Last Chance: Redeem IHG Points Before Tomorrow’s Devaluation

January 15, 2018 by Ben (Lucky) 2

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On January 1 we learned about IHG’s 2018 award cost changes. A FlyerTalk member stumbled upon a page on IHG’s website that shows almost 700 hotels changing award prices in 2018 — almost 500 hotels are going up in price by 5,000 to 10,000 points per night, while almost 200 hotels are going down in price by 5,000 points per night. Since IHG has a total of about 5,000 properties around the world, that means award costs are changing at ~14% of properties globally, with a net increase at ~6% of properties.

It’s normal for hotel loyalty programs to adjust award costs on an annual basis at select properties based on market conditions, though changes at nearly 700 hotels is the most significant adjustment we’ve seen from IHG.

About a week later we learned that these changes would kick in for bookings as of January 16, 2018. That means that today is the last day to redeem IHG Rewards Club points before the price changes at roughly 700 hotels kick in.

The InterContinental Tel Aviv is increasing in price by 10,000 points per night

If you’re staying at one of the roughly 200 hotels that are going down in price tomorrow, then you’ll want to wait to book, while if you’re staying at one of the roughly 500 hotels that are going up in price tomorrow, then you’ll want to book in the coming hours. You can find the full list of hotel changes here.

The good news is that as before, the anniversary free night certificate offered on the IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card will continue to be valid at almost any property worldwide. I find that to be worth significantly more than the card’s $89 annual fee, which is why I think the card is a no brainer for just about anyone. That free night certificate can even be used at IHG’s most expensive hotels, so as a relative matter the value of that is increasing with these changes, since you’ll be able to use the certificate at properties that cost 70,000 points per night, while previously no hotels required that many points.

Are there any IHG stays you’re locking in before tomorrow’s price changes?

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Ben (Lucky)

About Ben (Lucky)
Ben Schlappig (aka Lucky) is a travel consultant, blogger, and avid points collector. He travels about 400,000 miles a year, primarily using miles and points to enhance his first class experiences. He chronicles his adventures, along with industry news, here at One Mile at a Time.