Choice Privileges points go on sale next Wednesday, May 21 at 1:00pm ET through U.S. Travel Association’s Daily Getaways sale. There are four packages of points at 20,000 to 40,000 points for a price as low as $3.70 per 1,000 points. A Choice Privileges member may buy a maximum 2 sets from each item and up to 8 total sets of points for up to 256,000 points.
20,000 points = $108 ($5.40 per 1,000 points)
- $97.20 American Express payment ($4.86 per 1,000 points)
- 216 sets of points available
- Maximum purchase = 2 sets.
- Points expire Dec 31, 2016.
32,000 points = $132 ($4.13 per 1,000 points)
- $118.80 American Express payment ($3.71 per 1,000 points)
- 216 sets of points available
- Maximum purchase = 2 sets.
- Points expire Dec 31, 2016.
36,000 points = $175 ($4.86 per 1,000 points)
- $157.50 American Express payment ($4.38 per 1,000 points)
- 216 sets of points available
- Maximum purchase = 2 sets.
- Points expire Dec 31, 2016.
40,000 points = $165 ($4.13 per 1,000 points)
- $148.50 American Express payment ($3.71 per 1,000 points)
- 216 sets of points available
- Maximum purchase = 2 sets.
- Points expire Dec 31, 2016.
That is not a typo. The cost to buy 40,000 points is actually less than buying 36,000 points. Choice Privileges has used different purchase rates for their offers each year.
I have 160,000 Choice Privileges points from prior Daily Getaways purchases and I plan to buy more this year. These points will be my primary hotel rate discount strategy for a two-week trip to Norway in September 2014. There are nearly 200 Choice hotels in Scandinavia and the Baltic countries in Clarion, Comfort Inn and Quality Inn brands. Most of these hotels charge 16,000 points per hotel night.
Next Wednesday’s sale allows the purchase of up to 256,000 points per Choice Privileges member for a total purchase price of $1,044.
Few of us will likely want to invest $1,044 in Choice Privilege points. Here is why I will likely go for 80,000 points for $297.
Bergen, Norway Sep 9-11, Clarion Collection Hotel NO13 is $342 USD per night. Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world for travelers and this Choice Hotel comes with free breakfast (at least a $30 value).
Choice Privileges reward night = 12,000 points.
24,000 points saves $684 on two nights at this Bergen Hotel.
24,000 points will cost $89 in next week’s Daily Getaways sale.
60 days before arrival booking window for Choice Privileges award nights
My trip to Norway is in September 2014. A member without elite status can only book hotels within the USA within 30 days of hotel stay or for international hotels the window is 60 days. This means I cannot make an award reservation for Norway until July for my September trip. That does give me and other Americans an extended booking window compared to Europeans without Choice Privileges elite membership who can’t book hotels in Norway or other countries in Europe until within 30 days of hotel stay. Availability for hotel rooms opens up a month earlier for Americans than Europeans. Elite status offers an even longer award booking window.
Choice Privileges status match might be something I consider in the next couple of weeks to allow me to book Choice Hotels in Europe a little sooner.
- Choice Privileges Platinum members (20 hotel nights in calendar year) get 75 days award booking window.
- Choice Privileges Diamond members (40 hotel nights in calendar year) get 100 days award booking window.
Comfort Hotel Diana Venice, Italy is another hotel I frequently use as a good example for Choice Privileges points. This hotel near St. Mark’s Square in Venice is only 10,000 points per award night through September 15, 2014.
Comfort Hotel Diana July 4-8 (4 nights) = 770 EUR = $1,056 USD.
Or pay 40,000 points for four award nights at 10,000 points per night.
40,000 points will cost $148.50 in next Wednesday’s Daily Getaways sale.
*****
Ric Garrido of Monterey, California is writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler.
Loyalty Traveler shares news and views on hotels, hotel loyalty programs and vacation destinations for frequent guests.
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