Choice Privileges repeats its regular offer of 8,000 points after two stays from August 30 to November 14, 2012. The last 8,000 points promotion ended August 15. The main condition to know about the Choice Privileges promotion is the bonus points added to your account after two stays is only the amount of points needed to reach 8,000 total points. The promotion does not award 8,000 bonus points, although the terms now state there is a minimum 5,000 bonus points earned after two stays.
There is no limit to the number of times the 8,000 points after two stays can be earned during the promotion.
Stays at four Choice Hotels brands require two consecutive nights to qualify as an eligible stay for this promotion.
- EconoLodge (budget brand)
- Rodeway Inn (budget brand)
- Mainstay Suites (extended stay brand)
- Suburban Extended Stay Hotel
Choice Privileges Platinum and Diamond elite online booking bonus
Another new term for this offer is a 100 points online booking bonus for elite Platinum and Elite Diamond Choice Privileges members who book on ChoiceHotels.com.
Online booking bonuses are becoming all the rage this season with Priority Club, SPG and now Choice offering a promotional online booking bonus. Club Carlson is the only major hotel loyalty program with a standard online booking bonus.
Choice Privileges finally publishes 5,000 points minimum bonus term.
One major change in the T&C for this ‘8,000 points after two stays’ Choice Privileges promotion is the 5,000 points minimum bonus is finally in print.
Over the past couple of years I argued on Loyalty Traveler that Choice Privileges 8,000 points after two stays favored low spenders. This year a Choice Privileges manager contacted me to state there is a 5,000 points minimum bonus after two stays with this recurring 8,000 points promotion.
This latest version of the Choice Privileges promotion is the first time the 5,000 points minimum has been listed in the promotion terms & conditions.
Example A: 2 stays at a $50 Quality Inn earns 1,000 points for $100 in room rate spend. The bonus points added after two stays = 7,000 bonus points for a total 8,000 points after two stays. The Choice Privileges member who spends $100 earns 7,000 bonus points after two stays.
Example B: 2 stays at a Clarion Hotel spending $500 earns 5,000 base points with Choice Privileges. The 5,000 points minimum bonus means this stay earns 10,000 total points rather than just 8,000 points.
I argued previously that the member who spends $500 is only getting 3,000 bonus points while the member spending $100 earns 7,000 bonus points with this promotion. Having never spent over $300 to earn this 8,000 points I had no knowledge of a 5,000 points minimum bonus and there was nothing in the promotion terms to indicate a 5,000 points minimum bonus with this offer.
This latest version of Choice Privileges 8,000 points offer is the first time Choice Privileges published the fact there is a 5,000 points minimum bonus after two stays. This is a big deal in my opinion and I wonder why Choice Privileges took so long to point out this detail in their promotion terms and conditions. This printed term is a promotion enhancement.
What is the value of 8,000 Choice Privileges points?
About 25% of Choice Hotels, some 1,500 of 6,000 global properties are available for 6,000 or 8,000 points for a free night. Choice Privileges provides a link to hotels for 8,000 points or less. Most of these hotels are located in the USA and the typical published rate trends around $50 to $80 per night. Hotels go up to 35,000 points for a free night and even up to an astronomical 75,000 points for Australia in peak season.
Choice Privileges partners with Preferred Hotels Group for the option to redeem points (30,000 to 60,000 per night) at boutique luxury hotels around the globe. Barcelo Resorts, all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean also partner with Choice Privileges. Barcelo Resorts are 20,000 to 25,000 points per night. Choice Privileges offers a recurring 50% off Preferred Hotel Group and Barcelo Resort stays providing luxury boutique hotels and beach resorts for as little as 10,000 to 30,000 points per night.
8,000 points in Choice Privileges tends to have best redemption value for international properties. See my Loyalty Traveler March 26, 2012 post explaining how Choice Privileges can provide low cost redemptions for hotels in Paris and Europe for only 8,000 points per reward night.
Be aware of Choice Privileges restricted award reservations window 30 Days US/Canada or 60 Days Hawaii/International.
The main point to know about redeeming Choice Privileges points is the limited booking window for reward night reservations. Non-elite members can only book up to 30 days before hotel stay arrival in the US (excluding Hawaii) and Canada. Hawaii and international hotels allow bookings up to 60 days before arrival.
Extended reward stay booking window for Choice Privileges elite members.
- Base members:Book up to 30 days in advance for hotels in the U.S. or Canada or 60 days in advance for hotels in Hawaii and outside of the U.S. and Canada
- Elite Gold members (10 nights in calendar year): Reward nights can be booked 50 daysin advance for members staying in the U.S. and Canada or 60 days in advance for hotels in Hawaii and outside of the U.S. and Canada.
- Elite Platinum members (20 nights in calendar year): Reward nights can be booked 75 days in advance for and 100 days for
- Elite Diamond members (40 nights in calendar year): Reward nights can be booked 100 days in advance.
This is another good value loyalty promotion for the road warrior and leisure road traveler looking for mid-range priced hotels. My car travels here in the western U.S. take to many places where the chain hotel options are limited to Wyndham Rewards, Best Western Rewards and Choice Privileges.
A free night in central Paris after two $60 hotel stays in California is the kind of loyalty traveler value I enjoy finding on the road.
Loyalty Traveler post link: http://loyaltytraveler.boardingarea.com/2012/08/27/choice-privileges-8000-points-after-two-stays-aug-30nov-14-2012/
Ric Garrido, writer and content owner of Loyalty Traveler, shares news and views on hotels, hotel loyalty programs and vacation destinations for frequent guests. You can follow Loyalty Traveler on Twitter and Facebook and RSS feed.
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