IHG prices reward nights dynamically, so the points price for one room can more than double in a few days, fall back overnight, or sit far above what the cash rate is worth. That makes "is it worth using IHG points?" a night by night question.
Below are five illustrative scenarios built on real rows from the IHG Points Finder rate database, captured 22 to 31 October 2026. The hotels, dates and prices are real; there are no named customers or testimonials. To check a hotel and night of your own, use the free IHG points calculator.
How we judge a night
We divide the cash price after tax by the points price and multiply by 10,000, then convert to euros. That gives a value per 10,000 points, which IHG Points Finder grades like this:
- Under EUR 40: Poor value. Pay cash and keep the points.
- EUR 40 to 50: Fair value. Either works.
- EUR 50 to 60: Great value. A good use of points.
- EUR 60 or more: Exceptional value. Use points.
Points Guardian is our watcher for stays you have already booked with points. You enter the points you paid for the whole stay, and it checks the live award price for the same hotel and dates. By default it alerts you when that price is 2,000 points or more below what you paid, and you can set a different minimum for each trip. After the first alert, it only alerts again if the price falls to a new low. It never changes or rebooks your reservation; that part is up to you on IHG. Alerts value the saved points at EUR 45 per 10,000, a benchmark rather than a guaranteed cash value. For the bigger picture on what a point is worth, see our guide to IHG points value.
1. Times Square, Sunday 20 December: the Kimpton costs a third of the points
Candlewood Suites New York City Times Square wanted 120,000 points for Sunday 20 December 2026, against a cash rate of USD 419.82. That is about EUR 31 per 10,000 points, firmly Poor value.
Kimpton Era Midtown New York, about 1.1 km away, wanted 43,000 points for the same night against USD 398.53 cash. That is about EUR 83 per 10,000 points, Exceptional value.
Similar cash, same night, and the Kimpton costs 77,000 fewer points, about EUR 347 at our benchmark. The Kimpton held at 42,000 to 43,000 points on every check from 22 to 31 October.
2. Kimpton Hotel Eventi, New York: Friday vs Sunday
On 31 October, Kimpton Hotel Eventi priced Friday 4 December 2026 at 324,000 points, with cash at USD 1,318.06. That is about EUR 36 per 10,000 points: Poor value.
Sunday 6 December at the same hotel was 65,000 points against USD 467.68, about EUR 64 per 10,000, Exceptional value. Friday cost 4.98 times the points of Sunday. Moving the night by two days keeps 259,000 points in your account, about EUR 1,166. Thursday 3 and Saturday 5 December were 120,000 points each. More on these swings in our IHG points weekday vs weekend guide.
3. ANA InterContinental Tokyo: 196,000 points back overnight
Thursday 12 November 2026 sat at 120,000 points from 22 to 27 October, then jumped: 304,000 points on 28 and 29 October, and 316,000 on 30 October, with cash at JPY 177,005. That is about EUR 32 per 10,000 points, Poor value.
On 31 October the same night was back to 120,000 points, with cash at JPY 115,873, about EUR 55 per 10,000 (Great value). Booked at 316,000? That is a 196,000 point drop, far over Points Guardian's default 2,000 point alert line. If your award can still be cancelled under its terms, you could book the 120,000 point night on IHG, make sure it is confirmed, and then cancel the 316,000 point booking yourself. That would put about EUR 882 of points back in your account at our benchmark. This is the kind of move our IHG dynamic pricing guide tracks.
4. InterContinental Lisbon, Tuesday 12 January: pay cash, keep the points
InterContinental Lisbon priced Tuesday 12 January 2027 at 280,000 points or EUR 977.18 cash. That is about EUR 35 per 10,000 points, Poor value. At our benchmark those points are worth about EUR 1,260, more than the room. Paying cash keeps all 280,000.
It was 242,000 points with EUR 919.13 cash on every check from 22 to 27 October (also Poor value, about EUR 38), then 280,000 on 29 and 31 October. If you can move, Sunday 10 January was 38,000 points against EUR 177.08, about EUR 47 per 10,000 (Fair value).
5. Kimpton Fitzroy London: a past snapshot where cash fell and points doubled
This one is a look back, since the stay date has nearly passed. On 24 October, Wednesday 4 November 2026 at Kimpton Fitzroy London was 120,000 points or GBP 845.84, about EUR 84 per 10,000 points. By 31 October cash had fallen to GBP 541.26 while the award price rose to 244,000 points, about EUR 26 per 10,000. Paying cash kept 244,000 points, about EUR 1,098. Thursday 5 November was 85,000 points with GBP 416.13 cash the same morning, about EUR 58 per 10,000 (Great value).
Summary table
| Case | Hotel | Night | Points | Cash after tax | EUR per 10k | Points saved or kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Candlewood Suites NYC Times Square vs Kimpton Era Midtown | Sun 20 Dec 2026 | 120,000 vs 43,000 | USD 419.82 vs USD 398.53 | 31.3 Poor vs 82.8 Exceptional | 77,000 (about EUR 347) |
| 2 | Kimpton Hotel Eventi, New York | Fri 4 Dec vs Sun 6 Dec 2026 | 324,000 vs 65,000 | USD 1,318.06 vs USD 467.68 | 36.3 Poor vs 64.3 Exceptional | 259,000 (about EUR 1,166) |
| 3 | ANA InterContinental Tokyo | Thu 12 Nov 2026 | 316,000 (30 Oct) then 120,000 (31 Oct) | JPY 177,005 then JPY 115,873 | 31.9 Poor then 55.0 Great | 196,000 (about EUR 882) |
| 4 | InterContinental Lisbon | Tue 12 Jan 2027 (alt Sun 10 Jan) | 280,000 (alt 38,000) | EUR 977.18 (alt EUR 177.08) | 34.9 Poor (alt 46.6 Fair) | 280,000 kept by paying cash (about EUR 1,260) |
| 5 | Kimpton Fitzroy London (past snapshot) | Wed 4 Nov 2026 | 120,000 (24 Oct) then 244,000 (31 Oct) | GBP 845.84 then GBP 541.26 | 84.2 Exceptional then 26.5 Poor | 244,000 kept by paying cash (about EUR 1,098) |
When to pay cash vs IHG points
A high points price is not a sign of a nicer night; it often means cash is the better deal. Under EUR 40 per 10,000 points, pay cash. If a nearby night or hotel is far cheaper in points, move. Our full guide to pay cash vs IHG points goes deeper.
How to check your own booking
- Search your hotel and night on the IHG points calculator and note the EUR per 10,000 points and its grade.
- If it is Poor value, compare the cash rate before you spend points.
- Open the value calendar and look two or three nights either side; prices often swing by weekday.
- Check nearby IHG hotels for the same night.
- Booked with points? Add the stay to Points Guardian with the points you paid and, if you like, your cancellation deadline. By default it alerts you when the same stay is 2,000 points or more below what you paid. To take a lower price, book it on IHG and cancel the original yourself, then update the trip with your new points total so it keeps watching from there.
The free plan includes one active Points Guardian or Rate Watch at a time. The 30-Day Trip Pass covers up to five, and Titanium Pro has no limit.
Quick answers
Is it worth using IHG points?
It depends on the night. In our data the same hotel ranged from about EUR 36 to EUR 64 per 10,000 points two days apart. Above EUR 50 is a good use; under EUR 40, pay cash.
When should I pay cash instead of IHG points?
When the cash price after tax divided by the points price, times 10,000, comes to under EUR 40. InterContinental Lisbon on 12 January 2027 was about EUR 35, so 280,000 points were better kept.
Do IHG award prices drop after you book?
They can. ANA InterContinental Tokyo on 12 November 2026 fell from 316,000 to 120,000 points between 30 and 31 October. If your award can still be cancelled under its terms, you can book the lower price on IHG and then cancel the original yourself.
How does Points Guardian decide to alert me?
It compares the live award price for your exact booked stay with the points you paid. By default it alerts when the live price is 2,000 points or more below your booked total, and after that only when the price reaches a new low. You can set a different minimum for each trip. If you saved a cancellation deadline and it has passed, the alert still arrives but warns you to check your booking terms first. It never rebooks for you.
Does Points Guardian work for cash bookings?
No. It watches stays booked with points and compares points prices. For a stay you have not booked yet, a Rate Watch tells you when a night reaches the value you want.
Methodology
Data source: the IHG Points Finder rate warehouse, which records the lowest public cash rate after tax and the reward price daily for 1 room, 2 adults, one night. Capture dates: 22 to 31 October 2026, latest rows taken 31 October between 05:05 and 06:48 Dublin time. FX: frankfurter.app rates for 25 October 2026 (USD 1.1193, GBP 0.83728, JPY 175.51 per EUR). Points are valued at EUR 45 per 10,000, a benchmark, not a guaranteed cash value. These are dated examples, not quotes.
Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link to this page.
Related guides
- IHG points or cash? When to use points
- How much are IHG points worth?
- IHG dynamic pricing and calendar swings
- IHG points on weekdays vs weekends
- IHG points statistics 2026
Data note: figures come from the IHG Points Finder rate warehouse, with rows captured from 22 October to Saturday October 31, 2026, the latest between 05:05 and 06:48 Dublin time. IHG Points Finder is independent and not affiliated with IHG. Points prices and availability change daily; always confirm on IHG before booking.