A few weeks ago I published a post where I shared my thoughts on elite status and whether it’s worth pursuing As with most things in life, it’s the case of YMMV For some, throwing all of their energy into achieving a certain elite-tier threshold could make a lot of sense. Having Hyatt Globalist can really pay off, especially if you usually travel as a family.
If you are staying in hotels on employer’s dime, and are able to choose any lodging you want (within a certain price range), then might as well maximize your perks. That said, elite status may not be the most advantageous thing to pursue. I would argue that it could make sense to focus on promotions instead and view status as more of an afterthought.
IHG points are worth less, but they are not worthless
There are a lot of things I don’t like about IHG. I don’t like the fact that they don’t make official announcements on latest devaluations. I also don’t like that many desirable properties often play games with award availability. And of course, I’m not crazy about the fact that IHG points will get you roughly 35% less in value compared to just few years ago.
That being said, the program is absolutely still worth considering as long as you are acquiring points at an extremely low rate. I would say 0.25 cents per point is a good price that I would personally be happy to pay. IHG has a very good footprint, so I’m never going to give up on it completely.
If you’ve been following this blog since the beginning, you probably remember that I used to participate in IHG promos on a regular basis. Due to all the latest devaluations, I no longer go out of my way to acquire this currency. But I still check my IHG targeted stay promos. I haven’t gotten anything really juicy in the last year, but my father-in-law just got an offer that’s actually quite good.
I don’t think I’m going to bite, but I figured I’d share it with you:
In order to get the maximum payout of 80,200 points, one would only have to stay a total of four nights. Granted, the promo targets leisure traveler type because weekend stay is required. But if you are going to pay for a hotel somewhere (either with cash or via other hotel currency) and your plans match up, it could make sense to divert your energy to IHG instead.
Someone who is gunning for Hyatt Globalist may disregard the promo because they would lose 4 nights in credits. Maybe that’s the right course of action, but I would argue that 80,000 IHG points are worth a good bit more than few breakfasts and suite upgrades.
As long as you aren’t too attached to Hyatts, you can leverage those 80,000 IHG points for a nice family getaway. For example, you can redeem them on two nights at Holiday Inn Club Vacations Orange Lake property (see my review) You won’t get free breakfast, but there is a kitchen. And who needs a suite when you got a 2 bedroom/2 bath unit?
You can access your personalized IHG offer here
My Hyatt 5-brand tracker
Of course, the same principle applies to other programs as well. In fact, maybe you should throw your energy towards Hyatt instead of IHG. Many of you are probably familiar with Hyatt promotion where you get a free Cat. 1-4 certificate after staying in 5 different Hyatt brands. There is no time limit on hitting the threshold, so you are not under pressure to schedule unnecessary stays.
To be honest, I didn’t really pay much attention to this promotion but lo and behold, I got three brands checked off already:
Award stays do qualify, so that definitely helps. I find Hyatt properties to be way overpriced via cash. Anyway, not long ago, I wrote about my desire to visit Andaz Costa Rica at Papagayo Peninsula. I really like the look/vibe of the property and the fact that we would check off the fourth brand didn’t play into my decision at all.
I don’t know if we’ll ever make it down there but if we do, I will make sure to select either Hyatt House or a property in The Unbound Collection for our overnight stay in Miami before the flight. Hyatt House Miami Airport (12,000 points per night) and The Confidante Miami Beach(15,000 points) would be the likely contenders. Both are eligible for renewal certificate from Hyatt credit card.
I wouldn’t even look at other hotel promotions because getting a free 1-4 Cat. Hyatt certificate is almost certainly the best deal in that particular case. I could potentially redeem it at a Hyatt resort near where we live, a place that goes for $400 per night. Obviously, I would never actually pay $400. However, in this case, we would need to stay somewhere anyway. Even if Hyatt property isn’t the best deal on points, choosing another chain isn’t worth foregoing a free night resort certificate.
I don’t usually go out of my way to hit promos, but if my plans align, why not?
If you crave top-elite hotel status, Hilton AmEx Aspire card is the way to go
I’ve written about this card before and really believe it’s compelling for those who like extra perks, but don’t want to go out of their way to earn them. If you can get over the $450 annual fee, it’s the best thing going for hotel status lovers. Plus, you can reduce the fee significantly with minimal effort. Of course, I’m assuming you actually like Hilton chain. I don’t have an issue with it and would be happy vacationing in Hilton resorts for the rest of my life.
Sure, the elite benefits of Hilton Diamond aren’t as good as those you will get via Hyatt Globalist. But having Aspire card will take the pressure off and allow you to focus on lucrative promotions rather than hitting a certain number of nights. If a Hilton stay makes sense, you can always go back and earn 20 points per dollar plus whatever promotion they are having at the time.
But I strongly encourage you to be a free agent when it comes to hotel points and status. That free breakfast you are enjoying at a Hyatt right now probably came with a big (yuuge!) opportunity cost.
The best offer on Aspire (150k points) can be accessed via personal referral link. Thanks if you choose to use it!
Leana’s personal referral link
Nancy’s personal referral link
Click here to view various credit cards and available sign-up bonuses
Author: Leana
Leana is the founder of Miles For Family. She enjoys beach vacations and visiting her family in Europe. Originally from Belarus, Leana resides in central Florida with her husband and two children.
Ran into something strange with IHG. A friend asked me to book their free night cert in Boston in October. I could book with points but they blocked the free nt cert. I could’t book the free nt after Aug 31st, but could before that date. I’ve never seen this before?? I know Hyatt has told me when I’ve tried booking Andaz Costa Rica that they have different availability depending on whether you’re using points or a free nt cert.
Hmm, very strange. IHG has always been a weird one. I do know that IHG certs are sometimes treated differently. However, they usually give access to more award inventory, not the other way around.
Thanks for reminder about Hyatt 5 brand. I’d totally forgotten about it. Hubby and I each have 3 also. Too much to track, lol.
@Lynn No worries! And yes, there is a lot to track in this hobby, for sure. My head is spinning at times.
Starting in Jan, 2018, award nights should also count as qualifying nights and then count toward the Hyatt 5 brand. So now I noticed that one of my award nights didn’t count as qualifying, so didn’t count toward Hyatt 5 brand. Calling Hyatt wasn’t helpful. She said I didn’t sign up in time for the promo in time. There wasn’t a signup, just an announcement. So, now I just emailed them.
@Lynn That’s very strange! You definitely don’t have to sign up for any promos for this to track. Award redemptions, as well as free certs should trigger the brand credit. Definitely follow up!
I am faced with the very decision you mention. Gunning for Globalist, but had my head turned by a 97,000-point IHG offer. Gonna split the difference on an upcoming work trip and net 40,000 IHG points by completing part of the offer and 3 qualifying Hyatt nights instead of 6-7.
Issue with my 97,000-point offer is that it requires 8 nights to complete, at a minimum.
@Ian Yeah, I can see why you are having a dilemma. Eight nights is a lot, and I personally would be tempted to skip it. But if you can take advantage of part of the promotion, that could make sense.