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The Choice Privileges® Mastercard® (Rates & Fees) is one of two co-branded credit cards issued by Wells Fargo that earn Choice points. Choice Privileges is the loyalty program for a range of budget-friendly hotel brands, including Clarion, Sleep Inn, Cambria, WoodSpring Suites, and Rodeway Inn — names familiar to frequent road trippers.
While travelers historically associate Choice with budget travel, Choice's upscale portfolio has improved with the acquisition of Radisson Hotels, growth of Cambria Hotels, Preferred Hotels partnership, and upscale hotels in the Nordics. Choice points can go a long way, and the Choice Privileges Mastercard makes it easy to earn a stash you can put toward great redemptions.
Here’s everything you need to know about this card to help you decide if it deserves a spot in your wallet.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - enough to redeem for up to 7 reward nights at select Choice Hotels® properties. Additional fees may apply.
- Earn 5X points on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties.
- Earn 3X points on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and on phone plan services. Plus earn 1X points on other purchases.
- $0 annual fee.
- Up to $800 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Receive 10 Elite night credits qualifying for at least Gold level status each calendar year.
- No foreign transaction fee.
- 5x points on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties plus on Choice Privileges point purchases
- 3x points on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and on phone plan services
- 1x points on other purchases
Page Contents
- Choice Privileges Mastercard Pros
- Choice Privileges Mastercard Cons
- Choice Privileges Mastercard Welcome Offer
- Choice Privileges Mastercard Benefits
- Choice Privileges Mastercard Earning Rates
- Redeeming Points with the Choice Privileges Mastercard
- Application Restrictions
- Cards That Compete With the Choice Privileges Mastercard
- Bottom Line
Choice Privileges Mastercard Pros
- Complimentary Gold elite status with Choice Privileges
- 10 elite night credits each year
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
Choice Privileges Mastercard Cons
- Limited bonus categories
- Fewer high-end hotel redemptions than other hotel programs
- No introductory APR offers on purchases or balance transfers
Choice Privileges Mastercard Welcome Offer
The Choice Privileges Mastercard currently comes with a solid welcome bonus, especially for a no-annual-fee card. For a limited time, new applicants can earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.
What are those points actually worth? On average, AwardWallet users redeem Choice Privileges points for 0.6¢ each. That puts the Choice Privileges Mastercard’s welcome bonus at a baseline value of $360. But it can potentially be worth a lot more depending on how you redeem your points.
Related: The Best Rewards Credit Card Offers for This Month
Choice Privileges Mastercard Benefits
Beyond the welcome bonus, the Choice Privileges Mastercard comes with a solid set of perks for a no-annual-fee card. And they make the card worth keeping past year one.
Complimentary Choice Gold elite status
Gold is the entry-level elite tier in the Choice Privileges program. It’s not packed with perks, but you will get 10% bonus points on paid stays, plus practical benefits like early check-in, late checkout, and an elite welcome gift.
You’ll also receive a status match to PENN Play Rewards’ Advantage level, which grants perks at over 20 casino hotels across the U.S.
Cell phone protection
Like other Wells Fargo cards, the Choice Privileges Mastercard includes built-in cell phone protection. If you pay your monthly cell phone bill with the card, you’ll be covered for damage, theft, or accidental loss — up to $800 per claim, with a $25 deductible. You’re limited to two claims per 12-month period.
Related: How To Get Free Cell Phone Insurance With Credit Cards
No foreign transaction fees
There are no foreign transaction fees when using the card abroad. This benefit is especially useful if you’re planning to use your card at Choice Hotels outside of the United States.
Secondary rental car insurance
If you rent a car for 15 consecutive days or less and it’s damaged or stolen, this benefit provides up to $50,000 in secondary coverage after your primary insurance kicks in.
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
If your trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason and you paid with your Choice Privileges Mastercard, you may be eligible for reimbursement. Coverage is capped at $5,000 per trip and $20,000 per year. Be sure to review your card's Guide to Benefits for the full terms for exclusions and eligible scenarios.
Lost luggage reimbursement
If your bags are lost while traveling on a common carrier, you’re covered for up to $3,000 in losses per trip (or $2,000 if you're a New York resident). Exclusions apply, especially for high-value items like jewelry, but this can still come in handy when your luggage doesn’t arrive when it's supposed to.
Travel accident insurance
This card also includes up to $1,000,000 in travel accident insurance when traveling on a common carrier. It’s the kind of benefit you hope never to need, but it covers serious injury or death while traveling, and it’s good to have just in case.
Access to Preferred Hotels & Resorts
Choice is mainly known for budget-friendly brands, but through its partnership with Preferred Hotels & Resorts, you’ll also have access to a range of upscale independent hotels. Preferred Hotels & Resorts includes over 650 properties across 80+ countries. Not all properties participate in the partnership, but many do.
You can book eligible Preferred Hotels & Resorts properties online with your Choice Privileges points. If you’re aiming to book an aspirational stay, this is one of the most compelling ways to use Choice points.
Choice Privileges Mastercard Earning Rates
Everyday purchases earn Choice Privileges points at the following rates:
- 5x points on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties plus on Choice Privileges point purchases
- 3x points on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and on phone plan services
- 1x points on other purchases
You'll get the most value when using the Choice Privileges Mastercard for stays at Choice Hotels. If you're someone who regularly redeems Choice points for great value, there’s also potential value in using the card for gas, grocery, and phone plan services.
Related: The Best Rewards Credit Cards for Each Spending Category
Redeeming Points with the Choice Privileges Mastercard
Here’s a look at how you can use the Choice Privileges points you earn with the Choice Privileges Mastercard.
Stays at Choice Hotels
The most straightforward way to redeem Choice points is for award nights at Choice Hotels. Redemption rates vary by property, but standard reward nights start at 8,000 points. This means the welcome bonus from the Choice Privileges Mastercard could cover up to seven free nights — or more if you take advantage of RewardSaver award nights or Choice Sweet Spot Rewards.
Preferred Hotels & Resorts hotels
If you're after something a bit more upscale, you can also use Choice points for stays at properties in the Preferred Hotels & Resorts portfolio. This partnership gives you access to hundreds of hotels worldwide, including luxury options like the Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal, the Hollywood Roosevelt in Los Angeles, and the Hotel New Otani Tokyo.
Choice Privileges Experiences
Choice also allows you to redeem points for live experiences, including access to sporting events like football and basketball games. Not every redemption will provide the best redemption rate, but some experiences cannot be paid for out of pocket — and in that case, they can deliver great value.
Gift cards, merchandise, and other redemption options
You can also redeem points for gift cards, merchandise, or charitable donations, but these redemptions usually offer poor value. These are generally best saved as a last resort if your points are about to expire or you have no travel plans with Choice on the horizon.
Related: Do Choice Privileges Points Expire?
Application Restrictions
As a card issued by Wells Fargo, the Choice Privileges Mastercard is subject to the bank's credit card application restrictions. Anecdotally, Wells Fargo takes into account the total number of cards you have open, as well as how frequently you have applied for new cards.
You may also not receive the bonus on this card if you currently have or have had the card, or if you received a bonus on it within the past 15 months. From the offer terms:
“If you opened a Choice Privileges® Mastercard® or a Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® within the last 15 months, you may not be eligible for an introductory bonus rewards offer.”
Moreover, Wells Fargo is unlikely to approve you for more than one card every six months.
Related: How To Plan a Long-Term Credit Card Strategy
Cards That Compete With the Choice Privileges Mastercard
If this isn't the right card for your wallet, here are some other options to consider:
- If you want more points and benefits with Choice Privileges, look into the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® (Rates & Fees). It features a solid welcome offer and additional perks, but comes with a $95 annual fee. You'll earn 10X at Choice Hotels, get 30,000 bonus points on each account anniversary, and receive automatic Platinum elite status. This card also offers up to $120 as a statement credit against your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee once every four years.
- If you want a Wells Fargo card with points you can use at Choice and other programs, check out the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card (Rates & Fees). You won't get any elite status with Choice Privileges, but you can convert points from Wells Fargo to Choice at a 1:2 ratio. The card offers up to $50 in annual credits for airline spending, earns 5X points at hotels, 4X points with airlines, and 3X points on other travel. For more details, check out our Wells Fargo Autograph Journey review.
- If you aren't eligible for a Wells Fargo card but want Choice Privileges points, consider the Capital One Venture card. The card earns Capital One miles that can be used with 19 airline and hotel programs, including the ability to move points to Choice at a 1:1 ratio. This card is one of our favorite options for everyday spending, as it earns 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. See our full Capital One Venture review to learn more.
Rates & Fees
- 10x points on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties plus on Choice Privileges point purchases
- 5x points on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores, and on phone plan services
- 1x points on other purchases
Rates & Fees
- 5X points per $1 spent on hotels
- 4X points per $1 spent on airlines
- 3X points per $1 spent on other travel and restaurants
- 1X points per $1 spent on other purchases
- 5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases
Related: The Best Hotel Credit Cards
Bottom Line
If you regularly stay at any of the Choice Hotels brands or are planning a trip to the Nordics or Japan (both of which offer excellent uses of Choice points), the Choice Privileges® Mastercard® is worth considering — especially as the card offers automatic Gold elite status and charges no annual fee. The welcome bonus isn’t massive, but it can still cover several free nights depending on where you redeem. And that's pretty valuable if you want to save on upcoming travel.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - enough to redeem for up to 7 reward nights at select Choice Hotels® properties. Additional fees may apply.
- Earn 5X points on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties.
- Earn 3X points on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and on phone plan services. Plus earn 1X points on other purchases.
- $0 annual fee.
- Up to $800 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Receive 10 Elite night credits qualifying for at least Gold level status each calendar year.
- No foreign transaction fee.
- 5x points on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties plus on Choice Privileges point purchases
- 3x points on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and on phone plan services
- 1x points on other purchases
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