Is Radisson Americas to Choice Points Transfer Ratio a Fair Deal?

As reported by many blogs (I first saw this news on One Mile at a Time), you can now convert your Radisson Americas program points to Choice, and vice versa. Via this new scheme, one Choice point will be worth two Radisson points. Naturally, you need to be a member of both programs. Access this function via this link.

I have to say, this exchange rate is exactly what I expected, so I consider it fair. I was hoping that as a gesture of goodwill, Choice program would let you exchange points on 1:1 basis, at least temporarily. Alas, that didn’t happen. Overall, this is a positive development, as it gives you more options. That’s always a good thing. Plus, if you have a Citi Premier, you now have indirect way to transfer to Radisson on 1:4 basis. But before you get too excited, look at the rates that program charges. Although, Category 1 (15k points per night) can be a stellar deal if your plans align.

While Radisson footprint is very light near US National parks, the same cannot be said about Choice program. Very often it’s the only game in town. Also, if you are looking for outsized value, I recommend searching for Choice options in Europe, specifically Scandinavia. I also recommend reading this old post of mine that mentioned some amazing Choice program deals.  I’m sure some rates have gone up, and some have disappeared altogether since it was published. But if you look hard enough, you will discover some Choice gems here and there. As always, whether hotel points are valuable or not will depend on your travel plans.

As mentioned earlier, Radisson Americas programs has some decent deals as well, but they are few and far in between. I’ve recently burned my leftover Radisson points on Radisson Resort Miami Beach at 60k points per night. I would probably cancel if Choice conversion ratio was more favorable, and perhaps use the points on a hotel in Tokyo instead. As it is, I will likely keep the reservation. I  value 60k Radisson points (and conversely 30k Choice points) at around $150, so it’s not a bad deal for a beachfront hotel. Plus, since I have Silver status with Radisson, I may even snag an upgrade.

If you have some points parked in Radisson program, you may want to transfer them to Radisson Americas while you still can. That program has undergone a stealth devaluation a few months ago. I imagine this option will be taken away at some point.

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.