Purchase IHG status points promo

[PrezRegan]

I've seen a few pages now reporting targetted offers for IHG members to buy elite qualifying points, effectively making it possible for them to pay their way to diamond.

Is it worth buying IHG points to retain your Diamond status?

If you have Diamond status with IHG One Rewards, you may have received an interesting offer. IHG will sell you points and they will qualify towards elite status.

www.headforpoints.com

IHG Selling Elite Qualifying Points: Buy Diamond Status For Cheap

IHG One Rewards is selling elite qualifying points, which is an opportunity to buy Diamond status at an attractive cost.

onemileatatime.com

This offer seems to be targetted at US/UK IHG members. When I click the link to buy points, it just takes me to the normal purchase points page. I also haven't seen any emails about buying points to get to Diamond - although I'm only Platinum through Intercontinental Ambassador.

Has anyone received such an email?

As an additional kicker, the points purchased can also be used as rewards points, so you're actually getting some value back when buying the status points.

Personally, I would be keen to "pay my way" to diamond as I don't stay anywhere near enough to get there on nights.

 

[muppet]

Yep. Buy points to retain Diamond. 120,000 cost $1,000 USD. The fewer you bought the higher the price per point. 60,000 cost $725 USD.

 

[oz_mark]

I got an offer to buy points to retain Diamond.

They did a similar.promotion last year.

 

[Kerrodt]

Yes I received the email overnight. Although the cost to me is substantially higher than what is quoted in one of the articles you have mentioned.

How do you make the maths work to make this offer stack up?

 

[muppet]

Yes I received the email overnight. Although the cost to me is substantially higher than what is quoted in one of the articles you have mentioned.

How do you make the maths work to make this offer stack up?

Only really works if you travel heaps, but then you need fewer points and the price per point is higher…. I think the example in OMAT with a credit card that offers a discount plus he got a lower original quote works out - but my offer is a real easy way to set fire to money. Brekkie doesn’t cost that much!

 

[drron]

Basically the only difference between Platinum ambassador and diamond ambassador is the free breakfast.
The more valuable extras for loyalty such as suite upgrades and lounge access for a year come only with nights not points.

 

[kerfuffle]

I got it; 100K points to maintain Diamond. No thanks.

 

[Austman]

It really depends on how much an IHG point is worth.

Several travel sites rate them at 0.7 US cents. Some are less, down to 0.5 US cents.

At 0.7 cents, 100,000 IHG points would be worth USD 700.00.

At 0.5 cents, 100,000 IHG points would be worth USD 500.00.

To buy 100,000 IHG points is USD 920.00.

So the net cost is USD 220.00 up to USD 420.00. Depending on what an IHG point is worth.

 

[drron]

If I can’t get at least one cent value for redeeming points I don’t redeem. As a consequence I don’t redeem very often. Though on this trip I was lucky and used points for the IC Double Bay and 1 of 2 stays at the IC Bangkok. The 6 night stay in Bangkok was slightly less points than Double Bay for 3 nights.