AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
You can now transfer your Choice Privileges points to a trio of Avios programs. The change was relatively recent; it likely occurred within the last month and was introduced without fanfare. But now that you can transfer Choice points to Avios, the question worth asking is: Is it worth it?
Let's dive into the ins and outs of Choice's new transfer option to see if this is a fair use of your points.
Choice Privileges Adds Three Avios Airlines as Transfer Partners
Courtesy of Choice's new transfer partners, you can now convert Choice Privileges points to any of the following three Avios-centric loyalty programs:
- British Airways Executive Club
- Iberia Plus
- Aer Lingus AerClub
The rules are simple: Transfer a minimum of 5,000 Choice points at a 5:1 ratio in increments of 1,000 points. Initiating a transfer from Choice Privileges is free.
And remember, you can transfer Avios for free between all programs that use the currency. As such, this latest development makes Qatar Airways and Finnair unofficial de facto transfer partners for Choice Privileges points. However, you must first transfer them to one of the above three programs.
How to transfer Choice points to Avios
Transferring points is relatively straightforward, and all you need to do is follow a few simple steps. First, log in to your Choice Privileges account.
Click on “Add Programs” and select your desired program.
Then click “Link” to provide your frequent flyer program number.
And that's it! You can now transfer your Choice Privileges points to your desired Avios program.
List of Choice Privileges Transfer Partners
Much like with Marriott Bonvoy's airline transfer partners, you can transfer your Choice points to several airline loyalty programs. However, the transfer ratio and minimum points transfer varies by airline:
The best value is to transfer Choice points to Qantas Frequent Flyer and Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer, where the ratio is a much improved 2.5:1 instead of 5:1. However, the ratios are not outstanding, and the program isn't as valuable as its rival Marriott transfer program. Remember, you can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to nearly 40 airlines at a 3:1 ratio and collect a 5,000-point bonus for every 60,000 points you transfer (to almost every airline).
Is It Worth Transferring Your Points?
Typically, a free night at Choice Privileges costs between 6,000 and 35,000 points, although most are cost more than 8,000 points per night. On the other hand, 1,000 Avios is a negligible amount and will not get you very far. So, there's little merit in exchanging 5,000 Choice points for 1,000 Avios.
Consider that AwardWallet members redeem Choice Privileges points for an average value of 0.6¢ apiece. At this redemption rate, 5,000 Choice points is worth around $30.
AwardWallet members redeem their BA Avios for 2.56¢ per point and Iberia Avios for an average value of 3.03¢ per point. If you redeem your Avios at this high of a redemption rate, the 1,000 Avios you receive would be worth around $26 to $30.
In pure dollar terms, there is not much difference in value between 5,000 Choice Privileges points and 1,000 Avios. However, at the high end, things can be very different; 35,000 Choice Privileges points will get you a free night at a top-of-the-range Choice property. Alternatively, you could convert those points to 7,000 Avios, which is enough for some short-haul flights.
Our Take
We're not sure how useful this transfer option will be. Yes, it's handy to know this functionality exists in case you need to use it in a pinch, like when you're a few points short of redemption and don't have another use for your Choice points. However, the mediocre transfer ratio leaves much to be desired, and you're likely better off cashing in your Choice Privileges points for free hotel nights.
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.