Choice Privileges Select Mastercard review: Elite status and bonus points each year

Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® Credit Card overview

The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard Credit Card (see rates and fees) is a compelling option for travelers who enjoy staying at Choice Hotels properties. The card offers valuable perks, including 10 points per dollar when you use it to pay for qualifying Choice Hotels stays, 30,000 bonus points every account anniversary and 20 elite night credits each calendar year. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½

*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

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If you enjoy the Choice Privileges hotel loyalty program or frequently book paid stays at Choice Hotels, you could get serious value from the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard Credit Card. This card is high on my list of cards to add to my wallet due to the benefits it provides in exchange for a modest $95 annual fee (waived for the first year).

You’ll usually need a credit score of at least 670 to successfully apply for this card, which launched earlier this year ahead of Choice Privileges’ integration of Radisson Rewards Americas. But if you get approved for this card, you can use it to earn 10 points per dollar on qualifying Choice Hotels stays and 5 points per dollar at gas stations, grocery stores and home improvement stores and on phone plan services.

Cardholders also get various perks that can easily provide more value than the annual fee. Here’s what you need to know about the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard.

Choice Privileges Select Mastercard welcome offer

If you apply for the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard and are approved, you could earn 90,000 bonus Choice points when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months.

TPG values Choice points at 0.6 cents each. So, you should be able to get about $540 worth of value from the welcome offer.

Related: Which credit cards offer the most lucrative rewards for hotel stays?

Choice Privileges Select Mastercard benefits

As is true with many of the best hotel credit cards with annual fees under $100, the perks on the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard are the primary reason you may want to add the card to your wallet.

One benefit on the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard — 30,000 bonus points every account anniversary — should provide significantly more value each year than the card’s $95 annual fee (waived the first year). TPG values 30,000 Choice points at about $180. So, assuming you enjoy redeeming Choice points, you should get value by keeping the card in your wallet for the long term.

Plus, you’ll get 20 elite night credits each calendar year. These elite night credits are enough for Platinum status, but they could also help you reach the 40 elite nights you need each calendar year for top-tier Diamond status. Although the perks of Choice Privileges’ elite status aren’t comparable to what you’d get with some other hotel loyalty programs, they will get you elite bonus points on stays and an elite welcome gift at participating properties.

You may also want to use your Choice Privileges Select Mastercard to enroll in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Global Entry has become a must-have for me, as it makes it quick and easy to reenter the U.S. after traveling abroad and includes TSA PreCheck. You can get a statement credit of up to $100 every four years as reimbursement for an application fee to either program charged to your card.

The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees(see rates and fees) so you can use it outside the U.S. without incurring fees when Mastercard converts your transactions to U.S. dollars.

You’ll also get up to $800 of cellphone protection against damage or theft (subject to a $25 deductible) when you pay your monthly cellphone bill with your card.

Choice Privileges Select Mastercard cardholders also get access to various World Elite Mastercard benefits as detailed in the card’s guide to benefits.

Related: Register for Choice Hotels Your Extras to earn gift cards or other perks on weekday stays

Earning points on the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard

You’ll earn Choice Privileges points with your Choice Privileges Select Mastercard.

When you use this card to pay for stays at participating Choice Hotels properties that you booked directly, you’ll earn 10 points per dollar. However, some international Choice Hotels locations don’t participate. So, check the list of eligible locations before assuming you’ll earn 10 points per dollar when paying for your stay with this card.

You’ll also earn 10 points per dollar when you use your card to pay for qualifying purchases of Choice Privileges points.

And you’ll earn 5 points per dollar when you use your Choice Privileges Select Mastercard to pay for purchases at gas stations, grocery stores and home improvement stores and for phone plan services. Plus, you’ll earn 1 point per dollar on other purchases with your Choice Privileges Select Mastercard.

You may already have other cards that earn more in some or all of the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard’s bonus categories. But, even if you don’t expect to use the card for many purchases after you earn the welcome offer, it could still be well worth getting and keeping due to its cardholder perks.

Related: How to earn points with the Choice Privileges Eat & Earn dining rewards program

Redeeming points on the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard

There are many ways to redeem the Choice Privileges points you earn with the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard. But you’ll usually get the most value when redeeming for Choice Hotels stays.

Choice Privileges offers set rates for each hotel based on the day of the week you stay. The rates can change every few months but are clearly defined on the landing page for each hotel.

Award nights at most Choice Hotels properties cost between 6,000 and 35,000 points. So you can stay in the heart of most major cities (including New York City) for 35,000 points per night or less.

I like redeeming Choice points for stays in Europe and Japan, where I can often snag a centrally located hotel for just 8,000, 10,000 or 12,000 points per night.

You can even get a discount when you redeem points to stay at hotels featured on Choice Hotels’ Sweet Spot Rewards list. However, know that you can only book Choice Privileges award nights within 100 days of your stay. I don’t usually have any issues booking within 100 days but have occasionally struggled with availability at smaller hotels and Bluegreen Vacations resorts.

Related: Redeem Choice points for a Maldives resort, half-board hotels, suites and more

Transferring points on the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard

You can transfer Choice points to select airline loyalty programs, including Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, United Airlines MileagePlus, Air Canada Aeroplan, Qantas Frequent Flyer and Virgin Australia Velocity.

However, transferring Choice points to airline loyalty programs will almost always provide significantly less value than redeeming for hotel stays. As such, we recommend getting a card that earns transferable points or an airline credit card if you’re primarily interested in earning airline miles.

Which cards compete with the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard?

There are many reasons you may be considering the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard. But, if you aren’t entirely sure it’s the best card for you, here are some other cards to consider:

• If you don’t want to pay an annual fee: The Choice Privileges® Mastercard® offers fewer perks but doesn’t carry an annual fee. You’ll get 10 elite night credits with this card.
• If you want to earn more general rewards: You can transfer Citi ThankYou Rewards points to Choice Privileges at a 1:2 ratio. So, especially if you want to earn more general rewards that you can transfer to Choice Privileges or redeem for other travel, the Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees) may be an excellent option. The Citi Premier earns 3 points per dollar on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. For more information on this card with a $95 annual fee, read our full Citi Premier review.
• If you want a different hotel brand: Most major hotel loyalty programs offer cobranded credit cards. Look at our full list of the best hotel cards to find the best card for you.

Related: 3 reasons you need a credit card with your favorite hotel brand

Bottom line

Especially when considering how much Choice points are worth, you may not find yourself putting many purchases on the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard unless you need to earn more points for an upcoming redemption. After all, other cards in your wallet may provide more valuable rewards.

But, even if you don’t expect to spend much on your card, it could still be worth getting and keeping the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard due to its ongoing perks. For example, the 30,000 points you’ll get after each account anniversary should be worth significantly more than the card’s annual fee. And if you want Choice Privileges elite status, the 20 elite night credits each calendar year will get you Platinum status and a good boost toward earning top-tier Diamond status.

The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard isn’t for everyone. But if you enjoy redeeming Choice points or frequently stay at Choice Hotels, it could be a valuable addition to your wallet.

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Apply here: Choice Privileges Select Mastercard

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