Choice Privileges has just announced some (suspiciously) positive loyalty program changes for 2025, with one change being particularly noteworthy.
In this post:
Choice Privileges program changes coming in 2025
Choice Privileges has revealed three positive program updates, which will be implemented in early 2025:
- Choice Privileges will start allowing members to book reward nights up to 50 weeks in advance, more than tripling the current window during which you can book awards
- Choice Privileges will allow members to redeem points for premium rooms, rather than just for standard rooms; this will allow members to unlock rooms with extra space, a better view, etc.
- Choice Privileges will reintroduce the popular Radisson Hotels Americas redemption tool named RewardSaver, which allows members to redeem points starting at just 6,000 points per night, down from the previous maximum of 8,000 points per night
Here’s how Choice Hotels Chief Marketing Officer Noha Abdalla describes these changes:
“We are committed to continuously making it easier and more rewarding for Choice Privileges’ members to earn and redeem their points for stays and experiences around the world. These latest enhancements, coupled with our rapidly growing list of hotel options ranging from luxury and upscale properties and resorts to value-oriented hotels, ensure that members have the opportunities to use their points on what they care about most.”
These are all great developments!
It’s rare to see a loyalty program announce positive changes without a catch, so I’m pleasantly surprised by this. Now, in fairness, Choice Privileges was recently considerably devalued — not only did redemption rates go up at many Choice properties, but they also increased rates at many Preferred Hotels properties.
The most exciting development here is that Choice Privileges will start allowing award bookings 50 weeks out. Some people might be surprised that Choice doesn’t currently allow members to redeem points that far out, but that is in fact currently a major downside of the program.
At the moment, Choice allows you to redeem points up to 100 days before a stay. That’s already better than in the past, because prior to 2018, you could only redeem award nights 30 to 60 days out, depending on where in the globe you were redeeming.
The ability to redeem for premium rooms and through the RewardSaver program are mildly positive changes, but I don’t think they fundamentally shift the value proposition of the program.
Bottom line
Choice Privileges has announced some positive changes that will be implemented in 2025. The most significant change is that award bookings will be allowed up to 50 weeks in advance, more than tripling the current window. We’ll also see premium room redemptions, plus the return of the RewardSaver program, which many members will appreciate.
What do you make of these positive Choice Privileges changes?
Since (at least for stays in the Nordic countries) one can book superior and deluxe rooms already via the app and website for the same number of points as a standard room, I would be hard pressed to consider a program change that increases the cost of "premium accommodations" to be a positive at all.
@Chris
Yes, you can do so at select properties. Yet, according to Katie Genter from TPG, with these new changes being implemented early next year, she believes it may end the ability to book upgraded room types at some properties for the same number of points as standard room types
Personally I think it all depends on how "premium room redemptions" rolls out. Currently all room types, with possible exceptions, cost the same points.
And Preferred Hotels.