Choice Privileges - Next promotion?

Well, if there's going to be something after Freeville, it had better come soon, or I have to book a bunch of nights elsewhere.

C'mon, Choice. People do plan more than a few days in advance, you know.

I agree. Strange how these promos are there to try to get people to reserve (most do so at least 2 weeks ahead), but the promos are announced the last minute --- or even after it starts!! If Choice wants to keep the promos filling rooms, they need to announce new ones (with a Clear start date) about 2 weeks before the former one ends.

I have my resrv. up to 28 Apr., but so far none in May.

I agree--it makes no sense. But with a) my disenchantment with Choice due to their huge point increases in certain areas and b) the free night promos taking effect with SPG and Priority Club, the promo would have to be extraordinary for me to care.

Well, it is about 10pm Eastern, and Freeville is the only program I see, which expires tonight!

I usually will stay at Choice for a +/- 3,000 point bonus per stay. Freeville rounded up to 8k for 2 stays. But for 1,000 total points per stay, other programs have more appeal.

Again -- Choice visits will likely drop for many of us FTers. You KNOW a new program has been decided on, but why delay the announcement as people will be booking 2 weeks out.

But for 1,000 total points per stay, other programs have more appeal.


Yeah, like stay 2 nights in a crummy Holiday Inn and get a free weekend night in a 6-star hotel through the end of the year.

Still nothing May 1, 9:15 am Central.

Choice usually doesn't start their next promo until June 1. Hopefully there will be info available mid-May. Last year it was 16,000 points after three stays.

I looked it up in response to this thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/choice-privileges/940881-next-promo-after-freeville.html): last year's promo that started June 1 was first mentioned on this board on May 13.

Guess I will wait for 2 weeks. Really not much travel in next two weeks, but some in June. I would think once they have some people "accustomed" to Choice, they would like to have some program to keep them coming back. Or at least target those that stay during special promos, but not much other times.

Next promo runs May 21 to Aug 13 and is a combination of some past Choice promos or promos that competitors are running right now. Promo depends on which brand you stay at. That's all I can reveal right now ;)

Next promo runs May 21 to Aug 13 and is a combination of some past Choice promos or promos that competitors are running right now. Promo depends on which brand you stay at. That's all I can reveal right now ;)

The cat's out of the bag. I just saw the tail end of a commercial on the weather channel and paused it to copy the fine print on the screen. Capitalization theirs, not mine:

"Stay 3 separate times and Earn a Free $50 Prepaid Cash Card with CHOICEprivileges

MUST BOOK AT CHOICEHOTELS.COM OR 1-800-4CHOICE. VALID 5-21-09 THROUGH 8-13-09. AFTER 3RD QUALIFYING STAY AT ELIGIBLE RATES, EARN ENOUGH CHOICE PRIVILEGES POINTS TO REDEEM FOR A PREPAID VISA CASH CARD."

So it's a cash card, not a gas card. The brand logos on the screen were Comfort, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep and Clarion. (Not Econolodge or Rodeway, so maybe they have a separate offer again?)

scruffy:

Thanks for the info.

Your post says "EARN ENOUGH CHOICE PRIVILEGES POINTS TO REDEEM FOR A PREPAID VISA CASH CARD".

It's 16000 points for a $50 card. This sounds very similar to last year's promo.

I have 13 nights in Orlando coming up and have persuaded the wife to try hotel-hopping for the 6 nights she'll be along.

64000+ points, good for 21+ WN RR credits! Almost halfway by then to Companion Pass renewal! Woo-hoo!

I'm trying to recall why someone would want to get the cash/gas card. Do those points expire earlier than usual? I can usually use 16k points for 2 room nights saving me somewhere in the neighborhood of $120-150

I'm trying to recall why someone would want to get the cash/gas card.

Because they are not paying attention.

I can't see it yet on the Choice page, but I'm curious: will it be one of the ways they've done it in the past:

1. Take all the points you earn in your 3 stays (exclusive of elite bonus) and add enough to make the total 16,000, or

2. You get all your points and then they add an additional 16,000?

Obviously, #2 is the preferred choice (a little CP humor there :)), but I suspect it's going to be #1. :(

Well if there are commercials for it I guess I could post what Choice had sent to me, the first is just like Scruffy posted:

Coming Soon – Earn a FREE $50 Cash Card When You Stay 3 Separate Times!
It doesn’t get any easier than this! Simply stay three separate times at any qualifying Comfort Inn®, Comfort Suites®, Quality®, Sleep Inn®, Clarion®, Cambria Suites® or Ascend Collection® property with arrival between May 21 and August 13, 2009, and receive enough Choice Privileges® points to redeem for a $50 prepaid cash card! In order to qualify, reservations must be made at ChoiceHotels.com.

Coming Soon – Earn free nights twice as fast with DOUBLE points on every qualifying stay!*
Just stay at MainStay Suites®, Suburban Extended Stay®, Econo Lodge® and Rodeway Inn® hotels in the U.S. and Canada with arrival between May 21 and August 13, 2009, and earn DOUBLE Choice Privileges points with every qualifying stay! Reservations must be made at ChoiceHotels.com to take advantage of this great promotion!

I guess I'll have to look at the T&C's to find out if it's #1 or #2 ... but in order to do that, they'd have to publish them!

C'mon - the promo starts next week, and there's still nothing on the website. Is it possibly targetted? They've never done one of those yet, AFAIK.

I can't see it yet on the Choice page, but I'm curious: will it be one of the ways they've done it in the past:

1. Take all the points you earn in your 3 stays (exclusive of elite bonus) and add enough to make the total 16,000, or

2. You get all your points and then they add an additional 16,000?

Obviously, #2 is the preferred choice (a little CP humor there :)), but I suspect it's going to be #1. :(

It's on the website now. It's #3: they add enough to make the total 14,000:
http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/html/SummerPromotionMidscale

Coming Soon – Earn free nights twice as fast with DOUBLE points on every qualifying stay!*
Just stay at MainStay Suites®, Suburban Extended Stay®, Econo Lodge® and Rodeway Inn® hotels in the U.S. and Canada with arrival between May 21 and August 13, 2009, and earn DOUBLE Choice Privileges points with every qualifying stay! Reservations must be made at ChoiceHotels.com to take advantage of this great promotion!

Also on the website now: http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/html/SummerPromotion

So they apparently have cut the "price" of a $50 gas card to 14,000 Choice points, but have not updated this page:

http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/html/GPTravelRewards?sid=XkFiM.vsHoSg2_g.11

So they apparently have cut the "price" of a $50 gas card to 14,000 Choice points, but have not updated this page:

http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/html/GPTravelRewards?sid=XkFiM.vsHoSg2_g.11

This promo is for a Cash Card, not a Gas Card, but I don't see any cash card redemption options at all.

(I believe last year they promoted the points as for a Gas Card and did a similar thing with the 2K point "sale" on redemptions for it).

This promo is for a Cash Card, not a Gas Card, but I don't see any cash card redemption options at all.

(I believe last year they promoted the points as for a Gas Card and did a similar thing with the 2K point "sale" on redemptions for it).

Yes, sorry for the discrepancy. I don't see a cash card redemption page either.

I saw that they will also give you a $50 Choice Privileges gift card for 14K points.

Double Rodeway/EconoLodge points ain't too valuable.

Yes, sorry for the discrepancy. I don't see a cash card redemption page either.

I wonder if the visibility of the Cash Card redemption option will be restricted to those who earn 14,000 points through this promo. Apparently, only those who do will be eligible to redeem points for it. I also hope that the expiration date only applies to the Cash Card redemption option, not for the 14,000 points. From the Web site:

Reservations must be made at choicehotels.com or 800.4CHOICE at qualifying rates and Choice Privileges member number must be provided upon check-in. After every third qualifying stay between 5/21/09 and 8/13/09, enough points will be added to points earned to reach the 14,000 point level, which can be redeemed for a prepaid $50 cash card. Only members earning this bonus qualify to redeem for the cash card and redemption must be completed by Oct. 31, 2009.

Yes, I saw the item about having to earn the 14K via the promo, now does that mean they will take those same points or use older points? And will you be limited to the number of cash cards? I have points expiring this year and this looks like a good way to burn them.

Yes, I saw the item about having to earn the 14K via the promo, now does that mean they will take those same points or use older points? And will you be limited to the number of cash cards? I have points expiring this year and this looks like a good way to burn them.

It will be interesting to see how this one pans out. I can't foresee how they can manage this with the current FIFO system. I'm sure I won't be the only unhappy camper if I can't cross the "next" point threshold for an additional card and my remaining points (earned during this period) are taken away.

Glad to see the next promo - sorry to see the seemingly "pointless" redemption criteria!!

It will be interesting to see how this one pans out. I can't foresee how they can manage this with the current FIFO system. I'm sure I won't be the only unhappy camper if I can't cross the "next" point threshold for an additional card and my remaining points (earned during this period) are taken away.

Glad to see the next promo - sorry to see the seemingly "pointless" redemption criteria!!

Although Choice in not high on my customer-centric list, I don't think the points will go away if not redeemed while the cash card is being offered. Once the points post to your account you are free to spend them as you want. Many of their promos are misleading (as this one is) that burning the points for the targeted reward is the best deal. Usually I find using the points for stays to give the best return. Although they are deminishing the return with the higher point values. Of course, if you can't/won't use the points for a future stay, then alternate rewards become a better choice.

I talked with Choice customer service today, since that "redemption must be completed by Oct 31, 2009" statement was a cause of concern. What I was told was that the Oct 31 deadline refers to the gas card and not the points, so points earned will expire as usual, in this case 12/31/11. I'm on a road trip all of August so I will be staying at Choice prior to 8/13 earning those 14,000 points two or three times and 'burning' my 12/31/09 expiring points on the way back from PA.