Choice Privileges is the loyalty program for Choice Hotels, which includes brands like Cambria and Radisson. With over 7,000 hotels in more than 40 countries, Choice Privileges members can earn points through hotel stays and credit card transfers and redeem them for valuable free nights.
Choice Privileges offers an easy-to-use rewards system, generous redemption rates, valuable elite status perks, and cobranded credit card options to maximize point earnings. Whether you travel for business or leisure, this guide will help you make the most of your Choice Privileges membership.
Choice Hotels launched its Choice Privileges loyalty program to reward frequent guests with points that you can redeem for free nights, room upgrades, and other perks. Free to join, the program includes brands like Comfort Inn, Cambria, Quality Inn, and Sleep Inn. Members can also earn points through credit cards and travel partners like airlines and rental car companies.
Choice Privileges uses dynamic pricing, meaning the points required for free nights vary based on demand and location. However, with reward nights starting at just 6,000 points, the program offers some of the most affordable redemptions in the industry. Members can also take advantage of Points plus Cash options.
The program features three elite tiers — Gold, Platinum, and Diamond — each offering increasing benefits like bonus points, breakfast, and room upgrades. Additionally, Choice Privileges offers unique perks like the “Your Extras” weekday bonus, where members staying Sunday through Thursday can choose rewards like extra points, coffee gift cards, or airline miles.
For budget-conscious travelers and those who frequently stay in smaller cities, roadside locations, and international destinations, Choice Privileges offers solid redemption value and frequent promotions that make it a compelling loyalty program.
With 22 brands under its umbrella, Choice Hotels provides accommodations ranging from extended-stay properties to boutique options. They also have some great family-friendly options.
You can earn Choice Privileges elite status by accumulating qualifying nights within a calendar year. It’s important to note that some extended-stay Choice Hotels don’t earn elite nights as quickly.
Also, Choice Privileges offers two cobranded credit cards. If you open both cards, you can significantly shorten the path to Diamond status:
The program offers three elite status tiers beyond the basic membership level:
Here are the key benefits you can expect with each tier:
Like most hotel loyalty programs, Choice Privileges elite status is earned on a calendar-year basis. Once you qualify, you’ll enjoy your benefits for the rest of that year and the entire following year. For example, if you reach elite status in August, it will remain valid through the end of the following year.
There are lots of ways to earn Choice Privileges points, including hotel stays, credit card spending, partner promotions, and event bookings.
Staying at Choice Hotels properties is the most common way to earn Choice Privileges points. Here’s how it works:
Using a Choice Privileges credit card can accelerate your points earnings. Choice offers two cobranded credit cards:
Both cards offer additional perks, including automatic Gold or Platinum status and bonus points upon sign-up.
Choice Privileges partners with several major rewards programs, so you can transfer points into your Choice account:
These transfer ratios mean that you can use cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card to generate Choice Privileges points.
If you need more points, you can buy them directly through the Choice Privileges Buy Points program. The cost per point varies, but normally, 10,000+ points cost 1.03 cents per point.
However, Choice frequently offers discounts or bonus points during promotions, which can reduce the cost per point to around 0.5 cents per point. You can purchase up to 250,000 points per year.
Check out this page on the Choice Privileges website for current promotions on buying points.
Choice Privileges has partnerships with select companies that allow you to earn points on everyday spending:
Choice Privileges members can earn points when hosting meetings, conferences or events at select hotels.
To find eligible hotels with meeting space, visit the Choice Privileges website.
You can redeem Choice Privileges points in various ways. The best value is usually found in hotel stays.
As mentioned, the best value from your Choice Privileges points is almost always in hotel redemptions.
You can also use Choice Privileges points for Preferred Hotels & Resorts, an upscale collection of independent hotels worldwide. Award nights at these properties range from 20,000 to 87,000 points per night. You can check availability and book through a special portal when logged into your Choice Privileges account.
You can use your points for special experiences. At the time of writing, only NASCAR auctions are available.
You can redeem your Choice points for gift cards at a fixed rate:
This redemption yields 0.32 cents per point, which is often much lower than what you can expect when redeeming your points for hotel stays.
You can transfer Choice Privileges points to various airline loyalty programs with varying minimum transfer requirements. Transfers typically take 48 hours to 7 days, but Spirit Airlines transfers may take six to eight weeks.
Participating airlines include:
Transfers to Spirit Airlines Free Spirit require calling Choice Privileges customer service.
Unfortunately, transfer ratios are so suboptimal that this is rarely the way you’ll want to redeem your Choice Privileges points.
You can redeem points for Cruises for Choice Privileges (powered by Cruise411).
Redemption rates are:
This redemption offers a low value.
Yes, Choice Privileges points expire after 18 months of inactivity in your account. To keep your points active and prevent expiration, you must complete at least one qualifying activity every 18 consecutive calendar months.
It’s important to note that some activities, such as registering for a promotion or gifting points, do not count as qualifying activities to reset your points’ expiration date.
If your points do expire, Choice Privileges offers a points reinstatement option. You can reinstate forfeited points up to 180 days after the expiration date, subject to certain conditions and fees.
Choice Privileges offers a flexible and rewarding loyalty program for frequent travelers with affordable point redemption options, valuable elite status perks, and multiple ways to earn points. With over 7,000 hotels worldwide and partnerships with major credit cards, airlines, and car rental companies, it’s an excellent option for both business and leisure travelers.
Though dynamic pricing and limited elite benefits at extended-stay properties may require some flexibility, the program’s low-cost redemptions and frequent promotions make it a solid choice for budget-conscious guests. Just remember to keep your account active to avoid point expiration after 18 months of inactivity.
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