Choice Privileges unveils award-booking changes for 2025
When Radisson Rewards Americas integrated with Choice Privileges, I was thrilled the program wasn't devalued and the elite perks slightly improved. All the aspects I love about the program remain, including set award pricing for each property based on the day of the week and time of year.
However, Choice Privileges members will see three award-booking changes in early 2025:
- A 50-week booking window
- The ability to redeem points for premium room types
- The reintroduction of RewardSaver, a popular Radisson Hotels Americas redemption tool
Although the press release says the changes will occur in early 2025, a Choice Hotels spokesperson told TPG that some changes will be rolled out to a small set of properties this year.
These three changes seem positive on the surface. After all, you can currently only redeem Choice points for award nights within the next 100 days. If you try to search for an award stay further in the future, you'll get a message noting, "Date Limit Reached: When booking with points, reservations must be made within 100 days." But in early 2025, Choice will expand the award-booking window to nights within the next 50 weeks.
Related: How to earn Choice Privileges points — from hotel stays to credit card rewards
Another change coming to Choice Privileges is the hotel loyalty program allowing members the ability to redeem points for premium room types. I expect this program change will be both positive and negative. After all, you can currently book select upgraded room types for the same number of points as standard room types at some properties. So, although it's unknown whether only standard room types will be bookable for the base amount of points once the changes occur in early 2025, I expect this change may end the ability to book upgraded room types at some properties for the same number of points as standard room types.
Related: How and why to register for Choice Hotels Personalized Weeknight Benefits
Finally, travelers who used Radisson Rewards Americas before it joined Choice Privileges may remember RewardSaver. Well, Choice Privileges is reintroducing RewardSaver in early 2025. Thanks to RewardSaver, award nights will start at 6,000 points instead of the current 8,000 points.
The RewardSaver tool will automatically provide discounts on room pricing. A Choice Hotels spokesperson confirmed to TPG that members will see a RewardSaver label over certain rates, along with strikethrough pricing indicating the RewardSaver rate. According to the Choice Hotels spokesperson, RewardSaver won't be a flat discount; instead, the redemption rate will "depend on a number of factors including current room rates, the property type and demand."
Of course, I'm always concerned award program changes will lead to a devaluation. So, will Choice maintain its current award pricing structure?
"Members will be able to view reward night prices for future dates using the calendar function on ChoiceHotels.com and the mobile app. Broadly speaking, redemption levels will vary depending on factors we currently use, including current room rates, the property type and demand," a spokesperson told TPG.
This response caused me to worry that travelers might soon need to pay significantly more points per night for standard rooms. However, according to a Choice Hotels spokesperson, "Standard room nights will begin at 6,000 points, and their awards cap will remain unchanged. The award cost for premium rooms will be contingent upon factors including the current room rates, property type and demand, as is the case for standard rooms."
The fact that award caps will remain unchanged is good news. After all, I'm currently seeing award nights at properties in the Ascend Hotel Collection by Choice Hotels top out at 50,000 points and award nights at properties under other Choice Hotels brands top out at 35,000 points per night.
Related: Choice Privileges properties you can stay at for fewer points
Bottom line
I've generally been pleased with how Choice Privileges has handled its loyalty program. Sure, some of the redemption rates for Preferred Hotels & Resorts have increased to 87,000 points per night — but this isn't unreasonable given the paid rates for these hotels.
So, I'm hoping these changes will be positive, given that the current awards cap will remain unchanged. I expect we'll see Choice Hotels use RewardSaver to discount new properties and other properties to which it wants to draw extra attention, which is a win for travelers and Choice.
Related reading:
- Choice elite status: What it is and how to earn it
- Current Choice Privileges Mastercard offers
- How to earn points with the Choice Privileges Eat & Earn dining rewards program
- Unique ways to redeem Choice Privileges points
- Choice Privileges Experiences: Bid on special access to concerts and sporting events
- How and why to book Bluegreen Vacations resorts through Choice Hotels