Wyndham Rewards: Guide to earning, redeeming and elite status
Editor's Note
Wyndham Rewards is one of the lesser-known hotel loyalty programs, especially when compared to major players like Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt. But that doesn't mean the program isn't worth your time, especially since you can transfer several types of credit card rewards to Wyndham Rewards.
So, here's what you need to know about the Wyndham Rewards loyalty program.
What is Wyndham Rewards?
Wyndham Rewards is the loyalty program for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which claims to be the "world's largest and most diverse hotel company," with over 9,000 hotels across 24 brands in 95 countries.
Wyndham includes budget-friendly brands like Howard Johnson, Super 8, Days Inn and Travelodge, as well as higher-end brands like Wyndham Grand, Esplendor Boutique Hotels and Registry Collection Hotels.
Despite its sizable worldwide footprint, Wyndham Rewards keeps a pretty low profile, and it doesn't offer as many elite benefits as other programs. However, earning Wyndham points is easy, and the program maintains a three-tier award chart.
Related: Which credit card should you use for Wyndham stays?
Elite status
Wyndham Rewards offers four member tiers that offer varying benefits. You'll progress to higher tiers as you complete qualifying nights at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts properties each calendar year.
Once you earn Wyndham status, you'll keep it through the end of the calendar year after you earned it. Remember that nights booked through third-party sites, including online travel agencies, don't count toward elite night qualification.
Wyndham Blue status
All Wyndham Rewards members start at the Blue membership tier, and there aren't any requirements you must meet to maintain this tier. Blue members can get free Wi-Fi, roll over qualifying nights to the next calendar year and access discounted room rates.
Wyndham Gold status
Wyndham Rewards members earn Gold status after completing five qualifying nights in a calendar year. In addition to the perks offered to Blue members, Gold members get their preferred room choice, 10% bonus points on stays and late checkout (based on availability).
Wyndham Platinum status
Earning Wyndham Platinum status requires just 15 qualifying nights per calendar year. In addition to the perks offered to Gold members, Platinum members get 15% bonus points on stays and early check-in (based on availability). Platinum members can also enjoy rental car upgrades through Avis and Budget and a status match to Caesars Rewards each February.
Wyndham Diamond status
After staying 40 nights per calendar year, Wyndham members earn top-tier Diamond elite status. In addition to the perks offered to Platinum members, Wyndham Diamond members get 20% bonus points on stays, suite upgrades (upon request and subject to availability), a complimentary snack or beverage when staying at select hotel brands, and the ability to give Gold status to a family member or friend once per calendar year.
Related: I don't gamble, but I used a casino status match to get a cheap cruise
How to earn Wyndham points
There are a few different ways you can earn Wyndham points, and one of the most obvious is by staying at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts properties. But here's a look at the best ways to earn Wyndham points.
Earn Wyndham points on stays
As with almost all hotel programs, you'll earn points when staying at Wyndham properties based on your spending and status in the Wyndham Rewards program. However, unlike with most hotel loyalty programs, you'll usually only earn points on the room rate. Sadly, you usually won't earn points on taxes, fees and incidentals you charge to your room.
You'll earn 10 points per dollar spent — or 1,000 points per stay, whichever is greater — at most Wyndham Hotels & Resorts properties. The one exception is the WaterWalk Extended Stay by Wyndham brand, where you'll earn 5 points per dollar when you stay in furnished suites and no points when you stay in other accommodation types.
Wyndham members with status earn a percentage bonus on their base earnings from qualifying Wyndham stays. Specifically, Gold members get a 10% bonus, Platinum members get a 15% bonus and Diamond members get a 20% bonus.
Wyndham Rewards occasionally offers promotions that let you earn bonus points on stays. So keep an eye out for Wyndham promotions and register even if you aren't sure you'll have any qualifying stays during the promotion period.
Finally, remember that bookings through third-party online travel agencies usually aren't qualifying. So, book your Wyndham stays on the Wyndham website or app to earn points and use your elite status benefits.
Earn points with cobranded Wyndham credit cards
Wyndham Rewards offers three cobranded credit cards. To earn Wyndham points on everyday purchases, look at the three Wyndham credit cards and assess which is best for your spending habits.
- Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card: 5 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases made at hotels by Wyndham as well as on qualifying gas purchases, 2 points per dollar spent on eligible dining and grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart), and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham Vacation Club down payments)
- Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card: 6 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases made at hotels by Wyndham as well as on qualifying gas purchases, 4 points per dollar spent on eligible dining and grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart), and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham Vacation Club down payments)
- Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card: 8 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases made at hotels by Wyndham as well as on qualifying gas purchases; 5 points per dollar spent on eligible marketing, advertising and utilities purchases; and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham Vacation Club down payments)
The information for the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card, Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card and Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
These cards are great for earning Wyndham points, especially if you spend a lot at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts properties and on qualifying gas purchases. The Earner card gives Gold status, the Earner Plus card gives Platinum status and the Earner Business card gives top-tier Diamond status as a cardmember perk.
Holders of these three cards can enjoy free nights faster due to a 10% reduction in the number of points they must redeem for free night awards. Specifically, this means free night awards that would normally cost 7,500 points only cost cardmembers 6,750 points. Free night awards that normally cost 15,000 points only cost cardmembers 13,500 points, and free night awards that normally cost 30,000 points only cost cardmembers 27,000 points.
The Earner Plus card gives cardmembers 7,500 bonus points each anniversary year, and the Earner Business card gives cardmembers 15,000 bonus points each anniversary year. You'll get these bonus points once you pay the renewal fee, but the value of these points should be more than the fee. As such, keeping these Wyndham cards in your wallet for the long term is easy.
Related: Which Wyndham Rewards credit card is right for you?
Transfer Capital One miles or Citi ThankYou points to Wyndham Rewards
You can transfer Capital One miles to Wyndham Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. This means that 1,000 Capital One miles can become 1,000 Wyndham Rewards points.
You can also transfer Citi ThankYou Rewards points to Wyndham Rewards. If you have a premium Citi ThankYou card like the Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees) or Citi Prestige® Card, you can transfer points to Wyndham Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. However, if you only have a nonpremium Citi ThankYou card like the Citi Strata℠ Card (see rates and fees) or Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees), you can only transfer points to Wyndham Rewards at a 5:4 ratio.
The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
In both cases, other transfer partners may give you more value for your rewards. But having the option to transfer Capital One miles and Citi ThankYou points to Wyndham means you can quickly replenish your Wyndham Rewards balance if you need more points for a specific redemption.
Related: Why transferable points and miles are worth more than other rewards
Shop through the Wyndham Rewards shopping portal
Wyndham Rewards has a shopping portal that you can use to earn bonus points on online purchases. Just click through the shopping portal before making a qualifying purchase online. You'll earn a set number of points per dollar spent (or, in some cases, a set number of points per qualifying purchase) in addition to the rewards you already earn with your credit card.
Using the Wyndham shopping portal is easy. Head to the website and sign in using your Wyndham Rewards account information. Then, search for the merchant you'd like to shop with and click the "Shop Now" button.
You can check out as usual, and the points will show as pending in your Wyndham Rewards account within five days. Once the transaction is confirmed — which usually takes up to 45 days but may take longer — the points will be posted to your account within 24 hours.
Related: Use a shopping portal aggregator to maximize online purchases
Earn points by booking Wyndham travel packages
Wyndham Rewards recently added a new way to earn points: travel packages. When you book your hotel, flights, car rental and activities through Wyndham Rewards, you can earn up to 10 points per dollar spent on qualified hotel stays and activities and 1 point per dollar spent on all other travel reservations.
How to redeem Wyndham Rewards points
There are several ways to redeem Wyndham Rewards points, including for Penn State game day packages and experiences. You can also convert Wyndham points into Caesars Rewards credits. However, redeeming for free nights is hands-down the most valuable. Here's how to get the most from your Wyndham Rewards points.
Redeem for free nights
Using your Wyndham Rewards points for free hotel stays is fairly easy. Wyndham has one of the most straightforward award charts, with only three different pricing tiers: 7,500, 15,000 and 30,000 points per night. Of course, remember that Wyndham Earner cardmembers get a 10% discount on free night awards, bringing their award rates down to 6,750, 13,500 and 27,000 points per night.
You'll find 2,025 Wyndham hotels and resorts at the 7,500-point tier. Many of these properties belong to budget-friendly brands and can be found along major expressways or in off-the-beaten-path destinations. However, seven all-inclusive properties and 16 Wyndham Vacation Club properties are in this award chart tier. Plus, you'll find some sweet spots at the 7,500-point tier outside the U.S., including in Indonesia and South Korea.
At the 15,000-point tier, you'll find 5,782 properties. Some of our favorite sweet spots at the 15,000-point tier are in Hawaii. The Shell Vacations Club Kona Coast Resort is one of the best in this tier as it's on the coast and close to many different restaurants but far enough away from downtown that you can enjoy the peacefulness of beach life.
Moving on to the 30,000-point tier, you'll find 684 properties. These properties are usually upscale hotels, but some are simply properties in appealing destinations. Some of our favorites include the MB Hotel, Trademark Collection by Wyndham in Miami Beach, Florida; The New Yorker, A Wyndham Hotel in New York City; and the Wyndham Hotel Melbourne in Australia. Each of these can be expensive during large conferences, holidays and other peak travel times, so having a stash of Wyndham points on hand may save you considerable money.
Finally, you can book multibedroom accommodations at some Wyndham Vacation Club properties — including Club Wyndham, WorldMark by Wyndham, Margaritaville and Shell Vacation Club locations — for 7,500 points per night per bedroom. As such, a two-bedroom villa at a Wyndham Vacation Club would cost 15,000 points per night.
Related: The best Wyndham hotels in the world
Stretch your miles with points-and-cash nights
You can stretch your points further using Wyndham's "Go Fast" points-and-cash redemptions. These redemptions let you combine points and cash when booking, with the cash portion varying by property.
Here's how many points you can use for points-and-cash redemptions for each of the three redemption tiers. Wyndham Earner cardmembers don't get the 10% discount on points-and-cash redemptions.
| Free night award cost | Points-and-cash redemption cost |
|---|---|
7,500 points | 1,500 points plus cash |
15,000 points | 3,000 points plus cash |
30,000 points | 6,000 points plus cash |
Redeem for Vacasa vacation rentals
Wyndham has a partnership with Vacasa, which is an Airbnb-like vacation rental service. You can use Wyndham Rewards points to book some Vacasa properties for 15,000 or 30,000 points per night per bedroom.
Generally, Vacasa rentals that have an average cost of $250 or less per bedroom per night (including taxes and fees) are 15,000 points per bedroom per night; properties with an average cost of $250.01 to $500 per bedroom per night are 30,000 points per bedroom per night. Rentals with an average cost per bedroom per night of $500.01 or higher aren't bookable with Wyndham points.
You must call to book Vacasa stays, but it can be a good way to redeem your Wyndham points if you find a property with an average cost per bedroom per night of just under $250 or $500.
Related: Ways to use points to book vacation home rentals
Frequently asked questions
Finally, here are a few frequently asked questions about the Wyndham Rewards program.
How many Wyndham Rewards points for a one-night stay?
You can redeem as few as 7,500 Wyndham Rewards points for a one-night stay. However, you can redeem even fewer points for your stay if you are a Wyndham Earner cardmember or book a points-and-cash stay.
Is Hyatt Regency part of Wyndham Rewards?
Hyatt Regency is a World of Hyatt brand and, hence, isn't part of Wyndham Rewards.
How do I find my Wyndham Rewards number?
You can find your Wyndham Rewards number by logging in to your account. Enter your username (or email) and password to log in to your account. Then, you can see your Wyndham Rewards number by clicking on your name in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
What hotels are Wyndham Rewards?
Wyndham Rewards includes hotels across 24 brands. But Wyndham Rewards also includes a collection of vacation rentals, vacation club resorts and Caesars Rewards partner hotels. You can learn more about Wyndham brands on the Wyndham website.
What is the Wyndham Rewards phone number?
The Wyndham Rewards phone number is 1-866-WYN-RWDS (1-866-996-7937).
Bottom line
While Wyndham Rewards isn't the most well-known hotel loyalty program, it offers good value via its three-tier award chart. If you're starting with Wyndham Rewards, consider applying for a cobranded Wyndham credit card. Regardless of which Wyndham credit card you choose, the welcome offer will jump-start your points balance and grant you immediate elite status.
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.