IHG One Rewards has announced a limited-time “Points & Cash flash sale”. The promotion will run until June 24, 2022.  (for stays until August 26, 2022)

The 20% discount applies to the cash element.

But before you go rushing to book IHG Points & Cash stays, you should be aware that IHG increased the cash element, so that the “promotion” brings it back down to standard levels.

A Reminder of How Points & Cash Works with IHG

Unlike most other hotel chains, IHG’s version of Points & Cash involves paying the cash upfront. In fact, you are merely buying points at the time of making your booking. If you subsequently cancel your booking, your refund will be given as points, not cash!

For travel hackers, this used to be an interesting way of buying IHG points at a good price. (make a Points & Cash booking with the intention of cancelling it a few days later –> acquire more points cheaply)

IHG has been cracking down on this, however. Not by closing accounts, but by making the “price per point” unattractive. The best price you will typically find on a Points & Cash reward is 0.6 cents per point. But a few times per year, IHG will sell you points directly for 0.5 cents per point. (click here to be reminded of the last time this was offered). You can also regularly buy points during Daily Getaways for 0.5 cents each.

Bottom Line

The typical InsideFlyer reader will be savvy enough to ignore a promotion such as this one. I would expect the cash element to return to normal once this promo “ends”.  Nonetheless, I felt it worth highlighting how IHG occasionally attempts to trick less-engaged members into believing that Points & Cash is a good deal…