In mid-2023, Radisson Rewards Americas grew to become totally built-in into Alternative Privileges. This integration introduced new improved advantages to Alternative Privileges standing, together with complimentary breakfast at taking part upscale Radisson manufacturers for top-tier elite members.
Even so, Alternative elite standing would not supply as many perks as a few of the finest resort elite standing tiers. However some vacationers nonetheless discover worth in incomes Alternative standing, so let’s take a better look.
What’s Alternative Privileges elite standing?
Alternative elite standing presents some perks and further rewards once you keep at lodges and resorts that take part in Alternative Privileges. Along with resort manufacturers like Radisson, Consolation and Clarion, some on line casino lodges, all-inclusive resorts and extended-stay lodges additionally take part in Alternative Privileges.
It’s essential to qualify for Alternative standing every calendar yr. Every time you qualify, you may preserve your standing via the tip of the following calendar yr.
Alternative elite standing tiers
The Alternative Privileges program presents 4 membership tiers. The primary membership tier — member — would not have any particular necessities. However this system additionally has three standing tiers that you may earn as follows every calendar yr:
- Gold: 10 nights
- Platinum: 20 nights
- Diamond: 40 nights
Along with elite standing advantages, all Alternative Privileges members can earn further rewards on stays that embrace a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evening via the Alternative Motels Personalised Weeknight Advantages program.
Associated: So, what precisely is elite standing in journey — and the way can I get it?
The way to qualify for Alternative elite standing
To qualify for Alternative elite standing, it’s essential to keep a particular variety of point-eligible or reward nights with taking part Alternative Privileges properties every calendar yr. As mentioned above, you may want to remain 10 qualifying nights for Gold, 20 nights for Platinum and 40 nights for Diamond throughout every calendar yr.
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Nevertheless, WoodSpring Suites doesn’t take part in Alternative Privileges, and stays of greater than six nights at MainStay Suites, Suburban Prolonged Keep Motels and Everhome Suites don’t earn one evening towards incomes elite standing for each qualifying evening stayed. As an alternative, for stays of seven nights or extra at these manufacturers, you may accrue one evening towards incomes elite standing for each two qualifying nights (as much as 15 nights towards incomes elite standing per keep).
You will normally must e book your keep via Alternative channels to earn factors. Nevertheless, you will not earn Alternative factors or nights towards elite standing once you e book straight with Ascend Lodge Assortment all-inclusive resorts or on line casino areas.
Some charges — together with room charges under $40 per evening and sure hotel-initiated promotions — do not qualify for factors, and a few lodges do not take part in Alternative Privileges. The Alternative phrases and situations inform members they “might all the time name your resort to verify that it participates within the Alternative Privileges program and that your charge plan qualifies for factors.”
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Alternative elite standing advantages
The Alternative elite standing advantages aren’t as intensive as what you may discover in another resort loyalty applications. However here is a have a look at a few of the elite advantages and the way they differ based mostly in your Alternative standing.
Elite bonus factors
Alternative Privileges members normally earn 10 base factors per greenback paid for qualifying room charges (excluding taxes and incidental prices) at taking part lodges. And in some areas, you may additionally earn 10 factors per greenback spent on different eligible modifications to your folio.
Nevertheless, you will not earn factors on stays at WoodSpring Suites, and you will solely earn 5 factors per greenback when staying at extended-stay manufacturers for seven nights or extra (you may solely earn on the primary 30 nights of your keep at extended-stay manufacturers).
Along with these factors provided to all members, Alternative elite members earn bonus factors based mostly on their standing tier: Gold members get a ten% bonus, Platinum members get a 25% bonus and Diamond members get a 50% bonus.
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Reserved parking
At some Alternative Privileges properties, you may discover a number of parking spots nearer to the resort entrance with elite parking signage. These areas are first come, first served for Gold elite members and above.
Early check-in and late checkout
Gold elite members and above can request complimentary early check-in and prolonged checkout. Members with Alternative standing can request early check-in as much as two hours sooner than the acknowledged check-in time at most lodges. Nevertheless, early check-in requests are granted based mostly on availability.
Elite members also can request late checkout as late as 2 p.m. when staying within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean or as much as two hours previous the usual checkout time when staying in Europe, the Center East, the Asia-Pacific area and most different worldwide areas. Nevertheless, late checkout is predicated on availability, and it’s essential to request it earlier than the acknowledged checkout time.
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Elite welcome present
Gold elite members and above get a welcome present at check-in for some points-earning stays. Particularly, Gold elite members and above can count on:
- Cambria Motels property within the U.S.: 250 bonus factors
- Radisson People, Radisson Assortment, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson Pink, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson or Nation Inn & Suites by Radisson property within the U.S., Canada, Latin America or the Caribbean: 250 bonus factors
- Clarion, Sleep Inn, High quality or Mainstay Suites property within the U.S.: A snack and beverage or 200 bonus factors
- Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn or Suburban Studios property within the U.S.: A snack and beverage or 100 bonus factors
- Ascend Lodge Assortment, Clarion, Consolation or High quality property in Canada: A snack and beverage or 250 bonus factors
- MainStay Suites or Sleep Inn property in Canada: A snack and beverage or 200 bonus factors
- Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn or Suburban Studios property in Canada: A beverage or 100 bonus factors
Elite rollover nights
If in case you have Gold elite standing or above and earned extra elite qualifying nights than you want on your standing, you possibly can roll over the additional nights to the following yr. Gold members can roll over as much as 9 nights, Platinum members can roll over as much as 19 nights and Diamond members can roll over as much as 39 nights.
Standing match with Penn Play Rewards
Alternative elite standing members can match their standing to Penn Play Rewards, with Diamond members matching to Penn Play Most popular and Gold and Platinum members matching to Penn Play Benefit. Alternative Privileges members also can earn and redeem Alternative factors for stays at Penn properties.
Room upgrades
Alternative members with Gold standing and above are eligible for complimentary room upgrades in choose areas on the following manufacturers:
- Cambria and Ascend Lodge Assortment: Worldwide
- Radisson, Radisson Blu, Radisson Pink, Radisson Assortment, Radisson People and Park Plaza: Solely in North America, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean
Nevertheless, upgrades are topic to availability and decided by every property at check-in. Upgrades may embrace suites, not too long ago renovated rooms, rooms on a better or decrease ground and rooms with higher views. Nevertheless, some lodges in taking part manufacturers do not take part in upgrades, and lodges aren’t required to improve elite members to any particular room sort. In observe, the one upgrades I’ve gotten when staying at taking part Alternative manufacturers are to higher-floor rooms.
Complimentary breakfast
Prime-tier Diamond elite members gained entry to complimentary breakfast at choose manufacturers when Alternative Privileges built-in Radisson Rewards Americas. As such, solely choose legacy Radisson Rewards Americas manufacturers supply Diamond elite members free breakfast.
Particularly, Diamond elite members and an extra visitor registered to the identical room because the member can get pleasure from complimentary breakfast at Radisson, Radisson Pink, Radisson Blu, Radisson Assortment, Radisson People and Park Plaza manufacturers in North America, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. The breakfast providing varies by resort however might encompass a set menu, continental breakfast or buffet breakfast.
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Can a bank card assist earn Alternative elite standing?
Having the best bank card can assist you earn Alternative elite standing. Alternative Privileges presents two cobranded bank cards: the Alternative Privileges® Mastercard® (see charges and charges) and the Alternative Privileges® Choose Mastercard® (see charges and charges). Each Alternative Privileges playing cards supply a set variety of elite evening credit every calendar yr that qualify you for a particular standing and can assist you earn larger elite standing tiers.
The Alternative Privileges Mastercard has no annual payment however offers 10 elite evening credit every calendar yr. These elite evening credit are sufficient so that you can earn Gold elite standing yearly and rely towards serving to you earn larger tiers of Alternative standing.
Nevertheless, the Alternative Privileges Choose Mastercard is a greater possibility for many Alternative visitors. This card has a $95 annual payment however offers 30,000 bonus factors each account anniversary. Based mostly on TPG’s February 2025 valuations, these bonus factors are price $180, nearly double the cardboard’s annual payment. Plus, the Alternative Privileges Choose Mastercard provides cardholders 20 elite evening credit every calendar yr, which is sufficient for Platinum elite standing and means you’d solely want 20 extra nights every calendar yr to earn Diamond elite standing.
Associated: Alternative Privileges Choose Mastercard evaluation: Elite standing and bonus factors every year
Is Alternative elite standing price it?
In the event you’re studying this text, you could wonder if Alternative elite standing is price pursuing. For many vacationers, the advantages of Alternative standing aren’t price going out of the best way to earn. As such, I like to recommend staying at Alternative properties when it is sensible and maybe getting the Alternative Privileges Choose Mastercard since its anniversary bonus factors every year ought to present considerably extra worth than its annual payment.
Doing so might lead to incomes Alternative standing, providing you with extra factors on qualifying paid stays and offering advantages on some stays. However these advantages are comparatively minor — until you earn Diamond standing and regularly keep at manufacturers that supply complimentary breakfast to Diamond elite members — so I do not advocate going out of your technique to earn Alternative standing.
Associated: Distinctive methods to redeem Alternative Privileges factors
Backside line
The advantages of Alternative elite standing are minimal, particularly when in comparison with what excessive tiers of World of Hyatt standing and Marriott Bonvoy standing supply.
Nevertheless, in case you have the Alternative Privileges Choose Mastercard, you will not want all that many nights at Alternative Motels to earn top-tier Diamond standing. Alternative Diamond standing could also be useful because of bonus factors incomes and breakfast perks at choose manufacturers. Nonetheless, even decrease tiers of Alternative standing might assist preserve you out of the worst rooms and get you barely later checkout throughout some stays.
