Unfortunately devaluations without notice are hardly a new phenomenon with Choice Privileges. Here’s the latest example of that…
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Choice Privileges hikes Preferred Hotels redemptions
Choice Privileges has a cool partnership with Preferred Hotels, allowing members to redeem points at hundreds of additional properties. For those not familiar with Preferred Hotels, this is a group of independent properties, most of which are boutique and/or luxury.
This is a great partnership, since Choice Privileges’ portfolio otherwise lacks high-end properties. Historically, stays at Preferred Hotels properties have cost anywhere from 20,000 to 55,000 points per night, which often represented good value. There was even a positive update earlier this year, as these redemptions became bookable online.
Unfortunately in the past several months, the value of these redemptions has become considerably worse. In June 2024, we saw a devaluation, whereby the top Preferred Hotels properties increased in price from 55,000 points to 87,000 points. Now there has been yet another devaluation, as flagged by Frequent Miler. The top properties have now increased in price from 87,000 points to 118,000 points per night.
That’s right, some properties have gone from 55,000 points in May, to 87,000 points in June, to 118,000 points in September. Ouch! That means some hotels have increased in price by 115% in just a matter of months.
It’s not that all properties that previously cost 55,000 points now cost 118,000 points. Rather, you’ll find that prices are all over the place, and there are also all kinds of price points between those two amounts as well. Furthermore, there are still plenty of redemptions that represent a good deal, where the number of points required is unreasonable. Unfortunately Choice’s capacity controls don’t help either, as finding availability can be really difficult…
Choice Privileges is on a devaluation spree
It’s common for loyalty programs to increase award redemption costs over time, given that the cost of booking travel with cash also increases over the years. However, Choice Privileges has been devaluing an absolutely unbelievable amount this year, and it’s very disappointing to see.
We’ve now seen Choice Privileges devalue Preferred Hotels redemptions twice in a matter of months. We’re not just talking about minor devaluations, either, but rather we’ve seen a 100%+ increase in pricing at some properties over that period.
Not only that, but over the summer we also saw Choice Privileges devalue redemptions at its own managed properties. While Choice Privileges properties used to max out at 35,000 points per night (at least outside of Asia-Pacific), the maximum increased to 45,000 points per night.
I’m disappointed by these continued changes, and I’d certainly think twice about hoarding Choice Privileges points, given that the program is making multiple drastic cuts to the value proposition of its points currency. With Choice having acquired one of its biggest competitors (Radisson Rewards Americas) a couple of years back, I imagine that doesn’t given the program much incentive to show love to members.
Bottom line
Choice Privileges has increased redemption rates for many Preferred Hotels properties once again. These awards now max out at 118,000 points per night. Up until this point, they maxed out at 87,000 points, and up until the last devaluation a few months ago, they maxed out at 55,000 points.
When you consider that Choice Privileges has also devalued redemptions at its own properties in recent months, there’s really not a whole lot to be happy with at that program right now…
What do you make of this Choice Privileges devaluation?
@GUWonder I think you’ll find it’s the reverse. While Radisson Europe is a basket case with their devaluations, the Radisson Americas team (which was bought by Choice) were actually pretty anti-devaluation and doubled down on keeping reward charts.
Since then, two things happened:
1/ Nordic Choice rebranded as Strawberry and has been distancing itself from Choice Americas.
2/ The Radisson Americas execs who were pro reward charts (there’s some public quotes somewhere)...
@GUWonder I think you’ll find it’s the reverse. While Radisson Europe is a basket case with their devaluations, the Radisson Americas team (which was bought by Choice) were actually pretty anti-devaluation and doubled down on keeping reward charts.
Since then, two things happened:
1/ Nordic Choice rebranded as Strawberry and has been distancing itself from Choice Americas.
2/ The Radisson Americas execs who were pro reward charts (there’s some public quotes somewhere) aren’t there anymore.
So I’d say it’s the Choice mentality that is the prevailing one, combined with the politics with Strawberry (ex-Nordic Choice).
Went spend-heavy on 4 Citi cards last year + a 90k Wells SUB. Cashed all in at The Wort in Jackson & Sundance Resort in Utah stays this summer. PH Titanium status was applied for suite upgrades. Awesome hack - too bad on the drastic point increases, we really enjoyed these properties & redeemed for $250/nt cash value when they were going for $600-$1.5k/nt
When Choice acquired Radisson, I was concerned and against it because of the high risk that the Radisson devaluation mentality was going to infect Choice and lead to major devaluations of Choice points and be done with no advance notice. Then last year when Choice suddenly and massively hiked up the number of points required for award nights in Scandinavia, I knew the next plays from the Choice program would be massive devaluations of the...
When Choice acquired Radisson, I was concerned and against it because of the high risk that the Radisson devaluation mentality was going to infect Choice and lead to major devaluations of Choice points and be done with no advance notice. Then last year when Choice suddenly and massively hiked up the number of points required for award nights in Scandinavia, I knew the next plays from the Choice program would be massive devaluations of the points elsewhere and there too because they weren’t even increasing the reimbursement amounts to the nordic Choice hotel properties despite raising the price in points for award nights. Since then we have seen Choice continuing on this road of major and sudden devaluations of an extent never before seen in the program in absolute point price terms.
This is why last year I was already advising people to keep their Choice point balances locked up in the free-to-cancel award reservations because you really can not trust the points to be a good store of value in a Choice program infested by the Radisson loyalty programs’ mentality and a corporate management team needing to justify its acquisitions.
Choice hotels are trash. Thank God Wyndham's board successfully rebuffed their attempted purchase earlier this year.