Is the New Chase 💥 80% Bonus on IHG Transfers Actually Worth It?

If you’ve been sitting on Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) points, the recent 80% transfer bonus to IHG One Rewards may catch your attention. But is this promotion truly a win — or just flashy marketing? Let’s break it down.

What’s the Deal?

Normally, Chase UR → IHG One Rewards transfers run at a 1:1 ratio — so 1,000 UR points become 1,000 IHG points. With this bonus, you’ll receive an extra 80% on top, bringing the effective ratio to 1 → 1.8. In other words, 1,000 UR gives you 1,800 IHG points under the promo.

The window for this bonus ends on October 22, 2025 (11:59 PM ET), so all transfers must be made by that cutoff.

Why That Sounds Attractive

● You’re topping off your IHG account and otherwise would need to buy points

● You already have a confirmed stay in mind, and need just a few extra points

● You don’t see better UR transfer bonuses coming soon

But a big bonus doesn’t necessarily make it smart. Let’s see where the catch lies.

The Value Comparison: UR vs. IHG

When assessing bonuses, the raw numbers are just the start. What really matters is how much value you get per point.

• Chase Ultimate Rewards points tend to deliver value around 1.5 – 2.0+ cents per point when used through strong partners or via the Chase travel portal.
• IHG One Rewards points, on the other hand, tend to fetch far less — often under a penny per point in many redemptions.

Even with the 80% bonus, converting UR → IHG usually only yields ~0.9 to 1.2 cents per UR point in expected value. That’s significantly lower than what you might extract from other Chase transfer partners (especially airlines or more premium hotel chains).

Hypothetical Example

Say you’re looking at a hotel in IHG’s portfolio that costs 90,000 IHG points. With the 80% bonus, you’d need to send 50,000 UR points (since 50,000 × 1.8 = 90,000).

If that hotel stay when booked with cash runs, say, $750 (just for example’s sake), you’re effectively getting $750 ÷ 50,000 = 1.5 ¢ per UR point. That looks okay — but:

• That’s assuming you find a property where the IHG redemption is priced aggressively.
• Many IHG redemptions won’t hit that “sweet spot.”
• Meanwhile, using UR via better partners or portals might yield more consistent 1.7–2.0¢+ value.

When It 

Does

 Make Sense

You might want to take advantage of this transfer bonus if:

1. 🎯 You have a specific IHG stay already booked or in mind, and you’re just a few thousand points short.
2. 📉 You’ve exhausted better UR uses or transfers for your travel goals.
3. 🧮 You crunched the numbers and found that an IHG property gives you outsize return.
4. ✅ You’re okay locking those points into IHG — transfers are irreversible.

If you don’t check off one of those, it may be wiser to hold off.

Strategy Tips If You Do Transfer

• Only send what you plan to use — don’t move your entire UR stash unless necessary
• Pre-calculate the “cents per point” you’ll get from your target stay
• Be aware: bonus points may take a little time to post after the base transfer
• Don’t forget: you lose flexibility when points live inside IHG, not UR

Final Thoughts

The 80% bonus makes the UR → IHG transfer option more tempting — but “tempting” doesn’t equal “smart move.” The core issue is that IHG redemptions often underperform relative to what Chase UR can deliver through other partners.

If you’re just a few points short and the math works, transferring can make sense. But for speculative or bulk moves, you’ll usually be better off holding UR until something richer appears (or transferring to a more premium partner).