Loyalty programs · By Points Frog Editorial ·
IHG says you can use your points to book a Reward Night for another person through its website or app, then add an additional name to the reservation. That is a useful option when a family member needs a hotel and you want to help without moving a points balance between accounts.
The points payment is only part of the arrangement. Make sure the hotel knows who will arrive, the room fits the party and the guest understands any charges that remain. A reservation in your account should not leave someone at the desk trying to explain a gift they cannot prove.
Agree on the stay before searching
Confirm the destination, dates, guest count and preferred room setup. Ask whether the traveler needs a room near an airport, an event or a cruise terminal. A hotel that looks attractive on a points map can still be a poor fit for the journey.
Use our IHG Reward Night guide for program context. The Lounge Frog airport directory and Cruise Frog port directory can help compare the route around the stay. Check actual transport arrangements separately from hotel availability.
Add the actual traveler and confirm the plan
Follow IHG's official booking process and add the guest's name. Then confirm with the property that the named person can check in without you present and ask what identification and payment arrangements they need. Use official hotel contact details rather than sharing your loyalty login.
Send the traveler the hotel name, address, dates and confirmation, along with the practical check-in instructions. Make sure the name matches the traveler. If several people will occupy the room, check the booked occupancy and bed arrangement instead of treating an added name as permission for any number of guests.
Separate the gift from elite benefits
Paying with your balance does not settle which personal benefits the guest receives. Ask about any benefit central to the stay before promising breakfast, an upgrade or lounge access. The funding account and the person staying are two different parts of the booking.
Our suite-upgrade window guide explains why an upgrade award needs its own eligibility check. Read the Reward Night charge guide to identify costs that a points-funded room may leave for the guest.
If you are considering a certificate instead of points, use the annual-free-night guide and check the issued award's terms. The FAQ's permission for a points Reward Night should not be expanded into a promise about every promotional or card award.
Decide who can change the reservation
Agree who will monitor the cancellation deadline and who will contact the hotel if travel changes. Keep the deadline with the confirmation rather than in a separate message the guest may overlook. A generous gift can become inconvenient if neither person knows who must act.
If Points & Cash is involved, the cancellation-payment guide explains why the returned value can differ from the original payment. Record where returned points would sit and what you would do with them.
Keep the family arrangement easy to use
Compare the stay with another available hotel before committing. the Hilton family-pooling guide and the Hyatt Guest of Honor guide show that other programs use different tools. Choose the arrangement that fits this guest and this trip.
A well-planned reward gift leaves the traveler with a suitable room, a clear check-in process and no surprise about who pays the remaining bill. The final confirmation matters more than the fact that the room was bought with points.
Sources and date checked
Checked October 14, 2026. IHG’s official customer-care FAQ.