a scheduled trip but still want to redeem your points, you can redeem them for gift cards. Unfortunately, this is the only cash redemption option and you will only get about a quarter of a cent per point.
Product
Another way to redeem IHG Rewards Club points is through its online catalog where you can buy a variety of products. The value of your points varies greatly depending on the item you are purchasing, so savvy shoppers can often find great deals. However, most purchases earn you only about 0.25 cents per point. If you decide to buy items with your points, be sure to research the cash value of each item to make sure you’re getting a great deal.
In addition, you can use your points to pay for digital downloads. Like merchandise, these rewards don’t always add a lot of value to your points, though they tend to be a bit more rewarding.
Transfer to a partner airline
If none of these redemption options work for you, you can also transfer IHG points to 39 airline partner programs. Transfer rates are low for most partners (5:2 in most cases), but since many air miles are worth more than an IHG point, you can still increase your points slightly in some cases.
Bonus nights at IHG hotels will always have the highest value per point. However, the transfer partners listed below will receive a better deal than other IHG repayment options. (For a complete list of IHG translation partners and translation rates, see its website.)
| Transfer partner | Transmission speed | Miles (cents) | IHG Point Transfer Value (cents) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada | 5:1 | 1.5 | 0.3 |
| Alaska Airlines | 5:1 | 1.61 | 0.32 |
| american airlines | 5:1 | 1.9 | 0.38 |
| british airways | 5:1 | 1.4 | 0.28 |
| Delta Airlines | 5:1 | 1.61 | 0.32 |
| jetblue | 5:1 | 1.53 | 0.31 |
| Singapore Airlines | 5:1 | 2.36 | 0.47 |
| United Airlines | 5:1 | 1.52 | 0.3 |
bottom line
To increase your IHG Points, redeem them for Bonus Nights whenever possible. If you need to exchange them for other purchases, choose goods or transfer points. If you are willing to hunt for a good deal, all of these options can bring you good profits.
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The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective judgment of our contributors and is not based on advertising. It was not provided or ordered by credit card issuers. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to our partners’ products.
