Received this last week, forgot to post about it until now. I am a Choice Credit Card holder, and the survey covered what it would take to accept an annual fee on the card. Some of the possible benefits included:
-Free night every year
-Platinum status
-Bonus categories for extra points
-Ten elite nights (gives you gold, but only 10 more needed for Platinum or 30 for Diamond)
What reminded me to post this was seeing that Wyndham has added a second credit card (also issued by Barclays) with a $69 annual fee, more points per $ at their hotels, more signon bonus points, and 6,000 bonus points every account anniversary.
While an equivalent option for Choice would seem subpar, if they upped the anniversary bonus (say 8,000-16,000 points or just a free night cert like IHG does), offered Platinum status, and 4-5 points per dollar on select categories (such as gas or groceries) I could see paying $49-$69 for it, although I wouldn't want them to pull the no annual fee one.
-Platinum status
-Ten elite nights (gives you gold, but only 10 more needed for Platinum or 30 for Diamond)
I think the latter would better for Choice. I now pretty much never stay paid at Priority Club because the card give me Platinum status for free. OTOH, I stay more at Marriott now because the card gives me a 15 night boost but I need 35 more nights to get to a useful level (Gold there gives free internet and often free breakfast).
At Choice, if I got 10 elite nights, I'd try to stay 30 more to get to Diamond. But if I got Platinum, I'd probably just put up with it, and would likely stay less than 30 nights some years (maybe even less than 20 nights some years), as there wouldn't be any additional benefit to fewer than 40 nights (since the first 20 nights would simply duplicate what I get from the card). So Choice would get more stays out of me by giving me some elite nights than by giving me middle status outright.
Programs: Hyatt, Hilton, Choice, WN, AA, BA, UA, HA, Avis
Posts: 969
I just recently cancelled my Choice CC (although I did also get one for my wife since they bonus points offer is decent).
Honestly, unless they were throwing in at least 1 free night (if not 2 nights), or something around the lines of 20k points, each year, I dont see myself paying an annual fee for a Choice CC. Thats one of the key perks of the Hyatt card and why I intend to keep it and pay the AF.
Being primarily a motel oriented chain, they cant offer the types of perks you get from other chains like Hyatt/SPG/Hilton. Middle tier status a Choice doesnt tickle me too much.
I use them as a backup since they have locations pretty much everywhere in the US when one of my preferred hotels doesnt have a presence at my destination.
I didn't think I was paying an annual fee (Barclay card). Am I mistaken?
No, you're not mistaken. You are totally asleep.
It sounds you didn't digest the first post in this thread. It talks about a survey asking what features would you need in order to pay for a (hypothetical, at this point) annual-fee version of the Choice card, if Barclays was to offer one.
