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IHG PointBreaks Bookings Live Now; Over 200 Hotels Available From 5,000 Points Per Night

Jan. 29, 2018
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3 min read
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IHG PointBreaks Bookings Live Now; Over 200 Hotels Available From 5,000 Points Per Night
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It's like Christmas morning for IHG Rewards members. After tinkering around with the PointsBreaks program over the past few years, the latest iteration went live Monday at noon Eastern time. Over 200 hotels are on this version at one of three points levels: 5,000 points; 10,000 points or 15,000 points. We got a preview of 30 of these hotels on Friday, but the other 170+ were kept a secret right up until they were bookable.

Bookings are live as of noon Eastern Monday. So, hurry up and book! See the full list of PointBreaks hotels here.

The preview has us excited with three InterContinental hotels, seven Crowne Plaza properties and three Hotel Indigo locations discounted up to 75% off the standard award rates. For example, the Hotel Indigo Veracruz Boca Del Rio is one of at least four properties that normally runs for 20,000 per award night but is discounted to 5,000 points per night for PointBreaks:

At current TPG valuations, these hotel nights are valued at:

  • 5,000 points per night @ 0.7 cents per point = $35 value per night
  • 10,000 points per night @ 0.7 cents per point = $70 value per night
  • 15,000 points per night @ 0.7 cents per point = $105 value per night

That said, IHG's semi-common 100% bonus when buying points and the annual Daily Getaways program often offer members the chance to buy points around 0.575 cents per point. At those rates, these nights are even cheaper:

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  • 5,000 points per night @ 0.575 cents per point = $29 cost per night
  • 10,000 points per night @ 0.575 cents per point = $58 cost per night
  • 15,000 points per night @ 0.575 cents per point = $86 cost per night

At these rates, not surprisingly the best options get scooped up quickly. So, take a look at your travel calendar now through April 30, 2018 to see where you need to stay and then click here to check out the list of properties to see if there's one that works with your travel schedule.

Update: Another disappointing PointBreaks list by IHG. While IHG did in fact double the number of hotels included on the PointBreaks list, it sharply dropped the number of hotels bookable at 5,000 points per night. Past lists included at least 100 hotels at the old 5,000 rate per night. This list includes just 33 hotels at 5,000 — a drop by at least 67%.

Here's a breakout of the full list by brand and price level:

BRAND5,000/night10,000/night15,000/nightTOTAL
Candlewood Suites
9
9
--
18
Crowne Plaza
6
29
15
50
Holiday Inn
10
22
9
41
Holiday Inn Express
7
45
16
68
Hotel Indigo
1
1
6
8
InterContinental
--
3
7
10
Staybridge Suites
--
7
1
8
TOTAL
33
116
54
203

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

American Express® Gold Card

TPG Editor‘s Rating
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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.