IRVING, Texas, December 15, 2016 – La Quinta Holdings Inc. (NYSE: LQ) today announced Redeem Away!, a new benefit that gives La Quinta Returns members who are Visa accountholders a simple way to redeem their La Quinta Returns points. This innovative, travel industry-first benefit lets members easily redeem their La Quinta Returns points for a variety of everyday purchases like groceries, restaurant meals – even a cup of coffee.

Using Redeem Away! is easy. First, the member links an eligible Visa credit card and mobile phone number to the member’s La Quinta Returns account. After the member makes a qualifying in-store or online purchase with the linked Visa credit card, a text notification is immediately sent to the member’s mobile phone, inviting the member to redeem points for that purchase. By responding “yes,” points are deducted from the member’s La Quinta Returns account and a credit for the purchase amount is received on the linked Visa credit card statement in approximately 10 days. Redeem Away! makes it easier than ever to redeem points anytime for lots of everyday purchases.

La Quinta Returns points can be redeemed for qualifying purchases at more than 1 million U.S. retail and online locations* in the following categories:

  • Fast food and casual dining restaurants
  • Bookstores
  • Grocery stores and drugstores
  • Club and discount stores

“Redeem Away! is part of La Quinta’s ongoing initiative to drive engagement with the brand by investing in points of differentiation in our loyalty program, La Quinta Returns,” said Keith Cline, La Quinta’s president and chief executive officer. “Hotel loyalty program members told us they want more value from their points and to be able to redeem them after their first stay with us. We created this innovative benefit for our members, allowing them to redeem La Quinta Returns points anytime for lots of everyday purchases with their linked Visa credit card and mobile phone.”

La Quinta Returns, a top “5 Best Hotel Rewards Program” as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, launched the first phase of its program benefits earlier this year by significantly enhancing the aspirational travel component of the program. La Quinta Returns members can now redeem their points for stays at more than 20,000 luxury hotels and resorts throughout the world. In the months to come, even more new benefits will be introduced to the program, which will give members additional ways to earn and redeem their La Quinta Returns points, as well as qualify for status upgrades.

“Today, whether walking into a physical store or searching online, customers expect to move quickly and easily between the online and offline experiences – especially with the brands they regularly use and trust,” said Doug Rappoport, vice president, global offers and loyalty, Visa Inc. “La Quinta’s Redeem Away! program uses Visa’s Rewards Redemption platform to deliver on this expectation by giving La Quinta Returns members the ability to easily redeem their points for qualifying purchases, online and in-store – with a linked Visa credit card and a mobile phone. Visa is proud to have La Quinta be the first in the travel industry to use our platform to deliver this truly innovative experience to its members.”

More information about Redeem Away! can be found at: www.lq.com/redeemaway

*Based on number of merchant store locations in all eligible merchant categories. Merchant must be classified in correct merchant category for payment processing in order to redeem points.