Unlock up to 60,000 points with these Choice Privileges Mastercard deals

Wells Fargo offers two types of Choice Privileges credit cards: a no-annual-fee Choice Privileges® Mastercard® (check rates and fees) and a $95 annual fee Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® (view rates and fees). Both options come with attractive welcome bonuses.

Hotel credit cards can offer substantial benefits for those who often stay with a specific hotel loyalty program. Here’s what you should know about the Choice Privileges Mastercards.

A Summary of the Choice Privileges Mastercards

Before we explore the specifics of the Choice Privileges Mastercards, here’s a brief overview of their offerings:

Choice Privileges Mastercard: No annual fee

The Choice Privileges Mastercard is offering a welcome bonus of 40,000 points to new applicants after they spend $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months. This amount can cover up to five reward nights at select Choice hotels and is valued at $240 according to TPG's October 2024 valuations.

This no-annual-fee card comes with several valuable features, including cellphone protection, no foreign transaction fees, and World Elite Mastercard perks.

Here’s a breakdown of the card's additional benefits.

Earning Rates

With the Choice Privileges Mastercard, you'll earn Choice points for eligible purchases as follows:

• 5 points for every dollar spent on qualifying stays at participating Choice hotels
• 3 points for each dollar spent at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement retailers, and on phone plans
• 1 point for every dollar spent on other purchases

In 2022, Choice Hotels acquired Radisson Americas and has merged Radisson Rewards Americas into the Choice Privileges program. As a result, you can now earn 5 points for every dollar spent at Radisson properties in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean, as these hotels are now bookable through Choice.

10 elite night credits for Gold Elite status

As a cardholder of the Choice Privileges Mastercard, you will receive 10 elite night credits each year as a benefit of your account. These credits grant you automatic Gold Elite status and may also assist you in achieving a higher tier within Choice Privileges.

I anticipate that we will see modifications to the Choice Privileges program, particularly regarding elite status benefits, following the integration of Radisson Rewards Americas. While the current elite status in Choice Privileges offers limited advantages, it could become more beneficial later this year.

Choice Privileges Select Mastercard: $95 annual fee

The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard is offering a welcome bonus of 60,000 points for new applicants who spend $3,000 on qualifying purchases within the first three months. This amount can cover up to 7 reward nights at select Choice hotels and is valued at approximately $360, based on TPG's October 2024 assessments.

Holders of the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard benefit from various ongoing perks, including cellphone protection, no foreign transaction fees, World Elite Mastercard advantages, and a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry statement credit. Now, let’s explore the card's other key benefits.

Earning Rates

The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard provides more favorable earning rates on most purchases compared to the Choice Privileges Mastercard. Specifically, here’s how you’ll earn points with the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard:

• 10 points for every dollar spent on qualifying stays at participating Choice hotels
• 5 points for each dollar spent at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement retailers, and on phone plans
• 1 point for every dollar spent on all other purchases

This translates to an effective 6% return on qualifying stays at participating Choice hotels, based on TPG's October 2024 evaluations. This return rate is competitive with some of the top travel rewards cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees).

20 elite night credits for Platinum Elite status

As a cardholder of the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard, you'll receive 20 elite night credits each year. These credits are sufficient for automatic Platinum Elite status and may also assist you in reaching Diamond Elite status, which requires 40 nights per year.

Annual bonus points

Travelers with the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard also receive 30,000 points each year on their account anniversary. According to TPG's October 2024 valuations, these points are valued at approximately $180—more than enough to offset the card's $95 annual fee.

Put another way, you're essentially receiving 30,000 Choice points annually for $95. This means you're effectively acquiring Choice points at a cost of 0.31 cents per point. This rate is significantly lower than TPG's October 2024 valuation of Choice points at 0.6 cents each, providing excellent value if you like redeeming Choice points.

In summary

Both Choice cards currently offer attractive sign-up bonuses. The no-annual-fee Choice Privileges Mastercard may appeal to Choice loyalists thanks to its 10 elite night credits per year and absence of foreign transaction fees. However, its earning rates may be too low to compete with other travel rewards and everyday spending cards.

The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard is generally a more appealing option for most Choice loyalists. The limited-time sign-up bonus and the $95 annual fee are strong incentives to apply. Moreover, the 30,000 points received at each account anniversary and higher earning rates should provide sufficient value to make keeping the card worthwhile in the long run.

Discover more in our comprehensive review of the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard.