DEAL: Get 10% cash back (Or 10 Amex points/dollar) on IHG bookings (USA)

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This is one of those deals that appears for 24 hours (or a few days), disappears, and then reappears again a few days or weeks later. To ensure that I can get the information out in a timely manner I’m going to write a standard blog post (this one) to cover all the information you’ll need and then re-publish it every time the promotion reappears – if you think you’ve seen some of the information below before you’re not imagining things.

Over the past few years, Rakuten has been getting quite a bit of attention thanks to its partnership with Amex’s Membership Rewards and the fact that it offers very good cash back sales on a reasonably frequent basis. Now the portal is back with a good cashback offer for bookings at various IHG brands (InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, etc…)

Rakuten IHG 10% cash back terms

These are the full terms and conditions per Rakuten:

• Exclusions: Cash Back is only available for commissionable IHG rates. Cash Back is only available on United States hotels and for commissionable IHG rates. Specially negotiated rates such as IHG friends & Family are not eligible for Cash Back. Cash Back is not available on the purchase of reward Club Points. Rooms booked and paid for by IHG reward Club Points are not eligible for cash back incentives.
• Special Terms: Changes made to the reservation at the hotel will void Cash Back.
• Posting Time: Cash Back will be added to your Rakuten account within six weeks after travel has been completed.

Participating brands

Sometimes, we usually see a number of IHG brands specifically excluded from these Rakuten cash back promotions, but I can’t see any such limitations this time around.

The full terms and conditions as published by Rakuten (and reproduced above) would appear to suggest that even bookings at brands such as Kimpton and Voco will trigger the 10% cash back.

Don’t forget!

Earn Membership Rewards Points 

If you’d like to earn Membership Rewards points instead of cash back (1 point per 1% cash back) make sure you change your Rakuten account settings appropriately (click here to see how to do this).

Earn bonus IHG One Rewards points

IHG is currently running a promotion in which it’s offering up to 3x bonus points on stays through 16 August 2021 so make sure you register for this deal before you book.

Make the most of your credit cards

The card_name (review) and the card_name (review) will help you net between 15 and 25 IHG Rewards Points per dollar you spend with IHG or, if you don’t happen to have an IHG Reward co-branded credit card, the card_name (review) (3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on travel) may offer a good way to ensure you get the best return on your bookings (on top of the points/cash back you’ll earn from Rakuten and IHG).

Bottom line

Clicking through the Rakuten portal won’t have any effect on the elite benefits you receive, the elite night credit you earn or the IHG Rewards Points you can earn so this is genuinely a very good offer indeed.

There’s no knowing when Rakuten will pull this deal (it will probably be gone by tomorrow) so, if you find a US property you’d like to book at a rate that you consider reasonable, don’t procrastinate too long.