The Choice Privileges Visa credit card has re-launched in the US, as of July 1, 2010. This card is very similar to the version that was discontinued in 2009, but this time around Choice Hotels has decided to co-brand the card with BarclayCard rather than Bank of America.
What brands does Choice Hotels International encompass?
Choice Hotels are better known to weary travelers by the following brands:
- Economy: Econo Lodge®, Rodeway Inn®
- Extended Stay: MainStay Suites®, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel®
- Midscale: Comfort Inn®, Comfort Suites®, Quality®, Clarion®, Sleep Inn®
- Upper End: Cambria Suites®, Ascend Collection®
Choice hotels caters to mostly medium end and economy oriented travelers, so the hotel chain’s average room rate of $71.06 per night in 2009 was a bit below the national average of $97.51, according to the company’s regulatory filings.
How much is a Choice Privilege Point worth?
We estimate a point is worth about 0.8 cents. We arrived at this conclusion by comparing dozens of room rates to their corresponding point requirements. Roughly speaking, point values range from 0.6 cents to 1.0 cents, so we believe that if you find an opportunity to redeem points at the higher end of this range, you should feel comfortable using points. Otherwise, you may be better off redeeming points on a future trip.
How does it compare to other Hotel Credit Cards?
This is the best hotel credit card, in terms of the real rewards rate to you, unless you stay in Starwood Hotels such as Four Points, Sheraton, W, Westin, and Le Meredien. We come to this conclusion by evaluating the value of a point, and multiplying this number by the number of points you earn per $1 spent. In the case of the Choice Privileges Visa, a point is worth about 0.8 cents, and you usually earn 2 points per $1 spent. In the case of the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express, a point is worth about 2.3 cents, and you earn 1 point per $1 spent.
There may be cases in which Hilton HHonors credit cards could earn you a higher rate, because they pay double points for gas, groceries, drug stores, and wireless bills, so we’d recommend that you compare hotel credit cards using our tool before you decide what’s best for you.
Pros
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Hotel Reach
In terms of options, the biggest plus is that Choice Hotels are everywhere. Choice Hotels International has an extensive reach. As of the end of 2009, the company had 6,021 hotels open in 36 countries, as well as another 843 under construction. Only Wyndham has more hotels, and you can no longer get a Wyndham credit card.
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No Annual Fee
It’s good for your credit to leave cards open even when they are no longer being used, so it’s not a bad idea to sacrifice some rewards for a card with no annual fee. At the time of this writing, the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express credit card, Hilton Honors Surpass, Marriott Rewards Premiere, and InterContinental’s Priority Club Signature Rewards credit card all have annual fees.
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Visa Acceptance
Visa is more widely accepted than American Express, which slightly diminishes the value of 2 Hilton HHonors cards and the Starwood Preferred Guest cards. Though we’d argue that if you’re paying up for Hilton and Starwood hotel rooms, most places you go will probably accept your Amex.
Cons
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Dinky Sign Up Bonus
There isn’t much bad to say about this card, except that you get a mediocre sign up bonus. You get 8,000 points for signing up, and 8,000 points after you charge your first stay on the card. If you assume points are worth 0.8 cents each, this calculates to a total of $128 in sign up rewards, which places the card way behind front runners Marriott with $300 (30,000 points at 1 cent per point) and Starwood with $230 (10,000 points at 2.3 cents per point).
As summer kicks into high gear, start earning right away with this great credit card. You can compare reward cards and see that this card holds its own against other heavyweights. It’s second to none in terms of economy and mid end hotel credit cards, as you can see from our hotel credit card comparison tool.
