Finnair Plus and Radisson Rewards Launch Points Conversion
Finnair Plus and Radisson Rewards have launched a partnership enabling two-way points conversion and tier matching.
Finnair Plus and Radisson Rewards have launched a partnership allowing members to convert loyalty points between the two programs and match their elite status tiers. The collaboration, which went live in September, enables Finnair Plus Silver and Gold members to receive Radisson Rewards Premium status, while Finnair Plus Platinum and Platinum Lumo members are matched to the Radisson Rewards VIP tier.
Members must link their accounts through the Finnair Shop website to activate the status match and conversion capabilities. The names on both loyalty accounts must match, and the hotel program requires a customer service call for any name changes.
Points Conversion Rates
The partnership establishes a two-way conversion system with different valuation ratios. According to the source, converting points from Finnair to the hotel program offers a different rate than converting in the opposite direction.
| Conversion Direction | Rate |
|---|---|
| Finnair Plus Avios to Radisson Rewards Points | 3 Avios = 5 points |
| Radisson Rewards Points to Finnair Plus Avios | 10 points = 1 Avios |
The source notes that five points from the hotel chain are not worth more than one US cent. It also states that the hotel brand's awards are dynamic, with each point valued at one-fifth of a cent (0.2 cents).
Tier Match Details and Benefits
The status match aligns elite levels between the two programs. A matched status is generally valid for two years. To maintain the tier, members must meet the hotel loyalty program's standard requirements: five nights or three stays for Premium status, and thirty nights or twenty stays for VIP status within a twelve-month period.
Benefits for matched members begin immediately. They include access to Member Only Rates, potential room upgrades subject to availability, and food and beverage discounts at participating hotel restaurants. The source advises that bookings made through third-party sites will only count toward status maintenance if the member provides their loyalty number at the time of reservation and check-in.
Analysis and Context
The source provides a critical analysis of the partnership's value. It argues that converting Avios to the hotel points doesn't make sense, as it values them at less than one-third of a US cent. However, it suggests that converting the hotel points to Avios, and then potentially to other Avios programs like British Airways or Qatar Airways, can borderline work if a member has no use for hotel points.
The writer also critiques the tier match requirements. They note that the hotel group has previously matched status from SAS EuroBonus and Club Avolta directly to its VIP tier. Given those precedents, the source contends that matching only Finnair Platinum members to VIP is overkill and suggests Finnair Gold members should have also qualified for VIP.
The partnership follows SAS's team-up with Scandic last year. The source provides historical context, recalling that hotels under this brand outside the Americas were once part of the Rezidor SAS Hospitality Group, leading to many Radisson SAS-branded hotels in the Nordics. It also reminds readers that all hotels with this brand name in the Americas are part of the Choice Privileges program and are unrelated to this loyalty scheme.
