IHG Prepaid Mastercard
#16
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Somewhere in Europe
Posts: 3,362
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.
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 10,167
It lets me select and go through to the final order page whilst selecting UK when logging in.
You normally have to register the card before first use so they meet the KYC checks and are extremely common in the U.K. on sale in places such as Tesco etc. Some high street banks also issue them. I’ve got a Santander one somewhere in the house and also had an EE/Orange one at some point in the past.
Some hotels however do have their PDQs set up to reject them and if the retailer isn’t using an “online” PDQ it will also more than likely be rejected.
No need for some posters to make it more complicated as it is.
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
Indeed. About a decade ago IHG ran a special deal on these cards. Someone, somewhere did not do the maths because the value was obscene, something like 1c per point. Most of us emptied out our entire balances. They were not IHG specific then either.
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Cologne
Programs: FB Plat, IHG RA Spire, TK Elite+, HH Diamond, LH SEN, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 972
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?
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?
#20
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 182
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?
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?
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.
#21
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
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.
Thanks.
#22
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,443
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.
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.
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 10,167
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.
Thanks.
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,041
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.
Thanks.
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)
#25
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 123
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.
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,041
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".
But hey... everybody's entitled to their own delusions of how they are "maximizing".
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 10,167
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.
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.
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 10,167
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".
But hey... everybody's entitled to their own delusions of how they are "maximizing".
Right, CP Rosebank and a taxi is a perfect choice. Their very nice executive suite sells for 1900 ZAR that night