Buy IHG points with 100% bonus - for another 4 days only!

IHG is currently offering a limited-time flash sale for a 100% bonus on all IHG Rewards Club points purchased, valid till 30 September 2016. Though I'd normally not recommend buying points or miles speculatively, this could be a great opportunity to top up your IHG points balance, particularly if you're just not too many points short of a targeted redemption. Here's a quick look.

The promotion offers a 100% on all points purchased, as long as it is in multiples of 1000 points. Bonuses as high as 100% don't come too often - though they did offer it a few months back. Otherwise, the highest I've seen is an 80% bonus.

IHG allows you to buy up to 60,000 points a year, starting at $13.50 (or about Rs 900) per 1000 points. At the highest purchase level of 60,000 points, the price is $11.50 (~Rs 765) per 1000 points, or Rs 0.38 per point including the bonus.

We at MAEM value IHG Rewards Club points at Rs 0.26 apiece, but as explained in this earlier post, there are properties (and that's not counting aspirational ones), where there's far more value to be had per point.

You can access this promotion here.

Crowne Plaza Adyar Park for 25,000 points a night

Bottom line

If you choose your hotel location and/or timing wisely, buying top-up points for award nights can save you quite a bit. Exactly how much depends on your stay requirements, though. That said, I still believe that it isn't much of a saver to book award tickets entirely out of points purchased.

Readers: Does this 100% bonus offer tempt you enough to buy points at this price? Let us know your aspirational properties as well, in the comments section below.