Choice Privileges serves as the loyalty program for Choice Hotels, encompassing brands from Cambria and Comfort Inn to Econo Lodge, along with Radisson properties across North America, Latin America and the Caribbean following the 2023 integration. The program introduced several updates in late 2025 that lowered thresholds for existing elite tiers, added a new highest level and created milestone rewards for accumulating stays. A mid-2026 adjustment raised award costs in major Japanese cities, yet opportunities for solid value remain through targeted redemptions and status benefits.
Qualifying for Elite Status
Members reach elite tiers through qualifying nights or qualifying credits earned during the calendar year. Qualifying nights generally include points-eligible stays, reward nights and certain employee or friends-and-family rates. Qualifying credits come mainly from base points on stays and spending on a linked U.S.-issued Choice Privileges credit card.
Extended-stay properties follow different rules. WoodSpring Suites stays earn neither nights nor credits. Everhome Suites, MainStay Suites and Suburban Studios award one qualifying night per night for stays of six nights or fewer, or one night per two nights for longer stays capped at 15 per booking. Credits also scale down after the first 30 nights on extended stays. Status earned at any tier above Member lasts through the end of the following calendar year, with a soft-landing policy that drops members one tier if they fail to requalify.
Status Tiers and Associated Benefits
Member status arrives automatically upon enrollment and provides 10 base points per dollar at most properties plus bonus points after the second and third qualifying stays each year. Gold status requires five qualifying nights or 10,000 qualifying credits, or it comes automatically with the no-annual-fee Choice Privileges Mastercard. Gold members receive a 10 percent points bonus, welcome gifts at participating hotels, early check-in and late checkout where available, room upgrades at select brands, elite parking and access to a dedicated hotline.
Platinum status needs 15 qualifying nights or 30,000 credits and adds a 25 percent points bonus. Diamond status calls for 35 nights or 70,000 credits and includes a 50 percent bonus, complimentary breakfast for two at many Radisson brands, guaranteed room availability on paid stays booked 48 hours ahead and a status match to Penn Play Preferred. Titanium, the new top tier, requires 55 nights or 110,000 credits and grants all Diamond benefits plus one Titanium travel award each year that halves the points needed for one reward stay of up to seven nights at selected properties.
Milestone Rewards for Accumulating Stays
Members earn additional points or gift cards at set thresholds of qualifying nights or credits each calendar year. These rewards recognize progress independently of elite tier qualification, though cardholder nights count only toward elite status and not milestones. Gift card options are limited to U.S. and Canada residents.
The milestones break down as follows:
- 10 qualifying nights or 20,000 credits: 1,500 points or $5 gift card
- 20 qualifying nights or 40,000 credits: 2,500 points or $10 gift card
- 25 qualifying nights or 50,000 credits: 3,000 points or $10 gift card
- 30 qualifying nights or 60,000 credits: 3,500 points or $10 gift card
- 40 qualifying nights or 80,000 credits: 4,500 points or $20 gift card
- 45 qualifying nights or 90,000 credits: 5,000 points or $20 gift card
- 50 qualifying nights or 100,000 credits: 6,500 points or $20 gift card
Earning and Redeeming Points Effectively
Points accrue at 10 per dollar on most room rates at participating hotels, with elite bonuses layered on top. Members must book directly through Choice channels to earn, and certain low-rate or promotional stays are excluded. Cobranded credit cards accelerate earnings, while transfers from American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One, Citi ThankYou and Wells Fargo programs add flexibility at varying ratios.
Redeeming points for award nights typically delivers the strongest value, with most stays falling between 8,000 and 35,000 points and no fixed award chart. Points Plus Cash options and occasional RewardSaver rates can further improve returns. Other redemptions such as gift cards or cruise credits yield lower value around 0.3 cents per point, while donations to select charities reach up to 1 cent per point. Transfers to airline programs are available but usually less advantageous than hotel stays.
Practical Steps to Maximize Returns
Regular promotions, including offers of 8,000 bonus points for every two stays, provide straightforward ways to build balances faster. Status matches up to Platinum level are available for members of other hotel programs through a simple email request, with timing between July and December extending the matched status through the following year. The Lowest Price Guarantee can also deliver a $50 reward card or a free night when a lower rate appears shortly after booking.
Choice Privileges continues to offer accessible entry points for status and points value despite recent adjustments. Travelers who focus on direct bookings, track promotions and target high-value award nights tend to see the strongest results from the program.
