IHG Rewards or Airline Miles?

[KyBry]

Hi All,

I am new to IHG Rewards but got a Gold Tier through Ambassador program.

Title says it all. Should I covert to Qantas Points or keep the IHG Rewards?

 

[Meggsy]

Hi All,

I am new to IHG Rewards but got a Gold Tier through Ambassador program.

Title says it all. Should I covert to Qantas Points or keep the IHG Rewards?

Depends on your personal circumstance. Personally, I keep all IHG points for use on hotel stays only as I think the conversion to airline points is poor value. I stay at IHG hotels very frequently and amass large numbers of points through work and it helps reduce the cost of my personal travels. 50,000 IHG points converts to 10,000 airline points which is slightly more than required for a Brisbane to Sydney reward flight in economy. whereas 55,000 points gets you a night at most Intercontinentals around the world or 11 nights using points breaks. Much better value their in my opinion.

 

[NZflygirl]

Are points you bought able to be converted to the airline miles or is it stays only? I was just looking at the etihad website and doing some pondering

 

[Meggsy]

Are points you bought able to be converted to the airline miles or is it stays only? I was just looking at the etihad website and doing some pondering

Yes once purchased points are in your account you can redeem them for anything allowable within the program.

 

[andye]

It is rarely worthwhile converting IHG points to airline miles as the conversion rate is poor (and transfer times can be slow if you are looking to top off for an award)

The choice of earning mode between IHG points (11/USD for Gold) and airline miles (3 VA/QF in Aus or 2 AA/SQ/BA, variable fixed rate for overseas properties) for stays is sometimes close depending on how you value them.
IHG sometimes offer double airline miles but usually this is at the same time as a more lucrative IHG points promo

In general you will be better off with IHG points unless you only have occasional IHG stays

PS: I should have pointed out that the QF/VA earn rate is per AUD (compared to per USD for IHG/AA/SQ/BA points)

 

[JohnK]

I would keep earning IHG rewards points not airline miles/points.

I have close to 600,000 points and I will start to use them after I get to 1,000,000 points.

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

I would keep earning IHG rewards points not airline miles/points.

I have close to 600,000 points and I will start to use them after I get to 1,000,000 points.

I have just ticked over 400,000 points with all the promos. Seems a lot easier to earn points of late I hope a BREXIT devaluation iS not on the way !!

 

[davidsilver]

I had a problem with my account and it switched to airline miles, I received 600 VA points instead of the expected 5,000+ IHG points, and this did not count towards elite qualifying points. This would've been enough for a points break night, but the 600VA miles are basically good for nothing.

I'm a leisure traveller and have gathered nearly 200k points in the last 12 months, of which nearly 150k since March from only 15 nights (thanks to accelerate)

 

[JohnK]

I'm a leisure traveller and have gathered nearly 200k points in the last 12 months, of which nearly 150k since March from only 15 nights (thanks to accelerate)

But with those 15 nights you could have earned ~9,000 Velocity points which are good for.... oh yeah a one-way SYD-MEL award?

Accelerate is great. I stayed 5 nights which cost me ~AUD450 and I will earn ~60,000 IHG points which convert to 6 nights at HI Chiang Mai or ~AUD480 minimum real value.

 

[davidsilver]

Exactly.

I was at HI Chiang Mai just 2 weeks ago, 3 nights king executive river view cost me just under $400aud. But then again can't use points for executive rooms

 

[JohnK]

Exactly.

I was at HI Chiang Mai just 2 weeks ago, 3 nights king executive river view cost me just under $400aud. But then again can't use points for executive rooms

I pay for the cheapest room which is usually ~AUD80/night including breakfast for 2. Almost always upgraded to Ping River suite.

Staying 2 nights again later this month.

 

[davidsilver]

My upgrade success rate with IHG until recently has been 1/10, my last trip I booked executive room 3 times in BKK and was upgraded to a suite 3 times and booked executive room in Chiang Mai for the river view but was no upgrade. Was put in room right next door to executive lounge which was handy for the 1 night we used it, and even better because Sous Chef told us to go to Goodview which was awesome, I doubt I would've found that place if not for him.

I've decided from now on I'm just going to book a standard room as I rarely use the executive lounge and breakfast is cheaper and better outside of the hotel chains in Thailand, and we quite often don't even make it for breakfast, so it just seems like a waste to book executive room. Would be good if IHG just gave executive lounge access to Platinums as a benefit, of the lounges I've been in they're nothing really special

 

[JohnK]

I've decided from now on I'm just going to book a standard room as I rarely use the executive lounge and breakfast is cheaper and better outside of the hotel chains in Thailand, and we quite often don't even make it for breakfast, so it just seems like a waste to book executive room.

I like breakfast in some Holiday Inns and usually included in room rate if booking includes weekends. Chiang Mai is quite nice. Holiday In ln Sukhumvit is another with nice breakfast.

Would be good if IHG just gave executive lounge access to Platinums as a benefit, of the lounges I've been in they're nothing really special

Very inconsistent. HI Sukhumvit and HI Macau are 2 that give executive lounge access and they get my business over other IHG properties.

 

[davidsilver]

I stay at HI Sukhumvit around 25 nights in the last 18 months and I've only ever been given access to executive lounge when booking executive room, apart from one time the room they gave me had a shower over bath, despite my profile requesting accessible shower. We had a shower and was so much water on the floor that I slipped getting out of the bath because the towels on floor were so wet. They gave me an upgrade to executive king room and gave me lounge access, this was only after I escalated it to IHG rewards club and was in process of checking out and moving to Hilton. I don't rate the buffet there at all.

I'm staying there next month in a deluxe room, lets see if I get upgrade or lounge access. I also find inconsistent with regards to even small things like a welcome letter across a number of HI locations

 

[JohnK]

I'm staying there next month in a deluxe room, lets see if I get upgrade or lounge access. I also find inconsistent with regards to even small things like a welcome letter across a number of HI locations

I don't worry about upgrades. Executive lounge access is nice if you have the time to use lounge. Interesting that you haven't been given lounge access. Do you wait for them to offer lounge access or do you ask? I simply ask if I can use the lounge and it hasn't been a problem.

Also we have breakfast in the Zeta cafe on level 8 without paying for breakfast and our room number is on list.

Won't be staying there until October so hope lounge access is included as I am going to be busy during the day.

 

[davidsilver]

Upgrades don't bother me, more annoying that it's a published benefit but then they won't upgrade you.

I've asked and was told I don't have access because didn't book executive room, I will ask again in August. I normally sleep late and just wander around the streets for a late breakfast/early lunch. Quite often to a little street vendor just past Emporium

 

[samh004]

I was going to ask a similar question, as I'm looking at acquiring a hotel loyalty program for future stays... but I think the consensus well and truly is that the IHG points will be better value in the long term than 3 points per dollar converted to Qantas.

I will however query one thing, I see often a rate that advertises a bonus 1000 points for about $5... if this is chosen and you have your account set to sweep to airline points, do you get both (3 points per dollar on the total cost to Qantas and 1000 points to IHG), or do the bonus points get lost?