How to convert American Express Membership Rewards points to IHG Rewards Club at 1 : 2.2

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• Ben says:

  14 Jun14 June 05:24

  Would the net cost in Amex points not be 87,725 points, given the 2 points per £ earnt on the purchase? So you’re actually getting 2.28 ihg points per Amex point? Or if you redeem points against a purchase do you not earn points for that purchase?

  • Andrew says:

    14 Jun14 June 08:28

    Yes he hasn’t factored in the 1600 MR points you would earn for the purchase as you DO earn points on the transaction even if you later clear it by paying it off with points.

    • Rob says:

      14 Jun14 June 10:01

      True. Added in, although only 800 points as no ‘double points on FX’ for Platinum cardholders.

      • Andrew says:

        14 Jun14 June 10:27

        Ah didn’t read the small print of the offer that it’s not double points on FX transactions – good to know.

      • Rob says:

        14 Jun14 June 11:36

        Fair point 🙂

• Si says:

  14 Jun14 June 06:29

  Anyone have any opinion on which Edinburgh hotel is nicer – the intercontinental or the Kimpton??

  Both, amazingly, only 25,000 points for the dates I want (£200pn cash)!

  I am guessing the intercontinental is fancier, but Kimpton is only a year old, and has been shut for a good couple months of that so might be better condition…??

  I’m Platinum Elite if that makes any difference

  Thanks

  • AlanC says:

    14 Jun14 June 08:49

    How about a night in each then post a comparison on here:-)
    I did stay at the IC George around Christmas and there was building works going on in the rooms at the back of the hotel.
    I was at a function at the Kimpton 2 years ago and the public areas are lovely – never stayed overnight so cant comment on the rooms.

    • Stu N says:

      14 Jun14 June 09:51

      The company I work for has a corporate deal with both for people visiting us from other offices (dating back to when both were refurbished by Principal). Almost everyone prefers the Kimpton.

      • Si says:

        14 Jun14 June 12:20

        Thanks. I’ve taken the advice and swapped my booking to the Kimpton. I was already thinking that way but this pushed me over the edge.

        Suddenly after yesterday’s release of cheap point stays, I now have a 6 night 4-5* UK driving trip booked for only 105,000 points.

        All the points came from 2 refunded nights I had booked in Seattle before had to cancel the trip, so I’m pretty happy with outcome. A lot better value, plus prob also just a lot safer at mo!

        • Dominic Barrington says:

          14 Jun14 June 17:08

          I know them both and they are both good properties. The Kimpton has more character, and a superb Middle Eastern restaurant. The Intercon is a bit more ‘corporate’. But I doubt you’d be unhappy in either.

• Andrew says:

  14 Jun14 June 08:29

  Also only works if you haven’t already cashed in your MR balance

  • AJA says:

    14 Jun14 June 08:36

    That was my thought too, you have to have a MR points balance high enough to get the statement credit equivalent to the spend on IHG points.but I suppose any statement credit effectively allows you to transfer some MR to IHG which was the point of the article.

    • Andrew says:

      14 Jun14 June 08:52

      And although I guess even if you have recently cashed in your points balance, that was presumably to pay for things you would have bought anyway so you can retrospectively turn it into IHG points now.

• Sandgrounder says:

  14 Jun14 June 09:14

  I would probably add to the article to point out that buying IHG points using this offer is more expensive than half a cent each for purchases of less than 26000 (26000+26000 bonus).

  • Rob says:

    14 Jun14 June 09:59

    True. I cut that out for simplicity.

• Alex W says:

  14 Jun14 June 09:25

  Obviously you need MR points. If you don’t have MR points hen you can’t transfer them to anything.

  • Alex W says:

    14 Jun14 June 09:25

    This was a reply to @Andrew

• Marlene says:

  14 Jun14 June 14:53

  Hi Rob, can I use the points to offset the charge of the annual fee?
  I am a bit undecided about paying for the fee this year considering I barely used the advantages…
  However I am concerned to not be able to qualify for Platinum again, there is no reason why but my travels plans are a bit unsure for the future, however I know I would regret cancelling this card…
  Thanks
  Marlene

  • Rob says:

    14 Jun14 June 15:09

    Presumably, yes – but even if you couldn’t, you could offset £575 of general spending anyway which gives you the same net result.

  • WaneM says:

    14 Jun14 June 15:26

    Don’t forget then double points redemption offer ends on the 20th, so if possible you’d be redeeming [63890 MR points] for your annual fee if it posts before the 20th of next month.
    If the annual fee posts after that date you would be redeeming at the normal rate. [127780 MR points]
    I could be wrong.

• Richard Allen says:

  14 Jun14 June 22:33

  Rob

  Many thanks for this. I have been wondering what to do with 100k Amex points. Although I have been using the double points for certain purchases. But this will be much more useful.

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