IHG One Rewards points are often overshadowed or dismissed as a lower-value hotel rewards currency, but when they go on sale? Game freaking over.
These sales are especially sweet when you can buy them with a 100% bonus, dropping the price to just 0.5 cents per point. Stack this with perks like the IHG credit card’s fourth night free perk (more on this below), and you can unlock some serious value.
Let’s walk through when buying IHG points is actually worth it and how to make the most of your redemptions.
IHG Buy Points Sale Details
IHG frequently runs promotions that let you buy points with up to a 100% bonus. That effectively cuts the price in half to as low as 0.5 cents per point (read: very cheap).
But the price you pay per point depends on how many you buy. While the 100% bonus kicks in at just 5,000 points, you’ll need to purchase at least 26,000 points in a single transaction to lock in the lowest price of 0.5 cents per point. And let’s be honest, we never settle for anything less than the best around here.
Here’s how the pricing typically breaks down during one of IHG’s 100% bonus offers:
1,000 to 4,000 points: No bonus (1.35 cents per point)
5,000 to 10,000 points: 100% bonus (0.675 cents per point)
11,000 to 25,000 points: 100% bonus (0.575 cents per point)
26,000 to 200,000 points: 100% bonus (0.5 cents per point)
‼️ Heads Up: These “buy points” promos are sometimes targeted, so log into your IHG account to see the specific offer available to you.
So, if you’re planning to stock up, buying between 26,000 and 200,000 points will give you the maximum bonus and lowest price per point… “the sweet spot.”
A few more important things to keep in mind:
You can buy up to 200,000 points per calendar year (before any bonuses)
Points usually post within minutes, but IHG says it can take up to 72 hours
All purchases are final, so make sure to double-check your math
When You Should Buy IHG Points
Buying hotel points doesn’t always make sense. And the last thing we want to do is talk you into a bad decision.
But, there are a few specific scenarios where buying IHG points (especially on sale) can yield some serious savings:
You need to top off your account for an upcoming redemption
You find a high-end redemption where buying points is cheaper than paying cash
You want to take advantage of IHG’s fourth night free perk, available to all IHG cardholders
Real-Life Examples of Maximizing IHG Points
We’ve stayed at more IHG hotels than we can count. Here are a few real-life redemption examples from the Daily Drop team that show just how far your purchased IHG points can take you.
Example One: Hotel Indigo, Melbourne
Our head writer, Mike, stayed here in 2024 and said it was incredible. The hotel typically runs about $140 per night, but by using 16,250 points per night (with the fourth night free), he locked in four nights for just $330 worth of points instead of $565 in cash. Not bad for a city-center boutique hotel.
Example Two: Holiday Inn Resort, Vanuatu
Mike also ventured to the islands of Vanuatu (he travels a lot), where he found the Holiday Inn Resort going for 18,000 points per night. With the points sale and his IHG cardholder perk, he booked four nights for $360 worth of points, saving over $300 compared to the cash rate of $664.
Example Three: Hotel Indigo, Lijiang
On an editorial team trip in early 2025, Tiffany and I stayed at the gorgeous Hotel Indigo in Lijiang. With the 100% bonus and the fourth night free, we turned what would’ve been a $950 stay into just $480 worth of purchased points — basically half price.
As you can see, the possibilities of this point sale are endless. Whether you're eyeing a bucket-list destination or just looking to stretch your travel budget, this points sale can deliver.
Use the Right Credit Card to Buy Points
IHG sells points through Points.com, so your purchase likely won’t code as “travel” or “hotel” spend on your credit card. That means you won’t earn bonus points from travel categories.
Instead, use a card with a strong base earning (like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, which both earn 2x miles per dollar on all purchases), or one where you’re working on a welcome offer.
Other Ways to Earn IHG Points
Like I stated before, buying IHG points isn’t the only way to fill your points balance. Here are a few other good ideas.
Earn With IHG Credit Cards
A few fan favorites include:
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card: Up to 26x points per dollar at IHG hotels and resorts
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card: Up to 17x points per dollar at IHG hotels and resorts
IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card: Up to 26x points per dollar at IHG hotels and resorts
These cards also have solid welcome offers and give you that wonderful fourth-night free perk. Plus, the Premier cards give you Platinum status and an anniversary free night valued at 40,000 points.
Transfer Points From Chase or Bilt
While it’s technically possible to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards or Bilt Rewards points to IHG at a 1:1 ratio, we rarely recommend it. Those points are usually worth more when transferred to programs like World of Hyatt or Air France/KLM Flying Blue. The bottom line is… only transfer to IHG in a serious pinch.
How to Know If It’s Worth It
IHG uses dynamic pricing, so the number of points needed for a stay fluctuates based on demand. Before buying points, check the points cost for your specific dates and do the math. Here’s a little formula for ya:
Cost of points needed x $0.005 = effective cash price
If that number is significantly lower than the hotel’s cash rate, it could be a great use of points.
✨ Travel Tool: We have a Cent Per Point Calculator where you can find out if your points are getting you a poor, good, great, or epic value. Crunch the numbers and see what kind of return you’re getting.
Don’t Forget the Fourth Free Night Perk
This one is so easy to overlook, but it can turn a meh redemption into an excellent one. If you hold any IHG credit card, you get a fourth reward night free when booking with points.
And right now, the most popular card, the IHG Premier is rocking a sweet welcome offer: Best Offer of 2025: Earn 5 Free Nights – valued at up to 300,000 total points – after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Each Free Night is valued at up to 60,000 points.
Book four nights, pay for three. It stacks beautifully with points purchases and can drive your effective rate way down.
Bottom Line
If you have a specific redemption in mind and the math checks out, then point sales are one of those rare moments when purchasing points can actually save you money. Combine it with credit card perks like the fourth night free, and your points can go a very long way.
Just remember — the magic lies in the planning, comparing, and having a solid redemption in mind. If you’re just hoarding points for fun, then I would skip it.
