One Week Only: Buy Club Carlson Points With a 75% Bonus

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

Earning points via the traditional method (actually staying in hotels) is just one way to work toward your next free night. Fortunately, hotels make it relatively easy to accrue rewards without traveling, whether through top credit card offers or by utilizing shopping portals and dining reward programs. You can also purchase points directly from the hotel.

This week, Club Carlson launched a compelling new buy points promotion. Now through October 30, you’ll get a 75% bonus when buying Club Carlson points. The standard cost of Club Carlson points is 0.7 cents each, so the bonus effectively brings the price down to just 0.4 cents per Club Carlson point.

Here’s how to take advantage of the promotion:

1. Visit Club Carlson’s Buy Points link.
2. Sign in with your email address or Club Carlson number and password.
3. Enter your credit card information, accept the terms and conditions and click "Pay Now" to complete your purchase.

Keep in mind that the usual restrictions for purchasing Club Carlson points apply to these transactions, including:

• Points may be purchased in increments of 1,000 points, up to a maximum of 40,000 points per calendar year. Bonus points will not count toward the annual 40,000 points purchase maximum.
• Purchased points are non-refundable.
• Bonus points will post within 2 to 5 days.

Note that the purchase is processed by Points.com, so you won’t get any travel category bonuses from this purchase. Make sure to use the best non-bonus category credit card for your situation. Based on TPG’s point and mile valuations, the Chase Freedom Unlimited‘s 1.5x Ultimate Reward points would be the most rewarding choice.

Is It Worth It?

In his latest valuations, TPG values Club Carlson points at 0.4 cents each. This 75% bonus brings the cost of buying points down to just 0.4 cents each, so this promotion deserves a look. Club Carlson is the loyalty program of brands including Radisson, Radisson Blu, Park Inn and Park Plaza. While Club Carlson's reward program isn't as great as it once was, there's still some value left in the program. The value seems especially focused at low-level Club Carlson hotels, but there are still some higher-category hotels that make for awesome redemptions.

Looking for a cheaper way of getting 85,000 Club Carlson points? You can earn this as a sign-up bonus Club Carlson Premier Rewards Visa Signature Card after spending $2,500 in the first 90 days. The annual fee is just $75 and the card easily makes up for this cost with automatic Gold Elite Status and an annual 40,000-point renewal bonus.

Bottom Line

This promotion matches the best bonus offer Club Carlson has offered in quite a while. At the effective cost of 0.4 cents per point, this promotion is worth considering if you've got upcoming travel. Or, if you're still sitting on Club Carlson points since the devaluation in June 2015, this promotion might be a good time to top off your account for a final redemption or two.

H/T: One Mile at a Time

Are you planning on buying points during this promotion?