InterContinental Hotels Group deliberately presents travellers with a pricing trap that exploits basic decision-making psychology. The hotel chain offers two point packages for identical $20 prices: one delivering 3,000 points and another worth 5,000 points. The worse deal exists by design, not accident.
This tactic leverages the "decoy effect," a well-documented psychological principle where offering an inferior option makes the middle choice appear more attractive. Travellers comparing the three packages tend to select the 5,000-point option as the obvious winner, without questioning whether either deal represents fair value against IHG's everyday point redemption rates.
The pricing structure becomes even more strategic when elite status enters the equation. IHG's highest tiers grant accelerated earning rates that reward frequent bookers. Sophisticated members familiar with these multipliers may rationalize point purchases as an investment in status progression, making them susceptible to these engineered comparisons.
For everyday IHG members, these point packages rarely deliver value. IHG points typically redeem at a rate of 0.4 to 0.8 cents per point when booking stays at mid-range and budget properties. At that valuation, 5,000 points worth $20 translates to roughly $20 to $40 in redemption value at best. The 3,000-point package becomes an obvious trap.
The real trap lies deeper. IHG uses this pricing structure to normalize paid point purchases among members who might otherwise never consider buying loyalty currency. Once travellers begin purchasing points through these options, the hotel chain conditions them to view point acquisition as a standard part of their loyalty strategy.
Savvy travellers should ignore both packages entirely. Points purchases almost never beat booking cash rates directly. The only scenario where buying points makes sense involves using them to unlock elite status before a membership anniversary, and