Choice Privileges Select Mastercard Credit Card Review
Key Takeaways
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard offers excellent value for its $95 annual fee if you stay at Choice Hotels at least once per year. Cardholders receive 30,000 bonus Choice Privileges points each account anniversary, plus 20 Elite Qualifying Nights every calendar year (including the year they're approved). This means you qualify for Platinum Elite status every year you hold the card.
Why This Card Could Be Right For You
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard offers a welcome bonus of 60,000 after spending $3,000 within the first 3 months. The biggest perk, though, is the 30,000 bonus points you receive every account anniversary. With award stays starting at 8,000 points per night, those anniversary points alone can be worth up to three free nights each year, easily offsetting the $95 annual fee.
Another major benefit is the 20 Elite Qualifying Nights you receive each calendar year, including the year you're approved. That automatically earns you Platinum Elite status and puts you halfway to Diamond Elite status, which requires 40 Elite Qualifying Nights.
Platinum Elite status includes:
- Elite reserved parking
- Early check-in and late checkout
- Elite welcome gift
- Elite customer service hotline
- Status match with PENN Play Rewards
- Room upgrades
- 25% bonus points on eligible stays
- 19 rollover nights each year
Beyond elite status, the card also includes:
- 10x points on eligible Choice Hotels stays and Choice Privileges points purchases (plus a 25% Platinum Elite bonus on stays)
- 5x points at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores, and on phone plan services
- TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit every 4 years
- Cell phone protection and a variety of travel and purchase protections
When The Usual Advice Doesn't Apply
We don't recommend this card if:
- You never stay at Choice properties
What to Know About Choice Privileges
Choice Privileges is a top choice for budget-friendly hotels
- They have a massive footprint, especially in smaller towns and cities
- There is surprisingly good redemption value in Europe and Asia
- They have strong transfer partners, including a favorable 1:2 transfer rate with Wells Fargo and 1:1.5 with Citi
- Earning elite status is not as difficult as with other programs
- There is inconsistent quality and premium options are limited
How The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard Credit Card Fits In The Choice Privileges Ecosystem
Choice Privileges offers one other consumer credit card: the no-annual-fee Choice Privileges Mastercard.
That card includes:
- A 40,000-point welcome offer after spending $1,000 within the first 3 months
- 5x points on eligible stays at Choice Hotels
- 3x points at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores, and on cell phone plan services
- 10 Elite Qualifying Nights each calendar year, including the year you're approved, which is enough for automatic Gold Elite status
- Cell phone protection and a variety of travel and purchase protections
The no-annual-fee card is a solid option for occasional Choice travelers. However, if you stay at Choice Hotels at least once per year, we think the Select card is worth its $95 annual fee because of the 30,000 anniversary points and automatic Platinum Elite status.
Card Information
Differentiating Perks
Historical Card Offers
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Choice Privileges Select Mastercard Application Rules
Card approval not subject to 5-personal-cards-in-24-months rule
You may not be eligible to open a Wells Fargo card if you have opened one in the past six months
You’re not eligible for a new card bonus if you’ve received a bonus from either personal Choice card within the past 15 months.
