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Short answer: yes, but only if you let them. Choice Privileges points expire after 18 months of no qualifying account activity — and since January 1, 2026, elite members are exempt from that clock entirely. Here’s exactly how the rule works and how to make sure it never touches your balance.
The 18-Month Inactivity Rule
Choice Privileges points expire at midnight on the last day of the 18th consecutive calendar month after your most recent qualifying activity. There’s no partial forfeiture and no warning grace period built into the rule itself — once that window closes without activity, the entire balance is wiped.
The clock resets every time you do something that counts as ‘activity’ (see below), so for most members who stay at a Choice property even once every year and a half, points never come close to expiring.
What Counts as Qualifying Activity
Any of the following resets your 18-month clock:
- A point-eligible paid stay at a participating Choice Hotels property (booked direct, not through a third-party site)
- Redeeming Choice Privileges points for a free night, gift card, or other reward
- Purchasing points directly
- Earning points via the Choice Privileges Mastercard or Select Mastercard
- Transferring points to or from another member’s account
- Earning points through a partner program (car rentals, cruises, surveys, or an airline transfer via Rewards Exchange)
Simply holding a card or being enrolled in the program does not count — the account needs an actual transaction tied to it.
Elite Members: Exempt Since 2026
As part of the program’s 2026 overhaul (the same update that introduced Elite Qualifying Credits and the new Titanium tier), Choice Privileges removed inactivity-based expiration for elite members entirely. Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Titanium members keep their points for as long as they hold elite status — no stays or purchases required to keep the balance alive.
That makes elite status itself a form of points insurance on top of its usual perks. If you’re close to a tier, see our full breakdown of Choice Privileges membership levels for exactly how many nights or credits each one takes.
What Happens If Your Points Expire?
If the 18-month window closes with no qualifying activity, the points are removed from the account. Choice does allow reinstatement of a lapsed account and some or all of the forfeited points, but only if you act within 180 days of the expiration date — after that, the points are gone for good. Reinstatement isn’t automatic, so if you notice a balance has dropped to zero, contact Choice Privileges member services directly rather than assuming it’s unrecoverable.
How to Keep Your Points Active Without Trying
For most members this isn’t something to actively manage — a single stay, redemption, or card swipe every year and a half resets the clock automatically. A few low-effort habits make it a non-issue permanently:
- Keep a Choice Privileges co-branded Mastercard in your wallet and use it for even one small purchase periodically — every swipe counts as activity.
- Set a recurring calendar reminder at the 12-month mark as a buffer, not the 18-month deadline itself.
- If you’re not traveling but want to protect a large balance, a single small points purchase or transfer resets the clock for the cost of a few dollars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Choice Privileges points expire?
Yes, but only after 18 consecutive months with no qualifying activity on the account. A stay, redemption, points purchase, or eligible credit card charge resets the clock, so active members rarely hit the limit.
How many months until Choice Privileges points expire?
18 months. Points expire at midnight on the last day of the 18th consecutive calendar month after the account's most recent qualifying activity.
Do elite members' points expire?
No. Since the program's January 2026 overhaul, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Titanium elite members are exempt from inactivity-based point expiration for as long as they hold elite status.
Can I get expired Choice Privileges points back?
Sometimes. Choice allows reinstatement of a lapsed account and some or all of the forfeited points if you contact member services within 180 days of the expiration date. After that window, the points cannot be recovered.
What is the easiest way to keep Choice Privileges points from expiring?
Use a Choice Privileges co-branded Mastercard for even a small purchase periodically, or book one stay every year or so — either resets the 18-month clock automatically.
Bottom Line
Choice Privileges points expire after 18 months of zero qualifying activity — but any stay, redemption, purchase, or card swipe resets the clock, and elite members don’t have to worry about the rule at all since 2026. For most members, points expiration is a theoretical risk rather than a practical one. See our full Choice Privileges rewards guide for how to earn and redeem points beyond just keeping them alive.
