This deal has expired, view more IHG deals here.
The Offer
Direct links to offer: IHG Premier card, IHG Travel Card
- Save 20% when you make a points & cash booking with IHG. Book by September 20th for stays from now until November 4th, 2018. The discount will only apply to the cash portion of the rate
The Fine Print
- IHG® Rewards Club members must be logged in to receive 20% savings.
- 20% discount is offered at time of booking and only pertains to the cash cost of bookings.
- Bookings for The Venetian® and The Palazzo® hotels are excluded from discounts.
- This offer is subject to the general IHG® Rewards Club membership Terms and Conditions.
Our Verdict
Best discount is 25% under this promotion, 20% still good if you need the points in the short term. You can use this to effectively buy points at a discount rate. When you make booking it’s made clear that you’re actually purchasing the points and if you cancel your reservation they will redeposit the full points value rather than points + cash. It will usually be something along the lines of:
- Save 5,000 points & pay $40 ($32 with this discount)
- Save 10,000 points & pay $70 ($56 with this discount)
- Save 15,000 points & pay $99 ($79.2 with this discount)
- Save 20,000 points & pay $125 ($100 with this discount)
The rates will vary a bit from hotel to hotel, the best option is when you save 20,000 points for $115 ($92 with this discount) this makes the points cost 0.46¢ each. The Premier/Travel cards give you a 20% discount when purchasing points, I wonder if that will apply to this type of promotion as they do say you’re ‘buying’ the points? My gut feeling is no, but it’s possible (update: Doesn’t work)
Hat tip to readers Abey & @stevjang and Frequent Miler
can you hold both Chase IHG cards (older version and new premier) at the same time, earning a new bonus for applying for premier (and another free night benefit)? about to go under 5/24 for first time in a long time, this may be my first choice for a new card-
I have both cards and am not getting any discount. I google City Lights Sale while signed in and it says the sale has ended.
I still see it. Try Holliday Inn Brooklyn Downtown October 17-18 its 20K plus $92 once you book it and then cancel you get 20K for $92.
Nope. I only get $115. Maybe my Premier card isn’t keyed in yet.
I have the premier and the older club card. I didn’t get the email and it doesn’t look like the sale is working for me (unless I’m just missing something, which is certainly possible). Shame, I usually buy points when this rate comes up.
I wonder if exempting the Select card from these promotions is an attempt to convince more people to “upgrade,” and thereby lower IHG and Chase’s liabilities on the last unlimited free night.
So it looks like this is only valid for holders of the new cards, not available for holders of the older $49 card?
My SO got targeted for 15%. He only has the old card. No luck for me
Looks like it
no luck for IHG Select cardholders 🙁
By the way I strongly think from all the hotel chains and their Credit cards (Marriott/SPG, Hyatt, Hilton, Wyndham, Club Carlson, IHG) if you’re looking for the best and cheapest hotel with the most amenities, Holiday Inn Express is the winner, they are usually 15K-30K per night, 4th night free, 10% back, free parking, free breakfast, pool, hot tub and its the cheapest points to buy. With this deal you can buy 62,760 for $276 and have 4 nights (4th night free) at most Holiday Inn Expresses and get all the above free amenities.
Quick Example: Holiday Inn Express Union City California near Oakland is only 20K points, free breakfast, free parking, pool, hot tub, near A’s Stadium, not too far from Golden gate bridge and SF Giants stadium etc. Getting 4 nights for $276 is so cheap, its about the same amount most hotel chains in SF will charge you just for Parking…
Yes, I agree with you. Even 70,000 points hotels are very cheap with this:
70,000 x 3 = 210,000/4 = 52,500 points per night with 4th night free PLUS 10% back from CC and 10% back from Ambassador = 42,000 points. Buy points at 0.48c and you are paying $200 per night for the best Intercontinentals in the world.
“I wonder if that will apply to this type of promotion as they do say you’re ‘buying’ the points?”
No, only works when buying from points.com and you don’t get 10x points with Premier on points.com unlike a points and cash booking (even when cancelled) that you get 10x points.
Thanks, let me update.
The sale is called City Lights sale and is selected at booking with the rewards night option which is automatic if you click from the email.
This is the best time to stock up on IHG points, especially if you like IHG Points break and use the 4th night free.
You get 20,920 IHG points for just $92 with the book and cancel method, just make sure to book a couple weeks in advance so there is no cancellation fee.
If you do this, can please you post hotel(s) for which this works?
You could select Holliday Inn Downtown Brooklyn NY anytime in October for 20K and $92 for the remaining 20K and use your IHG Premier for another 10% on the $92, basically 20,920 for $92
I love this so much, I spend around $1,000 everytime they have this promotion and now you even get the 4th night free with the Premier and 10% back with the Select. (a 5K points break night is under $23 this way).
Thanks, Abey!
I have the IHG Club card ($49 annual fee) and if I directly go to IHG homepage to make the booking, I don’t get 20% off and if I use the promotion links mentioned here, I just get an error message for all the hotels (including the one that you provided): “Rooms are not available for CITY LIGHTS SALE”
I got the email and clicked from the email, idk how it works otherwise.
Weird. Thanks for your help. I’ll report back if it ends up working for me at some point.
I could forward you the actual email and try to click from that link.
Thanks for all the help but I think I’m just not targeted 🙁