IHG PointBreaks Bookings Live Now; Over 200 Hotels Available From 5,000 Points Per Night
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:
- 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:
| BRAND | 5,000/night | 10,000/night | 15,000/night | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.