Trying to transfer Choice Hotel Points to United/Alaska. RewardExchange not working
 

Hi guys,
I am trying to transfer some Choice Hotel Points to United. I go to this site after logging in
https://www.choicehotels.com/choice-...wards-exchange
It asks me to link to the other airline program (rewards exchange powered by points.com). Every time i try to enter the email (my email on file at Choice Privileges as well as United MIleage plus is the same), i get this error

That email address has already been used, please visit your Choice Privileges account and update your profile.

it wont let me link to united or Alaska. Anyone else try to transfer choice points in recent past. what to do?

I don't recall the exact details (though I did successfully transfer Choice points to Amtrak a couple weeks ago), but to be clear, is it just the backend that's run by points.com, or does it actually prompt you to log into points.com to make the transfer? If it's the latter, is it possible you already have an account with them (under that email address), and the Choice portal thinks you're trying to sign up for a new one (which is why it's telling you the email address is already taken)?

it's the backend. there is not even a a place to enter my ua mileageplus number. When i cick link, it goes to a page prefilled with my choice email on file and nothing else to enter. Clicking button tells me the email error.

The current (2022) bonus is decent, especially given the cheap price I bought the Choice points in the first place.

I tried to link my son's accounts but got a "permission denied" message. I am not sure what the reason/workaround is.

Does the Choice account email have to be the same as the United account email?

EDIT: I tried with my own account, where Choice and United email is the same, and still denied.

Its been a while but I was able to get around the error message. Change BOTH your united and choice privileges linked email on both accounts. use an email that you have never used before. go to gmail and create a new email basically. Now establish the link again with the new email. do a small test transfer like 1000 points. should work. then you can do the rest.

Can you then revert back to your original e-mail?

What a pain, especially given we have 3 accounts in the family. That means create 3 new email accounts, change 6 different sites...

btw, I tried to transfer choice to united yesterday, got the confirmation of the transfer, miles (ANY, not just the bonus) still not showing up and its been 12 hours. DO NOT transfer big amounts, do the minimum 5000 - 2000 first.