Choice Privileges has launched two new promotions to buy points. One is the normal promo that offer up to a 30% discount; that can get points down to as low as 0.72c per point. This promo appears to be targeted to various members at either 25% or 30%.
There also appears to be another, much better offer: 50% off points. That takes the price per point down to as low as 0.515 cents each, well below our Reasonable Redemption Value for Choice points of 0.67 cents each – and a very tempting rate for Choice points.
This second version is marketed as a “cardmember exclusive.” However, I was targeted for it despite not being a Choice cardholder.
The Deal
- Choice Privileges is running a points sale:
- Buy 8,000+ points & get a up to 30% discount (as low as 0.72 depending on amount purchased)
- Expires August 27, 2024
- There is also another:
- Buy 8,000+ points and get a 50% discount (as low as 0.515 depending on amount purchased.
- Expires August 27, 2024
- Direct link to offer (our affiliate link).
Key Terms
- Transactions must be completed between 12 AM EST July 19, 2024 and 11:59 PM EST August 27, 2024 to be eligible for this Bonus offer.
- There is a 8,000 point purchase minimum that applies.
- Must be a Choice Privileges Rewards Program member; Points will be posted to your Choice Privileges account within 24 hours after your transaction is complete.
- Purchased points do not count toward Elite Status or Lifetime Elite Gold Status.
- Transactions are final and non-refundable.
- Offer may not be valid for all members.
- All other terms and conditions of the Choice Privileges Rewards Program apply.
- Choice Hotels reserves the right to amend these terms or terminate this promotion at any time.
- Price includes all applicable fees.
- A GST/HST charge applies to purchases by Canadian residents.
- An additional QST charge applies to purchases by Quebec residents.
- Purchased points are not refundable and are applicable towards all Choice Privileges rewards.
50% discount terms
- To earn the 50% discount for purchasing 8,000 or more points, Choice Privileges members must pay for their transactions with their Choice Privileges® Mastercard® or Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard®.
Quick Thoughts
Greg has shared before why it can be worth having a small stash of Choice points on hand (see: On my mind (Choice Privileges edition)), so this is a way to pick them up at a lower cost than normal. Now that Choice has bought Radisson Rewards Americas, there are some additional new sweet spots. In addition, the ability to use Choice points for Preferred Hotels and Resorts stays makes them even more desirable.
Obviously, for those targeted, the 50% discount is significantly better than the 30%. I was able to get down to as low as .515 cents each at only 12,000 points. Although the discount was labeled as a “cardholder exclusive,” I was targeted despite having never having had a Wells Fargo Choice card. I did have one years ago under a previous issuer, so my assumption is that somewhere in my account I have a cardholder designation. But, I’ll be interested to see what other folks find.
The terms on the 50% discount state that the purchase must be made with your Choice Mastercard. I assumed that this wouldn’t be enforced, so I tried to purchase 14,000 points with my Amex Marriott Business card. Sure enough, the purchase went through at the expected cost.
0.515 cents is a terrific rate for Choice points, but remember that both the Citi Strata Premier and Wells Fargo Autograph cards transfer to Choice at a 1-2 ratio. So, in a sense, it’s the equivalent of paying 1.03 cents for each of those currencies. If you have those cards, and the ability to generate a lot of points using them, even half a cent might seem too rich for Choice points.
We’ve provided our affiliate link above, but you can also earn cashback when clicking through to Points.com from a shopping portal. That reduces the net cost further yet.
Previous Choice Privileges Points Sales
- 30% bonus (0.79cpp) 6/3/24 through 6/21/24
- 40% bonus (0.74cpp) 4/10/24 through 4/30/24
- 50% bonus (0.69cpp) 3/19/24 through 4/9/24
- 30% Off – 1/8/24 through 2/4/24
- 50% Bonus (0.69cpp) – 11/17/23 through 12/3/23
- 35% Bonus – 10/2/23 through 10/8/23
- 35% Bonus – 9/8/23 through 9/22/23
- 25% Off – 7/21/23 through 8/27/23
- 25% Off – 6/2/23 through 6/18/23
- 25% Off – 5/8/23 through 5/17/23
- 40% Bonus – 4/6/23 through 4/28/23
- 50% Off – 3/24/23 through 4/5/23
- 25% Off – 1/9/23 through 2/3/23
- 25% Off – 12/9/22 through 12/17/22
- 40% Off – 11/18/22 through 12/3/22
- 30% Off – 10/10/22 through 11/11/22
- 35% Off – 10/3/22 through 10/9/22
- 30% Off – 9/9/22 through 9/23/22
- 25% Off – 7/22/22 through 8/28/22
- 20% Off – 6/3/22 through 6/18/22
- 25% Off – 5/11/22 through 5/18/22
- 40% Off – 3/28/22 through 4/29/22
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You can also transfer the points to the Radisson Americas program. I recently stayed at the Radisson Hotel Miami Beach. It was well worth the points.
Good luck with that. I still can’t transfer despite talking to RA and Choice multiple times. Both accounts are active and the profiles are identical.
I think this is fine, but given the pricing of Daily Deals later this summer, I can’t think of a reason to buy here unless you have a trip in the next, oh, 100 days.
Your headline reads “30%”
I would peg the average value of a Choice point at about half a cent, so it’s not worth stockpiling at this price level. That said, the Choice program is poorly run, and there are some properties where — if you didn’t buy points with the Daily Getaways promo — you could get good value at .69 cents. I don’t think it’s cheap enough to just hold onto them at this price.