Could IHG finally be cutting one of the most popular ongoing hotel promotions out there? It would appear so…
In this post:
IHG Rewards Club PointBreaks basics
Since 2008, IHG Rewards Club has more or less consistently been offering their PointBreaks promotion, on a quarterly basis at a minimum. With this, IHG has published a list of hotels that can be booked as reward nights at a significant discount:
- Historically PointBreaks hotels all cost 5,000 points per night
- In late 2018 IHG revamped the PointBreaks promotion, and with these changes PointBreaks hotels retail for either 5,000, 10,000, or 15,000 points per night
When PointBreaks was revamped, IHG claimed that they were doing so to be able to offer more hotels through the promotion, because when all PointBreaks hotels cost 5,000 points per night, the lists got progressively worse over time.
Is IHG discontinuing PointBreaks altogether?
IHG published their last PointBreaks list in late October 2019, and if history is any indicator, they should have published their latest list yesterday. That’s because they would usually publish it on the last Monday of January.
Historically they release some sort of preview of the new list and hype it prior to the launch, but that didn’t happen this time around. Not only that, but they didn’t publish the latest promotion yesterday.
LoyaltyLobby reached out to an IHG spokesperson, and was told the following:
We do not have a new IHG Rewards Club PointBreaks promotion planned currently. However, our guests can take advantage of our current offers, City Lights (advisory attached) and the IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card promotion. We look forward to sharing more details on other promotions in the coming weeks.
It would appear that IHG may be discontinuing the PointBreaks promotion altogether. I’ll see if I can get some more info, though that’s what appears to be the case as of now.
Bottom line
IHG didn’t publish a new PointBreaks list as they usually would yesterday. It’s anyone’s guess if PointBreaks is just getting a bit of a break, or if IHG is discontinuing it permanently.
Based on the quote from a spokesperson, my inclination is that as of now the plan may be to get rid of PointBreaks for good. Why? Because it they didn’t, you’d think they would have said they’re not offering it temporarily, or something along those lines. But that’s not what they said.
That would certainly be a loss for the IHG Rewards Club program…
......I had plans
If it had been ended it's a pretty poo way to do it, shame on ihg if it is the case
Distressed that PB is no longer available. I stay at IHG hotels for leisure around 60 to 80 nights each year. Prior to retirement I travelled OS for work, for the last 11 years it’s solely pleasure. PB have been fabulous, did 3 weeks on them in Europe in 2012 paid for 3 nights out of 21 rest were points. Every year I travel 3 times overseas with PB as my basis for country choice....
Distressed that PB is no longer available. I stay at IHG hotels for leisure around 60 to 80 nights each year. Prior to retirement I travelled OS for work, for the last 11 years it’s solely pleasure. PB have been fabulous, did 3 weeks on them in Europe in 2012 paid for 3 nights out of 21 rest were points. Every year I travel 3 times overseas with PB as my basis for country choice. Last year (2019) did 15 countries all bar Cuba had IHG which I stayed in, PB used for a week in Gent and a week in Toulouse, 12 nights in Panama, points and cash across Italy, and cash in many other countries. PB are the perfect catalyst for travelling to places maybe not considered otherwise. IHG’s loss if it is discontinued. I too will will exhaust my points and move to another brand, probably Hilton. Sad to go.
Noooooooooooo!!!! This is horrible news! I really hope it's just delayed!!!! I would sincerely reconsider the amount of loyalty to IHG if they discontinued Points Break. I would still stay with IHG but I really like the Points Break. Honestly I've only ever been able to utilize the promotion about 10 times however its always fun to look through the points break options and try and get some awesome value.
Probably relevant to state that it also looks like they’re skipping the annual points increase as well.
*aren't feasible (typo)
Wouldn't be surprised if this has to do with the coronavirus. Many of the hotels on the PB list are often in mainland China and, with the current travel restrictions, those just are feasible. I was actually looking for some sort of a statement about this on the web page for their hotel in Hubei that's on the list this time (not there). At any rate, I am sure that IHG will pop up with...
Wouldn't be surprised if this has to do with the coronavirus. Many of the hotels on the PB list are often in mainland China and, with the current travel restrictions, those just are feasible. I was actually looking for some sort of a statement about this on the web page for their hotel in Hubei that's on the list this time (not there). At any rate, I am sure that IHG will pop up with a new and novel promotion and we'll all get very excited about it shortly, so hang tight.
Last time I used it was probably 2016 for a two night stay at Winter Park Colorado for 5k a night during ski season. That was a good score...since then nothing. Finding an Intercontinental for 15k and then making a vacation around that ( If it's a place you have an interest in) sounds like a good idea.....just haven't done it yet.
My sources told me they are holding it off due to the Corona virus that's going around.
The IHGService twitter that @John mentioned has a few more replies to people making it sound like PointsBreaks may not actually be dead? Hopefully it's just a short delay...
PointsBreak is the number one reason I am loyal to IHG. Would be very upset if this is true.
I've been loyal to IHG for years (I'm a contrarian, what can I say?) and have only used Pointbreaks 2-3 times. Sometimes the stars align and there's a PB hotel on the side of a highway that you happen to be driving on anyway, but usually, you would need to go out of your way to redeem points at a mundane property to take advantage of the offer. It simply wasn't worth the effort.
Just...
I've been loyal to IHG for years (I'm a contrarian, what can I say?) and have only used Pointbreaks 2-3 times. Sometimes the stars align and there's a PB hotel on the side of a highway that you happen to be driving on anyway, but usually, you would need to go out of your way to redeem points at a mundane property to take advantage of the offer. It simply wasn't worth the effort.
Just save up your points and redeem them at an under-the-radar Intercontinental. IHG points are easy to rack-up if you actually, you know, stay at IHG hotels.
You guys follow the IHGService twitter account?
A cryptic message there suggests another edition of PB may be yet to come....
Pathetic. IHG keeps going against its word. Remember when points were supposed to last forever. Then there was the three tiered system of 5000 10000 and 15000 points from the original 5000 points. Seems this was the plan all along...to slowly deactivate the popular Pointbreaks promotion. Disgusting.
That's a shame. This is one of the few things IHG had going for it. Several of my IHG stays per year are typically PointBreaks, and the program was one of my main motivations to purchase points speculatively on occasion, because I always knew I could at least use them for a reasonable deal at at PB hotel. Those point purchases are what kept me with one foot in the IHG world; otherwise, I would...
That's a shame. This is one of the few things IHG had going for it. Several of my IHG stays per year are typically PointBreaks, and the program was one of my main motivations to purchase points speculatively on occasion, because I always knew I could at least use them for a reasonable deal at at PB hotel. Those point purchases are what kept me with one foot in the IHG world; otherwise, I would have just been staying in Hilton and Hyatt hotels entirely. The lack of PB makes it less likely that I'll stay at IHG in general. I certainly won't be purchasing points speculatively but will instead now work to liquidate the points I do have and just move to Hilton (for footprint) or Hyatt (for quality) instead.