Best cards at Choice Hotels
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns the most at Choice Hotels right now at 10x.
Rankings use issuer rates verified as of August 16, 2026.
#110x10xChoice Privileges Select Mastercard
Wells Fargo · Mastercard · $95/yr
#25x5xWells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Card
Wells Fargo · Visa · $95/yr
#34x4xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
U.S. Bank · Visa · No annual fee
#44x4xU.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
U.S. Bank · Visa · Business · $95/yr · up to $150,000/yr (combined) · Lower rate after the cap
#54x4xChase Sapphire Reserve
Chase · Visa · $795/yr
#63x3xDelta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card
American Express · Amex · Business · $350/yr
#73x3xDelta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
American Express · Amex · $350/yr
#83%3%AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature Card
Bread Financial · Visa · No annual fee
#93%3%Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi
Citi · Visa · No annual fee
#103%3%Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card by Citi
Citi · Visa · Business · No annual fee
Good to know at Choice Hotels
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard tops this ranking by a wide margin: a 10x earn rate at Choice Hotels that our engine values at roughly 6% back per dollar. That is double the 3% available from no-fee cards like the Wells Fargo Autograph Card or the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi. The catch is a $95 annual fee, so the lead only matters if you actually stay with Choice often.
Nothing changes with how you pay. The ranking is identical whether you book online or pay at the front desk, and no card network is shut out at Choice Hotels. A bigger multiplier does not guarantee more value here: the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 5x, but at our valuations that is roughly 2.5% back, less than the 3% you get from the no-fee cards above it.
If the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard is not in your wallet, the fallback is comfortable: the Wells Fargo Autograph Card and the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi both return 3% with no annual fee. That is half the leader's rate, but with zero fee to justify, so occasional Choice stays lose very little.
The math
Spend $250 a month at Choice Hotels and Choice Privileges Select Mastercard returns about $180 a year at our valuations — a flat 2% card returns $60.
Common questions
- What is the best credit card at Choice Hotels?
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns the most at Choice Hotels right now at 10x.
- How does SwipeCaddy pick the best card at Choice Hotels?
- We rank each card by its reward rate times a conservative cash value of its points or miles — no inflated transfer valuations — and apply Choice Hotels's card-acceptance rules, so the "best" card is one you can actually use at the register.
- Is the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard worth its $95 annual fee at Choice Hotels?
- It depends on how much of your hotel spending lands at Choice properties. The card earns 10x, which our engine values near 6% back, versus 3% from the best no-fee alternatives. That extra 3% only outruns the $95 fee with regular Choice stays, so occasional guests are usually better served by a no-fee 3% card.
- Does it matter whether I book Choice Hotels online or pay at check-in?
- No. The ranking at Choice Hotels is identical for online bookings and in-person payments, so the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard leads either way, followed by the same no-fee 3% options. Acceptance is not an issue either, since no card network is excluded here. Decide once which card earns the most for you and use it in both channels.
Rates reflect each card's best case at this merchant and can change; check the issuer's terms before applying.