topic Buying IHG/other hotel points in Credit Cards

Buying IHG/other hotel points

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 03:55:19 GMT

If I buy IHG points directly from the IHG website (not as part of a hotel booking) with the Chase IHG MC, do I earn 1 point per dollar on the purchase as "other spending"? Or no rewards? Some sort of bonus rate? I have Platinum status from the card.

Would it be different for Hyatt (with the Hyatt card) or other chains that come to mind with their respective cards?

Is buying IHG points a smart way to reach Spire if I expect to stay regularly in 2016?

I will wait until the IHG points cost about 0.6 cents each again to buy some. My URs are for strictly for Hyatt and maybe United.

Re: Buying IHG/other hotel points

NRB525 — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 04:46:54 GMT

How many points are you intending to buy? If it's a handful (1,000 or so) then it might make sense.

What sort of added benefit are you expecting to get with the higher tier of membership?

I don't have the card, and haven't tried to get tier improvements this way, but it is possible.

Have you signed up for the IGH Dining Rewards program? With this you link up to 4 CC accounts, and at certain listed restaurants, you get more points added to your IHG Rewards account. Same program is available for Delta, United, AA, Alaska and I'm sure other hotel programs, though they are all through Rewards Network, so each individual card can only be assigned to one loyalty program to earn points off of one meal ticket. It's not much, but it can add some points to a rewards account.

Re: Buying IHG/other hotel points

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 05:12:56 GMT

At the right price, I'd probably buy tens of thousands of points. 1000 points is trivial, and the price per point is a lot better buying in bulk.

A higher tier means minor upgrades/extras...but also more points earned per dollar on paid stays, and (possibly...this is what I'm asking about...) more bonus points earned when buying points.

I'm already in IHG Dining.

Anyone with more familiarity buying points?

And does the "points and cash" cancellation "backdoor" still work?

Re: Buying IHG/other hotel points

jsucool76 — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 12:12:37 GMT

wait for a bonus, then buy points if you need them. it's not something I suggest doing for the hell of it.

depending on how the points are processed you may or may not earn points through CC. best bet is to call and ask ihg customer service.

Re: Buying IHG/other hotel points

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 04:57:05 GMT

IHG employee here,

Except for Ambassador program, you can't buy your way in. Spire Elite has annual night stay requirements that you cannot get around.

For example, you can buy into Ambassador but you still need to meet the Gold and Platinum member stay requirement to stay in the program.

So without staying 70 nights across several brands (4? IIRC) you cannot be a Spire Elite member. You can earn all the points you want in the world (I've met high rollers with 4,000,000 points accrued in 3 months) but it won't affect your membership level.

They often run promotions for bonus or double points but it will never affect your membership status. That is purely based on number of qualifying nights you stayed with the IHG group of brands.

Another example: We can tell if someone haven't stayed with us in a while when a reward member has 1.2 million points but is a Club (base) member.

Re: Buying IHG/other hotel points

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 05:41:22 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
IHG employee here,

Except for Ambassador program, you can't buy your way in. Spire Elite has annual night stay requirements that you cannot get around.

For example, you can buy into Ambassador but you still need to meet the Gold and Platinum member stay requirement to stay in the program.

So without staying 70 nights across several brands (4? IIRC) you cannot be a Spire Elite member. You can earn all the points you want in the world (I've met high rollers with 4,000,000 points accrued in 3 months) but it won't affect your membership level.

They often run promotions for bonus or double points but it will never affect your membership status. That is purely based on number of qualifying nights you stayed with the IHG group of brands.

Another example: We can tell if someone haven't stayed with us in a while when a reward member has 1.2 million points but is a Club (base) member.

In response to the sections I've bolded...

My IHG account (which I'm looking at now) says otherwise. Everyday purchases I make with my IHG MasterCard do (slowly) get me closer to Spire Elite. A $10 restaurant meal gets me 20 points closer to Spire Elite. It would just take me a while.

And double/bonus promotions are always welcome!

*Edited to remove a comment in response to something I misread.*

Re: Buying IHG/other hotel points

jsucool76 — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 13:34:14 GMT

There is no night requirements for ANY ihg elite levels. It's Nights OR points. Not both. it's 20k, 60k, or 75k for gold, platinum, and spire respectively.