IHG - how evil are you to devalue overnight during the pandemic!
#46
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Global Entry
Posts: 2,862
For folks willing to put in work for planning, monitoring and who have the ability to be somewhat flexible in the dates and hotels, I agree that there can be still decent value.
However, that will be more work in my book than what has been required until now so for "normal" members / users of the program this will be turn off and make IHG Rewards more unattractive (and it is not like it is a program with stellar benefits to start with).
However, that will be more work in my book than what has been required until now so for "normal" members / users of the program this will be turn off and make IHG Rewards more unattractive (and it is not like it is a program with stellar benefits to start with).
At the end of the day, people are far more concerned about value. Can you get solid redemptions or are they zimbabwe dollars? The rest is noise.
#47
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,600
I get the analogy you are trying to make but in my opinion it doesn’t fly. The “currency” we have (in this case IHG PC points) can only be used at IHG so it indeed is a devaluation of what the currency gets you. If you could use the currency elsewhere and chose not to pay the higher cost I could see your argument. Also in your example there are two separate institutions..... the supermarket and the bank were one issues the currency and one sets a price....here there’s one that issues the currency AND sets the price....IHG.
There is no 2nd currency here - this is simply that the number of points in the IHG bank needed for a night at a hotel is higher - it is also not the case (from what I can see ) is that all rates have gone up - this is just a pricing change, not a devaluation - just seems to wanting to make a sensasionalist type of headline to call it such
It also doesn't seem to be the case that all redemptions have gone up in price and by the same amount
Last edited by Dave Noble; Apr 10, 2021 at 2:11 pm
#48
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,690
The cash rate did not change, just the points cost. So it is a devaluation by the bank of IHG
It would be more understandable if the points costs were higher on nights where the cash costs were high, but that does not seem to be the case (granted some of this has since been reversed.....for now)
#49
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SIN (LEJ once a year)
Programs: SQ, LH, BA, IHG Diamond AMB, HH Gold, SLH Indulged, Accor Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,739
What's the extra work required? Seeing if a hotel point redemption is a good value for when you are planning a trip? There's plenty of reasons today why people don't use their points that also include the "planning, monitoring, and flexibility". That's reaching hard to justify that you don't like the change.
At the end of the day, people are far more concerned about value. Can you get solid redemptions or are they zimbabwe dollars? The rest is noise.
At the end of the day, people are far more concerned about value. Can you get solid redemptions or are they zimbabwe dollars? The rest is noise.
Maybe my English isn't as good, but this sentence makes no sense to me.
Firstly, everyone is entitled to their opinion around here. Secondly, in the main thread about these recent observed changes, I quite clearly expressed that personally I don't necessarily think this is all bad as some other posters viewed it, as the "pendulum" can swing both ways with points rates going up or down.
What is more work in this entire scheme in my book is that with frequently, really dynamic repricing of reward nights one who is keen on getting best value for a specific property redemption will have to monitor points rates rather regularly and rebook if desired, e.g. when rates have dropped.
Along the same lines, you need to keep checking if you want to book a stay that maybe you don't have enough points for under the latest mechanism while under the previous iteration of this with property points caps in place you knew what the max points would be and could save for that.
Of course, no one is forced to do all that and can just book and forget, whatever floats one's boat so to say. Just that this increased level of unpredictability regarding what your earned points will be worth is probably not so appealing to many folks, especially after the latest round of tweaks IHG which seems to have introduced a level of unpredictability we hadn't quite seen before to that degree. YMMV.
Last edited by demue; Apr 10, 2021 at 10:39 pm
#50
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 569
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I noticed that strangely enough, some bloggers have reversed course. They claim IHG has pulled back the devaluation. I don't see it and I am following redemption rates at around a dozen of properties. Relatively diverse list, too, so I'm not just following rates in London or LA.
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
This single-minded focus on devaluation as a currency-related phenomenon is an odd way of looking at the many ways the value held in any endeavour can be depleted.
Fiddling around with redemption rates in an erratic way destabilises the programme, erodes our trust in it and devalues it for many of us. Simple.
Fiddling around with redemption rates in an erratic way destabilises the programme, erodes our trust in it and devalues it for many of us. Simple.
#52
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Programs: IHG Royal Ambassador
Posts: 824
In Japan case, maximum 40% point devaluation has been done. Some of hotels adjusted again on April 8th. (Nearly back to before April 1st, but not small number of cases, still 5% devaluation) In addition, generally 20% cash rate increases compared to last two years too, despite of under this COVID-19 era’s low demand and limited services situation. How people justify this cost increase?? How we justify to purchase the points?
Simply say, “Hey IHG, have you lost your mind !?”.
IHG, and especially leading person of this stupid devaluation definitely will pay the price.
Simply say, “Hey IHG, have you lost your mind !?”.
IHG, and especially leading person of this stupid devaluation definitely will pay the price.