The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Advertiser disclosure
The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Reviews
Wyndham Rewards Earner Card review: Modest perks with no annual fee
Chris Nelson is a credit cards writer for TPG. He specializes in budget travel, hotels, earning elite status through minimal spending and redeeming points for maximum value.
February 3, 2025 • 10 min read
WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Editorial note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Quick summary
A hotel rewards card with no annual fee provides automatic elite status, discounts on award stays and a points bonus after meeting a spending threshold.
It offers solid value for both frequent and occasional guests at the brand's properties, with preferred room selection, late checkout and free Wi-Fi among the included benefits.
Points can be redeemed for hotel stays, vacation rentals, airline tickets, gift cards and more, with the best value typically found in hotel redemptions.
The program uses a fixed award chart, allowing for predictable redemption rates and no blackout dates at most properties.
What to consider
Approval may be easier with fewer recent credit inquiries, as the issuer is sensitive to application history.
Annual points bonus requires a specific spending threshold within the cardmember year.
Redemption for vacation rentals is subject to nightly rate caps, and some partner properties have blackout dates.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of competing hotel and travel rewards cards, plus tips for maximizing redemptions and understanding unique program features.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card is a no-annual-fee card from an underrated hotel brand with some properties that really provide outsize value. You don't have to stay frequently at Wyndham properties to consider adding this card to your wallet. It offers solid perks like automatic elite status and decent earnings on Wyndham stays and gas. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Wyndham isn't the first name I think of when it comes to hotels, but the brand has some terrific properties around the globe and a solid lineup of cobranded credit cards.
With no annual fee, the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card is an entry-level credit card in Wyndham's portfolio. Even if you don't frequently stay at Wyndham properties, you can still benefit from the card's automatic elite status, award redemption discounts and other benefits.
The recommended credit score for this card is at least 670. However, it is possible to get approved with a lower score.
Let's look at whether the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card should be in your wallet.
The information for the Wyndham Rewards Earner 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.
Wyndham Rewards Earner Card pros and cons
Pros
Cons
No annual fee
Solid earnings on Wyndham stays and gas
Discount on award stays
Anniversary points bonus
Award redemptions are based on an award chart and not dynamically priced
No free night certificate
Doesn't earn flexible points
Wyndham Rewards Earner Card welcome offer
New applicants for the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card can earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first 90 days. These points can be used for up to four free nights.
THE POINTS GUY
According to TPG's January 2025 valuations, Wyndham rewards are worth 1.1 cents a piece, making these 30,000 bonus points worth $330.
It's important to note that Barclays can be very inquiry-sensitive, so I recommend being under 6/24 before applying for this card. In other words, you shouldn't have more than five hard inquiries on your credit report in the past 24 months before applying for the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card.
Additionally, I recommend being at 0/6 before applying, as some reports from Reddit users indicate that Barclays is sensitive to very recent inquiries. That means that, ideally, you shouldn't have any hard inquiries on your credit report within the past six months.
It may not make the difference between approval or rejection, but being at 0/6 and under 6/24 can raise your odds for approval.
The Wyndham Rewards Earner Card comes comes with automatic Wyndham Rewards Gold status. This status level includes perks like 10% bonus points on stays, preferred room selection, free Wi-Fi and late checkout.
WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS
Wyndham Rewards Gold can be valuable, especially if you don't frequent Wyndham properties often. In addition to the automatic Gold status, the card offers:
A discount on paid and award stays: Wyndham Rewards Earner Card members receive a special cardmember rate on paid stays and a 10% discount on Go Free award stays.
An annual points bonus: Cardholders receive 7,500 bonus points (worth $83 based on TPG's January 2025 valuations) after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in an anniversary year.
$0 Fraud Liability Protection
No foreign transaction fees
While these benefits definitely don't stack up against a premium hotel card like the or the , I view them as more than sufficient for a card with no annual fee.
5 points per dollar spent on Wyndham hotels and gas
2 points per dollar spent on dining and at grocery stores (excludes Walmart and Target)
1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham Vacation Club down payments)
WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS
Remember that you'll earn an extra 10% bonus points from Gold status on every Wyndham purchase you make with this card.
According to TPG's January 2025 valuations, this equates to a return on spend of 5.5% on Wyndham purchases and gas, 2.2% on dining and groceries and 1.1% on all other purchases.
Redeeming points on the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card
With the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card, you can redeem your points for stays, airline tickets, event tickets and experiences, gas, gift cards, merchandise, charitable donations, tours and activities and an AARP membership. I typically don't see this many redemption options for hotel rewards currencies, so that's a big perk if you want flexible hotel rewards.
I always recommend using points to book Wyndham hotel stays, as that's the most valuable way to redeem your points.
Wyndham is one of the few hotel brands that still utilizes a fixed award chart rather than dynamic pricing, meaning you can still get outsize value. There are no blackout dates for Wyndham properties.
Wyndham offers two types of award redemptions: Go Free and Go Fast. Go Free uses points to cover the total cost of the room, and Go Fast uses a combination of points and cash. Cardholders will receive a 10% discount on all Wyndham Go Free hotel redemptions.
WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS
Go Free award nights are priced in three tiers: 7,500, 15,000 and 30,000 points per night. Peak-season travel and upscale or luxury properties will typically cost 30,000 points per night.
Go Fast award nights are priced in three tiers, starting at 1,500, 3,000 and 6,000 points per night plus cash.
TPG senior points and miles writer Katie Genter was able to secure award stays for just 7,500 points per night in Jeju, South Korea, and 15,000 points per night in Hawaii. She has also gotten excellent value redeeming for Vacasa stays.
You can use your points to book a Wyndham Vacation Club stay starting at 7,500 points per bedroom, per night. You can also use your points to book Caesars Rewards properties, Vacasa vacation rentals, Landal GreenParks properties and reservations on cottages.com.
Caesars properties cost 15,000 to 30,000 Wyndham Rewards points per bedroom per night. Certain blackout dates apply. Most Caesars on the Las Vegas strip will run you 30,000 points per bedroom night.
I want to note that you can only book Vacasa vacation rentals with Wyndham points if the average nightly cost, inclusive of all fees, is under $500. It costs you 15,000 points per bedroom per night for rentals with an average nightly rate under $250 and 30,000 points per bedroom per night for rentals with an average nightly rate between $250.01 and $500.
Additionally, Wyndham timeshare owners can use points to cover maintenance fees by converting them to Maintenance Dollars.
Transferring points on the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card
Wyndham has a small but mighty list of airline transfer partners. Although it has an impressive list of transfer partners, you generally will receive better value when you redeem your points for Wyndham stays than when transferring them.
Points are transferred at a 5:1 ratio, and you must transfer at least 6,000 points. This equates to 6,000 Wyndham points, equaling 1,200 partner points or miles.
Given this transfer ratio, I strongly advise against using this as a redemption method unless you need to top off your existing points or miles balance for an award ticket.
Which card competes with the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card?
If you prefer more Wyndham benefits: The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card is the big brother of the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card with a $75 annual fee. It offers perks like automatic Wyndham Platinum status and earns 6 points per dollar spent on Wyndham stays and gas. You'll still receive discounts on awards and cash stays, plus other perks. To learn more, check out our full review of the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card.
If you prefer a business card: The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card has a $95 annual fee and comes with complimentary Wyndham Diamond status. Additionally, cardholders receive 15,000 bonus points after each cardmember anniversary. The card also comes with discounts for award and cash stays. To learn more, check out our full review of the Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card.
The information for the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card and the 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.
Since this card has no annual fee, I see it as easy to justify having, whether you stay at Wyndham hotels frequently or not. It offers automatic Wyndham Gold status, a great earnings rate on Wyndham stays and gas and a 10% discount on all award redemptions. However, if you stay more frequently with Wyndham, I recommend looking at the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card instead.
Bottom line
The Wyndham Rewards Earner Card has no annual fee, offers a great earnings rate and comes with automatic elite status. It makes sense for travelers regardless of whether they stay frequently at Wyndham properties.
Plus, a solid welcome bonus can help boost your Wyndham Rewards account balance. So, if you haven't considered opening a Wyndham credit card before, I say now is a better time than ever.
