Choice Privileges Select Mastercard vs United Quest Card
Annual fees: Choice Privileges Select Mastercard $95/yr, United Quest Card $350/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Choice Privileges Select Mastercard on gas stations, United Quest Card on hotels.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Choice Privileges Select MastercardWells Fargo · $95/yr
United Quest CardChase · $350/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard$95LowestUnited Quest Card$350
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard60,000 pointsUnited Quest CardUp to 90,000 miles
- Rewards
- Choice Privileges Select MastercardChoice Privileges PointsUnited Quest CardUnited MileagePlus
- Foreign transaction fee
- Choice Privileges Select MastercardNoneUnited Quest CardNone
- Network
- Choice Privileges Select MastercardMastercard World EliteUnited Quest CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Gas Stations
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighestUnited Quest Card1x
- Grocery Stores
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighestUnited Quest Card1x
- Home Improvement
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighestUnited Quest Card1x
- Telecom
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighestUnited Quest Card1x
- Dining
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard1xUnited Quest Card2xHighest
- Streaming
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard1xUnited Quest Card2xHighest
- Travel
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard1xUnited Quest Card2xHighest
- Everything else
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard1xUnited Quest Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit · $120 every 4 years
United Quest Card- $200 United travel
- $150 Renowned Hotels
- $80 Avis/Budget travel
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS
- 25% United inflight
- $150/yr JSX credit
- Rideshare & transit
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard—United Quest Card
- $100/yr rideshare · $8 monthly
- Dining & delivery
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard—United Quest Card
- $15/mo Instacart+ · $15 monthly
- 3 months Instacart+
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- Automatic Platinum Elite status
United Quest Card— - Airline perks
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard—United Quest Card
- Annual 10,000-mile award flight discount
- Free first and second checked bags for you plus companion
- 2 Economy Plus upgrades after $40K annual spend
- Priority boarding on all United flights
- Other perks
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- No foreign transaction fees
United Quest Card- No foreign transaction fees
- Premier upgrades on award tickets
- Earn 10,000-mile award discount after $20K annual spend
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard—United Quest Card
- Trip cancellation coverage up to $6,000 per trip
- Trip delay coverage up to $500 per person after 12 hours
- Baggage
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard—United Quest Card
- Baggage delay coverage up to $100/day for 3 days
- Lost luggage coverage up to $3,000 per person
- Rental car
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard—United Quest Card
- Primary rental car insurance up to $60,000
- Purchase & returns
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- Zero Liability on unauthorized transactions
United Quest Card- Purchase protection up to $10,000 per item for 120 days
- Extended warranty
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard—United Quest Card
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer warranty
- Cell phone
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- Up to $800 cell phone protection
United Quest Card— - Other protections
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- 24/7 lost/stolen card assistance worldwide
United Quest Card—
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- Automatic Platinum Elite status with meaningful benefits
- Industry-leading 10x earning at Choice Hotels
- Strong 5x earning on gas, grocery, home improvement, and phone plans
- 30,000 anniversary bonus points (worth ~$180 in stays)
- 20 elite night credits annually
United Quest Card- Two free checked bags for cardholder plus companion (up to $440 per roundtrip)
- $200 annual TravelBank credit effectively reduces fee to $150
- $180/year in Instacart credits ($15/month through 2027)
- 10,000-mile award discount annually plus another 10K after $20K spend
- Earns 1 PQP per $20 spent (up to 18,000 PQP/year) plus 1,000 bonus PQPs
- Cons
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- $95 annual fee that may be hard to justify for occasional guests
- Higher $3,000 spend requirement for welcome bonus vs no-fee card
- Choice Hotels limited to economy and midscale properties
- Points value relatively low compared to premium hotel programs
- No lounge access or premium travel benefits
United Quest Card- $350 annual fee is substantial without lounge access
- TravelBank credits only work on United/United Express flights
- PQP earning cap of 18,000 limits status acceleration potential
- 2x on non-United travel is lower than some competitors
- Instacart credits expire December 2027
Category-by-Category Winner
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard wins in 4 of 7 categories. The United Quest Card leads in 3. 1 more category depend on booking channel or caps.
Gas Stations
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 1X
Grocery Stores
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 1X
Home Improvement
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 1X
Telecom
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 1X
Dining
United Quest Card earns 2X vs 1X
Streaming
United Quest Card earns 2X vs 1X
Travel
United Quest Card earns 2X vs 1X
Hotels
Depends: via Chase Travel
United Quest Card earns 5X when conditions are met; Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
| Scenario | Choice Privileges Select Mastercard | United Quest Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $192 Credits (our usable estimate): $30 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $127 Year one: $607 | Rewards: $180 Credits (our usable estimate): $437 − Annual fee ($350) Ongoing: $267 Year one: $1,227 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | United Quest Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $768 Credits (our usable estimate): $30 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $703 Year one: $1,183 | Rewards: $720 Credits (our usable estimate): $437 − Annual fee ($350) Ongoing: $807 Year one: $1,767 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | United Quest Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The United Quest Card costs $350/yr — that's $255 more than the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard ($95/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $255 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The United Quest Card includes travel credits, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, free checked bags. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $255 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $255 fee gap means the United Quest Card needs roughly $255 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on hotels and dining and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Choice Privileges Select Mastercard means losing:
- -Free checked bags
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
Get the United Quest Card if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
The Bottom Line
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
Published annual fees: Choice Privileges Select Mastercard $95/yr, United Quest Card $350/yr — a $255 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the United Quest Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The United Quest Card costs $350/yr vs $95/yr for the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $255 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the United Quest Card also lists travel credits).
- Which card earns more rewards, the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard or United Quest Card?
- Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- What benefits does the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard have that the United Quest Card doesn't?
- The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard offers cell phone protection. The United Quest Card offers travel credits.
- Should I get the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard or the United Quest Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard has a lower $95/yr fee; the United Quest Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $350/yr.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.