IHG One Rewards is extending an enticing offer that invites members to fast-track their journey to exclusive rewards and higher membership tiers.
We want to remind you that there are two ways to obtain, maintain or upgrade your elite status: accumulating elite qualifying nights or qualifying points. See the image below.
Two Paths to Maximize Your Points
Stock Up for Future Adventures – Buy Points
According to the Terms and Conditions, you can purchase up to 150,000 IHG One Rewards Points per calendar year. It is more profitable to do this during promotional offers with a 100% bonus for the purchase. Sometimes, the annual limit is also increased when such offers are made.
This way, you can quickly replenish your wallet and proceed to booking. When is it appropriate to buy hotel points? We’ve covered this question in Is Buying Hotel Points at IHG, Marriott, Hilton, or Hyatt Worth?
Buy points now – link here.
You can book stays with points and those nights will count as elite qualifying nights that will help you maintain or achieve higher IHG One Rewards elite status. However, if you have not yet achieved Silver status, you need to earn base points (elite qualifying points), which can only be accumulated through paid stays.
Is Buying IHG Points Worth It? What Our Data Shows
At IHG’s standard, non-promotional rate, buying points beats paying cash on just 5.5% of the IHG award nights in our search data — saving a median $240 a night on the rare dates when it does. That math shifts a lot during IHG’s periodic bonus sales (up to 100% off); see our current IHG buy-points offer for live terms.
- Price of a point at the standard rate (no sale): 1.00¢ (26,000+ point tier)
- What an IHG point is worth in our data: 0.63¢ median across 11,333 nights
- Nights where buying wins (by at least 15%): 5.5%; 14% of hotels have at least one such date
- Median saving on those nights: $240 per night
| Hotel | Destination | Best date | Points/night | Cash/night | Cost if you buy | You save | Good dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regent Shanghai Pudong | Shanghai, China | Feb 1, 2027 | 41,000 | $1,230 | $410 | $820 (67%) | 12 |
| Garner Hotel Dubai Al Jaddaf | Dubai, UAE | Dec 11, 2026 | 10,500 | $315 | $105 | $210 (67%) | 25 |
| Staybridge Suites Dubai Internet City | Dubai, UAE | Nov 30, 2026 | 17,400 | $522 | $174 | $348 (67%) | 30 |
| InterContinental Dubai Festival City | Dubai, UAE | Mar 3, 2027 | 18,250 | $547 | $183 | $365 (67%) | 21 |
| Vignette Collection Horizon, Yas World Resort | Abu Dhabi, UAE | Dec 14, 2026 | 28,400 | $851 | $284 | $567 (67%) | 59 |
| voco Dubai Nice The Heart of Europe | Dubai, UAE | Feb 8, 2027 | 12,000 | $356 | $120 | $236 (66%) | 24 |
| InterContinental Fujairah Resort | Fujairah, UAE | Nov 23, 2026 | 31,000 | $914 | $310 | $604 (66%) | 14 |
| Staybridge Suites Dubai Financial Centre | Dubai, UAE | Nov 15, 2026 | 14,500 | $427 | $145 | $282 (66%) | 15 |
| Holiday Inn & Suites Dubai Festival City | Dubai, UAE | Mar 3, 2027 | 10,500 | $309 | $105 | $204 (66%) | 11 |
| Vignette Collection Haven, Yas World Resort | Abu Dhabi, UAE | Mar 1, 2027 | 28,500 | $833 | $285 | $548 (66%) | 29 |
“Good dates” counts how many nights at that hotel, within our search window, clear the 15% margin — a hotel with a wide swing between its cash and points price can rack up dozens.
When to buy, and when not to:
- Buy only if you already have a stay in mind at one of the hotels above, or another date where the cash rate has spiked far above the points price.
- Don’t buy speculatively at the standard rate: on 95% of nights in our data, cash is cheaper or the saving is too thin to justify points that can’t be refunded and don’t earn elite nights.
- Watch for IHG’s bonus sales: they periodically cut this price to around 0.5¢/point (up to 100% bonus). At that price, buying wins on roughly two-thirds of the nights in our data — check our current IHG buy-points offer to see if one is running now.
PointsCrowd award search data as of November 8, 2026: 11,333 nights at 552 IHG hotels, standard rooms, cash prices include taxes and fees. How we calculate →
Purchase of Additional Bonus Points Packages When Booking
Using Bonus Points Packages when booking differs from regular point purchases in that these points count as elite qualifying points. Therefore, if you are short of them, this is the best option. You can add up to 5,000 points per night to your booking.
Join the Club
Not a member yet? No worries! IHG One Rewards extends a warm invitation to join now, offering immediate access to earning points and enjoying the perks of membership.
If you are planning to join the IHG One Rewards membership, please note the promotion for new members (valid until the end of 2024).
Simplified Booking and Reward Enhancement
How to buy an additional package of points:
- Make Your Booking: Use the intuitive booking tool available on the website or opt for the convenience of the IHG One Rewards app.
- Enhance Your Rate: After choosing your hotel, room, and rate, decide how many additional points you’d like to add per night.
The Bonus Points Package is exclusively available for the two premium rate categories, which offer the flexibility of cancellation until one day prior to check-in.
- Confirm and Enjoy: Give the green light to an enriched stay filled with additional rewards.
Note: These add-on points are not compatible with 7-day free cancellation rates.
In Conclusion
Purchasing bonus point packages is not the most cost-effective way to accumulate points, but it can be a strategic move for those seeking to accelerate their path to Diamond status (which opens up a wide range of opportunities, including a complimentary hot breakfast for two at all IHG hotels, a privilege that is especially noticeable at the brand’s most luxurious properties).
