Through December 3, 2019, Radisson Rewards is offering a 100% bonus on purchased points. Note that you have to log into your account to see the offer so it’s possible not everyone will see the same promotion. The accounts I manage all show a 100% bonus, so I’ll go off that.
Radisson Rewards lets you buy up to 80,000 points per account per calendar year (pre-bonus), and the 100% bonus applies as long as you buy at least 5,000 points in one transaction.
Factoring in the 100% bonus, you can buy a maximum of 160,000 points through this promotion. The 160,000 points would cost you $560, meaning they’re charging 0.35 cents per point.
Radisson Rewards doesn’t sell points very often. The last time we saw a promotion like this was around the same time last year. So if you’re in the market for Radisson Rewards points, this is as good as it gets.
Personally I value Radisson Rewards points at ~0.3 cents each, though that’s a conservative valuation and you should be able to get more value out of points if redeeming at the right places.
Here’s the Radisson Rewards award chart:
As you can see, the top properties go for 70,000 points per night. If you’re buying points for 0.35 cents each, that’s like paying $245 per night for a stay at a top hotel, which could represent a good value in some cases.
The purchase of Radisson Rewards points is processed by points.com, so wouldn’t qualify as hotel spend for the purposes of your credit card.
Therefore I’d recommend using a card on which you’re trying to reach minimum spending, or otherwise a credit card that maximizes your return on everyday spending, like the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (review) or Citi® Double Cash Card (review).
See this post for more on which credit cards are best for buying points.
Radisson Blu Polar Hotel in Longyearbyen, Norway
Bottom Line
Bonuses on purchased Radisson Rewards points don’t get better than this, so if you’re in the market for some points, this is a great opportunity.
However, this isn’t a rate at which I’d pick up points without a particular use in mind.
I’d say this is generally ideal if you want to top off an account for a redemption, especially given that even buying just 5,000 points would qualify for the 100% bonus. Furthermore, with a specific hotel in mind, buying points at this rate could make a lot of sense.
Do you plan on buying Radisson Rewards points with a 100% bonus?
Based on all the points buying opportunities, hotels and airlines must make a fortune from people buying the points otherwise they wouldn’t be selling them.
I’m guessing many go unused, or people use them poorly or when the hotels have tons of rooms available.
I can’t recall the last time I’ve stayed at a Radisson property (and no, I’m not someone who stays only at the super high end hotels).
Thanks for posting this. I’m going to buy points for an upcoming trip to India where cash prices are high but points prices are low. FYI I am seeing a 50% bonus for purchased points in my account. Still a good deal, but apparently not everyone gets the 100% bonus.
I got the 75% bonus. So this is a targeted offer I guess.
I got a 50% bonus, hard pass.