I received an email a month or so ago warning me that my IHG points from a vacation a few years ago were about to expire. I didn’t have many points as I only stayed at the Holiday Inn Express for a couple of nights during a long road trip. We don’t travel often so I knew I wouldn’t be earning any more points soon enough to keep the old ones active. So I went online to find out what I could redeem my IHG points for before they expired—I knew there wouldn’t be many choices since I had fewer than 10 000 points.

Using Your IHG Points for Gift Cards or Things

I know using travel points to get merchandise or gift cards is usually not going to yield the highest $ value per point. But with only days before my 9900 points expired and with no plans to travel, I decided to use them any way I could.

Do All Gift Cards Cost The Same Number of IHG Points?

No.

You have to check for the best deal.

Commonly You Get More $$ Value for Fewer Points If You Redeem More IHG Points

For example,

• A $10 Amazon Digital eGift card costs 4000 points ($1 costs 400 points)
• A $25 Amazon Digital eGift card costs 8500 points ($1 costs 320 points)

Different Stores May Offer More $$ Value for the Same IHG Points

For example

• 8500 points gets an Amazon $25 gift card
• 9000 points gets a Chapters $25 gift card

An eGift or Online Only Gift Card or Certificate May Cost Fewer IHG Points than a Plastic Card

If you want an actual gift card, perhaps to mail or give to someone else, you may end up getting fewer $$ for your points.

For example,

• A $25 for Cineplex real card costs 9000 points
• A $25 for Cineplex Digital Gift Card (no physical card) costs 8500 points

Want Another Advantage of Not Using All of Your IHG Points?

Using some of your points should “reset the clock” on the remainder of your points. So the 500 points I saved by choosing Amazon over Chapters will not be lost but will wait till I have saved up more points.

Are Shipping and Handling Included in the IHG Points Price for the Reward?

I was curious if I would have to pay extra to get Earbuds instead of an email gift card. So I clicked through on the Earbuds listing.

It says:
“Handling fees, including applicable taxes, customs and duties are all inclusive within the cost of your items, if applicable. Returns are not allowed unless damaged or inoperable in which case we will replace the item at no additional cost.”

So there is no extra cost. That explains, though, why the value of the item seems less than the value of the gift card: the extra shipping costs are included.

How to Find Something to Buy with Your IHG Points

1. Go the IHG website.
2. Click on the Sign In link.
3. Sign in using your
   Member number
   PIN
4. Click on the IHG Rewards Club link.
5. Click on the Redeem Rewards tab.
   You may be asked to confirm your Last name at some point.
6. Scroll down a bit looking for Shop Using Points or Shopping and more text box.
   Click on the link to the: online catalog
7. Near the top of the page, there is a box called:
   Also search within a point range
   Type the appropriate values in the fields
   Min. Points
   Max. Points
8. Click on the Search button.

Choose a wide enough range to be sure you see any “deals” on similar gift cards.

What Are Some Examples of Items for 9000 Points or Less?

The items offered seem to change from time to time.

Today, January 31, for 8500 Points you could get the following gift cards

• $25 for Harvey’s; Kelsey’s; Milestones; Montana’s; Swiss Chalet
• $25 for Home Outfitters
• $25 for Cineplex as a Digital Gift Card (no physical card)
• $25 for Amazon as a Digital eGift (no physical card)
• $25 for iTunes as a Digital Card (no physical card)
• $25 for Best Buy as a Digital eGift (no physical card)
• $25 for Hudson’s Bay as a Digital eGift (no physical card)
• $25 for Bier Markt; East Side Mario’s as a Digital eGift (no physical card)

For 9000 Points, gift cards include

• $25 for Canadian Tire
• $25 for Reitmans; Additon Elle; Hyba; Penningtons; RW&CO; Thyme
• $25 for Red Lobster
• $25 for Olive Garden
• $25 for Coles
• $25 for Cineplex (this is a real card so it costs more points)
• $25 for Chapters
• $25 for Pottery Barn
• $25 for Winners
• $25 for HomeSense
• $25 for Laura Secord
• $25 for Best Buy (this is a real card so it costs more points)
• $25 for sunglass hut
• $25 for Foot Locker

For 9500 points

• A Hagen Orel Rabbit Dog Chew Toy!
• Panasonic RP-TCM125K Stereo Earphones with Mic for Mobile Phones

Ta da! Those are the choices.

How to Redeem Your IHG Points for a Gift Card

Sign in and go through the steps above to find the card you want to buy.
I went with the Amazon gift card. My points expire at midnight so it’s time to buy or die.

Completing Your IHG Points Purchase

1. Click on the link under the item you wish to “buy.”
2. Read the description and details. If you still want it, click on the link: Add to shopping basket
   (Which is interesting because in the top right of the screen it’s called your Shopping Bag. Whatever.)
3. Review your proposed purchase.
   Then either click on
   Continue Shopping
   Or
   Checkout.
   I clicked Checkout.
4. You may get the message “missing required address fields” even if your mailing address is correct. If so, it’s a link. Click on it.Ah. They want a phone number for the courier to call me in case of problems.
   Type in the missing information and click on the Save button.Review your order again.
   If it’s ok, click on the Checkout button.

   Read the shipping information.
   If it’s ok, click on the Confirm button.

   Review your order.
   If it’s ok,
   Read the Terms and Conditions, and if you agree, click to state: I agree to the Terms and Conditions
   and
   Read the Privacy Statement, and if you agree, click to state: I agree to the Privacy Statement
   and
   click on the Submit Order button.

   You should get an Order Confirmation number. Write it down, screen save it or print it. You may have to follow-up if something goes wrong.

   Click on the Sign Out button.

Wait. It’s all you can do now!

Related Reading

• Using Your Petro-Points
• Petro-Points and CAA Dollars

Join In
Did you use your points for something, no matter how pointless, before you became pointless? Please share your point with a comment.