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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Reviews
Choice Privileges Mastercard review: A no-annual-fee option for travelers
Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
January 7, 2025 • 8 min read
SOUTH_AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES
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Editorial note:
Quick summary
A no-annual-fee hotel card is available for those who prefer Choice Hotels, offering 10 elite night credits annually and Gold status in the loyalty program.
Cardholders earn points at Choice Hotels and select merchants, with additional benefits like no foreign transaction fees and cellphone protection.
The program's points are valued at 0.6 cents each as of December 2024 per TPG's valuations, and can be redeemed for hotel stays or transferred to airline partners, though hotel redemptions generally offer better value.
The booking window for award nights will expand from 100 days to 50 weeks in early 2025, making planning easier.
What to consider
Some international Choice Hotels locations may not be eligible for bonus points, so review the list before booking.
Award nights can currently only be booked within 100 days, but this will change to 50 weeks in early 2025.
Transferring points to airline programs typically yields less value than redeeming for hotel stays.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of competing hotel cards and guidance on when a higher-tier or more flexible rewards card may be a better fit.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
The Choice Privileges® Mastercard® is a no-annual-fee option for travelers who enjoy staying at Choice Hotels properties. The card offers several perks, including 5 points per dollar spent when you use it to pay for qualifying Choice Hotels stays and 10 elite night credits per calendar year. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
If you frequently stay at Choice Hotels, you might consider the Choice Privileges Mastercard. This card has no annual fee, so it can be a good option to earn Choice points on purchases if you want a no-annual-fee card.
The information for the Choice Privileges has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Choice Privileges Mastercard pros and cons
Pros
Cons
No annual fee
Gold elite status
Cellular Telephone Protection
No Foreign Transaction fees
Doesn't provide great perks for Choice loyalists
Choice Privileges Mastercard welcome offer
For a limited time, new Choice Privileges Mastercard cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
THE POINTS GUY
As of December 2024, TPG values Choice points at 0.6 cents each. So, you should be able to get about $360 worth of value from this welcome offer.
Up to $800 per claim of Cellular Telephone Protection that may cover damage to or theft of a cellphone when you pay your monthly cellphone bill with your card (subject to a $25 deductible, maximum of two claims per 12-month period)
Choice Privileges Gold status provides nice benefits, including a 10% bonus on points when you stay with Choice, some on-site perks, and the ability to match your status to Penn Play Rewards.
However, if you frequently stay with Choice Hotels or are striving for a higher tier of Choice Privileges elite status, the $95-annual-fee might be a better choice.
The information for the Choice Privileges Select has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Earning points on the Choice Privileges Mastercard
You'll earn Choice Privileges points with your Choice Privileges Mastercard. Specifically, you'll earn 5 points per dollar spent when you use your card to pay for stays at participating Choice Hotels properties that you booked directly.
However, check the list of eligible locations before paying for your stay since some international Choice Hotels locations aren't eligible.
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You'll also earn 5 points per dollar spent when you use your card to pay for qualifying purchases of Choice Privileges points and 3 points per dollar spent on phone plan services and purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, and home improvement stores.
Finally, you'll earn 1 point per dollar spent on other purchases with your Choice Privileges Mastercard.
Redeeming points on the Choice Privileges Mastercard
There are many ways to redeem Choice Privileges points earned with the Choice Privileges Mastercard. But you'll usually get the most value when redeeming for Choice Hotels stays.
The Choice Privileges loyalty program offers set rates for each hotel based on the day of the week you stay. The rates for a specific property may change every few months but are clearly defined on each hotel's landing page.
You can expect to redeem between 6,000 and 35,000 points per night at most Choice Hotels properties. This means you can stay in the heart of most major U.S. cities for 35,000 Choice points per night or less.
BRUCE YUANYUE BI/GETTY IMAGES
I like to redeem Choice points for stays in Europe and Japan, where I can usually snag a centrally located hotel for just 8,000, 10,000 or 12,000 points per night.
One drawback of the Choice Privileges program is that you can only book award nights within 100 days of your stay. However, this is changing in early 2025, when Choice will extend the booking window to a much more reasonable 50 weeks.
Transferring points on the Choice Privileges Mastercard
You can transfer Choice points to select airline loyalty programs, including Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, and United Airlines MileagePlus.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
However, transferring Choice points to airline loyalty programs will usually provide less value than redeeming for hotel stays. As such, we recommend getting a card that earns transferable points, cash-back rewards or airline miles if you aren't interested in redeeming Choice points for stays.
Which cards compete with the Choice Privileges Mastercard?
Unless you're specifically looking for a no-annual-fee credit card that earns Choice points, another card may be a better fit. Here are some other cards you should consider before applying for the Choice Privileges Mastercard:
If you're willing to pay an annual fee: The will likely be a better option. This card offers higher earning rates on purchases, 30,000 bonus points every account anniversary, 20 elite night credits every calendar year, and more. These benefits will provide more value than the card's $95 annual fee for many travelers. To learn more, check out our full review of the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard.
If you want a different hotel brand: The (see rates and fees) has a $95 annual fee but comes with perks like an annual free night award and complimentary Discoverist status. Hyatt points are very valuable, so if you're flexible with hotel brands, this card is worth considering. To learn more, check out our full review of the World of Hyatt card.
For additional options, check out our picks for the best hotel cards.
If you're not open to paying an annual fee for a hotel card and you stay with Choice Hotels at least a couple of times each year, the Choice Privileges Mastercard is worth applying for. Its complimentary Gold elite status and bonus earnings on Choice purchases are nice perks. If you're a big Choice Hotels fan, consider the higher-tier Choice Privileges Select Mastercard instead.
Bottom line
Most travelers considering a cobranded Choice Hotels credit card will find the extra perks on the make it a better value than the Choice Privileges Mastercard.
But, if you're only in the market for a no-annual-fee card, the Choice Privileges Mastercard does offer 10 elite night credits each year — enough for Gold elite status in the Choice Privileges program — and 5 points per dollar spent on eligible Choice Hotels stays.
