Hotels

Wow! IHG Hotels and Resorts drops 5x points with their “Biggest Member Event”

a pool with a deck and a bench

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Earn 5x IHG Rewards+ more

IHG just dropped a massive Cyber Week promo where you can earn 5x points on stays completed by the end of the year when you book on November 29th or 30th. That 5x bonus is applied to the base earnings of 10 IHG Rewards points on every qualifying dollar they spend to equal 50x points… That’s some mega pointage!

In addition to that, they’re running a Points & Cash promo that opens the door to buying points for less than 1/2 a cent per point which is the cheapest I’ve ever seen….and there’s more.

Let’s unpack the deal. Here is a direct link to the Cyber Week promo where you can register

a room with couches and tables
Kimpton La Peer West Hollywood California

2 Days only IHG Rewards Members will receive 5x points 

Here’s the deal:

Registered Members who book on November 29 or November 30, for qualified stays occurring through December 31, 2021, will receive 5X points on the base earn rate.

How does this work?

The 5x is a multiplier applied to the base rate you’d earn on stays whether you’re a base member or a top tier Spire Elite.

IHG Status Normal Earn Rate With 5x Promo
Base 10x 50x
Gold 11x 51x
Platinum 15x 55x
Spire 20x 60x

What are the requirements?

  • You must be a Registered IHG Rewards Member – you can do so here
  • Book on or before 11/30/21 at 11:59PM EST
  • Stay must be completed by 12/31/21
  • Qualified Stays – see terms and conditions
  • Max you can earn is 70,000 points
  • If already registered for 3x promo you’ll be automatically registered to earn 5x
    • note does not combine to earn 8x
  • 5x is figured off the base rate

I’m already registered for the 3x promo running…how does that work?

Great question and here’s the answer – essentially you’ll be automatically enrolled in this promo. The combined total you can earn is 70,000 IHG Rewards points

  • A member who is already participating in the current 3X Promotion (with the 3X promotional period being September 15, 2021 through December 31, 2021) will be automatically registered for the 5X Promotion
  • The 5X Promotion, in conjunction with the 3X Promotion, is subject to a promotional bonus points cap of 70,000 IHG Rewards points, which means that members participating in the 3X Promotion or the 5X Promotion or both will be able to earn up to a maximum combined total of 70,000 promotional bonus points from the 3X and 5X promotions

I have the  IHG Rewards Premier – how many points would I earn?

I’m in the same boat with you and since we carry an  IHG Rewards Premier we get IHG Rewards Platinum status as a benefit.

a close up of a credit card

This means we normally earn 15x on stays, but if we take advantage of this promo, we would be earning 55x. If you value IHG points at $0.006 per point, you’re effectively earning in excess of 27% back on every dollar you spend. That is pretty fantastic.

 

a building with a roof over it

25% Points & Cash promo

Here’s the deal:

Members will be able to enjoy a 25% discount on the Cash portion of Points & Cash bookings during a specific date range.

  • Get 25% off the Cash portion of the Points&Cash rate
  • Book between 11/29/21 and 12/6/21
  • Stay between 12/27/2021 – 2/26/2022

Here’s what it looks like to book Points&Cash

a screenshot of a computer a screenshot of a computer

How it can make sense

IHG allows a mix of Points&Cash to be used when booking. If you’re unfamiliar with this method, let’s take a look at the Staybridge Suites in Atlanta Midtown.

In the example above you could book with points in full and it would cost you 2300 points; however, you could also book with Points & Cash. The big thing to remember here is if you cancel you’ll get refunded in points.

This could present an opportunity to straight up buy points at competitive price – I had seen pricing lower than 1/2 a cent a point on a Kimpton Aertson Nashville booking, but I’m unable to repopulate that deal. Currently, the cheapest I’m finding it $0.0058 per point, which is less than the normal $.006 but more than the cheapest they’ve sold them during sale which is 1/2 a penny.

What does this mean? If you were to book the 13,000 + $58, and you cancel, you’ll get refunded 23,000 points and no cash. This means you’re effectively buying the points for $0.0058

Up to 15% Advance Saver

The Deal:

This is very straight forward, as long as you book at a qualifying property, you’ll get up to 15% the best flexible rate you see when booking. There are some terms and exclusions…

  • Book between 11/26/21 and 12/16/21
  • Stay completed by 2/28/21
  • 15% off the best flexible rate
  • excluding Argentina, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela
  • Also excluding: The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas, Mr and Mrs Smith, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas and IHG® Army Hotels

Overall:

I think the 5x deal is incredible as is the 25% Points&Cash. Both of these promos open up incredible opportunities to not only earn points at a massive rate on a stay you perhaps were already going to make, but you could take advantage of the Points&Cash promo to buy a ton of points at their cheapest price ever to take a trip down the road.

a building with many windows and a staircase
Kimpton London Fitzroy

Terms & Conditions

 

Advance Saver – excluding Argentina, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela:

*Cyber Sale is based off the Advanced Saver – IHG Rewards Member Rate and is valid on bookings made between November 26 – December 16, 2021. All bookings must be consumed by February 28, 2022 at participating IHG® hotels and resorts. The discount is up to 15% off the Best Flexible Rate when you book at least seven (7) days in advance. Based on property selection, deeper discounts may be available. Blackout dates apply and rooms are subject to availability. Certain room types may be excluded from the rate. Hotel policy varies in regard to the minimum length of stay required and number of guests allowed per room. Not applicable with other discounted rate promotions. Not applicable to group bookings. Hotel specific early departure fee applies. The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas, Mr and Mrs Smith, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas and IHG® Army Hotels are excluded from the promotion.

 

Must cancel at least seven (7) days before your stay for direct bookings (e.g. IHG.com or IHG mobile app) and for bookings made with a travel agent or online booking platform (e.g. Booking.com, Expedia). If you cancel past the window, you will be charged for the first night of the stay. Some hotels offer day-of cancellations for Best Flexible Rate bookings. Visit your hotel’s website for exact details.

 

Points & Cash 25% Off:

**IHG® Rewards members must be logged in to receive 25% savings. Must book by 12/6/2021. Stay dates include 12/27/2021 – 2/26/2022. 25% discount is offered at time of booking and only pertains to the cash portion of bookings using Points & Cash. This offer is subject to the general IHG® Rewards membership Terms and Conditions.

 

5X Points:

***You must be an IHG® Rewards member to participate in the “5X” promotion (“5X Promotion”). A member who is already participating in the current 3X Promotion (with the 3X promotional period being September 15, 2021 through December 31, 2021) will be automatically registered for the 5X Promotion. If a member has not yet registered for the current 3X Promotion and would like to participate in the 5X Promotion, they will need to register for either the 3X Promotion or for the 5X Promotion on or before November 30, 2021, 11:59 PM EST. The 5X Promotion, in conjunction with the 3X Promotion, is subject to a promotional bonus points cap of 70,000 IHG Rewards points, which means that members participating in the 3X Promotion or the 5X Promotion or both will be able to earn up to a maximum combined total of 70,000 promotional bonus points from the 3X and 5X promotions. For full terms & conditions of the 5X Promotion, please visit the 5X Promotion Terms and Conditions.

Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

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We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists the best ever offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.

Historically 80k is a very, very good offer and hit in both 2022 and 2023. In 2021, we saw the offer hit an all time high of 100k. Who knows if that will ever come back.

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3 Comments

  • Rob November 29, 2021

    When I try to book the cash and points rates at that Kimpton in Nashville that you cite above, it is showing the 25% cash portion the correct way as you describe. But then the page right before clicking “book reservation” says my card will be charged $117 for the immediate purchase of 20,000 points. It’s a check box you have to agree to before it will book the reservation and basically is selling you the points at 0.58 cents per point valuation. I was coming up with the same 0.58 cents per point when pricing intercontinental in NYC in January as well. When you cancel are you getting even more points than what they say here or is there something more to this Indirect point buying avenue that I am missing?

    • Miles November 29, 2021

      Hey Rob – this is actually what I’m getting now as well…I’m looking to see if there is another example or if this was just an outlier since I’m unable to repopulate the Kimpton dates with availability, or perhaps the prices have been adjusted to not permit under 1/2 cent a piece. Either way, there would be no additional points granted…in your example you’d get 20k for $117

      • Rob November 29, 2021

        Gotcha – ya I’m thinking you found a glitch and they caught it quickly. Too bad, I was going to hit this pretty hard after I read your post. Good catch.

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