Pros
- Points don't expire
- Elite-level members receive bonus points on bookings
- Free nights count toward elite status
- Broad portfolio of hotel chains
- Solid co-branded credit cards
- No blackout dates on standard rooms
Cons
- Fewer total rooms than top competitors
- Few perks other than bonus points
- Less valuable rewards points compared to several top competitors
Best Western Rewards is the 8th best hotel rewards program, according to WalletHub research. Some of Best Western Rewards’ biggest strengths include points that never expire, bonus points for elite-level members and a wide range of redemption options.
Below you’ll find additional details about the program, including how to earn elite status, ways to accumulate and redeem points, and how the program measures up against leading competitors.
Best Western Rewards Scorecard
| Category | WalletHub Rating | Rank vs Other Hotels |
|---|---|---|
| Earning Policies | 0% | #8 |
| Rewards Value | 24% | #7 |
| Redemption Policies | 69% | #6 |
| Geographical Coverage | 45% | #6 |
| Status Levels | 71% | #2 |
| Other Features | 72% | #3 |
| OVERALL | 44% | #8 |
Best Western Snapshot
| Points Needed for a Free Night: | Min: 5,000 Avg: 37,500 Max: 70,000 |
| Average Point Value: | 1 point = 0.69 cents 1,000 points = $6.90 |
| Transfer Partners: | 8, including: Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines and more |
How to Earn Best Western
WalletHub Rating for "Earning Policies": 0% (0 / 15 points)
- 10 Best Western Rewards Points per $1 Spent: Eligible Best Western stays
- 2-10 Best Western Rewards Points per $1 Spent: Purchases on a Best Western credit card
- 3 Best Western Rewards Points per $1 Spent: Car rentals through Alamo, National and Enterprise
- 5,000 Best Western Rewards Points: Each car rental with Avis or Budget
- 1,000 Best Western Rewards Points: Each car/limo rental with Sixt
- 1,250 Best Western Rewards Points: Every purchase with Teleflora over $29.99
It’s also good to keep in mind that you may be able to get special deals from time to time on the websites of Best Western and its subsidiaries. You may be able to save money by earning more points than usual on a booking or having to redeem fewer points for a reward night.
How Much Are Best Western Worth?
WalletHub Rating for "Rewards Value": 24% (6.04 / 25 points)
Best Western points are worth 0.69 cents each on average, according to WalletHub’s research. The average Best Western rewards point value is almost the same for both weekday and weekend reservations.
How to Redeem Best Western
WalletHub Rating for "Redemption Policies": 69% (17.22 / 25 points)
| Redemption Method | More Info |
|---|---|
| Free Night | Get a stay at a Best Western property |
| Airline & Partner Rewards | Purchase points and miles from partnered loyalty programs, like Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Southwest Airlines and more |
| Travel Gift Card | Purchase a gift card that works at any Best Western property |
| Shopping | Get vouchers for things like Amazon and Mastercard gift cards |
| Memberships | Pay for memberships in partnered organizations, like the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) |
| Charitable Donations | Give points to organizations like the American Red Cross and the Make-a-Wish Foundation |
Where Can Best Western Points Take You?
WalletHub Rating for "Geographical Coverage": 45% (6.73 / 15 points)
Best Western has more than 110,000 rooms across more than 4,300 properties in over 100 countries and territories. It also features nearly 19 different hotel brands, including Aiden, WorldHotels Elite, SureStay Hotel, Sadie and Vīb – just to name a few. That lets travelers choose the brand that’s best for them based on their budget.
Best Western Status Levels
WalletHub Rating for "Status Levels": 71% (5 / 7 points)
The Best Western Rewards program is free to join, and most people will join as a basic member, or “Blue” member. Best Western Rewards Blue member benefits include no expiration on rewards points and no blackout dates.
The more times you stay at Best Western hotels and resorts, and the more money you spend using a Best Western credit card, the higher your status level will climb. Higher status levels will earn you more bonus points and better perks.
Below, you can see exactly how many nights you’ll need to stay to achieve and maintain each Best Western Rewards status level, along with the perks that come with it.
| Best Western Rewards Levels | Nights Needed per Year | Points Bonus | Other Notable Perks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Member | None | None | Points never expire No blackout dates Exclusive reservation line Free night redemptions count toward Elite Status |
| Gold | 5 | 10% | Blue benefits Complimentary water |
| Platinum | 7 | 15% | Gold benefits Early check-in / late check-out |
| Diamond | 15 | 30% | Platinum benefits |
| Diamond Select | 25 | 50% | Diamond benefits |
Members must satisfy a given status level’s qualifying requirements between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 to reach or maintain that status level and enjoy the corresponding benefits. Once you achieve a status level, you will maintain it through the end of the following calendar year.
Best Western will also match your status in another hotel’s loyalty program for free if you provide proof of your status. That means you can start getting higher-level perks right away without having to stay the normal number of nights at Best Western properties.
In light of the above information, Best Western's scores for this section are as follows:
Ease of achieving elite status: 100% (2 / 2 points)
- According to our study, the cost of achieving elite status with Best Western is $1,717.
Valuable membership perks: 60% (3 / 5 points)
- Based on light, average and heavy spending profiles, new members can expect to receive late check-out, member discounts and priority/express check-in as a valuable perks.
Other Features of the Best Western Program
WalletHub Rating for "Other Features": 72% (9.41 / 13 points)
The "Other Features" component of this Best Western program review focused on five sub-categories. Below, you can see how many points Best Western earned in each category, along with the corresponding WalletHub Rating.
| Category | Points | WalletHub Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Points Expiration | 5 / 5 | 100% |
| Expired-point reactivation | 2 / 2 | 100% |
| Transferring points between accounts (without fees) | 2 / 2 | 100% |
| Number of Transfer Partners With No Fee | 0.45 / 2 | 22.5% |
| Purchasing points | 0 / 2 | 0% |
Best Western Rewards Credit Cards
Opinions and ratings are our own. This content is not provided, commissioned or endorsed by any issuer. Some offers are from WalletHub partners.
Applying for a Best Western credit card may be a smart idea if you have good credit or better and you book at least a few stays at Best Western properties every year. There’s more than one Best Western credit card, though. Below, you can learn about the latest offers.
Best Western Credit Card Offers Compared:
annual fee$0 | annual fee$89 |
rewards rate
| rewards rate
|
bonus offer up to 40,000 points | bonus offer up to 80,000 points |
Purchase Intro APRN/A | Purchase Intro APRN/A |
transfer intro aprN/A | transfer intro aprN/A |
Regular APR25.24% - 29.74% (V) | Regular APR25.24% - 29.74% (V) |
SponsoredApply Now | SponsoredApply Now |
8 Tips for Best Western Rewards Members
- The best way to redeem Best Western points is for Best Western stays. Points are worth 0.69 cents apiece that way.
- Pool or transfer points if it makes sense. Best Western allows members to pool their points together for easier redemption. This is especially helpful for family members with individual Best Western Rewards memberships who often travel together.
- Avoid buying Best Western Rewards points, if possible. Best Western Rewards points cost more to purchase than they are worth when redeemed, on average. However, it could be worth buying a small number if it puts you over the top for a free night.
- Take advantage of status perks. The assorted small perks with which members are rewarded for their financial loyalty can be a big selling point for hotel rewards programs, but they are often forgotten by users as time goes by.
- Consider applying for a Best Western credit card. The top Best Western credit card could save the average person over $900 over the first two years of use, according to WalletHub’s calculations.
- Try the Island Approach with your credit cards. Best Western credit cards offer competitive earnings on hotel reservations (within the Best Western family). On pretty much everything else, you’ll actually get a lower value. That’s why you should put an everyday rewards card into your wallet as well. Doing so rounds out your rewards arsenal, making it so you get your money’s worth on every transaction.
- Make sure to read Best Western reviews & Best Western Rewards FAQs. Learning from experts and fellow travelers will help you pick up some helpful tips as well as avoid tricks and pitfalls.
- Compare your hotel options if you’re not wedded to Best Western. Best Western is not the only worldwide hotel chain with a rewarding loyalty program. You can see how Best Western Rewards compares to a couple of popular alternatives below. You can also check out WalletHub’s rankings of the Best Hotel Rewards Programs to learn more.
Best Western Rewards vs. Hilton Honors vs. Wyndham Rewards
| Category | Best Western Rewards | Hilton Honors™ | Wyndham Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| WalletHub Rank | 8th | 6th | 3rd |
| Average Point Value | 0.69 cents | 0.51 cents | 1.07 cents |
| U.S. Properties | Nearly 2,000 | 5,960 | 5,979 |
| International Properties | Roughly 2,300 | 2,642 | 3,307 |
| Countries/Territories with a Property | 100 | 139 | 95 |
| Point Expiration | N/A | After 24 months of inactivity | After 18 months of inactivity |
| Credit Card to Consider | Best Western Credit Card | Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card | Wyndham Credit Card with No Annual Fee |
Best Western Rewards Review Methodology
Overall program rankings are based on the same methodology as WalletHub’s annual study on the Best Hotel Rewards Programs. Editor’s ratings reflect the sum of each rewards program’s scores across the study’s 5 major categories – earning policies, redemption policies, rewards value, geographical coverage and other features – adjusted to a 5-point scale and to create a representative distribution of ratings.
WalletHub calculated Best Western Rewards point values by comparing room rates in 20 popular travel destinations – 10 domestic and 10 international – to the number of points needed to book a rewards night. We did this for all Best Western-owned hotel locations within 50 miles of the city center in each destination, applying the process to weekend and weekday dates in each destination’s high and shoulder tourist seasons.
We used a similar methodology to calculate Hilton Honors and Wyndham Rewards rewards values.
These values are approximate and intended for illustrative purposes only. Actual point values may vary based on redemption method and individual usage. The estimates provided do not represent fixed or guaranteed values and may differ from the experience of typical cardholders.
WalletHub experts are widely quoted. Contact our media team to schedule an interview.