Last Updated: July 16, 2025

In the competitive landscape of hotel loyalty programs, Choice Privileges often flies under the radar compared to heavyweights like Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. However, this program from Choice Hotels International offers surprising value for travelers who know how to navigate its earning and redemption opportunities. With over 7,400 participating properties worldwide and award nights starting at just 6,000 points, Choice Privileges deserves serious consideration for your hotel loyalty strategy.

Whether you're a road trip enthusiast, budget-conscious family traveler, or business traveler seeking reliable accommodations, Choice Privileges provides multiple pathways to earn points and unlock valuable rewards. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about maximizing your Choice Privileges membership, from the basics of joining and earning points to advanced strategies for getting the most value from your redemptions.

Getting Started with Choice Privileges Rewards

How to Join Choice Privileges

Joining Choice Privileges couldn't be simpler. Head to the Choice Hotels website and complete the free registration process. You'll need basic information including your name, email address, and phone number. Once registered, you'll receive your membership number immediately and can start earning points on your very first stay.

The beauty of Choice Privileges lies in its accessibility. There are no membership fees, no complicated qualification requirements to start earning, and no minimum spending thresholds to maintain your account. As long as you have qualifying activity every 18 months, your points will never expire. You can find detailed program terms and conditions on the official Choice Privileges rules page.

Understanding Membership Tiers

Choice Privileges operates with four distinct membership levels: Member, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Each tier offers progressively better benefits, from bonus point earning to exclusive perks like guaranteed room availability.

The entry-level Member status provides immediate access to point earning and member-exclusive rates. However, the real value begins at Gold status, which you can achieve with just 10 qualifying nights annually or by holding certain Choice Privileges credit cards. For a detailed breakdown of each tier's benefits and requirements, check out our comprehensive Choice Privileges rewards levels guide.

Understanding these tiers early in your Choice Privileges journey helps you make strategic decisions about which hotels to book and whether pursuing elite status aligns with your travel patterns.

How to Earn Choice Privileges Points

Hotel Stays: Your Primary Earning Source

The foundation of any successful Choice Privileges strategy starts with hotel stays. You'll earn 10 points per dollar spenton qualifying room rates at all participating Choice Hotels properties. This straightforward earning structure eliminates the confusion often found in other hotel programs with varying point awards by property category.

Choice Hotels' extensive portfolio includes over 20 brands ranging from budget-friendly options like Sleep Inn and Econo Lodge to upscale properties in the Ascend Hotel Collection. This diversity means you can earn points whether you're booking a $70 roadside motel or a $300 boutique hotel.

What makes Choice particularly appealing is their coverage in secondary markets and along major interstate highways. While other hotel chains might have limited presence in smaller cities, Choice Hotels often provides the primary lodging option, making it easier to concentrate your stays and build towards meaningful rewards. When booking these stays, you can often find competitive rates through Hotels.com or compare prices across multiple booking platforms using Trivago to ensure you're getting the best value for your Choice Privileges earning stays.

Elite members enjoy enhanced earning rates:

• Gold members: 11 points per dollar (10% bonus)
• Platinum members: 12.5 points per dollar (25% bonus)
• Diamond members: 15 points per dollar (50% bonus)

Credit Cards: Accelerate Your Point Earning

Choice Privileges offers two co-branded credit cards that can significantly accelerate your point accumulation and provide automatic elite status benefits. The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard represents one of the most compelling hotel credit cards in the market, particularly for frequent Choice guests.

Choice Privileges Mastercard (No Annual Fee)

• 5 points per dollar on Choice Hotels stays
• 3 points per dollar on gas, grocery, and home improvement purchases
• 1 point per dollar on everything else
• Automatic Gold elite status
• 10 elite night credits annually

Choice Privileges Select Mastercard ($95 Annual Fee)

• 10 points per dollar on Choice Hotels stays
• 5 points per dollar on gas, grocery, and home improvement purchases
• 1 point per dollar on everything else
• Automatic Platinum elite status
• 20 elite night credits annually

Both cards eliminate foreign transaction fees and provide cell phone protection benefits. The Select card's earning rates on Choice stays are particularly impressive - effectively earning 22.5 points per dollar when combined with Platinum status benefits.

For travelers who frequent Choice properties, these cards offer some of the best value propositions in the credit card space, combining strong earning rates with automatic elite status that would otherwise require significant hotel stays to achieve.

Partner Purchases and Everyday Spending

Choice Privileges extends earning opportunities beyond hotel stays through various partnership programs, though these options provide more modest point accumulation compared to stays and credit card spending.

Choice Privileges Eat & Earn This dining program allows you to earn points when eating at participating restaurants across the United States. After enrolling your credit or debit cards, you'll automatically earn points when dining at thousands of participating establishments. While the earning rates are typically 1-3 points per dollar spent, it's an effortless way to accumulate points during everyday activities.

Car Rental Partners Choice has partnerships with major car rental companies including Avis and Budget. You'll earn points for qualifying rentals while also receiving up to 35% discounts on base rates. This partnership proves particularly valuable for travelers who frequently combine hotel stays with rental cars. For even more car rental options and deals, consider checking rates with Hertz or Enterprise to compare pricing and availability across multiple providers.

Shopping Portals and Other Partners Like most hotel programs, Choice Privileges operates an online shopping portal where you can earn bonus points when purchasing from participating retailers. While convenient, these earning rates are generally modest compared to credit card rewards, making them supplementary rather than primary earning strategies. For travelers interested in maximizing all their travel-related purchases, our guide on maximizing your travel rewardsprovides comprehensive strategies across multiple programs.

Bonus Point Promotions and Special Offers

Choice Hotels regularly runs targeted promotions that can significantly boost your point earning. These promotions typically fall into several categories:

Stay-Based Promotions These might offer double or triple points for stays during specific periods, bonus points for multiple stays within a quarter, or extra points for trying new brands within the Choice portfolio.

Registration-Required Offers Many promotions require advance registration, so it's crucial to monitor your email and the Choice Hotels website regularly. Missing registration deadlines means forgoing potentially valuable bonus opportunities.

Seasonal Campaigns Choice often aligns promotions with peak travel seasons or holidays. Summer road trip promotions, winter escape bonuses, and back-to-school business travel offers can provide substantial point boosts when your travel naturally aligns with promotional periods.

The key to maximizing promotional value is planning your stays around these offers when possible and ensuring you've registered for any applicable promotions before booking.

Maximizing Your Choice Privileges Redemptions

Free Hotel Nights: The Crown Jewel

Free hotel nights represent the most valuable use of Choice Privileges points for most travelers. The program's recent enhancements have made award stays more accessible and valuable than ever before.

Award Chart Structure Choice Privileges uses dynamic pricing for award nights, meaning point requirements fluctuate based on cash room rates and demand. However, the program maintains several attractive features:

• Minimum redemptions start at 6,000 points through the RewardSaver program
• Standard redemptions typically range from 8,000 to 35,000 points per night
• No blackout dates on award availability
• 50-week advance booking window for maximum planning flexibility

Premium Room Redemptions One of Choice Privileges' most underrated features allows you to redeem points for premium rooms, suites, or rooms with better views at the same point cost as standard rooms, subject to availability. This means your 15,000-point redemption might get you a suite that would normally cost $100+ more in cash.

Points + Cash Options When you're short on points but want to book an award night, Choice offers Points + Cash redemptions starting at $17 plus 6,000 points. This flexibility helps you secure award stays even when your point balance is running low.

Extended Redemption Network Your Choice Privileges points aren't limited to Choice Hotels properties. You can also redeem for stays at:

• Preferred Hotels & Resorts (luxury properties worldwide)
• Bluegreen Vacations (resort destinations)
• PENN casino hotels (entertainment destinations)

This extended network opens up luxury travel opportunities that would otherwise be outside Choice's typical portfolio. For travelers interested in all-inclusive resort experiences, you might also explore options with Hotels Viva or compare resort packages through Expedia to find the best value for your vacation budget.

Gift Cards and Merchandise Options

While hotel stays typically offer the best point value, Choice Privileges provides alternative redemption options for members who prefer flexibility or have surplus points.

Gift Card Redemptions The program offers gift cards to dozens of popular retailers including Amazon, Target, Starbucks, and various restaurant chains. Point requirements vary by retailer and denomination, but these redemptions typically provide value around 0.5-0.7 cents per point.

Merchandise Catalog Choice maintains an online catalog featuring branded merchandise, electronics, and home goods. While convenient, merchandise redemptions generally provide lower value than hotel stays, making them best suited for small point balances or when you have specific needs that align with available options.

Travel Experiences and Unique Redemptions

Choice Privileges distinguishes itself through several unique redemption opportunities that extend beyond traditional hotel stays:

Cruise Credits Partner with various cruise lines to redeem points for cruise credits, making it possible to combine your hotel rewards with vacation experiences on the water.

Auction Experiences The program occasionally offers exclusive auction experiences where you can bid points for VIP access to concerts, sporting events, and other unique opportunities. While point costs can be high, these experiences often provide access to sold-out events or behind-the-scenes experiences unavailable through traditional channels.

Airline Mile Transfers Choice Privileges allows point transfers to several airline partners, though transfer ratios are generally unfavorable compared to direct hotel redemptions. This option works best when you need a small top-up for an airline award or have excess Choice points with limited hotel redemption opportunities. For better airline mile earning strategies, consider exploring dedicated frequent flyer programs like United MileagePlus or reading our comparison of Star Alliance vs Oneworld loyalty programs.

Charitable Donations For members looking to give back, Choice allows point donations to various charitable organizations. While this doesn't provide personal value, it offers a meaningful way to put surplus points to good use.

Choice Privileges FAQs

Do Choice Privileges points expire? Your points remain active as long as you have qualifying account activity every 18 months. Qualifying activities include earning points through stays, credit card spending, or partner activities, as well as redeeming points for any reward. This generous expiration policy makes Choice Privileges particularly appealing for infrequent travelers.

Can I transfer points between Choice Privileges accounts? Currently, Choice Privileges doesn't allow point transfers between member accounts. Points earned are tied exclusively to the account that earned them, so family members can't pool their points for larger redemptions.

How do I book award stays with Choice Privileges points? Booking award stays is straightforward through the Choice Hotels website or mobile app. When searching for hotels, look for the "Use Points" option to view award availability and pricing. You can also call the Choice Hotels reservation line to book by phone.

What counts as qualifying activity to prevent point expiration? Any point-earning activity counts toward the 18-month requirement, including hotel stays, credit card purchases that earn Choice points, partner purchases through Eat & Earn, and car rental bookings. Point redemptions also reset the expiration clock.

Are there any current promotions I should know about? Choice Hotels regularly rotates promotional offers throughout the year. The best way to stay informed is by monitoring your email for targeted offers and checking the Choice Hotels promotions page on their official website. Many offers require advance registration, so act quickly when attractive promotions appear. For additional travel deals and flight alerts, consider subscribing to services like Thrifty Traveler to stay informed about broader travel opportunities.

How does Choice Privileges compare to other hotel loyalty programs? Choice Privileges excels in accessibility, with low redemption thresholds and extensive property coverage in secondary markets. While it may lack some luxury perks found in programs like Hilton Honors or Marriott Bonvoy, its straightforward earning structure and generous expiration policy make it particularly valuable for leisure travelers and those who frequent smaller markets. For family travelers specifically, you might also find value in our guide to maximizing IHG Rewards Club for family travel. And regardless of which loyalty program you choose, don't forget to protect your trips with travel insurance through InsureMyTrip.

Making the Most of Your Choice Privileges Membership

Success with Choice Privileges comes from understanding its unique strengths and aligning them with your travel patterns. The program shines brightest for road trip enthusiasts, budget-conscious travelers, and those who frequently visit secondary markets where Choice maintains strong coverage.

Strategic Considerations:

Concentrate Your Stays Unlike travelers who might split their loyalty among multiple hotel chains, focusing your stays within the Choice portfolio accelerates your path to elite status and meaningful redemptions. The program's diverse brand portfolio makes this concentration strategy more feasible than with boutique hotel programs.

Leverage Credit Card Benefits The automatic elite status provided by Choice credit cards represents one of the best values in the credit card space. Even occasional Choice guests can benefit from the enhanced earning rates and status perks these cards provide.

Plan Around Promotions Choice's frequent promotional offers can significantly boost your earning potential. Maintaining flexibility in your travel dates to align with bonus point promotions can accelerate your path to award stays.

Explore Extended Redemption Options Don't limit yourself to standard Choice Hotels properties. The program's partnerships with luxury hotel collections and resort brands can provide outsized value for special occasions or when you want to stretch your points further.

Monitor Award Pricing Choice's dynamic pricing means award costs fluctuate with demand. Booking during off-peak periods or being flexible with your destinations can stretch your points further and provide better overall value.

For travelers looking to maximize their hotel rewards strategy, Choice Privileges offers a compelling combination of accessibility, value, and extensive property coverage. While it may not provide the luxury perks of premium hotel programs, its straightforward approach to earning and redeeming points makes it an excellent foundation for any travel rewards portfolio. If you're interested in learning about essential travel preparation, our guide on ten essential carry-on bag items can help ensure you're prepared for any Choice Hotels stay.

The program's recent enhancements, including extended booking windows and premium room redemptions, demonstrate Choice's commitment to providing ongoing value to loyal members. Combined with generous credit card partnerships and frequent promotional opportunities, Choice Privileges continues to evolve as a traveler-friendly program that rewards consistent loyalty while remaining accessible to occasional guests.

Whether you're just beginning your journey into hotel loyalty programs or looking to diversify your existing strategy, Choice Privileges provides a solid foundation for earning valuable rewards on your travels. The key lies in understanding the program's strengths, aligning your strategy with your natural travel patterns, and taking advantage of the numerous opportunities to earn bonus points throughout the year.