Combining the 4th night free with the purchase of 100% bonus points will usually save you between 40%-60% off the cash rate of the hotel you are booking. Like you said it’s not free, but you will not have this much savings from purchasing points with any other hotel brand. Example: I used 88,000 points to book the Intercontinental Bangkok for 4 nights. I paid $440 for those points. The cash rate was $1,050 for 4 nights.
That's for sure! And way to go on that rate on the IC Bangkok! I stayed there for my honeymoon, and it was great property! Centrally located - lots of great amenities! Need to try the boxing ring in the gym next time I'm there though 🤣
My favorite hotel play, especially with my grandfathered Select card. Booked a hotel yesterday for 179k pts for 4 nights (purchased 180k on sale for $900 now), cash rate is ~$550/night, which is reasonable for my dates (mid-July in Europe). Will get back 17.9k pts after the stay, thanks to the Select card.
@@TheCreditFrog if you know someone you trust who has a Select + one of the newer IHG cards, you can transfer points over to that person (via business account, for free) and have them book the stays for you. Then once the rebate posts, they can send the points back to you. It gets a little trickier if you're Diamond, but the other person is not, or if you actually want night credits for those stays. Depending on how many points you can get back, it might be worth it.
Oh awesome! Yeah, thanks for the tip. My business rewards is already active, but I'm still waiting on that ability for me to move my points. If it doesn't activate soon, I'll need to ask you again to see what I did wrong haha
My wife and I both joined the 'IHG business rewards program. Simple to sign up and had to wait 30 days before the free transfer became available. Moved all her points to my account after hitting a welcome offer. Might aim for 40 nights at IHG this year for lounge access next year
Ah, thanks for providing your experience Jacob! That's great that you'll be able to stay at so many IHGs this year. Yeah, I guess I'll have to wait some more for the free transfers to be activated, but good to know that it's not just a fairy tale!
Good video. One thing to add - I have, selectively, found that you can purchase up to 5000 extra points when booking... Multiple times I have been able to buy 5000 extra points for $19. I did notice this is not offered every booking and the price is variable. I recently added the IHG Business card for the 140k signup offer and purchased 200k points with the 100% bonus.. I will be using these points in Europe, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, & the PH over the next several months.
Great point! There are ways to get those extra points, but typically there not as valuable as the 100% sale situation. Still, if you need an extra boost, great to know that this option is there! Congrats on the new IHG Business card!
Thanks for this! I don’t have they’re cc yet because I am waiting for a good welcome offer on the business card but that didn’t stop me from buying the points and getting the 100% bonus
Of course! Right now the Premier card has an elevated offer that’s pretty good so if you’re in the market for one of their cards, now may be a good time to apply!
Excellent commentary. My wife and I are IHG Diamond Ambassador status. These cards and the entire IHG Rewards system are fantastic. We love the 4th night free and the IHG 100% bonus offers. The entire system works so well, we do not Marriott or Hilton at all anymore.
Thank you so much! That’s great to hear that you’ve received so much value from IHG. I’m moving more and more towards them as Marriott has continued to devalue their program and the frequency that I’ve been getting Bonvoy’ed. I also love the ability to replenish my points when needed when there’s a 100% sale. I hope one day I’ll be Diamond Elite as well!
Hey Stan, you mentioned buying points. Do you recommend buying points for other hotels when there is an 100% offer? Such as marriot or Hilton point. If so, would you do the same for airline miles?
I would do the same for Hilton. I’ve heard good things about Aeroplan but haven’t purchased those myself. Those are the only programs I’d recommend purchasing points from and there should be a bonus sale when you do.
Buying IHG points with the 100% bonus definitely makes sense for international travel stays. I wondered if it also offers outsized value for domestic IHG premium brand stays like IC or Kimpton?
We've stayed at IHGs in New Zealand, Vietnam, the Philippines, the UK...and the 4th night free rules. I have the business card, my wife the personal card.
I currently have it! Right now, it's been very lucrative because of a 7-level upgrade I got on my honeymoon at the IC Phuket, but otherwise I think it's worth it if you stay at a lot of ICs. The weekend free night is hard to use though so give yourself extra time to make sure you can figure it out. It sucks that it has to be a paid stay so that's a downside too.
Absolutely! I only started staying at their properties last year and I’m sure happy that I did. They’re now up there with Marriott and Hilton (for me)!
A hack in year 2 if you decide to cancel the card, Chase will deposit the free night in your account before billing the annual fee. So it’s literally a free night. Cancel and keep the free night.
Two questions: Do you need to have the IHG business card to join the business rewards program? I’m assuming you have to weigh the difference between taking advantage of an elevated offer and a referral bonus from another player? My husband has the IHG premier personal card. He was going to refer me to the same card. I’m also eligible for business cards (he is not). We’re trying to figure out the best strategy. We prefer IHG because our daughter lives in Scotland and they have the best properties near her.
I don't think you need to have an IHG business card to have business rewards. And yeah, it's a balance for welcome offers, but sometimes referrals can be the elevated welcome offers too, but not always. You can both refer each other back and forth for either personal or business cards too so that's a nice plus.
I love my IHG Premier card, but i refuse to spend money on nights with it, due to their cancellation policy. Instead I load up on points with another card when they run the 100% more points sale and use it towards 4 night stays to bring the nightly rate down. Also, book your annual free night credit as soon as you can, as it seems they have a limited amount of rooms allotted for those than they do regular point bookings.
@@marcottestudios two very good points and words of wisdom! I’ve had the same experience, although I’m ok with purchasing rooms with cash. Don’t get me wrong though, that scenario is few and far between. Almost all of my personal IHG stays are points redemptions only, and I try to go for 4th night free every time!
Great video Stan! You know I love my IHG card. I really do think it’s the best card and program for your average traveler (domestic cheap stays with occasional luxury/abroad stays) cheap card, easy to earn points, lowest priced properties but also very consistent experiences, and of course easy to get value with the 4th night free
Of course Cody! Yes, I know you do, haha! It's definitely a great card and the fact that it unlocks that awesome 4th night free benefit makes it so much nicer. Yes, it's been great to have consistency, which is something that's missing from Marriott properties. Hopefully, we'll get to hear more of your IHG experiences since I know that's your primary hotel chain 👍
Absolutely! I have it now, and I'm enjoying it so far. Great if you stay at a lot of ICs, but the weekend free night is harder to use because you have to book a specific rate class.
Do have to give IHG a shoutout....only loyalty program where I have received suite upgrades based on status alone... With Marriott I have to cash in the NUA..and hilton...you just hope for a nice view lol
Awesome! Yeah, I have a bunch of NUAs and they keep getting kicked back to me because they can't accomodate it - but they expire in a year! So frustrating!
Awesome! Thanks so much! Sadly, no, you can't apply for the Premier if you already have the Traveler card. You can apply for the Premier Business though!
We are currently staying at the Crowne Plaza outside of Lisbon. Only 13,500 points a night. We are diamond status and get the free breakfast with made to order omelet. They have an amazing indoor pool, spa and work out area with free shuttles to the nearby beach. An amazing value! Also, did you know that some of the Holiday Inns in SE Asia have lounges, not just the high end properties.
Awesome! I wish it was easier to get Diamond Elite status, but it's out of my range since it's a lot of hotel stays! Sounds like a great deal with all the amenities and food. And no, I didn't know that HIs had lounges! I'll have to look into that. Been staying at more HIEs domestically and have been pretty impressed with the quality! Great to see all the travel experiences on your channel!
@@TheCreditFrog Yea honestly HI/HIE are good value hotels... the ones I've been to are usually clean and have decent breakfast. Makes sense to book these for cash stays and rack up the 26x points. I just did Hyatt but IHG is next! It's ironic that for all hotel chains the higher the category the less stuff you get (parking, breakfast, etc). It all becomes extra costs
Thanks for the informative video. Question: when buying points do you use your IHG card and get 26x points back? Or do you use another card, like a Venture X and get 2x back?
You're welcome! Sadly, IHG points don't count as IHG so it's best to use your best catch-all category. I usually just go with my IHG card for 3X points back or any welcome offer card I have at the time.
@@TheCreditFrog I have an offer for 175k for IHG personal card. And one of the benefits listed is 20% off points purchases. So that has to be factored in as well. I just bought 2000 points using my Amex platinum because I have a retention offer. But I’m gonna apply for IHG card and buy maximum amount of points they allow me and get the 20% off as well
@@TheBlueCollarTourist That's an amazing offer that you have! Ultimately, it's best to wait to have a 100% points sale before you purchase (not sure if that's stackable with the standard 20% points off from the card, I'm pretty sure that's a no since I've never gotten more than 100% more points when I bought them), but if you need some points here and there, it's definitely nice to have a little discount!
Stan the man, another great video! I've stayed at Hyatt (my fav) and Hilton, Marriott and IHG are next on my list! These cards are def ones I will be adding on towards the end of my roadmap! Love your content. - Ivan
Stan TY. I hear that staying at IHG in Asia can be a great experience and practical (points-wise). However, in an avg. Holiday Inn, it’s hard to get ahead. Bc. of dynamic point pricing, I see more and more let’s say a $140 rates go for 30k points. And so W/O using a 4’th free night,it’s actually below 0.5 cpp. However, being around P&M for some time, my gut feeling is that Hyatt will be going to dynamic points rate, it’s just a question or time (no need to panic, no inside knowledge he-he). So IHG could be an alternative for know what you get experience. Other options are to get ‘Bonwoyed’ or hope for the best at ‘Everybody got Status Hilton’. Both programs are strong, just harder to ‘extract’ great value as before.
Yeah, you'll definitely get a much better value if you stay at a high end property! The 4th night free is really critical to get the best value when redeeming points. I hope that Hyatt doesn't go to dynamic pricing, but if so, maybe that means more people would flee to other hotel programs.
They bumped the offer to 170K, similar to the offer I got about three years ago. Looking for the business offer in that category. Last year I got the IC in New York for 40K cert and 12K additional. I spent 40K on that card to experience Diamond status - not bad at IHGs but means almost nothing in the USA. I'll stick to Marriott just because of the lounges and I get Titanium organically and keep Hilton, IHG and Wyndham on the practice squad.
Hey, it’s nice to have options! Sounds like you have a good system going with Marriott, but yeah, I find IHG to be a great secondary option. That’s a great reward booking for NYC! Pretty crazy that you were able to experience Diamond status through the spend requirement, but yeah, like most programs, highest elite status isn’t nearly as good domestically. Thanks for leaving your experience!
No, the certs can only be used for single nights. I found this out when I was trying to book at a property that requires a two-night stay for weekends in the summer and couldn't do it
You can't have two IHG personal cards at the same time (typically), but you can have a personal and a business, 2 business, or even one personal, and two business. There's only a limitation on the personal cards.
I can't wait to to get the 170k offer that just came out! I've been waiting months, hopefully the Marriot Five Night comes back as well. The IHG card is a must have.
Yes! There's a new offer that's very competitive so I highly recommend getting it now if you can! The 5-night IHG card offer was also good, but probably harder to implement than 170k points, plus it's on a 1-yr timer.
I do like my IHG card but it's kind of difficult to accumulate actual value in the account through credit card spending. The points are just such a low value offering. Now if the IHG business card would ever get an enhanced SUB I would be on-board in a flash. And then I'd cancel my personal IHG card. I really only keep it for the annual free room. The only value the platinum status seemed to have (other than the 4th night free & the 60% bonus when you actually pay for rooms) is a late checkout which all levels have now. Maybe I'm not the only one that would cancel their personal card which is why they don't seem to offer enhanced bonuses for business users.
Yeah, the card isn't really great for everyday spending. It's really best used for the 26X back on IHG. There will definitely be a business elevated welcome offer soon! It typically follows the elevated personal offer which just appeared so hang tight, it will be there soon!
You can as a Diamond Elite, and there's this business program that apparently you can do so without a $5/1000pts fee. Haven't seen it work in practice yet though.
The HIE in Bakersfield, CA was one that was surprisingly nice. The outside is very shady, but the lobby, breakfast dining area, and room were all nicer than I expected!
@@TheCreditFrogtho it gets a lot flack, some really good music has come out of Bakersfield. I think I’m gonna head to riverside area soon. Look into some real estate…b4 blackrock scoops it all up😒. U doing ok?
Yes! The $25 United TravelBank expires after 6 months. Then you get a new one. There’s a grace period where you can use both where one is expiring and one just populated!
Hi Stan. Here's my strategy: I have the discontinued ihg select card and the ihg premier card so don't cancel either card or else I can't hold both at the same time again 😅
I have not yet tried the Cinnamon Rolls. But now I have to! I actually stay at HIEs more regularly this year, and I have to agree... very underrated hotel chain for business travel!
Marriott is devaluing their points again, do you still feel strongly about being in the Marriott ecosystem? It gets tougher to justify every time they bonvoy everyone, no signs of stopping either!
Part of the game, unfortunately. Marriott is not a points game - it's an FNC game that you use points to top off when needed. They still have very good properties and an expansive portfolio so there's still value there, but yes, I'm branching out to other hotel programs since their rewards programs are better.
Great IHG video! Agree, I’m a 35-year Marroitt/Bonvoy elite member and just used my final Bonvoy points. I got tired of the Bonvoy shenanigans so IHG is my number 1 hotel program and I have the credit card. You can rack up points and benefits quickly when paired with the IHG credit card. They are running a 7X promotion now for restaurants, fuel and groceries. Take advantage of the 100% point promotion when available. Redemptions appear to be easier, already booked 8 nights at Kimpton Seafire with points after only a year as member.
What do you think about pairing the Traveler card with the Ambassador program? You'd still get Platinum Elite status and 4th night free, as well as saving 20% when purchasing IHG points. Already have Global Entry credit from another card. With Ambassador, the Premier card feels a bit like paying $99 for a 40k point coupon.
Definitely worth thinking about! The way I see it, if you earn an elevated welcome offer on the Premier card, it will always make sense in the first year. If you want to downgrade to the traveler next, that would be an option! And yeah, pairing it with Ambassador may be nice, but that annual fee now is $225, so it depends on what you value.
Absolutely! It opens up a lot more opportunity for redeeming for shorter stays which makes travel planning a lot more flexible, at least in my experience!
@@TheCreditFrog For sure. The 5th night free for Hilton creates a weird FOMO situation for me. Like I don't need to stay for 5 nights, but then finding ways to justify it makes no sense. But 4th night, probably more doable. Literally one weekend Fri-Mon, leave Tuesday.
@soapa4279 Especially scaling up for longer stays, too. 4 nights is perfect for a short trip- especially at the cost of 3 nights- and 8 nights is great for a longer and more enjoyable stay- again, especially if it only costs as much as 6 nights.
Combining the 4th night free with the purchase of 100% bonus points will usually save you between 40%-60% off the cash rate of the hotel you are booking. Like you said it’s not free, but you will not have this much savings from purchasing points with any other hotel brand.
Example: I used 88,000 points to book the Intercontinental Bangkok for 4 nights. I paid $440 for those points. The cash rate was $1,050 for 4 nights.
That's for sure! And way to go on that rate on the IC Bangkok! I stayed there for my honeymoon, and it was great property! Centrally located - lots of great amenities! Need to try the boxing ring in the gym next time I'm there though 🤣
My favorite hotel play, especially with my grandfathered Select card. Booked a hotel yesterday for 179k pts for 4 nights (purchased 180k on sale for $900 now), cash rate is ~$550/night, which is reasonable for my dates (mid-July in Europe). Will get back 17.9k pts after the stay, thanks to the Select card.
@@dynamitmsk That's amazing! Too bad not all of us can benefit from the Select card. Seems like a powerful combo!
@@TheCreditFrog if you know someone you trust who has a Select + one of the newer IHG cards, you can transfer points over to that person (via business account, for free) and have them book the stays for you. Then once the rebate posts, they can send the points back to you. It gets a little trickier if you're Diamond, but the other person is not, or if you actually want night credits for those stays. Depending on how many points you can get back, it might be worth it.
I booked it 7-8 months in advance. It goes anywhere from 88K-120K for 4 nights. Even $600 for 120K points is 40% discount.
My wife joined IHG business rewards (took a couple weeks to kick in), and -- can confirm -- it allowed her to move points to me for free.
Oh awesome! Yeah, thanks for the tip. My business rewards is already active, but I'm still waiting on that ability for me to move my points. If it doesn't activate soon, I'll need to ask you again to see what I did wrong haha
@@TheCreditFrog usually have to wait for 30 days for the free transfers to start working
Thanks!
You're welcome!! Thanks so much for the Super!! 🐸
My wife and I both joined the 'IHG business rewards program. Simple to sign up and had to wait 30 days before the free transfer became available. Moved all her points to my account after hitting a welcome offer. Might aim for 40 nights at IHG this year for lounge access next year
Ah, thanks for providing your experience Jacob! That's great that you'll be able to stay at so many IHGs this year. Yeah, I guess I'll have to wait some more for the free transfers to be activated, but good to know that it's not just a fairy tale!
Good video. One thing to add - I have, selectively, found that you can purchase up to 5000 extra points when booking... Multiple times I have been able to buy 5000 extra points for $19. I did notice this is not offered every booking and the price is variable. I recently added the IHG Business card for the 140k signup offer and purchased 200k points with the 100% bonus.. I will be using these points in Europe, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, & the PH over the next several months.
Great point! There are ways to get those extra points, but typically there not as valuable as the 100% sale situation. Still, if you need an extra boost, great to know that this option is there! Congrats on the new IHG Business card!
Fourth night free and being most expensive night with no fees and taxes usually gets me around 1 cent per point value every time when using points.
Nice! That is a solid redemption for IHG properties with their points! I try to aim for 1cpp on my redemptions as well 👍
Thanks for this! I don’t have they’re cc yet because I am waiting for a good welcome offer on the business card but that didn’t stop me from buying the points and getting the 100% bonus
Of course! Right now the Premier card has an elevated offer that’s pretty good so if you’re in the market for one of their cards, now may be a good time to apply!
Excellent commentary. My wife and I are IHG Diamond Ambassador status. These cards and the entire IHG Rewards system are fantastic. We love the 4th night free and the IHG 100% bonus offers. The entire system works so well, we do not Marriott or Hilton at all anymore.
Thank you so much! That’s great to hear that you’ve received so much value from IHG. I’m moving more and more towards them as Marriott has continued to devalue their program and the frequency that I’ve been getting Bonvoy’ed. I also love the ability to replenish my points when needed when there’s a 100% sale. I hope one day I’ll be Diamond Elite as well!
@@TheCreditFrog We used to be Marriott loyalist. At this point we have nothing good to say about how they treat their customers.
@ronnyb9416 Sorry to hear about that! I’ve never been mistreated per se, but definitely could have been treated better.
Hey Stan, you mentioned buying points. Do you recommend buying points for other hotels when there is an 100% offer? Such as marriot or Hilton point. If so, would you do the same for airline miles?
I would do the same for Hilton. I’ve heard good things about Aeroplan but haven’t purchased those myself. Those are the only programs I’d recommend purchasing points from and there should be a bonus sale when you do.
Buying IHG points with the 100% bonus definitely makes sense for international travel stays. I wondered if it also offers outsized value for domestic IHG premium brand stays like IC or Kimpton?
@@paulstein916 Absolutely! The best redemptions tend to be the mid-tier properties, but sometimes there’s a good deal on Kimptons or IC properties!
We've stayed at IHGs in New Zealand, Vietnam, the Philippines, the UK...and the 4th night free rules. I have the business card, my wife the personal card.
Awesome! Yeah, I'm hoping that our household does the same. I have the business. Guess that means my wife needs the personal 🤣
Omg Stan, this video is very helpful repentant have both the IHG premier personal and business cards! I’m very invested in the system
@@ConstantPoints That’s great Kostas! Happy to hear you found the video helpful. It’s a great system to be a part of!
@ I’m very excited about this so let’s see how it goes!
I have platinum status through United club card , is it similar benefits with the credit card one?
Yup!
Thoughts on the ambassador program? Would love a video diving into it!
I currently have it! Right now, it's been very lucrative because of a 7-level upgrade I got on my honeymoon at the IC Phuket, but otherwise I think it's worth it if you stay at a lot of ICs. The weekend free night is hard to use though so give yourself extra time to make sure you can figure it out. It sucks that it has to be a paid stay so that's a downside too.
@@TheCreditFrogand that special fee night weekend rate is (usually way) higher than public rate.
Ambassador program used to be decent. But they nerfed it HARD last 2-3 years.
There is an IHG elevated welcome offer rn for 170k points on the Premier after 4K in spend
Nice! Gotta take advantage of those elevated welcome offers!
IHG remains my standby backup when I can't go with my primary Hilton. Definitely a solid sorta sleeper program.
Absolutely! I only started staying at their properties last year and I’m sure happy that I did. They’re now up there with Marriott and Hilton (for me)!
My Primary: Hilton if they have good promo or cap1 portal. 👍.
A hack in year 2 if you decide to cancel the card, Chase will deposit the free night in your account before billing the annual fee. So it’s literally a free night. Cancel and keep the free night.
Ooh, that’s great to know! Definitely worthwhile to wait for that free night to deposit before canceling or downgrading. Thanks for the tip!
I had the United Explorer card and they deposited the Lounge passes before billing the annual fee also. It’s interesting that they do it like that.
Awesome! Hopefully, they keep it that way haha!
I did that two weeks ago, and the FNC is still lying in my account.
Two questions: Do you need to have the IHG business card to join the business rewards program? I’m assuming you have to weigh the difference between taking advantage of an elevated offer and a referral bonus from another player? My husband has the IHG premier personal card. He was going to refer me to the same card. I’m also eligible for business cards (he is not). We’re trying to figure out the best strategy. We prefer IHG because our daughter lives in Scotland and they have the best properties near her.
I don't think you need to have an IHG business card to have business rewards. And yeah, it's a balance for welcome offers, but sometimes referrals can be the elevated welcome offers too, but not always. You can both refer each other back and forth for either personal or business cards too so that's a nice plus.
I love my IHG Premier card, but i refuse to spend money on nights with it, due to their cancellation policy. Instead I load up on points with another card when they run the 100% more points sale and use it towards 4 night stays to bring the nightly rate down. Also, book your annual free night credit as soon as you can, as it seems they have a limited amount of rooms allotted for those than they do regular point bookings.
@@marcottestudios two very good points and words of wisdom! I’ve had the same experience, although I’m ok with purchasing rooms with cash. Don’t get me wrong though, that scenario is few and far between. Almost all of my personal IHG stays are points redemptions only, and I try to go for 4th night free every time!
Great video Stan! You know I love my IHG card. I really do think it’s the best card and program for your average traveler (domestic cheap stays with occasional luxury/abroad stays) cheap card, easy to earn points, lowest priced properties but also very consistent experiences, and of course easy to get value with the 4th night free
Of course Cody! Yes, I know you do, haha! It's definitely a great card and the fact that it unlocks that awesome 4th night free benefit makes it so much nicer. Yes, it's been great to have consistency, which is something that's missing from Marriott properties. Hopefully, we'll get to hear more of your IHG experiences since I know that's your primary hotel chain 👍
Awesome. like the fact that there are a lot of IHGs in Asia.
Absolutely!
I agree with some of the comments I have seen...would love to hear your thoughts on the Ambassador program
Absolutely! I have it now, and I'm enjoying it so far. Great if you stay at a lot of ICs, but the weekend free night is harder to use because you have to book a specific rate class.
@ I’m hoping I can use the daily credit for the “additional guest”, which is $50/day in Paris…a fee that is not often charged in the US.
Great video! Love your content!
Thank you so much!
Do have to give IHG a shoutout....only loyalty program where I have received suite upgrades based on status alone... With Marriott I have to cash in the NUA..and hilton...you just hope for a nice view lol
Awesome! Yeah, I have a bunch of NUAs and they keep getting kicked back to me because they can't accomodate it - but they expire in a year! So frustrating!
I just subscribed. Can I apply for the premier if I have the traveler card? Great job on UA-cam ♥️
Awesome! Thanks so much! Sadly, no, you can't apply for the Premier if you already have the Traveler card. You can apply for the Premier Business though!
We are currently staying at the Crowne Plaza outside of Lisbon. Only 13,500 points a night. We are diamond status and get the free breakfast with made to order omelet. They have an amazing indoor pool, spa and work out area with free shuttles to the nearby beach. An amazing value!
Also, did you know that some of the Holiday Inns in SE Asia have lounges, not just the high end properties.
Awesome! I wish it was easier to get Diamond Elite status, but it's out of my range since it's a lot of hotel stays! Sounds like a great deal with all the amenities and food. And no, I didn't know that HIs had lounges! I'll have to look into that. Been staying at more HIEs domestically and have been pretty impressed with the quality! Great to see all the travel experiences on your channel!
@ I literally just received an offer from IHG for double elite nights through Apr. 22, 2025. I hope you were targeted as well!
@@KeeneAdventures Ooh! I'll have to look. Thanks for the tip. Right now all I have is a 100% points sale, but I have enough for now.
I haven’t bought any this year, but last year I maxed out at 400k points for $2k
@@TheCreditFrog Yea honestly HI/HIE are good value hotels... the ones I've been to are usually clean and have decent breakfast. Makes sense to book these for cash stays and rack up the 26x points. I just did Hyatt but IHG is next!
It's ironic that for all hotel chains the higher the category the less stuff you get (parking, breakfast, etc). It all becomes extra costs
Thanks for the informative video. Question: when buying points do you use your IHG card and get 26x points back? Or do you use another card, like a Venture X and get 2x back?
You're welcome! Sadly, IHG points don't count as IHG so it's best to use your best catch-all category. I usually just go with my IHG card for 3X points back or any welcome offer card I have at the time.
@@TheCreditFrog I have an offer for 175k for IHG personal card. And one of the benefits listed is 20% off points purchases. So that has to be factored in as well. I just bought 2000 points using my Amex platinum because I have a retention offer. But I’m gonna apply for IHG card and buy maximum amount of points they allow me and get the 20% off as well
@@TheBlueCollarTourist That's an amazing offer that you have! Ultimately, it's best to wait to have a 100% points sale before you purchase (not sure if that's stackable with the standard 20% points off from the card, I'm pretty sure that's a no since I've never gotten more than 100% more points when I bought them), but if you need some points here and there, it's definitely nice to have a little discount!
Stan the man, another great video! I've stayed at Hyatt (my fav) and Hilton, Marriott and IHG are next on my list! These cards are def ones I will be adding on towards the end of my roadmap!
Love your content.
- Ivan
Awesome Ivan! Yes, don't sleep on the IHG cards, they're incredibly powerful and IHG has a nice program if you redeem your points right!
The only negative with IHG is Diamond for Breakfast. Platinum is about 25% for me on upgrades.
Yeah, getting free breakfast is harder with IHG. My upgrade rate is pretty similar, probably lower, haha!
Yeah. Pretty sure IHG staff don’t know what upgrade means. Lolz. Maybe in Asia they do?
@@TheCreditFrog My upgrade rate is quite high in Asia. Many times I got a room that was better than the one I originally booked
Stan TY. I hear that staying at IHG in Asia can be a great experience and practical (points-wise). However, in an avg. Holiday Inn, it’s hard to get ahead. Bc. of dynamic point pricing, I see more and more let’s say a $140 rates go for 30k points. And so W/O using a 4’th free night,it’s actually below 0.5 cpp. However, being around P&M for some time, my gut feeling is that Hyatt will be going to dynamic points rate, it’s just a question or time (no need to panic, no inside knowledge he-he). So IHG could be an alternative for know what you get experience. Other options are to get ‘Bonwoyed’ or hope for the best at ‘Everybody got Status Hilton’. Both programs are strong, just harder to ‘extract’ great value as before.
Yeah, you'll definitely get a much better value if you stay at a high end property! The 4th night free is really critical to get the best value when redeeming points. I hope that Hyatt doesn't go to dynamic pricing, but if so, maybe that means more people would flee to other hotel programs.
No lies detected. ✅. But do stay away, no run away from Marriott
They bumped the offer to 170K, similar to the offer I got about three years ago. Looking for the business offer in that category. Last year I got the IC in New York for 40K cert and 12K additional. I spent 40K on that card to experience Diamond status - not bad at IHGs but means almost nothing in the USA.
I'll stick to Marriott just because of the lounges and I get Titanium organically and keep Hilton, IHG and Wyndham on the practice squad.
Hey, it’s nice to have options! Sounds like you have a good system going with Marriott, but yeah, I find IHG to be a great secondary option. That’s a great reward booking for NYC! Pretty crazy that you were able to experience Diamond status through the spend requirement, but yeah, like most programs, highest elite status isn’t nearly as good domestically. Thanks for leaving your experience!
IHG on the rise! Thanks for the info + video!
That’s right! You’re welcome Jimmy James!
Can the anniversary free night be counted towards one of the 4 nights?
I'm not sure, but I don't think so, I'm pretty sure that you have to use just points.
No, the certs can only be used for single nights. I found this out when I was trying to book at a property that requires a two-night stay for weekends in the summer and couldn't do it
Can you have 2 premier cards at the same time or even have 2 business cards at the same time?
You can't have two IHG personal cards at the same time (typically), but you can have a personal and a business, 2 business, or even one personal, and two business. There's only a limitation on the personal cards.
I can't wait to to get the 170k offer that just came out! I've been waiting months, hopefully the Marriot Five Night comes back as well. The IHG card is a must have.
Yes! There's a new offer that's very competitive so I highly recommend getting it now if you can! The 5-night IHG card offer was also good, but probably harder to implement than 170k points, plus it's on a 1-yr timer.
Looks like 5 night ain’t coming this year. They just released boundless elevated sub. It’s mediocre.
I do like my IHG card but it's kind of difficult to accumulate actual value in the account through credit card spending. The points are just such a low value offering. Now if the IHG business card would ever get an enhanced SUB I would be on-board in a flash. And then I'd cancel my personal IHG card. I really only keep it for the annual free room. The only value the platinum status seemed to have (other than the 4th night free & the 60% bonus when you actually pay for rooms) is a late checkout which all levels have now. Maybe I'm not the only one that would cancel their personal card which is why they don't seem to offer enhanced bonuses for business users.
Yeah, the card isn't really great for everyday spending. It's really best used for the 26X back on IHG. There will definitely be a business elevated welcome offer soon! It typically follows the elevated personal offer which just appeared so hang tight, it will be there soon!
Can the IHG points be transferred from one account until another one?
You can as a Diamond Elite, and there's this business program that apparently you can do so without a $5/1000pts fee. Haven't seen it work in practice yet though.
Bruh. Please provide a list or of the HIX u stayed where u were pleasantly surprised. Like the X-files: I WANT TO BELIEVE👽. 😂🤣😛.
The HIE in Bakersfield, CA was one that was surprisingly nice. The outside is very shady, but the lobby, breakfast dining area, and room were all nicer than I expected!
@@TheCreditFrogtho it gets a lot flack, some really good music has come out of Bakersfield. I think I’m gonna head to riverside area soon. Look into some real estate…b4 blackrock scoops it all up😒. U doing ok?
@@newagain9964 Hah! Yeah, seriously. Yes, I am. Thanks for asking!
Does this mean you'll mainly be staying at IHG properties in the future, putting the other two hotel programs on hiatus?
Definitely not doing a hiatus! But I'm definitely trying to stay at IHG properties more often this year!
I once read that the United travel bank cash can expire
Yes! The $25 United TravelBank expires after 6 months. Then you get a new one. There’s a grace period where you can use both where one is expiring and one just populated!
Hi Stan. Here's my strategy: I have the discontinued ihg select card and the ihg premier card so don't cancel either card or else I can't hold both at the same time again 😅
LOL! Yes, better just keep them around and don't cancel!
I downgraded Premier to Traveler. This way I get 4th night free and 10% points back. I also get Platinum status and a non-toppable 40k FNC
@ I think you also have the Select card too?
@@TheCreditFrog yes
Holiday Inn Express is the most underrated value domestic hotel. Try the cinnamon rolls and tell me I'm wrong.
I have not yet tried the Cinnamon Rolls. But now I have to! I actually stay at HIEs more regularly this year, and I have to agree... very underrated hotel chain for business travel!
When did they start doing this. Used to stay at IHG/HIX a lot. Never saw any
Marriott is devaluing their points again, do you still feel strongly about being in the Marriott ecosystem? It gets tougher to justify every time they bonvoy everyone, no signs of stopping either!
Part of the game, unfortunately. Marriott is not a points game - it's an FNC game that you use points to top off when needed. They still have very good properties and an expansive portfolio so there's still value there, but yes, I'm branching out to other hotel programs since their rewards programs are better.
Great IHG video! Agree, I’m a 35-year Marroitt/Bonvoy elite member and just used my final Bonvoy points. I got tired of the Bonvoy shenanigans so IHG is my number 1 hotel program and I have the credit card. You can rack up points and benefits quickly when paired with the IHG credit card. They are running a 7X promotion now for restaurants, fuel and groceries. Take advantage of the 100% point promotion when available. Redemptions appear to be easier, already booked 8 nights at Kimpton Seafire with points after only a year as member.
What do you think about pairing the Traveler card with the Ambassador program? You'd still get Platinum Elite status and 4th night free, as well as saving 20% when purchasing IHG points. Already have Global Entry credit from another card. With Ambassador, the Premier card feels a bit like paying $99 for a 40k point coupon.
Definitely worth thinking about! The way I see it, if you earn an elevated welcome offer on the Premier card, it will always make sense in the first year. If you want to downgrade to the traveler next, that would be an option! And yeah, pairing it with Ambassador may be nice, but that annual fee now is $225, so it depends on what you value.
Iberostar Herceg Novi.
Haven’t been there before, but I’ll have to look into it!
The FNA can be topped up right?
Yup!
The key here really is that 4th night free when you just don't need that long of a stay.
Absolutely! It opens up a lot more opportunity for redeeming for shorter stays which makes travel planning a lot more flexible, at least in my experience!
@@TheCreditFrog For sure. The 5th night free for Hilton creates a weird FOMO situation for me. Like I don't need to stay for 5 nights, but then finding ways to justify it makes no sense.
But 4th night, probably more doable. Literally one weekend Fri-Mon, leave Tuesday.
@soapa4279 Especially scaling up for longer stays, too. 4 nights is perfect for a short trip- especially at the cost of 3 nights- and 8 nights is great for a longer and more enjoyable stay- again, especially if it only costs as much as 6 nights.
Yeah. I’m rarely in same hotel for 4+ nights. 3 is pushing it! If I had my own business that IHG program would be primary because that promo…maybe.
First!
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