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With more than 7,000 properties worldwide including brands like Cambria Hotels, Econo Lodge, and the Ascend Hotel Collection, Choice Hotels offers something for every traveler and budget.
Present in more than 40 countries, Choice Hotels' partnerships with Penn National Gaming, Inc., Preferred Hotels & Resorts, and Nordic Choice Hotels make redemption options even more interesting, with the addition of casino hotels and upscale resorts to the mix.
Choice Privileges points are underrated yet valuable in the world of travel rewards currencies. It's easy to understand the program's appeal given its range of redemption options, including free hotel nights and the chance to exchange them for airline miles, Amtrak tickets, and gift cards.
Here's everything you need to know about earning, redeeming, and maximizing your Choice Privileges points.
The Choice Privileges program may seem straightforward, but many little rules define what counts as a qualifying points-earning stay.
For starters, you must book directly with the hotel by phone or via the Choice Hotels website or app. You won't earn Choice Privileges points on third-party bookings, free stays (from award nights or otherwise), nights booked with Points Plus Cash, through a travel agent or as part of a group booking, rates booked through certain promotions or employee discounts — or if rates are under $40 a night.
You'll also need to pay attention to where you can earn points — within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific region (except China and Japan), and Europe (except countries covered by Nordic Choice Hotels). Here's how to get started earning.
If you're just getting started, the fastest way to accrue Choice Privileges points is by opening the Choice Privileges Visa Signature Card. It offers 32,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days — that's enough for four free nights — plus another 8,000 points on your card anniversary when you spend at least $10,000 in a year.
Read more: Choice Privileges Visa Signature card review
There's no annual fee, you'll earn 5x points for every dollar spent at eligible Choice Hotels (on top of the 10x points you'll earn as a Choice Privileges member) and for every dollar spent purchasing Choice Privileges points, plus 2x points per dollar on all other spending. And as a cardholder, you'll score elite Gold elite status and earn 10% bonus points on qualifying stays.
Choice Hotels partners with several major transferable points programs including American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards.
When you have cards like American Express® Gold Card, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, or Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, you can transfer points to Choice Hotels, but the ratio varies by program.
Read more: There are different types of credit card rewards — but this is the best one
You'll get a 1:1 ratio when you transfer American Express points or Capital One miles to Choice, while the transfer ratio is 1:1.5 or 1:2 (depending on the card you have) on transfers from Citi. You can also transfer points from Diners Club ClubRewards at a 1:1.92 ratio.
The most straightforward way to earn Choice Privileges Rewards is by staying in Choice hotels on paid bookings.
It's free to sign up for a Choice Privileges account, which offers savings through members-only rates and the ability to earn 10 Choice points per dollar on qualifying stays.
Choice Privileges Visa Signature Card members earn an additional 5x per dollar, while those booking points-earning stays in the Asia-Pacific region earn 10x points on eligible purchases like taxes, restaurant and bar service, laundry, and phone calls as well.
Either way, you'll only be able to earn points on stays at the following Choice brands:
Thanks to a partnership with Penn National Gaming, Inc., you can also earn Choice points on stays at casino hotels and receive reciprocal benefits — like dining and accommodation discounts and access to special events, among other perks — through its loyalty program, mychoice.
Read more: I haven't paid for a hotel room in 10 years — here's how I stay for free
While you can redeem points at Nordic Choice Hotels and Preferred Hotels & Resorts, you won't be able to earn any since they're affiliate programs.
While all Choice Privileges members save with exclusive member rates and receive Your Extras perks, those with Gold, Platinum, or Diamond elite status have access to extra perks like elite gift cards, early check-in and late checkout, preferred parking, a dedicated customer service hotline, and an elite welcome gift at check-in.
Choice Privileges Visa Signature Card members automatically earn Gold status, which gets you a 10% elite points bonus and up to nine rollover nights — Platinum status gets you a 25% elite points bonus and up to 19 rollover nights, while Diamond status gets you a 50% points bonus and up to 39 rollover nights.
Platinum and Diamond members also receive Avis Preferred Plus membership for car rentals. Status matches are available if you're an elite member of another hotel loyalty program.
Read more: The best hotel credit cards
You'll need to stay 10, 20, and 40 nights, respectively, to earn Choice elite status. Elite members can keep their accounts active by completing qualifying activities every 18 months — like earning or redeeming Choice Privileges points, using the Choice Privileges Visa Signature Card, or transferring flexible points to Choice — or else face the forfeiture of status and earned points.
Hotel members with Choice Privileges elite status can earn benefits such as 250 bonus points, preferred parking, and late checkout and early check-in.
If you're an elite member of another hotel loyalty program, you can also earn Diamond elite status with Choice Privileges after staying at least one night at a Cambria Hotels property, thanks to the Diamond elite status jump perk.
If you're booking a points-eligible stay on a weekday — Sunday through Thursday — select a Your Extras perk in your account before you go. You can choose from 400 Choice Privileges points, 100 airline miles, $2.50 Amazon credit, or a $5 coffee card.
While you can change your choice for each stay, you must make your selection prior to check-in. Make sure to include your member number when you make your reservation.
WoodSpring Suites properties do not participate in the Your Extras program.
Active duty, reserve, and retired military personnel automatically receive lifetime Gold elite status by signing up for a free Choice Privileges account — as well as 2,500 bonus points after their first points-eligible stay.
Check the Choice Privileges website to stay on top of bonus points promos. In the past, there have been promotions to earn 2x points on qualifying stays, and be sure to check for bonus points packages that let you pay a little more each night for an extra 1,000 or 2,000 Choice Privileges points.
If you don't plan on redeeming points for hotel stays, opt to earn points toward airline miles — just enter your frequent flyer info and set your points-earning preference to airline miles. Note that airline miles cannot be earned by staying at all-inclusive resorts through the Ascend Hotel Collection or casino hotels through Penn National Gaming, Inc.
Read more: Guide to the best airline credit cards
While rates are subject to change, you'll earn 250 miles per stay with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, Aeroplan, Aeromexico Club Premier, Czech Airlines OK Plus, United MileagePlus, or Spirit Airlines Free Spirit; or 10 Air New Zealand Airpoints Dollars, 600 Qantas Frequent Flyer points, or 600 Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer points per qualifying stay at participating hotels.
You can earn 5x points by booking qualifying rooms with more than 20 cruise lines through Choice Privileges Cruises, giving you access to perks like onboard spending allowances, instant savings, and discounts for additional guests.
You can also earn Choice Privileges points by booking car rentals with Alamo (500 bonus points per day up to 2,000 points per rental), as well as Avis and Budget (1,000 points per rental, plus 25% off rates).
An easy way to earn points is through the Choice Privileges Online Mall shopping portal, which currently lets you earn 5x points at Macy's, 3x points at Bed Bath & Beyond, and 2x points at Apple. You can also earn 1,000 Choice points by signing up for deliveries with Vinesse Wines (plus 7x points on future shipments), or 50,000 Choice points by using Rocket Mortgage to refinance or purchase a home.
Golf lovers can earn up to 10x points by booking tee times, 1,000 points by enrolling in Tathata's Golf Training Courses, and 3x to 6x per dollar by shopping for golf gear through the Golf by Choice program.
Groups booking meetings and qualifying events (at least 10 rooms booked on one night) can earn 3x points per dollar (up to 150,000 points per event) on conference rooms, hotel accommodations, and on-property catering at participating Cambria hotels as part of the Planner Rewards program.
Completing your first survey within three months of signing up for a free E-Rewards account will earn you 500 bonus points.
You can buy up to 250,000 Choice Privileges points for yourself — or up to 180,000 Choice Privileges points for friends and family members — per calendar year. Rates start at $12.10 per 1,000 points (you must buy them in 1,000-point increments) and go all the way up to $1,782 for 180,000 points.
Note that this is the only way to gift points to family and friends, as the Choice Privileges program does not allow points pooling and transfers between members.
Earn rewards for referring friends to Choice Privileges
It's a win-win when you refer a friend to join the Choice Privileges Program and they complete their first eligible stay. You'll each earn 500 Choice points, which also counts as a qualifying event to keep your account active.
You have multiple options for maximizing rewards such as booking free nights at Choice Hotels, taking advantage of travel perks like airline miles and car rentals, and even redeeming them for gift cards and shopping credit. We'll explore the best options in the sections below.
Whether you're planning a romantic getaway, family vacation, dream honeymoon, or an epic solo trip, you can use Choice Privileges points to book everything from extended stays and roadside motels to luxury casino hotels and resorts on the beach. Here are some examples.
Thanks to Choice Hotels' partnerships with Preferred Hotels & Resorts and Penn National Gaming, Inc., you'll also be able to redeem points for stays at a number of independent, boutique properties and casino hotels.
Choice Hotels redemptions start at 8,000 points per night and can go up to 35,000 or 75,000 points per night in some locales like the Asia Pacific region or when redeeming for Preferred Hotels & Resorts. Since redemption rates vary by hotel and date, you may end up with a great deal, especially if you value convenience over luxury.
Be aware that you can only reserve award stays that have a check-out date within 100 days of your trip. And unlike other loyalty programs, there's no award chart and there are no categories, so you'll have to go through each hotel's website to see exactly how many points are needed for a free night.
Use the Points Plus Cash perk, available to Choice Privileges members with at least 6,000 points in their account, to pay with the points you have while essentially purchasing enough points to make up the difference. Select "Reward Points" under the special rate menu while searching for your hotel, choose the Points Plus Cash tab, then pay a set combination of points and cash, which will vary by hotel and date.
While these bookings won't earn you any points, you'll be refunded solely in Choice points if there's a cancellation.
To redeem Choice Privileges points for flights, use the Choice Hotels Rewards Exchange to transfer them to airline partners at the following rates:
Note that you may need to call Customer Service at 888-770-6800 and provide them with your frequent flyer number to complete your airline redemption. Those who prefer train travel can transfer 32,000 Choice Privileges points to get 5,000 Amtrak Guest Rewards points.
You can convert your Choice points to donations to the American Red Cross, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Operation Homefront, the Fisher House Foundation, the Executive Leadership Council, and the International Franchising Association, with redemptions starting at 1,000 points — $10 donations are 2,000 points, while $15 donations are 3,000 points, $20 donations are 4,000 points, and $25 donations are 5,000 points.
You can also give to the Polaris Project — 1,000 points for a $10 donation, 2,000 points for a $20 donation, 3,000 points for a $30 donation, 4,000 points for a $40 donation, and 5,000 points for a $50 donation — or donate a bed for 32,000 points as part of Serta's Stay Home, Send Beds program.
When you cash in points for plastic (not digital) gift cards from all your favorite retail stores, gas stations, restaurants, and movie theaters, redemptions start at 8,000 points for $25 gift cards, 16,000 points for $50 gift cards, and 32,000 points for $100 gift cards. Note that you're limited to two gift card transactions within a 48-hour period and they'll arrive in 2–4 weeks.
You can also redeem Choice points for tee times and other golf gear through the Golf by Choice program, or for magazine subscriptions for Real Simple, Cosmopolitan, and In Style, among other titles. Those wanting to join AARP can exchange 5,000 points for a one-year membership or 12,000 points for a three-year membership.
You can earn Choice Privilege points through booking hotel stays at Choice Hotels properties, leveraging partner promotions and partnerships, using the Choice Privileges credit card, and taking advantage of elite member benefits.
Choice Privileges Rewards can be used to book free nights at Choice Hotels, converted to airline miles, used as credit toward car rentals, or redeemed for gift cards and shopping credit.
The Choice Privileges loyalty program spans three tiers of elite status: Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Each tier offers increasing benefits such as bonus points on stays, complimentary early check-ins, and free late check-out privileges.
You can maximize your rewards by booking hotel stays during promotional periods, utilizing the Choice Privileges credit card for everyday purchases, and staying loyal to Choice Hotels when traveling so you can quickly earn elite status.
Focus on staying at Choice Hotels as often as possible, especially during bonus point events, and use the Choice Privileges credit card to accumulate points on daily spending.
