Radisson Rewards Splits Into 2 Programs and Devalues Its Award Chart

Editor's note: Radisson is now part of the Choice Privileges loyalty program. This content is being updated to reflect this change. In the meantime, read more about this news here.

As of June 2021, your membership in the Radisson Rewards loyalty program and your ability to redeem award nights at more than 1,500 Radisson properties has changed in two ways.

First, the loyalty program split into two: Radisson Rewards Americas and Radisson Rewards. Second, the award chart has changed from seven categories to five.

Here’s what you need to know about these changes.

Radisson Rewards program change FAQs

What are the new Radisson Rewards programs?

There are now two programs: Radisson Rewards Americas and Radisson Rewards. Radisson Rewards Americas covers properties in the U.S., Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. Radisson Rewards includes properties in Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa.

• To enroll in Radisson Rewards Americas, head over to the Americas site.

• To join Radisson Rewards, visit the Radisson Hotels site.

If you're a U.S.-based traveler being automatically enrolled into Radisson Rewards Americas, you must sign up for Radisson Rewards to earn or redeem Radisson loyalty points at its 550-plus properties in Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

As a member of Radisson Rewards Americas, you'll earn up to 35 points per dollar spent on stays at participating properties. The points you earn at hotels in the Americas will go into your Radisson Rewards Americas account. Once you’ve signed up for the other program, Radisson Rewards, the points you earn staying at properties in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific will go into your account with that program.

If you have points with one program but want to redeem with the other program, you can easily do so, up to 1 million points at a time and up to 5 million points per year or 25 transactions (whichever comes first). Points transfer on a 1:1 basis, and while there's no fee for the transfer, the transfers can take up to 24 hours to post to the receiving account.

Your points will not expire as long as there is activity in your account once every 24 months. You can earn or redeem points to keep your account active, but transferring points also counts as an activity that resets the 24-month clock for either program.

» Learn more: Why Both Radisson Rewards programs are underrated

Why is Radisson Rewards splitting into 2 programs?

In 2018, Radisson's parent company was sold to a Chinese company that is controlled by the Shanghai government. To adhere to U.S. privacy regulations, the company was required to separate into two companies to protect consumer information.

The regulations required Radisson to have separate websites, social media channels, apps and loyalty programs, which led to the split into two Radisson programs.

How does this change affect Radisson brands?

Combined, Radisson’s rewards programs have around 1,200 properties across the world where you can earn points, spread among nine brands ranging from economy to luxury.

About half of the hotel locations are in the new Radisson Rewards Americas program, while the other half will remain in the legacy hotel loyalty program.

There are eight brands available in both Radisson loyalty programs.

• Radisson Collection.

• Radisson Blu.

• Radisson.

• Radisson Red.

• Radisson Individuals.

• Park Plaza.

• Park Inn.

• Country Inn & Suites.

A ninth brand, Prizeotel, operates only in Europe. Members of Radisson Rewards can earn and redeem points at its locations.

What will happen to my existing Radisson points balance?

There will be no change to your Radisson points balance; your existing points will remain with whichever program you are assigned based on the address in your profile.

Radisson currently has a pause on the expiration of points through the end of 2021, so your points will not expire before the end of the year. Unless the policy is extended, the standard policy that requires points activity every 24 months will apply.

How does this affect my Radisson credit card rewards?

If you have a Radisson Rewards credit card from U.S. Bank, the points you earn will go into your Radisson Rewards Americas account.

» Learn more: Which Radisson credit card do I choose?

Award chart updates

How is the Radisson Rewards award chart changing?

Radisson also changed its award chart. Instead of dividing properties into seven categories, the revised chart has just five. Redemption amounts will increase in increments of 15,000 points, starting with Category 1 redemptions of 15,000 points per night and maxing out at 75,000 points per night for a Category 5 redemption.

The standard and premium award charts are nearly identical for both Radisson Rewards and Radisson Rewards Americas. However, different types of rooms have different point values in each program. The legacy Radisson Rewards program offers a "family room" award that costs 25% more points than a standard room. Radisson Rewards Americas offers discounted redemptions as RewardSaver rooms, available for 33% fewer points than standard rooms.

Radisson Rewards Americas award chart

When making award bookings at hotels in the U.S., Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean, you will redeem Radisson Rewards Americas points. To make an award booking in these regions, you’ll need to go to the Radisson America's site.

After the move from seven hotel categories to five, Radisson Americas hotels are now mainly concentrated in Categories 1, 2 and 3.

Due to the change, the entry redemption rate is 15,000 points instead of the previous 9,000 for Category 1 hotels. However, there are now 101 hotels that require 15,000 points (Category 1) compared to only 52 hotels (Categories 1 and 2) in the prior chart, indicating that even hotels that were previously in Category 3 and above moved into Category 1.

There are now 475 hotels that cost 30,000 points per night or less (Categories 1 and 2) compared to only 372 hotels previously, demonstrating again that hotels from prior Category 4 (38,000 points per night) and above shifted into the new Categories 1 and 2 (under 30,000).

At the higher end, there are now 10 hotels that cost 75,000 points per night, and this rate is higher than any previous rate. Stays at these properties will cost you more than you previously would have paid in any category.

From a totals perspective, out of the 615 Radisson Rewards Americas properties, there are 179 hotels that are now cheaper, 396 that increased in price and 40 that remained unchanged. Although overall this is a devaluation, 36% of hotels either declined in price or remained unchanged. Whether the change is a devaluation to you largely depends on which properties you choose to stay at.

Radisson Rewards award chart

When booking award nights at hotels in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, you will be redeeming Radisson Rewards points. To book a hotel in these regions, head over to the Radisson Hotel site.

Both Radisson programs: Hotel categories distribution

Since Radisson has not provided a breakout of which hotels (in the Radisson Rewards program) shifted categories, it's difficult to tell if the Radisson Rewards program has been devalued as well. However, this is the distribution of the new categories in both programs.

Similar to Radisson Rewards Americas, the majority of properties in the Radisson Rewards program are concentrated in Categories 1, 2 and 3.

Points + Cash award chart changes

Radisson’s Points + Cash option allows you to book a room using a combination of cash and points. The Points + Cash award chart also changed from seven categories to five. If you want to book a Points + Cash redemption, you’ll need to pay cash in addition to the following number of points. The chart is the same for both programs.

The Points + Cash option can be handy if you don’t have enough points for a room, however it's not always a good value. Radisson points are worth 0.8 cent each so you should aim for redemptions that offer 0.8 cent per point or more.

What steps should current Radisson Rewards members take?

If you travel only in your home region

You do not need to do anything to keep earning Radisson points on stays in your home region. Your account will automatically be transitioned to one program or the other based on the address within your profile. You will continue earning points at participating hotels in that region.

If you travel outside of your region

To earn or redeem points at hotels outside of your region, you must create a new account in the other Radisson loyalty program.

Travelers based in the Americas should sign up at radissondotels.com, while travelers residing in Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific or the Middle East should sign up at radissonhotelsamericas.com.

You'll receive a new member number when you sign up. Remember to use the same name and email address on both accounts so that you can easily transfer points back and forth between the two programs.

If you have elite status with Radisson Rewards

After you've created your new account, call customer service and request a status match. You'll receive an automatic match of your legacy Radisson Rewards elite status.

If you have an existing reservation

Radisson’s award chart is also changing, which means it’s possible the points price of your existing reservations has gone down. Review your reservations to see if you can save points on your upcoming travel.

While you are locked in at a lower price on more expensive reservations, you can cancel and rebook travel at hotels that went down in price. Alternatively, you can call customer service to ask them to refund the difference.

2 Radisson programs that can work for you

Radisson Rewards is splitting its loyalty program in two. If you reside in the Americas or the Caribbean, your existing account will automatically become a Radisson Rewards Americas account. However, you'll need to sign up for a new Radisson Rewards account to earn or redeem points at hotels in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

Though the award chart appears to be a devaluation at first glance, you can still extract value from the properties whose nightly point rates have decreased or remained unchanged.