Best Western Rewards Gold elite after one stay for Southwest Airlines flyers

Best Western Rewards has a promotion offering Southwest Airlines frequent flyers who enroll in Best Western Rewards between March 8 and April 30 the opportunity to earn Gold Elite after one hotel stay along with 1,200 Rapid Rewards points. Offer is only available to residents of U.S. and Canada.

To participate in the promotion, you must:

1. Become a new Best Western Rewards member by enrolling through this Best Western Rewards-Southwest Airlines link.

3. Set your Best Western Rewards earning preference to Southwest Airlines points.

4. Stay at any Best Western branded hotel by April 30, 2012.

Best Western Rewards member will earn Best Western Rewards Gold elite status (normally requires 10 nights) and double Rapid Rewards points (1,200 points) after the first Best Western hotel stay by April 30, 2012.

Members qualifying for this promotion will retain Gold elite through the 2012 year. Best Western hotel stays normally earn 600 Rapid Rewards points for Southwest Airlines flyers earning miles rather than Best Western points. This is the standard number of points given per hotel stay with most hotel loyalty programs. Double points (1,200 Rapid Rewards points) is only available for the first stay during this promotion.

Double Dip with Best Western’s Free night after 3 stays by April 8

Be sure to check out the major Best Western Rewards promotion for a free night voucher after three stays by April 8, 2012. The free night offer should be stackable with this Southwest promotion. Here is my Loyalty Traveler analysis of what I called the best midscale hotel chain promotion of the season.

Best Western Gold elite benefits

Members can change their earning preference to points if they choose after earning the Gold elite and 2x miles bonus with Southwest Airlines.

Best Western Gold elite has the primary advantage of 10% bonus points.

Best Western Rewards now allows points as elite qualifying route

Another feature of Best Western Rewards that changed just this month is elite qualification by points. All stays at Best Western earn 10 points per dollar (unless you have earning preference set to airline miles).

Gold elite = 10 nights or 10,000 points in a calendar year.

Platinum elite = 15 nights or 15,000 points in a calendar year.

Diamond elite = 30 nights or 30,000 points in a calendar year.

I am awaiting clarification on whether points counted for elite status are only points earned from hotel stays or if partner activity points also count similar to the way Priority Club Rewards works for elite qualification.

My guess is only points from hotel stays count. Then, the next question is whether only base points count or if all points from hotel stays like elite bonuses and promotion bonus points count.

There does not seem to be detailed explanation in BWR terms and conditions on the new elite qualification terms.

Assuming only 10 base points/$1 count (this is how Hilton HHonors works), then elite status would require $1,000 in hotel spend for Gold, $1,500 in spend for Platinum and $3,000 for Diamond in a calendar year.

I’ll update when I receive clarification on the new elite route of qualifying by points.

Best Western Elite Benefits