The Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® combines strong rewards at Choice properties with valuable bonus earnings at gas stations, grocery stores, and home improvement locations. The card delivers significant value through its 30,000 anniversary bonus points and automatic Platinum elite status benefits.
This credit card review will cover everything you need to know about this card to determine if you should add this card or a different card to your wallet. Let's dive right in.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- 10x Points at Choice Hotels
- 5x Points at Gas Stations, Grocery Stores, Home Improvement Stores, and Phone Services.
- Anniversary Bonus of 30,000 Points
- Platinum Elite Membership
- $95 Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus of Choice Privileges Select Card
The Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® currently offers the following welcome bonus:
Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Wells Fargo limits credit card applications to one every six months across their entire card portfolio, so make sure to time your application strategically if you’re interested in multiple Wells Fargo cards.
Earning Points with Choice Select Card
The Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® earns points at the following rate:
- 10 points per dollar at Choice Hotels;
- 5 points per dollar at gas stations;
- 5 points per dollar at grocery stores;
- 5 points per dollar at home improvement stores;
- 5 points per dollar at phone plan services; and
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
The 10x earning on Choice stays makes this card competitive with other premium hotel cards, though Choice points are generally valued lower than transferable currencies.
While the 5x bonus categories cover useful everyday spending areas, you’ll likely get more value from cards earning transferable points in these categories since Choice points are worth significantly less per point.
The 1x earning rate on general purchases is particularly weak when factoring in the lower value of Choice points compared to programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards.
Annual Fee
The Choice Privilege Select comes with a $95 annual fee, which can be easily offset by the 30,000 anniversary bonus points (valued at approximately $180) plus other benefits like TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit and automatic Platinum elite status.
Card Benefits and Perks
Below are card benefits and perks of the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard®:
Anniversary Points: Each year on your account anniversary, you’ll receive a generous 30,000-point bonus. These points can help fund future hotel stays at Choice properties worldwide, from budget-friendly options to upscale hotels.
Choice Platinum Status: The Choice Privelges Select credit card offers automatic Choice Platinum elite status for holding the card. Choice Platinum elite status offers benefits such as a welcome gift on arrival, a 25% points bonus, early check-in, late checkout, elite reserve parking, and Avis Preferred Plus elite status.
20 Elite Night Credits: Each year cardmembers receive 20 elite night credits allowing you to earn top-tier Diamond Elite status with only 20 additional nights.
Cell Phone Protection: When you use your card to pay your monthly phone bill, you’ll receive valuable coverage against damage or theft of your device.
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck® Credit: This card offers a credit for TSA PreCheck (expedited airport security) or Global Entry (expedited airport security and customs).
No Foreign Transaction Fees: You’ll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn’t add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose.
Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.
Trip Cancellation & Interruption Insurance: This protection reimburses you for non-refundable, prepaid travel expenses if you need to cancel before departure or cut your trip short due to covered situations like severe illness or weather events. Coverage activates when you pay for your trip with the card, but it’s important to note that reimbursement only applies for specific covered reasons rather than any cancellation.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement: Your checked luggage gets extra protection against loss, theft, or damage beyond the basic compensation offered by carriers when you pay for travel with this card.
World Elite Benefits: This card is a World Elite Mastercard, which gets you access to these special benefits and discounts: DoorDash ($5 off your first DoorDash order each month), Lyft (Take 3 rides in one month and earn a $5 Lyft credit), Shoprunner (free two-day shipping), and Fandango (spend $20 and get $5 back).
Redeem Choice Privileges Points
Choice Privileges points give you the most bang for your buck outside Choice's own hotels, so keep that in mind before you book a standard property.
You can redeem for stays at any of Choice's 22 brands, including Comfort, Quality Inn, Cambria, and the Americas-based Radisson properties, starting around 6,000 points per night. Pricing is mostly fixed rather than dynamic, so you'll see consistent point costs by season, and some properties even let you book suites for the same price as a standard room.
The real value, though, comes from Choice's partnership with Preferred Hotels & Resorts. This gets you access to hundreds of upscale and luxury independent properties around the world, from Nordic gems like the Clarion Hotel Stockholm to boutique stays like The Mosaic Hotel Beverly Hills. Many of these bookings deliver two to three times the typical redemption value you'd get at a standard Choice property.
Choice also has a reciprocal relationship with PENN Entertainment, so you can earn and redeem points at PENN casino hotels, along with a status match between the two loyalty programs.
If you want to stretch a shorter balance, Points Plus Cash lets you combine points and cash on a booking once you have at least 6,000 points saved up.
You can transfer Choice points out to a range of airline partners, but the ratio is a steep 5,000 points for 1,000 miles, so it's rarely worth it unless you're topping off an account for a specific redemption
Pros and Cons
Here’s a quick overview of this card’s advantages and disadvantages:
Pros:
Strong Earning Structure: You’ll earn 10x points on Choice Hotel stays and 5x points on common categories like gas, groceries, and home improvement stores, making it easy to accumulate points quickly.
Anniversary Points: You receive 30,000 bonus points each card anniversary, which more than offsets the $95 annual fee and can be worth several free hotel nights.
Elite Status Benefits: The card provides automatic Platinum status with 20 elite night credits annually, giving you perks like early check-in, late checkout, and bonus points on stays.
Travel Benefits Package: The card includes valuable travel perks like TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit, cell phone protection, and no foreign transaction fees
Cons:
Annual Fee: The $95 annual fee may not be worth it if you don’t stay at Choice Hotels regularly enough to use the benefits.
Limited Luxury Options: While Choice has some upscale properties, the majority are budget and mid-tier hotels, limiting aspirational redemption options.
Program Restrictions: Points can primarily only be used within the Choice Hotels ecosystem, offering less flexibility than transferable points programs.
Limited Base Earning: The card only earns 1x points on purchases outside bonus categories, making it inefficient for everyday spending compared to other travel rewards cards.
Is the Choice Privileges Select Worth It?
The Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® presents a mixed value proposition with its $95 annual fee and hotel-specific benefits.
The card provides 10x points on Choice Hotels stays and 5x points on common expenses like gas and groceries, which can help build your points balance quickly.
The automatic Platinum status and 30,000-point anniversary bonus add value for frequent Choice Hotel guests, though you’ll need to stay at Choice properties regularly to maximize these perks.
The welcome bonus provides enough points for several reward nights at participating properties, making the first year particularly valuable.
For travelers who primarily stay at Choice Hotels properties and value the elite status benefits, this card could be worth considering, but those seeking more flexibility might prefer a general travel rewards card instead.
