chrism20

PDQ is the machine used to process the card payments. Also known as EFTPOS.

Not sure about the US but I would imagine they need to be activated before use and a PIN set up in the same manner as they are here which asks for your details. @Cielito_ will probably be able to answer that one for sure though.

Ah yes I must admit I miss the old 3V cards. My avios balance was always healthy with them.

Flying Lawyer

No, their ain't any real KYC process and there is no need for this. You register once without any ID check, just for the sake that you can get a card replaced if it gets lost. The face value of this card is paid for by IHG or its service provider and it is gifted to you the same way you get an Amazo or other voucher. Therei s no money floating around but 1000 (or less) USD as a predetermined value to be spend at IHG hotels. And they are available at several places (I bought them with EU, UK and US adresses). By the way: This is not a new thing. About 10 years ago IHG had an Amex prepaid card on offer.

No need for some posters to make it more complicated as it is.

Raffles

Lewis42

Hmm so I ordered the card no issues to the UK...no KYC of any kind.

I am contemplating using it in the IC in Bordeaux, does anyone have experience there?

Secondly, I assume it is ok...I am planning at eating at Gordon Ramsey's restaurant there. If I charged it to my room, I assume the prepaid card can cover all the cost?

Cielito_

The card is good for everything that appears on the hotel bill.
However, if charging the card did not work, which happened to me several times in ICs, I forced the respective hotel, to ask a neighboring HI or whatever to process the payment. The PIN is unnecessary.

SpammersAreScum

Pardon the naive question from an IHG newbie. As I understand it, the experts view IHG points as worth .64 cents to .7 cents depending on who you ask. In other words, burning 266k points should save me at least $1700, not $1000. And the points you get back from spending the $1000 are worth less than a tenth of the difference. Is the value gained by earning the nights high enough to make up the difference? Or is the valuation I quoted way off? Or is there something else I'm missing?

Thanks.

336

The value of IHG points is different for everyone.

It is possible that in your case they can be worth 0.6 to 0.7 cents.

In my book they are 0.3 to 0.4 cents. Not yet accounting for the new trend of more limited availability of reward nights, and rampant inflation.

For me a big plus in using the credit card is that the stay is treated as a paid stay. This allows you to book the room type you want, and avoids any discussion on benefits. IHG is very stingy with benefits on reward nights, remember? It is only a side effect that this makes the new stays eligible for point earning, promotions and cashback.

Flying Lawyer

It depends what you understand as "savings". If you always find the place with a high cash rate and a cheap point rate, than you might be right. I personally stay 90% at IC hotels and most of these are so expensive on points (compared to corporate rates) that points do not make sense. Using these cards, I further get the upgrades due, all benefits, points and cashback. Most of my stays are business stays and this allows me to charge the stay properly to my customers. The other stays are with family and I need bigger suites - the standard points room does not do the trick for me. This makes the math by far more complex than just comparing 0,64 cents to 0,32 cents. And my major argument: As a RA an need revenue stays to requalify....

craigthemif

It's been quite awhile since the "experts" had IHG points anywhere near 0.7 cents.

0.5 cents is about the maximum. 0.4 cents is better. Of course there are situations where you really need a specific hotel and room rates are outrageous, but 75% of the "I got 1 cent per point" examples are quoting room rates that nobody would pay (and you'd just stay elsewhere or not travel on those days)

FlyerTalker78341

I tend to get over 1 cent per point by redeeming during point breaks as well as at standard point rates during peak season. For some properties, you don't even need peak season. E.g., I often see the flexible cash rate for the IC OR Tambo at around 320 EUR (4600 ZAR). Example date: March 14, 2019. The alternative of 30k points (still available on that date) seems much preferable.

FlyerTalker78341

You're clearly not good at maximizing.

Cielito_

craigthemif

One thing I am good at is avoiding pretending that a hotel charging $700 a night or 70,000 points is actually "worth" 1 cent per point. If you definitely need that hotel and would otherwise pay cash, then you'll find a few examples, but not many. Most people using their own cash wouldn't actually pay 320 euros for OR Tambo - they'd stay somewhere cheaper and take a shuttle bus. Value isn't what the hotel is charging - it's what you'd pay for the room.

But hey... everybody's entitled to their own delusions of how they are "maximizing".

Flying Lawyer

When starting to maximise one should use proper exchange rates: even with the weaker EUR 4600 ZAR ist 300 EUR only. And my Corporate Rate ist 3200 ZAR for your night. But you are right: 30000 points is not a bad value.

My calculation is however different: 3200 ZAR equals 240 USD. Cash rate gives me 10% cash back, bringing the rate down to 216 USD. When using the 1000 USD prepaid awards Mastercard for 265000 points, this night costs 57240 points (216/1000 * 265000). 216 USD room rate however gives me 4320 fresh points (without considering any promotion), which brings the rate down to 52920 points. If this is a business stay, I get proper invoice I can use for all purposes one can use an invoice for.

And this price secures me

- my RA upgrades (in particular in the OTA IC)
- works for my status
- and a few other benefits.

And this example just does the math for an expensive night in a point-cheap hotel. Real maximising is more than just comparing plain cash and plain points rates, my friend.

Flying Lawyer

Right, CP Rosebank and a taxi is a perfect choice. Their very nice executive suite sells for 1900 ZAR that night