Next Thursday, at 1pm ET June 27, Choice Privileges hotel points will be on sale through U.S. Travel Association’s Daily Getaways.
There are four packages available.
20,000 points = $102 ($91.80 with American Express payment). Purchase price is $4.59 or $5.10 per 1,000 points. 190 sets of points are available and there is a limit of 2 sets per member. This means as few as 95 people in the U.S. may end up buying all these points.
32,000 points = $134 ($120.60 with American Express payment). Purchase price is $3.77 or $4.19 per 1,000 points. 660 sets of points are available and there is a limit of 2 sets per member.
36,000 points = $156 ($140.40 with American Express payment). Purchase price is $3.90 or $4.33 per 1,000 points. 795 sets of points are available and there is a limit of 2 sets per member.
40,000 points = $166 ($149.40 with American Express payment). Purchase price is $3.74 or $4.15 per 1,000 points. 325 sets of points are available and there is a limit of 2 sets per member.
Disregard the hotel brand marketing for Cambria Suites, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites and Sleep Inn. You are buying Choice Privileges points which can be redeemed for any Choice Hotels brand.
One of the best hotel values for Choice Privileges points is using them to redeem for international hotels in places like Paris and London where seasonal reward rates drop hotels to 8,000 points per night when rates are often over $200 per night.
Choice Privileges 8,000 points for two stays May 23–Aug 31, 2013 (Loyalty Traveler post May 21). The big value with this promotion is the ability to find high quality hotels in Europe and other international locations at 8,000 points at a higher market segment than hotels in the U.S. offered for 8,000 points.
Great Paris value Choice Hotels 8,000 points reward nights (Loyalty Traveler post – April 15)
While the 8,000 points reward nights ends June 30, there will likely be a return of these low rates for European hotels in September or October.
Comparison of the cost to buy points through Daily Getaways versus the cost to earn points in Las Vegas.
Last week in Las Vegas I was blown away by the under $30 per night room rates at Clarion by the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Clarion Hotel Las Vegas $28 rate for Tuesday July 9, 2013.
Rates under $30 on weekdays are common for this Las Vegas Clarion Hotel. At rates this low you can add the Clarion to your hotel check-in list and even stay at some other Las Vegas Strip Resort hotel for the night while earning Choice Privileges credit.
Book two nonconsecutive midweek nights for $60 all-in and earn 8,000 Choice Privileges points.
This is effectively buying points for $7.50 per 1,000 points while earning Choice Privileges elite credit. The price is even lower if you are elite with Choice Privileges. And you get a Las Vegas hotel room too if the Clarion is suitable for your needs.
Obviously buying Choice Privileges points during the Daily Getaways sale next Thursday is the cheaper option for acquiring Choice Privileges points.
But earning 8,000 points with two nights at the Las Vegas Clarion Hotel is also a cheap way to acquire sufficient points for a free night at a Clarion Collection, Comfort Inn or Quality Inn in Paris or London later this year.
Paying $60 to earn 8,000 points is a significant savings if you can redeem Choice Privileges points at an expensive European hotel.
Buying points directly from Choice Privileges is limited to 20,000 points per calendar year at $11 per 1,000 points.
Daily Getaways and the Choice Privileges summer promotion offer two good routes to acquiring hotel points for travel discounts.
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Ric Garrido, writer and content owner of Loyalty Traveler, shares news and views on hotels, hotel loyalty programs and vacation destinations for frequent guests.
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