Choice Privileges Mastercard review: No annual fee and decent rewards, if you’re OK with the brand
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BLUEPRINT
Updated 10:03 p.m. UTC Jan. 22, 2024
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A no-annual-fee hotel rewards card with OK-earning potential, but the Choice hotel footprint is somewhat limited.
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Choice Privileges® Mastercard® * The information for the Choice Privileges® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. basics
- Annual fee: $0.
- Welcome bonus: 40,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening.
- Rewards: 5 points per $1 on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties plus on Choice Privileges point purchases, 3 points per $1 on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and phone plan services and 1 point per $1 on other purchases.
- APR: 20.99%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. A fee of 5% for each balance transfer, with a minimum of $5, applies.
- Other perks and benefits: Cellphone protection, automatic Gold Elite status, no foreign currency conversion fees.
- Does the issuer offer a preapproval tool? No.
- Recommended credit score: Good, Excellent.
About the Choice Privileges Mastercard
The Choice Privileges Mastercard is a decent fit for those who frequently stay at Choice Hotels and don’t want to pay an annual fee for a hotel card. This card charges $0 to own and offers a competitive rewards rate of 5 points per $1 on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties plus on Choice Privileges point purchases, 3 points per $1 on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and phone plan services and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. You can earn an additional 10 points per dollar for being a Choice Privileges member and a 10% Gold Elite bonus. The APR on this card can vary for each cardholder and is either a 20.99%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. A fee of 5% for each balance transfer, with a minimum of $5, applies. When it comes to welcome offers, this card comes with a good one. The potential to earn 40,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening can be used for up to five Reward nights at select Choice Hotels properties. But someone who frequently stays at Choice properties are likely to find greater benefits with the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® * The information for the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. — more on that below.
Pros
- No annual fee: With a $0 annual fee, it won’t cost cardholders anything to earn rewards.
- Strong travel benefits: Not only are there opportunities to earn more points when booking Choice Hotels properties, but this card also doesn’t charge any foreign currency conversion fees and comes with helpful travel services.
- Solid welcome offer: All new cardholders can earn 40,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Cons
- No points for dining: Many travelers spend a decent amount of money dining out and will likely be disappointed that this card doesn’t offer extra points for dining away from home.
- Limited hotel benefits: Cardholders can only earn extra travel rewards if they book Choice Hotels properties, which can be limiting.
- No soft credit check: There is no option to be preapproved or pre-qualified before officially applying for the card.
Choice Privileges Mastercard rewards
There are a handful of options when it comes to earning rewards with the Choice Privileges Mastercard. You’ll earn 5 points per $1 on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties plus on Choice Privileges point purchases, 3 points per $1 on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and phone plan services and 1 point per $1 on other purchases.
This card is primarily enticing for those who stay with Choice Hotels frequently — when they do so using the Choice Privileges Mastercard, they can earn up to 16 total points per dollar spent.
Additionally, there is a solid welcome bonus of 40,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening. That can be worth up to five reward nights at select Choice Hotels properties.
| SPENDING CATEGORY | SPENDING AMOUNT | POINTS PER DOLLAR | POINTS EARNED |
|---|---|---|---|
Gas
| $2,228
| 3 points
| 6,684 pints
|
Groceries
| $3,459
| 3 points
| 10,377 points
|
Other
| $19,400
| 1 point
| 19,400 points
|
TOTAL
| $25,087
| 36,461 points
|
Reviewing the above table, the example cardholder earns 36,461 points each year, which equates to $291.69 in rewards at 0.08 centers a point. For a credit card without an annual fee, this is a good rewards structure.
Choice Privileges Mastercard APR
The Choice Privileges Mastercard has a 20.99%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. A fee of 5% for each balance transfer, with a minimum of $5, applies.
How the Choice Privileges Mastercard compares to other hotel cards
Choice Privileges Mastercard vs. Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® * The information for the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard is not a $0-annual-fee card like the Choice Privileges Mastercard — instead, it comes with a $95 annual fee. Cardholders who stay at Choice Hotels properties often may find it worth paying the extra fee for the potential to earn additional points with the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard.
The Privileges Select card also comes with a better welcome bonus: 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening. Other travel benefits associated with this card also include a lack of foreign currency conversion fees and a TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry application fee statement credit. Additionally, the Privileges Select card offers 30,000 bonus points reward each card anniversary and automatic Platinum Elite status, which offers more perks than the Privileges card.
Choice Privileges Mastercard vs. Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card * The information for the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card * The information for the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. offers substantial rewards. However, the rewards are only applicable for very specific purchases. If you find yourself frequently traveling for business and prefer staying at Wyndham properties, then this card is an excellent option for you. You can earn 8 points per $1 spent on Hotels By Wyndham and gas purchases, 5 points per $1 on marketing, advertising and utility purchases and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. To sweeten the deal, new cardholders can enjoy an impressive welcome bonus of 45,000 points, enough for up to six free nights at participating properties, after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days. Free nights can require up to 30,000 points per bedroom at participating properties and are subject to availability. Resort fees may apply and cannot be paid with points. However, this card does come with a $95 annual fee, unlike the Choice Privileges Mastercard which has no annual fee.
Choice Privileges Mastercard vs. The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card * The information for the The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card has a $195 annual fee (terms apply), unlike the Choice Privileges Mastercard which doesn’t charge one. However, its benefits may be worth the cost if you like to stay at Hilton hotels. This card enables you to earn 12 Hilton Honors points per $1 on eligible purchases at hotels or resorts in the Hilton Portfolio, 5 points per $1 on the first $100,000 in other purchases made with the card each calendar year, then 3 points per $1 thereafter. The base earnings on the Hilton Business card is higher than the base earnings on other purchases made with — the Choice Privileges Mastercard.
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card * The information for the The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. cardholders will enjoy added perks, including automatic Hilton Gold status, which comes with bonus points, room upgrades, complimentary breakfast and a fifth night free on award bookings.
All information about The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
Should you get the Choice Privileges Mastercard?
The Choice Privileges Mastercard is a good option for travelers who prefer to stay at Choice Hotels properties. The welcome bonus alone is enough to redeem up to five reward nights at select Choice Hotels properties. Not to mention, the 10 Elite night credits offer instant Gold Elite status and. Additionally, waived foreign currency conversion fees may appeal to international travelers who prefer to earn points while traveling without incurring additional fees.
This card offers a generous amount of rewards. However, their other rewards are lacking. This card only offers 5 points per $1 on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties plus on Choice Privileges point purchases, 3 points per $1 on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and phone plan services and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. The lack of rewards on everyday spending categories makes this card a much better fit for loyal Choice Privileges members.
Choice Privileges Mastercard summary
| CHOICE PRIVILEGES MASTERCARD DETAILS | |
|---|---|
Annual fee
| $0
|
Rewards
| 5 points per $1 on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties plus on Choice Privileges point purchases, 3 points per $1 on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and phone plan services and 1 point per $1 on other purchases
|
Welcome bonus
| 40,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening
|
APR
| 20.99%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. A fee of 5% for each balance transfer, with a minimum of $5, applies
|
Foreign currency conversion fees
| None
|
Other perks and benefits
| Cellphone protection, automatic Gold Elite status
|
Methodology
Our credit cards team has spent hours analyzing hundreds of travel credit cards. We took a deep dive into the details of each product and that analysis, combined with our years of experience covering credit cards, informed us as we developed these credit card rankings. We factored the following into our analysis:
- Annual fees.
- Travel reward rates.
- Value of rewards.
- Redemption options.
- Additional benefits that a card may offer for travelers, such as travel insurance.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Travelers can save money when they use the Choice Privileges Mastercard abroad, as it does not charge a foreign currency conversion fee for purchases converted to U.S. dollars.
The Choice Privileges Mastercard offers various travel benefits to its cardholders. These benefits include earning bonus points on eligible Choice Hotels stays, no foreign currency conversion fees and 10 Elite night credits annually.
The Choice Privileges Mastercard offers a welcome bonus of 40,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening. These bonus points can be redeemed for up to five reward nights at select Choice Hotels properties, making it an attractive offer for frequent travelers looking to earn free hotel stays.
*The information for the Choice Privileges® Mastercard®, Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard®, The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card and Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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