Best Western Rewards® Premium Mastercard®

 

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Checking-In to the Best Western Rewards® Premium Mastercard®

The Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard® is a hotel rewards card from First Bankcard that produces good, but finite, value. The card offers impressive earnings on Best Western hotel stays, with cardholders earning up to 20x per dollar points on Best Western bookings. New accounts can also earn up to 70,000 bonus points – good for up to four stays – when they meet lofty spending targets ($5,000 in a calendar year). The card features no foreign transaction fees and no annual fee for the first year – followed by a $59 annual charge after that. 

How it Works 

Earning Points: 

  • Earn Points with Best Western Stays: Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard® holders earn 20x points on every dollar they spend on Best Western Stays: 10x points for being a Best Western Rewards member and 10x points for using their Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard®. 
  • Earn Points for Every Other Purchase:  All other purchases with the Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard® earn 2x points per dollar. 

Redeeming Points: 

  • Best Western Stays: The easiest way to redeem rewards points is through booking stays at Best Western hotels.  
  • Gift Stays to Friends or Family: Best Western Rewards allow members to gift their free nights to loved ones, making it one of the most versatile rewards programs around. 
  • Gift Cards:  Best Western Rewards points are also applicable to gift cards for leading restaurants, merchants, and other entertainment-based vendors. 
  • Travel: Rewards points are also redeemable for travel gift cards, including with leading cruise lines and airlines around the globe. 

Today’s Bonus Offer 

New cardholders receive up to 70,000 bonus points with their new Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard®. A sum of 70,000 points breaks down as 50,000 points when cardholders use their Premium Rewards Card to make $1,000 in purchases within the first three billing cycles, and 20,000 additional bonus points when they make at least $5,000 in purchases within the first 12 billing cycles. Free night rewards with the chain start from as low as 8,000 points, with premium rooms at around 36,000 points – meaning this bonus could have a value of up to four free nights.  

Getting Under the Sheets with the Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard® 

  • Annual Fee: The Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard® has no annual fee for the first year, followed by a yearly fee of $59 after the initial 12 months. While the card may offer some significant value for the first year, there really isn’t too much after that to justify the annual fee. 

Hotel Perks: 

  • Platinum Elite Status: Cardholders receive complimentary Silver Elite status in the Best Western Rewards program. Silver Elite status entitles members to 15% in additional points earning on Best Western Stays, no blackout dates, access to an exclusive reservations line, room upgrades, early check-in/late check-out, and the choice of a free welcome gift upon arrival. 

Cardholder Protections: 

  • Free FICO Score: Cardholders receive access to their FICO score each month, allowing them to monitor the well-being of their score. 
  • Zero Fraud Liability: Cardholders don’t have to worry about fraudulent or unauthorized purchases with their Best Western Mastercard®, as they’ll receive complete protection with Mastercard®’s Zero Liability Protection. 

“Suite” Perks That Make the Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard® Worthwhile: 

  • Bonus Points: The Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard® might not have as many perks as other, higher-end hotel rewards credit cards, but the prospect of 32,000 points – suitable for up to two free nights – is a good bargain.  
  • Points Earning with Hotel Stays: Earning 20x points per dollar when booking with the Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard® is excellent – as is the additional bonus of a 10% discount when selecting the “rewards rate” at BestWestern.com. 

“Reservations” About the Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard® 

  • Value vs. the No Annual Fee Card: The Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard® offers limited lasting value that will justify the $59 annual fee when compared with the Best Western Rewards Mastercard®. While the points earning potential and the initial bonuses are higher, this sign-on bonus takes 12 billing periods to receive – and requires at least $5,000 in spending. 

Time to Check-Out 

The Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard® makes it challenging to provide value against its yearly $59 price tag when compared with the no annual fee Best Western Rewards Mastercard®. The card earns an impressive 20x points with Best Western stays, but this isn’t likely to be a game-changer for all but the most die-hard of Best Western customers. 

The addition of Platinum Elite status and up to 70,000 bonus points (good for up to four free nights) may seem enticing, but these perks offer limited value. 70,000 miles requires a spend of over $5,000 on the card and Platinum Elite status offers little beyond the Gold Elite status that the no annual fee sibling offers.  

Overall, the Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard® is a good, but not great, hotel rewards card. If you plan to spend over $5,000 on the card in the first year, it may be the type of card you use and lose before the annual fee kicks in – otherwise, however, choose the Best Western Rewards Mastercard®. 


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