A Traveloyalty developed travel hack that works since 2012.
Most hotel chains offer the option of buying points but with limitation per annum.
As hotel chains devalue their award charts ( or dynamic pricing) they have offered points with higher thresholds per account per annum.
Often point sales do come along with up to 100% bonus points (*or 50% off – same thing), these are ok in terms of a mass buy if need be but there could be a working day period before they ship to the users account.
The normal rate of buying IHG points are 10,000 points @ $135.00 before sales or bonuses – offers to buy points over HERE
However to manufacture it :
1) To get started with the subject trick you have to have points in your account – minimum 5000 or 10,000.
2) Use the above link to purchase points or build up points through paid stays within the member brands or wait for a point sale.
3) Once you have 10,000 points you can start using the method of manufacturing points at just under half the normal rate they sell them at.
4) Make a future ‘dummy’ booking with any hotel that allows the options below:
<—- use this option 2nd when u have 15,000 / 20,000 points +
<—– Use this option 1st
5) Once the reservation is confirmed immediately go to “Reservations” – “Manage Reservations”
6) Cancel the reservation you just made and paid for. Confirm.
7) You account now has 15,000 points in it (cancelling points + cash bookings returns as points into your account not as a cash refund)
8) Repeat steps 4-7, this time select any hotel / option with 5000 /10,000 points + $70
***please note -try and use hotels where you have the full threshold of points required as lately the website is not allowing points + cash if you do not have the full points required per night) ***
Alternatively you may call IHG on 0800 999 136 and do the ‘dummy’ reservation on points + cash and then cancel it on the website.
9) You are now buying points at $70 per 10,000 and not the rate of $135 per 10,000 (and so the saving and snowball effect begins)
10) Do the math, sometimes its cheaper to book on points at some properties at rate of $35 /5000 points rather than the cash price and other times vice versa. ( made a booking at Crown Plaza Deira in Dubai for February and saved R6500 over 7 nights using the point method instead of cash)
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11) Once you have your firm reservations made (especially on pointbreaks list ie: 5000 points for Intercontinental or Crown Plaza) call into IHG and ask for a suite or club level room upgrade. Due to your status, more often than not you will be treated to suites in the excess of R5000 per night – have scroll through “Latest Trips” and see some of the free suites and club level rooms I have scored through 2013.
12) Remember it never hurts to ask, you can gain everything by asking and gain nothing by not asking. If at reception do not be shy to ask the desk clerk to please ask the manager on duty to upgrade you.
13) Always try to maintain a minimum of 10,000 – 15,000 points in your IHG account.
Update: You can now manufacture points at $30 per 5000 using top of the range Intercontinental’s in New York and Hong Kong with the new points + cash booking rate
Another update: with the recent sales on points+cash rates one can get a further discount on points manufacture, Spires get the biggest discount and can get the job done at $22.50 per 5000 points or $66.75 for 15000 points to make lighter work.
Does it make sense to buy points?
Usually no, especially in other hotel reward programs or unless you need to top off a small award or if the buy *actually saves you ***money, if and when promos align with elite status bonuses you would be better off spending the $ on a staycation ( or is it a paycation?) and earning all the points free from the spend.
* most buy points **crazily and ***stupidly when hotels advertise 100% off, not knowing they can at anytime manufacture points as need be using this Traveloyalty’s developed trick above that still works since 2012.
**Crazily because buyers spend 1000s of $ buying points.
***Stupidly because buyers have not factored in what the points earn rate would have been on the cash paid basis with all the bonuses in terms of free value.
Pointbreaks death!
Ever since we broke the news of the death of IHG Poinbreaks and its end of the accumulation or need for points that has been drastically reduced even though they have revamped Priority Club a hand full of times.
What was Pointbreaks?
Pointbreaks was the hotel industry’s most economical ( un-matched and un-rivalled) promotion as +200 hotels ( out of 4900 +) are available for the redemption of a mere 5000 points regardless of what the normal points reward rate was per night. I personally still rate as the best valued and unrivalled promotion in travel history.
Manufacturing points for Pointbreaks was an exception to wanting and needing to buy points often. Remember these work without yearly limitations.
Where else could you travel the world for 30$ or 22$ per night in a Intercontinental or Crowne Plaza? We redeemed 100s of nights in this promo during TLs first years. Often we would book Crown Plaza Madinah for 20-25 nights per December for a good 5 years in a row and getting suite upgrades with lounge access, whilst others would pay 250-300$ per night for a std room during the peak.
Have a squizz at TLs 60+ insider articles on Pointbreaks availability, each article published was prior to being updated on IHGs very own website ensuring first come first serve availability once the clock hits 9am eastern time – I truly miss these exciting quarterly events!
