The Offer
- Receive a sign up bonus of 32,000 Choice points after you spend $1,000 on the Barclaycard Choice Privileges credit card
Card Details
- No annual fee
- Card earns at the following rates:
- 15 points per eligible $1 spent at over 5,500 Choice Privileges locations
- 5 points per eligible $1 on additional Choice Privileges points or Choice Hotels gift card purchase
- 2 points per eligible $1 spent on everyday purchases
- 8,000 anniversary points if you spend more than $10,000 in the previous calendar year
- Elite gold status:
- Ability to book free nights 50 days in advance instead of 30 days
- A 10% Elite points bonus for eligible stays, plus an exclusive reservations phone number
Our Verdict
This cards previous bonus was 8,000 after first purchase, an additional 24,000 after your first Choice stay. The upside of this new bonus is that you don’t need any paid stays at Choice to get it. Choice is an interesting program, most of their properties in the United States are overvalued and lackluster but their properties in Europe are much better. The ones in Scandinavia were the best value in my opinion, but according to Lazy Travelers these can no longer be booked.
I think the card is a no brainer if you have paid stays with Choice or have a specific trip and redemption in mind. But there are two things I hate about their program:
- Can only book 30 days in advance (50 days with this credit card)
- Their points expiration policy used to suck (it’s a little better now, but still not great)
View Comments (12)
I believe Chioce Points can be generated at 0.6c/pt. I wouldn't waste a pull for sub-$200 bonus.
How? Could you explain, please? Thank you, Lisa
the Nordic Choice chain of hotels are amazing, The Clarion hotels are the crown jewels in a very minimalist Scandinavian way of course...
The removal of the Scandinavian hotels with no warning was a massive devaluation. I had been looking forward to some nice stays there this summer.
I just got this card to supplement the points I need toward the SW Companion Pass.
Great idea! What's the transfer rate choice to SW at currently?
I diligently collected over 155,000 Choice Privileges points last year with just one stay using the credit card and purchasing points during the US Travel Association sales. I will use them next month for a trip to Italy for 3 weeks.
All that being said, the Choice Hotels website is just a disaster. If you make a reservation, you might not receive an email confirmation and if you try to send one to yourself from the website, you will quickly realize that there is no such function available. If you call customer service be prepared to speak with Hadji for at least 30 minutes only to be shifted to another department and have your phone call disconnected while you are on hold. The customer service center in Arizona is no better. While they speak plain English, they couldn't find their asses with both hands. I'll burn my Choice Privileges points in Italy then write this loser company off as the bastard step child of Super 8 and Motel 6.
Couldn't have said it better myself. This program is the worst managed of any I've ever seen, and their customer service is absolutely atrocious. I got this card last year and it took over 6 months and 8 phone calls (all over an hour each because of hold times and transfers) before I finally got the points--and only by reaching out to Barlcays on Twitter. Moreover, I stay at a couple of properties regularly for work and the points NEVER post. I have to call in every single time to argue for the stays to be credited.
Their only saving grace was that they had great redemptions in Scandinavia, but now that those are out the window I have no reason to stay loyal to this program and will be kicking them to the curb as soon as I figure out where to use my 200k points.
In your opinion, do you think Holiday Inn is better if you've been? I am looking into this card, but don't want to be staying at places similar to super 8 or motel 6... thanks!
Mike,
If you are planning on staying at hotels in the USA, anything in the IHG group beats anything in the Choice Hotels group. Holiday Inn is just one brand in the IHG group, but virtually all Choice Hotel brands and hotels in the USA are substandard dumps in my opinion, unless you enjoy the smell of curry in the lobby and a complimentary breakfast of stale pastries and watery coffee. I have been told that the Italian hotels will be better. I shall see.
I disagree on a limited basis. I've stayed in plenty of dumpy Holiday Inns. And while true- most Chocie proeprties are not the best, the ones I've stayed in throughout the Midwest (Arkansas up to Wisconsin and on westward) all seem to be decent properties. Usually a free breakfast. The Choice Suites in Green Bay has a fantastic restaurant associated with. It's not a guarantee of being better than Holiday Inn, but in some cases it's on par. Meanwhile, most of the Choice properties on the east coast in major urban areas are not all that enjoyable. YMMV.
Ok. I'm definitely going to avoid all choice hotels from this point forward. I've only stayed at Marriott before. Haha. Thanks!