Can I Use My IHG Points for Someone Else?

Quick answer: Yes—you can use your IHG points to book a hotel stay for someone else. Simply log in to your account, make a reward booking, and enter the other person’s name as the primary guest. You can also gift or transfer points to another member if you’d rather hand over control.

Now, let’s dive a little deeper. Because if you’re asking yourself, “Can I Use My IHG Points for Someone Else?”, the good news is not only yes, but you’ve got a few options on how to do it. And as you’ll see, some methods are smoother than others. Think of it as gifting travel, but without the stress of picking the wrong-size sweater.

Booking a Room for Someone Else with IHG Points

The most straightforward way to share your IHG points is by booking a reward night directly in another person’s name. Here’s how it works:

1. Log in: Start by signing into your IHG One Rewards account.
2. Search: Look for hotel rooms just as you normally would, but be sure to select Reward Nights so you can use points.
3. Choose: Pick the hotel and room type that works best.
4. Enter details: At checkout, enter your friend or family member’s name as the primary guest.
5. Confirm: Review the reservation and hit confirm. The lucky traveler will get the booking confirmation in their inbox.

And voilà—you’ve essentially gifted someone a stay without needing to move points around or deal with fees.

When using points for reward nights, you won’t earn base points on the room rate (since no cash is changing hands). But the guest may still earn points for eligible extras like food, drinks, laundry, or even that late-night movie rental—though, let’s be honest, nobody should be paying $18.99 for a hotel movie in 2025.

Gifting or Transferring IHG Points

Sometimes, booking a single stay isn’t enough—you might want to actually move points to someone else’s account. That’s where gifting and transferring come in.

• Gift Points: You can purchase points and send them directly to another member’s account. Think of it like buying store credit, but for hotel nights.
• Transfer Points: This is the ability to transfer points from your own account over to someone else’s. Transfers are in blocks of 1,000 points and generally cost $5 for every 1,000 points transferred.

Requirements to know:

• Both accounts need to be at least 30 days old.
• You can transfer (or receive) up to 500,000 points per calendar year.

It’s straightforward—but unless you’re moving a large balance, the fees can add up quickly. Which brings us to the fine print that makes life easier for elite members.

Fee Waivers for Elite and Business Members

Here’s a perk worth celebrating:

• Diamond Elite and IHG Business Rewards members may transfer up to 500,000 points from their accounts each year, free of charge.

That’s a huge win if you regularly share points with family, employees, or travel partners. It turns what used to be a pricey convenience into a free perk of loyalty.

So, while the average member may still need to shell out a few bucks per transfer, top-tier and business members get to play Santa Claus with no fees attached.

Booking vs. Transferring: Which Is Better?

To answer the question properly, “Can I Use My IHG Points for Someone Else? – You may be wondering-will I have to book directly for them, or would it be better to transfer the points into their own account? Really, it depends-a few things enter into that decision.”

• Booking directly: Best for one-time stays. It’s fast, simple, and avoids transfer fees.
• Transferring points: Better if the other person travels frequently and needs flexibility to book their own stays. It also makes sense when you’re moving large point balances—especially if you’re Diamond Elite or in Business Rewards (and don’t have to pay transfer fees).

If you’re surprising your parents with a weekend getaway, book directly for them. If your sibling travels all year long, transferring points might be the smarter option.

Other Common Questions

Since we’re here, let’s clear up a few FAQs people often have alongside Can I Use My IHG Points for Someone Else.

• How many IHG points are needed for a free night? Typically, between 5,000 and 70,000 points, depending on hotel, room type, and date.
• Can I combine points and cash? Yes, IHG allows “Points + Cash” bookings, giving you more flexibility if you’re short on points.
• Do I earn points when I book for someone else? No, reward night bookings don’t earn points on the room rate. But eligible extras charged to the room may still earn points.

Why This Flexibility Matters

Loyalty programs aren’t just about free nights for yourself. They’re about sharing experiences, creating memories, and sometimes saving someone’s travel budget at the last minute. The ability to use points for others makes IHG One Rewards especially practical for families, business owners, or anyone who loves to give the gift of travel.

And let’s be honest— “Here’s a hotel weekend on me” beats “Here’s a gift card I picked up at the grocery store” any day.

Can I Use My IHG Points for Someone Else?

The answer is a resounding yes. You can:

• Book a hotel stay directly in their name.
• Gift or transfer points to another account.
• Even avoid transfer fees if you’re Diamond Elite or part of Business Rewards.

Whether you’re helping a friend, surprising your spouse, or covering travel for a colleague, IHG makes it simple to share points.

And if you’ve got more points than you know what to do with? Well, there’s an option for that too.

Turn IHG Points into Real Cash

At CashForMyMiles.com, we make it easy to sell IHG points and get paid in cash—often in as little as 15 minutes. Our process is safe, secure, and trusted by thousands of travellers. Don’t let points go unused when you can turn them into real money today.