Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card review

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card is ideal for small business owners whose work requires frequent travel. The card’s rewards for business-related spending, low annual fee and benefit of Wyndham’s 9,000+ international locations enrich its overall value.

Although the welcome offer is a bit low compared to similar cards, the annual bonus points still set the Wyndham Business Credit Card apart. Cardholders are awarded an automatic 15,000 points each year on their card anniversary, a value that offsets the annual fee.

Business owners may have a hard time deciding whether a travel credit card or a business credit card is more beneficial, and the Wyndham Rewards Business Card offers a fair balance of both.

Quick highlights

• Rewards rate: 8X points per dollar on eligible purchases made at Wyndham Hotels and gas, 5X points per dollar on eligible marketing, advertising and utilities and 1X point per dollar on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham Timeshare resorts down payments)
• Welcome offer: 45,000 points after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days
• Annual fee: $95
• Purchase intro APR: 0 percent intro APR on Wyndham Timeshare Purchases for six billing cycles
• Balance transfer intro APR: None
• Regular APR: 20.49%, 24.49% or 29.49% Variable

Current welcome offer

New cardholders will receive 45,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days of membership. This isn’t as lucrative as something like the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card* that offers: 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points and one Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of card membership. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, also a great starter travel card, offers 60,000 bonus points for cardholders who spend $4,000 in the first three months. The Wyndham Business Credit Card’s low spending requirement, however, does make the welcome offer more accessible for cardholders who may not be doing as much initial spending.

Two related Barclays credit cards, the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card and the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card, offer similar bonuses but less of the perks aimed at business owners. Those two also require $1,000 of spending in the first 90 days, but the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card only gives 30,000 in bonus points compared to 45,000 that you would receive from the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus. If you’re a frequenter of Wyndham hotels who would like a good welcome offer but don’t own a business, either of the two related cards may be better credit card offers.

Rewards

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card earns 8X points per dollar for eligible gas and Wyndham hotel purchases, 5X points per dollar on eligible business-related purchases (marketing, advertising and utilities) and 1X point per dollar on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham timeshare resorts down payments).

Each year on the cardholder’s anniversary date of activating their membership, 15,000 bonus points are automatically awarded. Other rewards credit cards have comparable points systems, but few offer that amount of automatic bonus points annually.

Earning rewards

There is no limit to the amount of points that cardholders can earn. For all of your business travel, qualifying purchases made at any of Wyndham’s locations will earn 8X points per dollar.

Gas purchases are also eligible for 8X points per dollar. Business spending on eligible marketing, advertising and utilities expenses earn 5X points per dollar. All other purchases that your business may require, such as supplies, inventory or maintenance, receive 1X point per dollar (Wyndham timeshare resort down payments are excluded and will not earn points.).

Redeeming rewards

Cardholders can redeem points earned on the Wyndham Business Credit Card for a discounted night at any of Wyndham’s 9,000+ international locations. For other traveling expenses, points can be used toward gift cards, shopping or airline transfers.

Wyndham Hotels also have a “go free” redemption option that gives members a free night at a participating hotel. You can redeem 7,500 to 30,000 points for a night or 15,000 to 30,000 points per bedroom at participating resorts and vacation rentals. Cardholders also receive a 10 percent redemption discount for redeeming “go free” awards.

Points earned on the Wyndham Business Credit Card also never expire as long as your membership is active.

How much are points worth?

According to our recent points and miles valuation, Wyndham Rewards points are worth up to 0.9 cents on average. The biggest value in redeeming points earned on your Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card comes from Wyndham hotel stays. A free night generally costs 7,500 points, 15,000 points or 30,000 points depending on the property. This means your 15,000 annual bonus points gives you at least one automatic free stay.

Points that are redeemed for gift cards, shopping or airline transfers offer less value. Gift cards offer the lowest worth at just 0.4 cents per point.

The Wyndham Business Credit Card earns its stay in your wallet by offering a mixture of business and travel benefits. Redeeming points for discounted or free rooms is only half of the Wyndham advantages and just the start of what the card offers specifically for business owners.

Wyndham Hotels perks

As a cardholder, you automatically receive Wyndham’s highest member level benefits. Diamond status earns you suite upgrades (subject to availability ), late checkout and early check-in (subject to availability), welcome amenities for qualified stays and various member discounts. This level also allows you to gift Gold status to a friend or family member one time per year. On “go free” award stays, Diamond members also receive two free tickets to local events.

Diamond level status with Wyndham also gives you Diamond level status with Caesars Rewards. The casino loyalty club includes exemption from resort fees, gift shop discounts, priority check-in, special gaming offers and more at their 30+ destinations.

Wyndham Business Credit Card members also enjoy a booking discount at Wyndham Hotels that could save you 7 percent to 12 percent, while the standard discount for Wyndham Rewards members is capped at 10 percent.

Many comparable hotel credit cards have extra high annual fees or require a certain amount be spent before granting elite status, so the Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card's perks are more easily attainable.

Added benefits specifically for running a business

Wyndham’s related cards, the Wyndham Rewards Earner and the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus, present many of the same traveling rewards but lack the business-focused perks. The Wyndham Business Credit Card offers:

• Complimentary employee cards that still earn points and allow owners to control and track each one’s spending.
• Cellphone insurance that covers theft and damage up to $600 with a $50 deductible when the phone bill is paid using the card.
• One-year extended warranty protection for eligible items purchased with the card.
• $0 fraud liability to protect your business in the case of fraudulent spending.
• Contactless technology to make your business transactions easy and fast.
• Enrollment in Visa SavingsEdge to save money on qualifying business purchases with tons of participating merchants.

Rates and fees

The Wyndham Business Credit Card’s annual fee of $95 is standard with comparable cards like the *Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. The 15,000 annual bonus points, however, are high enough in value to offset the annual fee.

If you’re taking your business global and plan to travel internationally, you won’t have to worry about the usual 3 percent foreign transaction fees with this card. If you’re looking for a card that does offer a 0 percent purchase introductory APR, you’ll have more luck with options that don’t include as many travel perks.

Best cards to pair with the Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card

If you are a business owner or frequent traveler looking for a card that hits the middle ground, then the Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card is a great choice. Supplementing it, however, with another card that is more focused on the rewards, travel or business aspects is also a great option if you want to prioritize one of those areas.

The Discover it® Miles would be a good additional card for earning miles if you want to go the travel-focused route. You’ll earn unlimited 1.5X miles on every dollar for all purchases and Discover will automatically match the miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. Best of all, there’s no annual fee and the purchase intro APR is 0 percent for 15 months (then 16.74 percent to 27.74 percent variable APR).

For more rewards as a business owner, a card that offers unlimited cash back on all purchases is another great option. The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card boasts 1.5 percent cash back, no annual fee and a 0 percent introductory APR on purchases for 12 months (then 17.99 percent to 23.99 percent variable APR). The welcome offer includes $750 in bonus cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months. It also offers the usual business benefits like complimentary employee cards, zero liability protection, extended warranties and emergency assistance services.

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card is made for the traveling small business owner. It has a low annual fee, great Wyndham Hotels perks and a rewarding points system.

The mixture of business and travel benefits are what create this card’s value, but only if you frequent many of Wyndham’s 9,000+ international properties. Rewards points earned for Hotels By Wyndham and gas purchases hold the most value at 8X points per dollar, then business spending on eligible marketing, advertising and utilities earn 5X points per dollar and all other purchases earn 1X point per dollar (excluding Wyndham timeshare resorts down payments).

Even a startup business owner who may not be spending much will still automatically earn 15,000 bonus points each year on their card anniversary, a value that’s more than the $95 annual fee. Less active spenders can also more easily reap the benefits of the welcome offers 45,000 due to the low spending requirement of $1,000 within the first three months.

The automatic Diamond level status, booking discounts and the “go free” awards program mean cardholders can save money and enjoy more perks at every turn when traveling through Wyndham properties.

*The information about the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.