Show summary Hide summary
Choice Hotels is reshaping its Choice Privileges program with guest-friendly changes that roll out in early 2026. Members can expect lower elite thresholds, a new top-tier status, and additional perks that aim to make rewards easier to reach and use.
Reduced night requirements for existing elite levels
One of the clearest shifts is that current elite tiers will become easier to attain. Choice Privileges is lowering the nights needed for each status by five per year. That means:
Nickelodeon star arrested after alleged Malibu burglary
Euphoria season 3: Sydney Sweeney left off set as feud with Zendaya intensifies
- Gold: now requires 5 qualifying nights per calendar year
- Platinum: now requires 15 qualifying nights per calendar year
- Diamond: now requires 35 qualifying nights per calendar year
Cardholders of the Choice Privileges® Mastercard® and the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® can still earn complimentary status and elite-qualifying nights through card activity. Choice has not yet announced any changes to the specific benefits tied to each tier.
A new top status: Titanium and its headline perk
In addition to easing access to existing levels, Choice will introduce a new elite tier called Titanium. Members can reach Titanium either by staying a high number of nights or earning a set amount of qualifying credits in a calendar year.
How to qualify and what the award does
- Titanium qualification will be available through stays or elite credits in 2026.
- Titanium travel award: book up to seven nights at more than 400 premium Choice properties for half the usual points.
Choice has hinted Titanium will include additional bonuses, such as elevated points accrual on eligible stays. Final benefit details are pending.
Additional program updates members should know
Choice Privileges also flagged several other adjustments that take effect in 2026 and beyond. These are intended to enhance flexibility and reward frequency for active members.
- Changes to how long points remain valid, offering more leeway than the current inactivity window.
- New milestone rewards and bonus-point opportunities tied to stays each year.
- A points-sharing option to move points between members, with terms to be clarified.
- A planned status “soft landing” beginning in 2027 to ease transitions between tiers.
Early signals suggest the first milestone reward could arrive after as few as 10 nights in a calendar year. The points-sharing tool sounds useful, though Choice has not disclosed any fees or limits yet.
Member impact and what remains unknown
Lower qualification thresholds will make entry-level and mid-tier status more accessible to infrequent travelers. Fewer nights needed for Gold could especially benefit occasional guests who want basic elite perks.
Choice’s loyalty leader Nandika Suri described the program shift as a push to make rewards more attainable and valuable for modern travelers. The company frames these updates as an effort to deliver benefits more often and to more members.
That said, full clarity is still pending. Exact benefit upgrades, any fees or blackout rules for the Titanium travel award, and the final terms of points-sharing are not yet published. Members and points shoppers will want to watch for the complete rollout details.
Further reading on hotel loyalty strategies
- Top hotel reward programs and how to choose one
- How to get the most from hotel credit cards with low annual fees
- Strategies for maximizing stays across multiple loyalty programs
- When buying elite status makes sense
- Common problems in hotel loyalty programs and how to avoid them
