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The answer is, probably not. But it really depends on your plans and whether you are OK tying up cash in view of all the uncertainty in the world of travel at the moment. For those unfamiliar, Daily Getaways program markets itself as a super-duper opportunity to obtain travel deals at highly discounted prices.
In reality, many deals aren’t anything special, as is the case with IHG, Hilton and many various so-called promotions. Other promos, like Hyatt, are almost impossible to obtain due to meager quantity of packages. I’m not sure why Daily Getaways even bothers including it. It’s certainly a win for Hyatt since they basically get an almost free publicity out of it.
I don’t ever purchase travel packages or certificates via Daily Getaways, and I definitely wouldn’t consider them now in lieu of the pandemic. But to each his own.
Yesterday, Daily Getaways association published a preview for this week as well as the next one, and you can view them via this link The website is a bit glitchy, so if you don’t see the link to a preview, try it on your mobile device.
The bottom line is, almost all the deals are in the “skip” category. All, except one. I’m talking about Choice points, and that’s what I would like to cover in a nutshell.
Why you should (maybe) consider buying Choice points
This deal will go on sale on October 12th, and I predict that it will sell out the same day. Why? Because, unlike Hilton and IHG, the savings here are real. And unlike Hyatt, there is a substantial number of packages offered, so your chances of taking advantage of this deal (as long as you don’t procrastinate) are excellent.
Is it worth buying Choice points at a bit over 0.5 cents apiece? It certainly can be, especially for international travel. If you plan to visit Scandinavia, I definitely recommend you look into it. Here are a few examples in Bergen, Norway, the city I’ve personally visited and loved:
Eating out costs a fortune in Norway, so the ability to get free breakfast is quite valuable
Do keep in mind that you can only book 100 days out, so if you are planning to visit Scandinavia next summer, you will be purchasing points speculatively. Interestingly, according to the website, this rate via points is good through the end of 2099!
Yeah, I wouldn’t count on it. But even if these hotels run at 30k points per night, it would still be a smokin’ hot deal. There are quite a few Choice properties all over Europe, so I recommend you do a search on choicehotels.com If you want to see the rate in points for the next few months, click on the property name and simply scroll down.
What about US? You won’t get anything close in value compared to Scandinavia, but there are hotels where you can save real money by purchasing points. There are many Choice properties close to national parks, and quite a few are as far as you can get from “fleabag motel” reputation attached to Choice brand.
Here are a some examples in Gardiner MT, close to north entrance of Yellowstone:
Both properties look more like lodges than motels, and I wouldn’t hesitate to stay in either one. The rate quoted for the next few months is 30k points per night, and will likely run at 32k to 36k points in summer months. Once again, you will have to take a leap of faith if your visit is outside of 100-day booking window.
Hotels and condos near Yellowstone run at $300 per night on average during peak season, so the ability to get a stay covered for around $180 all-in isn’t too bad. But at this point, I would recommend thinking long and hard before taking a plunge, especially if you have other hotel currency you can use.
Also, if you have a large family, booking a vacation rental will most likely be a better deal than two rooms. See my 2019 post on Yellowstone lodging options via points(some award rates may have changed since the post went live).
Aside from national parks, there are other US properties you may be interested in, like this beachfront hotel in Clearwater beach It costs 30k points per night, but it has been recently remodeled. Rates here during spring months can be as high as $350 per night.
I’ve taken my family to a next-door hotel on the same beach, and we all enjoyed it. I actually prefer this corner of Clearwater to the main drag.
There is also resort in Lahaina, Maui that looks like decent value at 20k-30k points per night.
Basically, when it comes to US, don’t expect spectacular savings, unless perhaps you have to stay at a specific Choice property during a popular event. But with Scandinavia and few other international locations, this promo is a no-brainer. I would absolutely take advantage of it, even if I had a lot of other hotel points I could use instead. It’s just too good of a deal to pass up.
A huge advantage of Choice program is the fact that you can often book suites at the same rate as a regular room. Obviously, this is huge for families.
If you are interested, make sure to join Choice program ahead of time, since you will have to input your membership number during checkout process. Also, set a reminder so you are ready to buy once the deal goes live. Once again, I fully expect the packages will sell out rather quickly, but who knows.
Bottom line
Personally, I won’t be taking advantage of any of the deals mentioned in this preview. I don’t have plans to visit Scandinavia next year, and I don’t like to buy points (any points) speculatively. And I don’t recommend you do either.
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Author: Leana
Leana is the founder of Miles For Family. She enjoys beach vacations and visiting her family in Europe. Originally from Belarus, Leana resides in central Florida with her husband and two children.
Thanks for posting your thoughts. I was on the fence about getting Choice points, as we visit national parks a lot. Your suggestion is the tie breaker.
@Samantha Glad the post was helpful! I bought Choice points a few years ago, and eventually got pretty good value out of them. Though I ended up using them on a different hotel than originally intended due to change in travel plans. As long as you have a plan B, IMO it’s hard to lose money when buying Choice points at 0.5 cents apiece.
I’ve only purchased 1 in my lifetime and I think it was a Marriott deal. I can’t even remember. Unless they are all listed there used to be deals for Vegas and seemed much better.
@Boonie I purchased Marriott gift cards and Choice points in the past. Marriott cards aren’t listed in this particular preview, but they should come back in a few weeks. Those are a good deal as long as one has solid plans for them. I do seem to remember that some had issues using them internationally. It’s definitely a case of YMMV