Update 4/8/21: Seems pricing as reverted to the old lower pricing at most if not all properties. Something similar happened when IHG first announced the variable point pricing model as well. Let’s hope the lower pricing remains. Hat tip to abhirupduttamit
Update 4/5/21: IHG have provided this update:
We rolled out our Dynamic Pricing models to our hotels around the world last year which enabled the amount of points required for IHG Rewards members to redeem a Reward Night to flex up and down, just like cash rates.
Previously, Reward Night point amounts were static throughout the year. This model allows point amounts to decrease when demand is lower, providing greater value to our members.
Conversely, redemption amounts may also increase based on demand  and other factors and can update as often as daily. Reward Nights are not defined by categories or with minimum and maximum point amounts.
Under our new model, the number of points required for Reward Nights will vary with demand and seasonality.
Original post: Unfortunately it looks like IHG has devalued points by as much as 30%. IHG introduced dynamic point pricing worldwide in 2020.IHG indicated that the cost of award nights would be tied to the cash price of a property so far we haven’t seen properties cost significantly more (most likely due to the low cost of paid nights due to the COVID-19 pandemic). That seems to have now changed and properties are costing significantly more than they were, it seems that often points are worth less than 0.4¢ of the list price. As we exit the pandemic, expect a lot more of these devaluations to come.
Hat tip to Loyalty Lobby
