Released: Winter IHG PointBreaks List

by John Terry | Last Updated: December 1, 2019

Travelers can get a huge discount when using IHG PointBreaks to book the Holiday Inn Express in Essen, Germany. Photo by IHG.

The IHG PointBreaks list is a great way to save points when booking IHG hotels. It’s not as good as it used to be when all hotels were just 5,000 points, but it’s still a great way to get discounted nights.

IHG allows a select group of its hotels to be booked for 5,000, 10,000 or 15,000 points. For everyday people, being able to book hotels for fewer points could allow you to take another vacation somewhere.

While many of the hotels on the lists are in places you might never go, it’s worth taking a look because there are good values. A few years ago, I found a 5,000-point hotel just outside Portland.

There is a limited quantity so you might need to move fast in order to get the cheaper rate. These hotels can be booked through January 31, 2020.

If you are short on IHG points, they are a transfer partner of Chase, meaning you can transfer points from cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve.

New IHG PointBreaks List

Buying IHG points

IHG will routinely have point sales offering up to a 50% bonus. Buying points is usually a bad idea, but when these promotions are paired with the IHG Pointsbreak list, it can be worth it.

7,500 points (5,000 + 2,500 bonus) costs 67.50.
10,500 points (7,000 + 3,500 bonus) costs $94.50.
15,000 points (10,000 + 5,000 bonus) costs $135.00.

Again, it is not a good idea to buy points just to buy points, but if you’re just short of an award redemption, it can be good. You can look at the exact costs to buy points on the IHG website, however, you must have am IHG account to do so. That is one of the reasons we suggest in our Beginner’s Guide to create accounts at many of the domestic travel brands.

IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card

The IHG card is currently in my wallet thanks to the free annual night. Right now, Chase is offering an 80,000-point sign-up bonus after $2,000 spend in the first three months. It also comes with a free annual night.

Additionally, if you have this credit card, you can book a fourth night for free for an award stay. That means if you pay with points for the first three nights, the fourth won’t cost you anything. That can be big savings.

The Chase 5/24 rule affects this card. Be sure you haven’t applied for five credit cards in the previous 24 months or you will be declined.

Final Thoughts

The IHG PointBreaks list hotels are a great value for the everyday traveler. Not only do they cost fewer points than normal, but the value to purchase points can sometimes be cheaper than the nightly rate. Hotel rates can be outrageous in the summer, so if you happen to need a hotel in these places, take advantage.

New IHG PointBreaks List

5,000 Points

10,000 Points

15,000 Points

Buying IHG points

IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card

Final Thoughts