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With more than 7,000 properties worldwide including brands like Cambria Hotels, Econo Lodge, and the Ascend Hotel Collection, Choice Hotels offers something for every traveler and budget. Present in more than 40 countries, Choice Hotels’ partnerships with Penn National Gaming, Inc., Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Nordic Choice Hotels, and AMResorts make redemption options even more interesting, with the addition of casino hotels and all-inclusive resorts to the mix.

Choice Privileges points are one of the most underrated yet valuable travel rewards currencies out there. With a range of redemption options, including free hotel nights and the chance to exchange them for airline miles, Amtrak tickets, and gift cards, it’s easy to understand why it’s become such a popular points program.

Here’s everything you need to know about earning, redeeming, and maximizing your Choice Privileges points.

How to earn Choice Privileges points

While Choice Privileges seems straightforward, there are lots of little rules about what counts as a qualifying points-earning stay. For starters, you must book directly with the hotel by phone or via the Choice Hotels website or app, as you won’t be able to earn points on third-party bookings, free stays (from award nights or otherwise), nights booked with Points Plus Cash, through a travel agent or as part of a group booking, rates booked through certain promotions or employee discounts, or if rates are under $40 a night.

You’ll also need to pay attention to where you can earn points — within the US, Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific region (except China and Japan), and Europe (except countries covered by Nordic Choice Hotels). Here’s how to get started earning.

We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

Use the Choice Privileges Visa Signature Card

Regular APR

15.74%, 19.99% or 24.99% variable APR

Featured Reward

32,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days


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  • Pros & Cons
  • Details
  • Pros
    • 8,000 bonus points for meeting a spending threshold each card anniversary is enough for a night at lower-tier Choice hotels
    • Automatic Gold elite status gets you bonus points on paid stays, early check-in, late checkout, and a welcome amenity
    • No annual fee
    Cons
    • Few benefits other than elite status and anniversary points
    • Charges foreign transaction fees so not a good card to use overseas
    • Bonus: 32,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days
    • 15x points at eligible Choice hotels, 5x points on Choice points and Choice gift cards, 2x points on all other purchases
    • Automatic Choice Privileges Gold elite status
    • Earn 8,000 bonus points every anniversary year if you spend $10,000 or more on purchases
    • 0% introductory APR for the first 15 billing cycles on balance transfers that post your account within 45 days of account opening (then 15.74%, 19.99% or 24.99% variable)

    If you’re just getting started, the fastest way to accrue Choice Privileges points is by opening the Choice Privileges Visa Signature Card. It offers 32,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days — that’s enough for four free nights — plus another 8,000 points on your card anniversary when you spend at least $10,000 in a year. 

    Read more: Choice Privileges Visa Signature card review

    There’s no annual fee, you’ll earn 5x points for every dollar spent at eligible Choice Hotels (on top of the 10x points you’ll earn as a Choice Privileges member) and for every dollar spent purchasing Choice Privileges points, plus 2x points per dollar on all other spending. As a cardholder, you’ll score elite Gold elite status and earn 10% bonus points on qualifying stays.

    Transfer points from flexible travel rewards programs

    Regular APR

    15.99% – 23.99% Variable

    Credit Score

    Good to Excellent

    Featured Reward

    80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening


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  • Pros & Cons
  • Details
  • Pros
    • Strong sign-up bonus
    • Generous bonus categories
    Cons
    • Doesn’t offer much in the way of statement credits or other perks
    • Citi ThankYou Rewards may not be as convenient as other points for US-based travelers
    • Earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
    • Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
    • Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
    • Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
    • Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
    • 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
    • No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
    • No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases


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    Several transferable points programs, including American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards count Choice Hotels as a travel rewards partner. When you have credit cards like American Express® Gold Card
    , Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, or Citi Premier® Card, you can transfer points to Choice Hotels, but the ratio varies by program.

    Read more: There are different types of credit card rewards — but this is the best one

    You’ll get a 1:1 ratio when you transfer American Express points or Capital One miles to Choice, while it’s a 1:1.5 ratio or 1:2 ratio (depending on the card you have) on transfers from Citi. It’s also possible to transfer points from Diners Club ClubRewards at a 1:1.92 ratio.

    Earn points from staying at Choice Hotels

    It’s free to sign up for a Choice Privileges account, which offers savings through members-only rates and the ability to earn 10 Choice points per dollar on qualifying stays. Choice Privileges Visa Signature Card members earn an additional 5x per dollar, while those booking points-earning stays in the Asia-Pacific region earn 10x points on eligible purchases like taxes, restaurant and bar service, laundry, and phone calls as well.

    Either way, you’ll only be able to earn points on stays at the following Choice brands:

    • Cambria Hotels
    • Clarion
    • Clarion Pointe
    • Comfort
    • Econo Lodge
    • MainStay Suites
    • Quality
    • Rodeway Inn
    • Sleep Inn
    • Surburban Extended Stay Hotel
    • The Ascend Hotel Collection

    Thanks to a recent partnership with Penn National Gaming, Inc., you can also earn Choice points on stays at casino hotels and receive reciprocal benefits — like dining and accommodation discounts and access to special events, among other perks — through its loyalty program, mychoice.

    Read more: I haven’t paid for a hotel room in 10 years — here’s how I stay for free

    While you can redeem points at Nordic Choice Hotels and Preferred Hotels & Resorts, you won’t be able to earn any since they’re affiliate programs. Watch for promos that let you earn bonus points at AMResorts, a collection of all-inclusive resorts from Secrets, Dreams, Sunscape, Zoetry, Breathless, and Now Resorts and Spas, with locations in Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica, St. Martin, Curaçao, and the Dominican Republic.

    Earn special perks and bonuses with elite status

    While all Choice Privileges members save with exclusive member rates and receive Your Extras perks, those with Gold, Platinum, or Diamond elite status have access to extra perks like elite gift cards, early check-in and late checkout, preferred parking, a dedicated customer service hotline, and an elite welcome gift at check-in.

    Choice Privileges Visa Signature Card members automatically earn Gold status, which gets you a 10% elite points bonus and up to nine rollover nights — Platinum status gets you a 25% elite points bonus and up to 19 rollover nights, while Diamond status gets you a 50% points bonus and up to 39 rollover nights.

    Platinum and Diamond members also receive Avis Preferred Plus membership for car rentals. Status matches are available if you’re an elite member of another hotel loyalty program.

    Read more: 11 credit cards that get you hotel elite status just by having them in your wallet

    Note that while in 2021 members only needed to stay seven nights to earn gold status, 15 nights to earn platinum status, and 25 nights to earn diamond status, starting in 2022, you’ll need to stay 10, 20, and 40 nights, respectively. If you’ve reached elite status by the end of 2021 you can rollover eligible nights that’ll count toward next year’s status, meaning you’ll remain at your current elite status level through 2022 and have a leg up on reaching the next level.

    Elite members will need to keep their accounts active by completing qualifying activities every 18 months — like earning or redeeming Choice Privileges points, using the Choice Privileges Visa Signature Card, or transferring flexible points to Choice — or else face the forfeiture of status and earned points.

    Earn extra points and perks by staying at Cambria Hotels

    Those with Choice Privileges elite status can earn benefits like 250 bonus points, preferred parking, and late checkout and early check-in.

    If you’re an elite member of another hotel loyalty program, you’ll also be able to earn Diamond elite status with Choice Privileges after staying at least one night at a Cambria Hotels property thanks to the Diamond elite status jump perk.

    Sign up for Your Extras

    If you’re booking a points-eligible stay on a weekday (Sunday through Thursday), select a Your Extras perk in your account before you go — either 400 Choice Privileges points, 100 airline miles, $0.20 per gallon in fuel rewards at participating gas stations, $2.50 in Amazon credits, a $3 Uber discount, or a $5 Starbucks card.

    Save with military discounts and other perks for service members

    Active duty, reserve, and retired military personnel automatically receive lifetime Gold elite status by signing up for a free Choice Privileges account — as well as 2,500 bonus points after their first points-eligible stay.

    Read more: The best credit cards for the military offer hundreds of dollars in perks, and active-duty members can have annual fees waived

    Take advantage of bonus points promotions

    Check the Choice Privileges website to stay on top of bonus points promos. In the past, there have been promotions to earn 2x points on qualifying stays, and be sure to check for bonus points packages that let you pay a little more each night for an extra 1,000 or 2,000 Choice Privileges points. 

    Earn airline miles instead of points toward hotel stays

    If you don’t plan on redeeming points for hotel stays, opt to earn points toward airline miles — just enter your frequent flyer info and set your points-earning preference to airline miles. Note that airline miles cannot be earned by staying at all-inclusive resorts through the Ascend Hotel Collection or casino hotels through Penn National Gaming, Inc. 

    Read more: Guide to the best airline credit cards

    While rates are subject to change, you’ll earn 250 miles per stay with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, Aeroplan, Aeromexico Club Premier, Czech Airlines OK Plus, United MileagePlus, or Spirit Airlines Free Spirit; or 10 Air New Zealand Airpoints Dollars, 600 Qantas Frequent Flyer points, or 600 Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer points per qualifying stay at participating hotels.

    Save on cruises and car rentals with travel partnerships

    You can earn 5x points by booking qualifying rooms with more than 20 cruise lines through Choice Privileges Cruises, giving you access to perks like onboard spending allowances, instant savings, and discounts for additional guests.

    You can also earn Choice Privileges points by booking car rentals with Alamo (500 bonus points per day up to 2,000 points per rental), as well as Avis and Budget (1,000 points per rental, plus 25% off rates).

    Utilize Choice Privileges retail partnerships

    An easy way to earn points is through the Choice Privileges Online Mall shopping portal, which currently lets you earn 5x points at Macy’s, 3x points at Bed Bath & Beyond, and 2x points at Apple. You can also earn 1,000 Choice points by signing up for deliveries with Vinesse Wines (plus 7x points on future shipments), or 50,000 Choice points by using Rocket Mortgage to refinance or purchase a home.

    Read more: Online shopping portals are an effortless way to earn bonus cash back and travel rewards — here’s how they work

    Golf lovers can earn up to 10x points by booking tee times, 1,000 points by enrolling in Tathata’s Golf Training Courses, and 3x to 6x per dollar by shopping for golf gear through the Golf by Choice program.

    Earn points with Planner Rewards

    Groups booking meetings and qualifying events (at least 10 rooms booked on one night) can earn 3x points per dollar (up to 150,000 points per event) on conference rooms, hotel accommodations, and on-property catering at participating Cambria hotels as part of the Planner Rewards program.

    Take E-Rewards surveys

    You can pick up 500 bonus points by completing your first survey within three months of signing up for a free E-Rewards account. 

    Buy Choice Privileges points — for you or someone else

    You can buy up to 250,000 Choice Privileges points for yourself — or up to 180,000 Choice Privileges points for friends and family members — per calendar year. Rates start at $12.10 per 1,000 points (you must buy them in 1,000-point increments) and go all the way up to $1,782 for 180,000 points.

    Read more: Here’s when I’m ok with using my hard-earned points and miles on friends and family — and when I’m not

    Note that this is the only way to give family and friends points, as the Choice Privileges program forbids points pooling and transfers between members.

    Earn rewards for referring friends to Choice Privileges

    It’s a win-win when you refer a friend to join the Choice Privileges Program and they complete their first eligible stay. You’ll each earn 500 Choice points, plus it counts as a qualifying event to keep your account active.

    How to redeem Choice hotel points

    Redeem Choice Privileges points for dream vacations

    Whether you’re planning a romantic getaway, family vacation, dream honeymoon, or an epic solo trip, you can use Choice Privileges points to book everything from extended stays and roadside motels to luxury casino hotels and all-inclusive resorts on the beach. Here are some examples.

    Thanks to Choice Hotels’ partnerships with Preferred Hotels & Resorts and Penn National Gaming, Inc., you’ll also be able to redeem points for stays at a number of independent, boutique properties and casino hotels. If all-inclusive resorts are more your style, consider redeeming at AMResorts.

    Read more: How to book an all-inclusive vacation with credit card rewards

    Choice Hotels redemptions start at 8,000 points per night and can go up to 35,000 or 75,000 points per night in some locales like the Asia Pacific region or when redeeming for Preferred Hotels & Resorts. All-inclusive stays at AMResorts can be higher at 30,000 to 95,000 points per night. Since redemption rates vary by hotel and date, you may end up with a great deal, especially if you value convenience over luxury.

    Be aware that you can only reserve award stays that have a check-out date within 100 days of your trip. And unlike other loyalty programs, there’s no award chart and there are no categories, so you’ll have to go through each hotel’s website to see exactly how many points are needed for a free night.

    Choice points are worth, on average, 0.7 cents apiece based on Insider’s latest points and miles valuations —but the exact value you’ll get depends on where and when you redeem your rewards.

    Stretch your savings with Points + Cash

    Use the Points Plus Cash perk, available to Choice Privileges members with at least 6,000 points in their account, to pay with the points you have while essentially purchasing enough points to make up the difference. Select “Reward Points” under the special rate menu while searching for your hotel, choose the Points Plus Cash tab, then pay a set combination of points and cash, which will vary by hotel and date.

    While these bookings won’t earn you any points, you’ll be refunded solely in Choice points if there’s a cancellation.

    Transfer Choice Privileges points to travel partners

    To redeem Choice Privileges points for flights, use the Choice Hotels Rewards Exchange to transfer them to airline partners at the following rates

    • 5,000 Choice points for 1,000 Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles
    • 5,000 Choice points for 1,000 Aeromexico Club Premier miles
    • 5,000 Choice points for 1,000 Aeroplan points
    • 5,000 Choice points for 1,000 United MileagePlus miles
    • 5,000 Choice points for 1,000 Spirit Airlines Free Spirit miles
    • 5,000 Choice points for 1,000 Czech Airlines OK Plus miles
    • 20,000 Choice points for 8,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer points
    • 20,000 Choice points for 8,000 Virgin Australia Velocity points
    • 20,000 Choice points for 140 Air New Zealand Airpoints Dollars

    Note that you may need to call Customer Service at 888-770-6800 and provide them with your frequent flyer number to complete your airline redemption. Those who prefer train travel can transfer 32,000 Choice Privileges points to get 5,000 Amtrak Guest Rewards points.

    Donate Choice Privileges points to charity

    You can convert your Choice points to donations to the American Red Cross, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Operation Homefront, the Fisher House Foundation, the Executive Leadership Council, and the International Franchising Association, with redemptions starting at 1,000 points — $10 donations are 2,000 points, while $15 donations are 3,000 points, $20 donations are 4,000 points, and $25 donations are 5,000 points.

    Read more: If you have more points and miles than you know what to do with, consider donating them to charity

    You can also give to the Polaris Project — 1,000 points for a $10 donation, 2,000 points for a $20 donation, 3,000 points for a $30 donation, 4,000 points for a $40 donation, and 5,000 points for a $50 donation — or donate a bed for 32,000 points as part of Serta’s Stay Home, Send Beds program.

    Redeem points for gift cards, magazines, and more

    When you cash in points for plastic (not digital) gift cards from all your favorite retail stores, gas stations, restaurants, and movie theaters, redemptions start at 8,000 points for $25 gift cards, 16,000 points for $50 gift cards, and 32,000 points for $100 gift cards. Note that you’re limited to two gift card transactions within a 48-hour period and they’ll arrive in 2–4 weeks.

    You can also redeem Choice points for tee times and other golf gear through the Golf by Choice program, or for magazine subscriptions for Real Simple, Cosmopolitan, and In Style, among other titles. Those wanting to join AARP can exchange 5,000 points for a one-year membership or 12,000 points for a three-year membership.

    Freelance Writer

    Kaeli Conforti is a travel and credit cards expert who writes about the many ways you can maximize loyalty points and airline miles to enhance your travel experience.
    Before her nearly 2.5-year stint as a digital nomad in Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, Kaeli was the senior editor at The Points Guy, where she covered all things related to traveling with points and miles and discovered a deep appreciation for credit cards and loyalty programs, especially the many ways cardholders can use their benefits to travel the world for less. Before that, she was the digital editor at Budget Travel. 
    Kaeli’s writing has been featured by Forbes, Thrillist, CNN Travel, NBC News Travel, Fox News Travel, Yahoo Travel, and Huffington Post Travel. She also updated the Outback chapter of the Fodor’s Essential Australia guidebook, a feat that resulted in an epic two-month solo road trip through the Northern Territory and remote parts of Western Australia. Follow along with all her travel adventures on InstagramTwitter, and KaeliTravels.com.

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