What happens to Choice Privileges points when the owner dies
Choice Hotels International points are forfeited under the program's terms when the account is closed
Choice Hotels Customer Service
Choice Hotels Customer Service
Choice publishes no timeline, because it publishes no deceased-member process. There is no application, no review period, and no fee schedule for a transfer at death — the Rules effective January 1, 2026 do not address death at all. The only clock that does run is the inactivity clock: points are forfeited after eighteen (18) consecutive calendar months without a Qualifying Activity, and expired points can only be reinstated within 180 days of expiration through a paid flow that requires the account holder's own login credentials (so it is not available to an executor). A goodwill request should therefore be made promptly rather than left until the estate is closed.
(General customer service)
Choice Hotels International's terms state that points are not the property of the account holder and are forfeited at death. The program does not provide a mechanism for transferring points to heirs.
Some families have reported receiving accommodations from Choice Hotels International customer service, though this is not part of the official policy.
What to do
When a Choice Privileges account holder dies, these are the steps to take:
- •Customer service: 800-300-8800 (7 a.m. to 10 p.m. MST, 7 days a week)
- •Choice Privileges points line: 888-770-6800 (24/7) — published as the "Redeem points" line, and the line most likely to reach staff who work on member point balances
- •Reservations: 800-521-2121 (24/7), if the other lines are unreachable
- •The deceased member's full name and Choice Privileges member number
- •A certified copy of the death certificate
- •Documentation of your authority over the estate (for example, Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration)
- •Identification for yourself as the person making the request
Required Documents
- Deceased member's full name and Choice Privileges member number
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Documentation of estate authority such as Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- Identification of the person making the request (executor or surviving family member)
Timeline
Choice publishes no timeline, because it publishes no deceased-member process. There is no application, no review period, and no fee schedule for a transfer at death — the Rules effective January 1, 2026 do not address death at all. The only clock that does run is the inactivity clock: points are forfeited after eighteen (18) consecutive calendar months without a Qualifying Activity, and expired points can only be reinstated within 180 days of expiration through a paid flow that requires the account holder's own login credentials (so it is not available to an executor). A goodwill request should therefore be made promptly rather than left until the estate is closed.
Frequently asked questions
They are lost, but not because Choice says so — because Choice says nothing. The Choice Privileges Rules and Regulations effective January 1, 2026 contain no death, deceased-member, or estate provision at all. What they do say is that points "do not constitute property of the Member," are "non-transferable," and are not redeemable for cash, and that a member who is inactive for eighteen (18) consecutive calendar months "forfeits all accumulated points." With no beneficiary mechanism and no published exception, a deceased member's balance simply lapses. A survivor can still ask Choice to credit the points to a family member as a goodwill gesture, but Choice is under no obligation to consider it.
No. Choice publishes no bereavement channel, no deceased-member form, no estates mailing address, and no fee schedule for a transfer at death, and its Rules do not address death at all. This sets Choice apart from several peer programs that publish a documented discretionary transfer-on-death path. To report a death, close the account, or ask for a goodwill credit, an executor calls the general lines: customer service at 800-300-8800 (7 a.m. to 10 p.m. MST) or the 24/7 Choice Privileges points line at 888-770-6800.
No. Under the Rules, points "do not constitute property of the Member" and are "non-transferable," so there is nothing for a will to pass — a bequest of Choice points has no asset to operate on. Recording the member number in your estate planning documents still helps your executor identify and close the account, but it does not create a claim to the balance.
Since Choice Privileges points are forfeited at death under the official terms, points can only be used during the account holder's lifetime. Redeeming, transferring, or sharing points while the account is active preserves their value.
Sources
Data sourced from Choice Hotels International primary sources (5 pages reviewed). How we research.
Choice Hotels Customer Service
Choice Hotels Customer Service
Choice publishes no timeline, because it publishes no deceased-member process. There is no application, no review period, and no fee schedule for a transfer at death — the Rules effective January 1, 2026 do not address death at all. The only clock that does run is the inactivity clock: points are forfeited after eighteen (18) consecutive calendar months without a Qualifying Activity, and expired points can only be reinstated within 180 days of expiration through a paid flow that requires the account holder's own login credentials (so it is not available to an executor). A goodwill request should therefore be made promptly rather than left until the estate is closed.
(General customer service)
