Get a 40% Bonus When You Buy Choice Points
You can get a 40% bonus when you buy Choice points. You have until Tuesday, April 18, 2017. BUT (yep, I'm shouting), you should buy Choice points now if you want to earn the Southwest Companion Pass. With the Southwest Companion Pass, you can fly for free for almost two years. Is it worth it to buy Choice points? Let's find out.
40% Bonus When You Buy Choice Points
Choice Privilege is offering a 40% bonus when you buy Choice points by April 18, 2017.
The bonus varies depending on how many points you buy:
- 5,000 to 14,000 points = 10% bonus
- 15,000 to 29,000 points = 20% bonus
- 30,000 to 39,000 points = 30% bonus
- 40,000 points to 50,000 points = 40% bonus
You have to buy at least 5,000 points to get a bonus. The most points you can buy during this offer is 50,000.
Usually, you can buy Choice points for 1.1 cents per point. With this promotion, the price drops to 0.79 cents per point.
Buy 5,000 to 14,000 points: pay 1 cent per point and get 10% bonus
Buy 15,000 to 29,000 points: pay 0.91 cents per point and get a 20% bonus
Buy 30,000 to 39,000 points: pay 0.84 cents per point and get a 30% bonus
Buy 40,000 to 50,000 points: pay 0.79 cents per point and get a 40% bonus
Is it a good deal?
How to Buy Choice Points
1. Use the Choice buy points link.
2. Enter your information.
3. Choose how many points you want to buy.
4. Pay with your credit card.
Pro-tip: Buying Choice points don't count as a travel purchase. So you won't get extra points if you pay with a travel rewards card like the Barclaycard Arrival Plus. Instead, use a card that you have to meet minimum spending on.
Find the latest travel rewards cards offers.
Who Should Take Advantage of This Deal
If you stay at Choice hotels, getting a 40% discount when you buy Choice points is a pretty good deal. Do you stay at other hotels instead Choice hotels? Here's why you should buy Choice points.
You can transfer Choice points to Southwest at a ratio of 6,000 Choice hotel points to 1,800 Southwest points. And they count towards earning your Southwest Companion Pass. But only until March 31, 2017.
Buying Choice points is a fast and cheap way to earn the Southwest Companion Pass.
Southwest Companion Pass
The Southwest Companion Pass lets you bring a companion with you for free. You can fly as often as you want for up to two years and your companion gets to come too. They only pay the airport tax of $5.
You can earn a Southwest Companion Pass when you earn 110,000 Southwest points in a calendar year.
A quick way to earn 100,000 Southwest points is to get 2 credit cards, one personal card, and one business card. Once you've met the minimum spending requirement, you'll have 104,000 Southwest points.
To get the remaining 6,000 points, you can transfer Choice hotels points.
For every 6,000 Choice points you transfer, you get 1,800 Southwest points. Redeeming 66,000 points gets 19,800 Southwest points.
You can buy 50,000 Choice points for $550. Because of the 40% bonus sale, you'd get 70,000 Choice points.
Read how to transfer Choice hotel points to Southwest.
Should You Buy Choice Points?
Yes, for sure if you want to earn the Southwest Companion Pass. But you have to buy Choice points and transfer them to Southwest by March 31, 2017.
Pro-tip: It can take 9 days for points to transfer. So you should buy Choice points now and transfer as soon as they post.
Not going to fly on Southwest and could care less about the Southwest Companion Pass? Should you buy Choice points? Maybe.
You shouldn't buy points just because there's a 40% bonus. Or because you want to stock up on Choice Privileges points.
There are times when you should buy points. If you travel during the holidays, summer, or spring break or stay at expensive hotels, you could save a lot of money if you buy Choice points.
Choice hotels aren't usually expensive. Unless you're vacationing during school holidays or in places where there are few hotels.
Clarion Collection Hotel Aurora
Photo courtesy: Clarion Collection Hotel Aurora
If you want to see the Northern Lights from Norway, Tromso is one of the best places to stay. One night at the Clarion Collection Hotel Aurora during the Northern Lights season is $220. Or you pay 16,000 points.
You could buy 14,000 points at 1 cent per point and get 16,800 points because of the 20% bonus offer for $154. A savings of $66.
They also offer a points plus cash rate of 6,000 points + $75. Even if you had to buy 6,000 points for $66, you'd still save $79.
Check rates, read reviews, or make a reservation: ChoiceHotels.com | Booking.com | TripAdvisor
Distrikt Hotel New York City, An Ascend Hotel Collection Member
Photo courtesy: Distrikt Hotel New York
New Year's Eve at the Distrikt Hotel New York City, An Ascend Hotel Collection Member hotel costs $589. Or 30,000 points.
You can buy 25,000 points and with the 20% bonus get 30,000 points for $275. You'd save $314 if you buy Choice points instead of paying cash.
The points plus cash rate is 6,000 points + $180. A savings of $343.
Check rates, read reviews, or make a reservation: ChoiceHotels.com | Booking.com | TripAdvisor
Hope Town Harbour Lodge, An Ascend Hotel Collection Member
Photo courtesy of Hope Town Harbour Lodge
A Saturday night at the Hope TownHarbour Lodge, An Ascend Hotel Collection Member hotel in the Bahamas during spring break costs $235 points. Or 16,000 points.
Buying 14,000 points during the 40% bonus sale gets you 16,800 points for $154. You'd save $81 if you buy Choice points instead of paying cash.
The points plus cash rate is 6,000 points + $75. If you bought the 6,000 points, you'd save $94.
Check rates, read reviews, or make a reservation: ChoiceHotels.com | Booking.com | TripAdvisor
Conclusion
You can get a 40% bonus when you buy Choice points by April 18, 2017. Which is a great deal if you want to earn the Southwest Companion Pass.
There's still time to transfer hotel points to Southwest to earn the Companion Pass. But you have to do so by March 31, 2017.
The bonus offer is for purchases of at least 5,000 points and up to 50,000 points.
Don't fly Southwest? You could save a lot of money when you buy Choice points to stay at Choice hotels. But you should do the math first to make sure it's worth it.
Read my post on how to transfer Choice hotel points to Southwest.
Read: The Only Time You Should Buy Airline Miles
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I love the idea of the southwest companion pass but sadly it is not available in the UK. I've never heard of choice points though.
The companion pass sounds like a great deal, such a shame it's not available here in the UK. Good to read the details of how it works.
This seems to be a really good deal for everyone who planning to stay in the hotel.
I had no idea about the Southwest companion pass. I would love that and it is not very difficult to earn the points to qualify for that. Great tips
This sounds like an excellent deal - I will see if it is available in Canada.
love the idea of Choice points and companion pass which to be something unique and new.
Wow! It sounds like a really great deal! I have to hurry up and buy this!
This looks like a great deal for points, and some great options for spending them! I wish they had these kind of reward programs in Australia!
Never heard of choice points but the idea of saving money for the things that you would love to do is irresistible! Travel does strain your pockets and any money saved helps in increasing the travel budget.
It is an interesting concept. Looks like it will beneficial if you are living in the US and travel a lot. The idea of partner flying free is a great one. Hope some once comes up with something similar in this part of the world 🙂 🙂
So, it's past March 31st, 2017... do you know if or when we can transfer Choice points to Southwest towards the companion pass? I'm only now getting my cards..
I'd appreciate any help you've got!
Thank you!
V
Hi Veronica Duran,
Unfortunately, on April 1, 2017, Southwest stopped allowing hotel points transfers to count towards the Companion Pass.
Sounds like a good deal for those in North America.
Looks like a great idea but unfortunately it doesn't look like this is available in Australia. Which countries does this deal apply to?
Amazing tips thank you. And the up to 40% bonus points sounds like a great deal.
I wish that I could take advantage of this incredible deal - unfortunately being in Australia it excludes me from being eligible. Other people really need to jump on board with this fast tho!
I always wonder if it's worth it to buy miles in sales like this. Thanks for going through the different cases to show how it is worth it. I'll be sure to take a closer look.
I don't think it's available in Canada, which is really unfortunate! We get left out of so many awesome deals. This one sounds spectacular!
Thanks for the heads up Deb! I'm a very big fan of Choice hotels and we have a couple of great properties here in Australia too - thanks for the tip that buying points doesn't count as a purchase - some cards do, some card don't, so that's really good to know 🙂
The choice point concept looks quite interesting. But unfortunately, it is of no use to us hopefully we do have something like this here too. I like the idea of partner flying free and some amazing deals on offer.