Choice Privileges has announced that in 2010, award nights will count towards elite status qualification. Hilton HHonors is the only other major U.S. program that includes award nights when calculating a member’s elite status. We heard that Choice Privileges was considering adding a spending threshold as another way to qualify for elite status, but elite members indicated they did not want this option, so hotel nights remain the sole avenue to elite and the inclusion of award nights makes it a little easier to earn and maintain elite status.

Choice Privileges announced other changes as well, including monthly redemption sales, many of which are only available to elite members. The program is also planning on redesigning its Web site with a launch in early 2010. The program has also joined Twitter and you can follow tweets about news and promotions at http://wwwtwitter.com/ChoiceHotels