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A Choice Hotels credit card is a great option for travelers who frequent Choice properties or are looking to round out their travel rewards card portfolio. With a strong welcome offer, a low annual fee, and plenty of benefits, the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® (Rates & Fees) is worth a closer look. Here's our full review.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 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 10X points on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties.
- Earn 5X points on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and on phone plan services. Plus earn 1X points on other purchases.
- $95 annual fee.
- Up to $800 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Receive 20 Elite night credits qualifying for at least Platinum level status each calendar year.
- No foreign transaction fee.
- 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
Page Contents
- Why Consider Choice Privileges?
- Choice Privileges Select Pros
- Choice Privileges Select Cons
- Welcome Offer for New Cardmembers
- Choice Select Credit Card Benefits
- Choice Privileges Credit Card Earning Rates
- Redeeming Points with a Choice Hotels Credit Card
- Choice Credit Card Application Restrictions
- Cards That Compete with the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- Bottom Line
Why Consider Choice Privileges?
Choice Privileges doesn't get as much attention as more popular hotel loyalty programs like Hilton and Marriott, but it can be an excellent fit for value-focused travelers — especially those traveling to Japan or the Nordics. Choice Hotels has fewer luxury properties than its competitors, but it really stands out for quality budget- and mid-tier options.
With over 7,400 hotels worldwide, it's a great program for those who prioritize finding a nice place to stay at a good price. Adding a Choice Privileges credit card can make your stays more enjoyable and build up your points balance for booking reward nights.
Choice Privileges Select Pros
- Automatic Choice Privileges Platinum Elite membership
- Earn 10X points on stays at participating Choice Hotels properties
- Receive 30,000 bonus points every account anniversary
- No foreign transaction fees
Choice Privileges Select Cons
- Has an annual fee
- Choice Privileges offers fewer elite benefits than other hotel loyalty programs
- Other hotel credit cards with similar annual fees offer larger welcome bonuses
Welcome Offer for New Cardmembers
New applicants for the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard will earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months after opening your account.
On average, AwardWallet users redeem Choice points for 0.6¢ each, which means you should get around $360 worth of value from the welcome offer. Not too bad for a card with a low $95 annual fee.
Choice Select Credit Card Benefits
Similar to other mid-tier cards, the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard has a decent list of benefits that many travelers will find valuable.
Elite nights and Platinum status
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard comes with 20 elite nights for the year, automatically qualifying you for Platinum status, which includes the following benefits:
- Reserved parking at international properties
- 25% bonus on points earned at Choice hotels
- Early check-in and late checkout
- A welcome amenity at international properties
- Dedicated customer service phone line
Furthermore, those 20 elite nights put you halfway to Diamond status — Choice's top elite tier. Choice Privileges is not as robust as other award programs, but that doesn't mean it should be ignored.
Choice Rewards promotions offer frequent opportunities to earn bonus points, and award nights start at just 8,000 points, so it doesn't take much to earn a free stay.
TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
Use your card to pay the enrollment fee for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry and receive a statement credit of up to $120. This is a common benefit on many mid-tier and premium cards, but still a strong perk, especially if you have multiple family members signing up for one of these programs.
Cell phone protection
When you use the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard to pay your cell phone bill, you can be reimbursed for “damage to, theft of, or involuntary and accidental parting from a cellphone.”
This benefit does not apply to phones that are lost (i.e., mysteriously disappear). Each claim costs $25 and is limited to $800 worth of coverage for damages or phone replacement. There is a maximum of two claims in a 12-month period.
Related: Free Cell Phone Insurance: Which Cards Cover Damage, Theft, and Loss
No foreign transaction fees
This Choice Privileges credit card does not charge foreign transaction fees, which can save you a bundle when you visit any of 40+ countries where the hotel chain has a presence.
Choice Privileges credit card anniversary bonus points
Receive 30,000 bonus points following each card anniversary. These points can be used to stay at over 7,400 Choice properties worldwide. Your anniversary points should be available within seven business days of your card account anniversary.
Based on AwardWallet user redemptions, these bonus points are worth about $180. That's more than double the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard‘s $95 annual fee.
World Elite Mastercard
This Choice credit card is a World Elite Mastercard and comes with additional benefits, such as travel insurance protections, statement credits from Instacart, Peacock, and Lyft, travel and lifestyle services, and more.
Choice Privileges Credit Card Earning Rates
Like most co-branded cards, the highest return on your spending will be with Choice Hotel credit card purchases. Here are the earning rates:
- 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
Related: Do Choice Privileges Points Expire?
Redeeming Points with a Choice Hotels Credit Card
Book reward nights at Choice properties
Points from the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard can be used to book award nights at participating Choice properties. Rates start at 6,000 points when you choose the points plus cash option, or 8,000 points when you pay solely with Choice points. If you're looking to maximize the value of your Choice points, this is how to do it.
Gift cards
You can redeem Choice points for gift cards to dozens of retailers and restaurants. Redeeming points this way yields very poor value, so it's not something we recommend.
Rewards exchange
If you don't want to redeem your Choice points for a hotel stay or gift cards, you can instead transfer them to over a dozen airlines. Some of Choice's airline partners include Alaska Airlines, British Airways, and Southwest Airlines, among others.
Unfortunately, points transfer at a very poor exchange rate, as low as 5:1, so we do not recommend this option either. If bumping up your points and miles stash for other hotels or airlines is your goal, you're better off opening a card that earns transferable points.
Choice Credit Card Application Restrictions
All cards come with their own set of application restrictions stating who is eligible for the card and the welcome offer. The card application for the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard states:
“You may not be eligible for the introductory bonus rewards offer if you opened a Choice Privileges Credit Card within the last 15 months from the date of this application and you received an introductory bonus rewards offer.”
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard is offered by Wells Fargo, which limits card applications to one every six months. Wells Fargo also considers your relationship with the bank and your total amount of credit it has extended to you.
Cards That Compete with the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
If the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard is not a good fit for you, here are some other options to consider.
- If you want a card with no annual fee, consider the Choice Privileges® Mastercard® (Rates & Fees). This is the entry-level version of the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard. It has no annual fee, a valuable welcome offer, and benefits like automatic Gold status, no foreign fees, cell phone protection, and more. Learn more in our full review of the Choice Privileges Mastercard.
- If you want transferable points that can be used with Choice and other hotels and airlines, look at the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card. Citi ThankYou® Rewards transfer to Choice Hotels at a 1:2 ratio — so you're effectively doubling your points. The Citi Strata Premier has a total of 21 transfer partners, meaning you have many options for using your rewards. Learn more in our full review of the Citi Strata Premier.
- If you want a hotel credit card that isn't tied to Choice Privileges, The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees) card may be a good option. The World of Hyatt program is known in the points and miles world for its outsized value. While the card's welcome offer may not stand out from the crowd, Hyatt points are simply worth a lot more than other hotel rewards. Check out our post on the best Hyatt redemptions to put those points to good use. And learn more about the World of Hyatt Card in our full review.
Rates & Fees
- 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
- 10X points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X points per $1 spent on airfare, and other hotel purchases
- 3X points per $1 spent at gas and EV charging stations
- 3X points per $1 spent on dining at restaurants, including cafes, bars and lounges
- 3X points per $1 spent at supermarkets
- 1X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Up to 9X points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4X points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5X points per $1 you can earn as a World of Hyatt member
- 2X points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airlines tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- 1X point per $1 everywhere else
Related: Best Hotel Rewards Credit Cards
Bottom Line
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard is a great option for many. Choice Hotels lives in the shadow of bigger names like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt, but this Choice credit card holds its own with a valuable welcome offer and solid benefits.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 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 10X points on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties.
- Earn 5X points on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and on phone plan services. Plus earn 1X points on other purchases.
- $95 annual fee.
- Up to $800 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Receive 20 Elite night credits qualifying for at least Platinum level status each calendar year.
- No foreign transaction fee.
- 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
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
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