Review of The Choice Privileges® Visa Signature® Card
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Choice Privileges® Visa Signature® Credit Card
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The Choice Privileges® Visa Signature® credit card is a reward card, providing a generous supply of points for purchases from participating hotels and resorts in the Choice Privileges network. Certain locations will provide up to 15 points for every dollar spent, and better rewards are available through the tiered benefits program.
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$0
- Purchase APR15.24%, 19.99%, or 24.99% Variable
- 50,000 points for spending $1,000 on purchases within the first 90 days
- Earn 8,000 bonus points every year when you spend $10,000 or more with your card
- Earn 15 points per dollar spent at over 4,200 Choice Privileges® locations
- Earn 2 points per dollar spent on everyday purchases
- Elite Gold Status and 10% point bonus every time you purchase a stay with Choice Hotels
- No annual fee
- 15X points per dollar spent at eligible Choose Privileges locations
- 5X points per dollar spent on the purchase of Choice Privileges points or Choice Hotels gift cards
- 2X points per dollar spent on all other purchases
- 10% bonus on points when you stay at Choice Hotels
| Introductory Bonus |
|---|
|
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR0% for 15 months (must be completed within the first 45 days of account opening)
- Regular Balance Transfer APR15.24%, 19.99%, or 24.99% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee3%, $5 minimum
- Penalty APRN/A
- Late FeeUp to $39
- Returned Payment FeeUp to $39
- Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
- Foreign Transaction Fee3%
The Rewards
Different point values are offered for stays at different hotels within the Choice Privileges program.
10 points will be awarded for every eligible stay from:
- Econo Lodge®
- MainStay Suites®
- Suburban Extended Stay®
- Rodeway Inn®
15 points will be awarded for every dollar spent on eligible stays from all other Choice Privileges locations. 5 points will be provided for purchases of new Points and Choice Hotels gift cards. 2 points are provided for every other dollar spent.
There are also two opportunities to earn quite a few bonus points. 8,000 bonus points are awarded after the first purchase is made, and 24,000 bonus points are awarded if you purchase a stay with Choice Privileges. Together, this is enough for 4 free nights at over 1,500 locations.
Points can be redeemed for free nights as well as airline and travel rewards, gift cards, sport and dining rewards, magazines and memberships, and unique experiences.
Choice Privileges locations are worldwide, and include:
- Comfort Inn
- Comfort Suites
- Cambria Suites
- Ascend Hotel Collection
- Clarion Inn & Suites
- Quality Inn
- Sleep Inn
The Benefits
This is a Visa Signature card, meaning it is eligible to include some or all of the benefits that come with this premier status. While the exact benefits that come with this card are not disclosed, you can read up on Visa Signature benefits here.
This card also grants automatic Elite Gold Status with the Choice Privileges program, providing a variety of extra benefits and complimentary services. Points will be granted a 10% bonus upon redemption, and free nights can be booked 50 days in advance, rather than the typical 30.
Elite Gold members also get express reservations and check-ins, and can have their check-out time extended to as late as 2 PM. A complimentary newspaper and high-speed Internet access are provided at most locations, as well as free local and long-distance calls.
Gold is the lowest level of the Elite program; next is Platinum, and then Diamond. Gold level is usually reached by staying 10 nights in 1 year; Platinum level is reached by staying 20 nights; and Diamond level is reached by staying 40 nights. The higher levels provide more benefits, as well as a better point redemption bonus: 25% for the Platinum, and 50% for the Diamond.
The Costs & Fees
| Annual Fee | Intro APR for Balance Transfers | Regular Purchase APR | Regular Balance Transfer APR | Cash Advance APR | Foreign Transaction Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | 0% for 15 months (must be completed within the first 45 days of account opening) | 15.24%, 19.99%, or 24.99% Variable | 15.24%, 19.99%, or 24.99% Variable | 25.24% Variable | 3% |
| Penalty APR | Late Fee | Returned Payment Fee |
|---|---|---|
| None | Up to $39 | Up to $39 |
The Bottom Line
Take a look at the locations and offers available in the Choice Privileges program: are they places you tend to go already? If so, you can probably profit from this card. If you’re an avid traveler but don’t usually stay at these locations, it may be worth your while to consider how tough it would be to swap out your typical hotels for new ones.
The lack of an annual fee means you won’t have to worry about this card if you don’t use it as much as you planned. The Visa Signature benefits and other offered by Choice Privileges will be very useful and make your stays more enjoyable if you make an effort to make use of them. You’ll also be rewarded for traveling more frequently: the more nights you stay per year, the larger the redemption bonus for points gets and the better the complimentary benefits.
Brendan Harkness
Brendan has been writing about personal finance for over eight years, and is now taking on the challenge of bringing high-quality credit education to the masses. He makes sure that Credit Card Insider is covering the most important credit topics transparently and precisely, and that we have up-to-date reviews of credit cards so you can find cards that are right for you.
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