Is the bonus points rate worth it?
IHG, Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt hotels sell rates that add bonus points, such as 5,000 a night, for a higher price. Sometimes that is the cheapest way to buy points. Often it is not. Enter the two rates.
How to read the result
The package costs more than the plain rate for the same room. Divide that difference, with tax, by the points it adds and you have the price per point. If the program sells points for less in a sale, or you would not have bought points at all, take the plain rate.
IHG’s packages come in steps of 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 and 5,000 points a night, are priced by each hotel, and usually sit on the flexible rate. The larger package is not always the cheaper one per point, so compare each step.