What happened
BWH Hotels will retire Best Western Rewards on January 5, 2027 and fold it into a single WorldHotels Rewards program with three membership tiers covering more than 4,000 properties and 18 brands. Current members of both programs move automatically. No enrollment is required. Status matching remains available.
Five existing tiers collapse into three, and some of today's levels will share a new one. WorldHotels says points keep their current value and never expire. Member rates continue. Existing status is meant to transfer to a corresponding tier, but which old levels land where stays unknown until November 16, 2026. Award pricing and earning rates have not been announced. A 2026-earned Best Western tier currently lasts through December 2027.
The unified program will have 70 million members. A new website and redesigned app launch with the change. Members can keep their existing number or its last 10 digits. Reservations already on the books are honored.
Hold any status match until the November 16, 2026 mapping is out, because a 2026 Best Western tier already lasts through December 2027.
- Announced
- Oct 28, 2026
- Starts
- Jan 5, 2027
- Numbers
- 4,000 properties: hotels in the combined portfolio
- 18 brands: hotel brands in the combined portfolio
- 70 million members: combined membership of the unified program
- 10 points per dollar: current standard base earning rate in both programs
- Who qualifies
- Current Best Western Rewards and WorldHotels Rewards members; no enrolment required. Status matching remains available.
- Links
- Program page Best Western website bestwestern.com
- Takeaway
- Do nothing for the migration itself; wait for the November 16, 2026 details before deciding whether a status match now (lasting through December 2027) is worth it.