Now could be a good time to boost your IHG One Rewards balance by buying points at up to a 100% discount.
Leading hotel loyalty program IHG One Rewards offers members the ability to purchase a capped number of flexible points.
While buying points doesn’t always represent good value, it can sometimes be a good strategy to lock in an aspirational reward quickly – especially when there’s a good promotion on offer.
From time to time, IHG One Rewards runs purchase promotions, which can make buying points worthwhile – particularly for those dreamy high-value resort redemptions.
No matter what you plan to do with your IHG One Rewards points, it pays to know how purchasing points can work for you.
Read on for an overview of the current IHG purchase points promotion.
Current offer: Up to 100% bonus IHG points on purchases
Details: IHG One Rewards is currently running a tiered offer of up to a 100% discount on purchased points. Whether or not you are able to unlock the 100% bonus will depend on your existing IHG One Rewards status.
Dates: This offer runs until March 21, 2023.
Terms: Simply buy at least 5,000 IHG One Rewards points in the offer period and the discount will kick in. If unlocking the 100% bonus, purchasing the maximum 150,000 points will result in a total of up to 300,000 points.
It’s worth noting that it would be wise to factor in the current exchange rate. The lowest cost per point is 0.5 US cents under the current promotion, with a total cost of $1,500 USD (about $2,236 AUD) for the maximum purchase of 300,000 IHG One Rewards points.
Nevertheless, if you were thinking of buying a stash of IHG One Rewards points to supercharge your account balance anyway, then it could make sense to take advantage of this promotion.
As always, there’s a certain risk element involved with buying points speculatively. As such, it’s best to only purchase points when you have a particular redemption in mind.
Previous offers
A 100% bonus on points purchases is a particularly generous offer, and generally speaking, the most impressive points purchase promotion we see.
In saying that, IHG One Rewards periodically pushes out discounts or bonuses on purchased points. If you’re not in a position to make a redemption in the near future, it may be best to hold out for another bonus points offer.
The table below provides a summary of previous offers from the past couple of years:
| Date | Deal (on purchased points) |
| February 2023 (current offer) | Up to 100% bonus |
| September 2022 | Up to 75% bonus |
| February 2022 | Up to 100% bonus |
| September 2021 | Up to 100% bonus |
| July 2021 | Up to 90% bonus |
Does buying IHG points make sense?
IHG One Reward members can buy points to fatten up their balance. At the time of writing, members can purchase up to 150,000 points per calendar year and another 150,000 as a gift in the same year.
While point purchases are not always a good idea, there are certain situations where it does make sense. Purchasing points could be worth your while if you have a specific redemption in mind and if you have access to a promotion offering a discounted purchase price.
Taking advantage of the current 100% bonus on purchased points, for example, could prove very beneficial, with the maximum 150,000 points multiplying to an instant 300,000.
Essentially, buying IHG points makes sense when purchasing points for redemption is less expensive than paying cash for the same good or service.
It’s worth noting that some room rates are far cheaper just to book outright with cash than to book with points, so it pays to do your research before purchasing points during a promotion.
In saying that, IHG One Rewards redemptions are flexible and can be cancelled at no cost.
IHG points can be purchased through your account at ihg.com. Select ‘buy points’ and follow the prompts to a pot of points gold.
How to buy IHG One Rewards points
IHG One Rewards allows members to either buy points or gift points. The difference here lies in whether you are buying points for yourself or intending to gift them to someone else – the cost of points are usually the same and promotions can also apply to the ‘gift points’ option.
Both options also involve a similar process. To buy IHG One Rewards points, simply follow these steps:
- Head to the IHG One Rewards website
- Sign into your IHG One Rewards account – enrolment is easy, register here if you’re not a member already
- Go to the ‘buy points’ page
- Follow the steps to select a denomination from the dropdown menu and complete your points purchase
Once purchased, IHG One Rewards points will be posted 72 hours. As such, you’ll want to allow for at least three days’ wiggle room before attempting to make any planned redemptions.
What’s the catch?
While buying IHG One Rewards points can be a sure way to lock in a reward, there are a few things to be aware of before taking the plunge.
The current offer is available for qualifying purchases of IHG One Rewards points between February 8 and March 21 2023.
As we mentioned earlier, the current exchange rate is not favourable for Australian-based travellers looking to purchase IHG One Rewards points. This is an important limitation to factor in when buying points.
IHG One Rewards sells points in increments of 1,000, with purchases after 5,000 points attracting the current bonus.
Members may purchase a maximum of up to 150,000 points during the promotional period (depending on how many points have already been purchased during the same calendar year). For example, if you have previously purchased 50,000 points in 2023, then you could only purchase up to a maximum of 100,000 points.
Then, members may purchase an additional maximum of 150,000 points to give (or receive) as a gift in the same calendar year.
It’s worth noting that purchased points, as well as any bonus points awarded under this offer, do not count towards IHG One Rewards Elite status.
Buying points for the sake of it isn’t always a wise idea either, as rewards programs can devalue points at any time. As such, there’s always an element of risk involved with accumulating points without an intended redemption.
Finally, IHG One Rewards points will expire after 12 months without qualifying activity, so you’ll want to make sure any purchased points don’t go to waste.
Bottom line: Should I purchase IHG One Rewards points?
Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) is a high flyer in the Australian hotel industry, boasting an ever-expanding portfolio of hotel brands – including Crowne Plaza, Intercontinental, voco, Hotel Indigo, and Kimpton – making a redemption quite compelling.
There’s no denying that IHG has an overwhelming number of compelling hotel stays around the world. With so many aspirational redemption opportunities offering value, it can certainly make sense to buy points.
From time to time, IHG One Rewards offers points purchase promotions, possibly unlocking a bonus of up to 100%, which is when it is most ideal to buy points – a 100% bonus would see your 150,000 points turn into an instant 300,000!
As such, buying IHG One Rewards points can sometimes make sense. This is particularly the case if you’re reaching for a particularly aspirational redemption, such as a free night award at a high-end property such as Kimpton.
If you need a quick points boost to secure a redemption, we’d recommend crunching the numbers before taking advantage of the occasional discount or bonus promotions, which IHG usually runs a few times a year.
Essentially, it makes a lot more sense for someone to take advantage of a points purchase promotion if they’re topping up to secure a lofty reward, rather than simply buying points for the sake of it.
Will you be buying IHG One Rewards points under the current promotion? Tell us about it in the comments!
FAQ: Buying IHG One Rewards points
What is the best IHG buy points promotion?
You can purchase IHG One Rewards points with a 100% bonus, which is the best promotion that typically appears a few times a year.
How many IHG One Rewards points can I buy?
IHG One Rewards members are limited to buying a combined maximum of 300,000 points per calendar year (150,000 for the individual and a further 150,000 to gift another member).
How much does 50,000 IHG One Rewards points cost?
Under a 100% bonus, you can purchase 50,000 IHG One Rewards points for $500 USD and walk away with 100,000 points in total.
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