Choice Privileges - award stay booking question

The bad thing for choice points is it expires at designated year end.

I have 30k points will expire by 12/31/2011, but I will need to book several stays in Jan 2012, could those points still be used for those bookings, since I will book award stay before year end?

The bad thing for choice points is it expires at designated year end.

I have 30k points will expire by 12/31/2011, but I will need to book several stays in Jan 2012, could those points still be used for those bookings, since I will book award stay before year end?

No, I believe they need to be USED by 12/31. Your next best bet is to convert them to gift cards and use them to pay for the rooms 2012. Much better than letting them expire.

The bad thing for choice points is it expires at designated year end.

I have 30k points will expire by 12/31/2011, but I will need to book several stays in Jan 2012, could those points still be used for those bookings, since I will book award stay before year end?

I recommend contacting Choice directly and see if they will allow you to book Jan. stays with your points.

In my experience, you can book award stays for use after the expiration (within the normal window, so not very far out). However, if you then cancel the award reservation, there is the possibility that the points will vaporize. (There's also the chance they will be re-credited with a new expiration date, but I wouldn't count on it.)

In my experience, you can book award stays for use after the expiration (within the normal window, so not very far out). However, if you then cancel the award reservation, there is the possibility that the points will vaporize. (There's also the chance they will be re-credited with a new expiration date, but I wouldn't count on it.)

whatt is the normal window??

The bad thing for choice points is it expires at designated year end.

I have 30k points will expire by 12/31/2011, but I will need to book several stays in Jan 2012, could those points still be used for those bookings, since I will book award stay before year end?

Recommend that you call Choice Customer Service directly at 1-877-424-6423
and see if they will make the Jan stays reservations for you using your points.

If they do ... no problem .... just don't cancel, you may lose your points forever.

In my experience (and YMMV):

If you book before the expiration date, the points can be used for a stay that would otherwise be after the expiration date, since the points are deducted immediately, at time of booking.

Furthermore, I recently had an experience where I had to cancel a future award stay, and it SEEMS like those points which were set to expire, once they were credited back to my account, are no longer set to expire!

I dont know what will actually happen yet, but I'll find out in a few days and report back.

I've tried the book & cancel process to refresh points a few times in the last few years and it has been cut off more than a year ago. Granted Choice IT may mess up and allow it to happen, but you also run the risk of an audit catching the error and then you are out the points.

If you have points that will expire and no means to use them for rooms, convert them to airline miles or gift cards for something you can use. Not the greatest return, but a lot better than them just going away. Play within the rules and you can defend your actions, break the rules then be prepared to loose.

whatt is the normal window??
This a reference to the booking "window of time" (in terms of calendar days) that varies with the destination and/or the elite status level. From the Choice Hotels website, these are the various booking windows:

* Book up to 30 days in advance for hotels in the U.S. or Canada or 60 days in advance for hotels in Hawaii and outside of the U.S. and Canada
* Reward nights can be booked 50 days in advance for Elite Gold members staying in the U.S. and Canada or 60 days in advance for hotels in Hawaii and outside of the U.S. and Canada.
* Reward nights can be booked 75 days in advance for Elite Platinum members and 100 days for Elite Diamond members