Is it worth it to buy hotel points?

Alearner

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Recently, Hilton, InterContinental and Marriott offer attractive promotions on bulk purchases of hotel loyalty points. For example, Hilton Honors and IHG Rewards Club have buy one point, get one free deal while Marriott offers 60% additional more points when one buys up to 100,000 points.

Is it worthwhile to purchase the points now when travel is question mark?
 

pacificstorm

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Low chance of bankruptcy for such big chains. If expiry is long or wont expire, no harm buying. The rates now are one of the best ever seen.
 

Beta_Tester

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Sometimes I do. If u go their high tier properties it is worth it. If u compare listed prices. Esp near good dates.
 

deodorant

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I think the key concern will be availability cos this entire 6 mths to 1 year nobody is doing point bookings. When travel eventually resumes there might be a HUGE amount of points chasing the same pool of rooms.
 

beanstalk6

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Are they going to shift goalposts? On Day 1 it takes 100,000 points to stay in a suite. During peak season or down the road, all you get is a superior room?
 

zack14

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be warn that for Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt points booking, if you dont have top elite status, you wont get free breakfast
 

beanstalk6

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Make sure the scheme is run directly by Hilton, InterContinental and Marriott, not some third-party timeshare outfit.
 

deodorant

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Are they going to shift goalposts? On Day 1 it takes 100,000 points to stay in a suite. During peak season or down the road, all you get is a superior room?
They shift goalposts even before covid mah. Room redemptions at cheapest points rate only got small quota, once that quota done then you gotta redeem at higher rates liao.
 

beanstalk6

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I tend to believe that such guests receive the lowest priority at booking. After all, you have paid up.
 

Hisashiburi

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I can only speak for Hilton.
Sometimes it is worth buying points especially if u can plan far out ( for room availability) and the points are on discount.
For Hilton as an example, one night stay in a 5* hotel can cost 95k points or maybe around $400 a night.
If u book 5 nights on points, u pay only for 4 nights, making each night only costing 76k points.
So u save quite a bit.

Some hotels can cost something like $1500 a night but it also costs 95k points if using points.
Obviously it is worth paying 95k points rather than $1500.

But only buy points if they go on sale and if u have a hotel that has the room availability.
It would suck to buy points and then cant use the points due to lack of room inventory.
 

encore888

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I'd say it depends on what you use the points for. I just bought a small amount of Hyatt points to keep my existing points from expiring, because I have sufficient quality for a hotel award (in the future once travel restrictions are less severe).
 

chopra

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Is anyone on IHG diamond? I understand the ambassador intercon is no longer available . What’s ur plan?
 

chopra

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There has been a silent feature of the program that you have been able to renew your IHG status, first Spire Elite and then Diamond, by merely signing up or renewing your InterContinental Ambassador membership for $200 or 40,000 points.





We have now had several readers contacting us in the past week who have inquired if this feature has ended, as their status has not been extended through the end of 2024 when they have signed up or renewed their Ambassador membership. It seems that these extensions ended in early September, as they were still in place last month.


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chopra

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what’s e easiest top programme to secure status?


is there any credit card that offer?


has anyone tried buying rewards in carousell? worth it?


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elvintay07

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what’s e easiest top programme to secure status?


is there any credit card that offer?


has anyone tried buying rewards in carousell? worth it?


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I don’t think SG got any such offer. But US has. I think buying membership make more sense than buying points. But I don’t think they sell membership
 

chopra

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I don’t think SG got any such offer. But US has. I think buying membership make more sense than buying points. But I don’t think they sell membership

yep. so for infrequent travellers, i guess there’s no way to buy membership to secure like 20 nights. thats e max number of nights i imagine myself to stay thru out a year including short ones at JB..


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elvintay07

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yep. so for infrequent travellers, i guess there’s no way to buy membership to secure like 20 nights. thats e max number of nights i imagine myself to stay thru out a year including short ones at JB..


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My wife is the platinum or diamond of IHG while I am the platinum of Marriott. If can buy membership then perhaps easier. Like buy 200 nights at say $50,000 then over the years slowly spend. Like that can up the membership level but I guess they won’t allow
 
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