Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Plus Card review

Best for frequent Wyndham guests

• Rewards rate: 6X points per dollar on Hotels By Wyndham and gas purchases; 4X points per dollar on dining and grocery purchases (excluding Target and Walmart); 1X point per dollar on all other purchases
• Welcome offer: 45,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days, enough for up to six free night stays
• Annual fee: $75
• Purchase intro APR: 0 percent promotional APR for 6 billing cycles on all Wyndham Timeshare Purchases
• Balance transfer intro APR: 0 percent introductory APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within the first 45 days
• Regular APR: 15.74 percent, 19.99 percent or 24.99 percent variable APR depending on the borrower’s creditworthiness

If you’re a frequent traveler who prefers to stay at Wyndham hotels, the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card is a great option. The new card is one of Barclay’s branded credit cards and features generous rewards for hotel spending. Cardholders earn 6X points per dollar on Hotels by Wyndham and gas purchases, which means that points can add up fast for travelers who regularly book with Wyndham. The card also features 4X points per dollar for dining and grocery purchases, as well as cardmember booking discounts and an annual bonus.

Current welcome bonus

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card is currently offering 45,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. These points are enough to cover up to six free nights at a Wyndham hotel, making it a desirable offer for borrowers interested in booking stays at any of Wyndham’s over 9,000 properties.

Rewards

The card has a rewards structure that benefits Wyndham loyalists and frequent travelers, with rewards points for Wyndham hotel stays, gas, dining and groceries purchases.

Earning rewards

Cardholders earn 6X points for every $1 spent on Hotels By Wyndham and gas. You’ll rack up rewards quickly if you’re often on the road and prefer to stay at the brand’s hotels. The card also features 4X points per $1 spent on dining and grocery purchases (excluding Target and Walmart), as well as 1X points per $1 spent on all other purchases.

As a loyalty member, a cardholder will also automatically earn 10 points per $1 or 1,000 points, whichever is greater, when booking qualified stays with Wyndham. This means that they can earn up to a generous 16 points per $1 for these purchases when combined with the card’s other bonus point categories.

Redeeming rewards

There are several options when it comes to redeeming points using the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card, including using points for free hotel stays, discounted rates, shopping and activities.

The card has two options to redeem points when booking stays at Wyndham properties. Wyndham’s go free® redemption option allows cardholders to get free nights faster by redeeming 10 percent fewer Wyndham rewards points when they book award nights. Cardholders can also use redeem points for a free or discounted stay at a participating club resort or vacation rental.

Aside from redeeming points when booking stays with Wyndham, cardholders also have several other redemption options. They can use points to book tours and activities, purchase gift cards and merchandise and make charitable contributions. Cardholders can also transfer points to partner programs including Amtrak, American Airlines, United Airlines and more.

How much are points worth?

The exact value of Wyndham rewards points varies depending on how cardholders choose to redeem them. Cardholders can expect rewards to translate to roughly 1.1 cents per point when redeeming points for hotel stays through Wyndham according to The Points Guy. The points are a great deal when booking stays with Wyndham, although they may not be as valuable as some other credit cards when it comes to everyday purchases.

Benefits

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card is a lucrative card for travelers who book frequent stays with Wyndham. It also comes with a host of other benefits, including unlimited earning and perks like free Wi-Fi during qualified stays, late checkouts (subject to availability) and rental car upgrades at participating locations in the U.S. and Canada.

Hotel discounts and perks

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card really shines when it comes to booking stays with Wyndham. It features both high rewards on qualified bookings, as well as the opportunity to redeem points for free nights and discounted stays.

Aside from the lucrative rewards, cardholders also gain access to Platinum member benefits when booking travel with Wyndham, including free Wi-Fi during qualified stays, preferred room choice during qualified stays, late check-out (subject to availability) and early check-in during qualified stays. Without the card, it takes nine nights to qualify for these perks.

Annual bonus

Cardholders receive 7,500 bonus points each anniversary year, which is enough for up to one free night at participating Wyndham properties. While some other hotel credit cards offer members a free night flat out, Wyndham’s annual bonus is a similar alternative and can also be used with other redemption options.

Unlimited earnings potential

Unlike some other rewards cards, there’s no cap on your earnings for the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card. This means that for every dollar you spend, you’ll earn points that can be redeemed on future purchases, with no upper limit.

Rental car upgrades

Cardholders who rent a car through Avis or Budget can receive a free upgrade on their car rental at participating locations in the U.S. and Canada. This is a nice extra benefit for frequent travelers.

Purchase intro APR

If you’re looking to book a stay at Wyndham Timeshare in the near future, the card’s low promotional APR is an attractive perk. When you open the card, you’re eligible for 0 percent intro APR for 6 billing cycles on all Wyndham Timeshare Purchases (15.74 percent, 19.99 percent or 24.99 percent variable APR after).

Balance transfer APR

The balance transfer APR for the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card is also a pretty good offer for borrowers looking to transfer a balance from another card. Cardholders are eligible for a 0 percent introductory APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within the first 45 days (15.74 percent, 19.99 percent or 24.99 percent variable APR after).

No foreign transactions fees

In keeping with its robust selection of benefits for frequent travelers, the card charges no foreign transaction fees. This is an appealing perk for borrowers who travel internationally with any regularity.

Fraud liability protection

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card comes with $0 fraud liability protection. Cardholders aren’t responsible for any charge they didn’t authorize, which can give borrowers peace of mind when it comes to stolen cards and potential fraudulent charges.

Rates and fees

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card does come with a few fees. These include:

• Annual fee: The card comes with an annual fee of $75, although in practice this is almost entirely canceled out by the 7,500-point annual bonus.
• APR: The variable APR for this card is 15.74 percent, 19.99 percent or 24.99 percent depending on the creditworthiness of the borrower. While the lower end of this spectrum is in line with industry averages, the steep upper limit may deter borrowers with less than perfect credit.
• Balance transfer fee: The card charges a balance transfer fee of $5 or 3 percent of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
• Cash advance fee: The card charges a cash advance fee of $10 or 5 percent of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
• Late payment fee: If you make a late payment, you may be charged a late payment fee of up to $40.
• Returned payment fee: The card comes with a returned payment fee of up to $40.

How the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card compares to other hotel rewards cards

There are lots of other hotel credit cards besides Wyndham, and part of your decision will ultimately come down to personal preference and brand loyalty. That said, some cards do offer standout benefits when it comes to welcome offers, rates and extra perks.

Best cards to pair with the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

The Wyndham rewards credit card excels at a very specific function: generous hotel rewards and travel perks for customers loyal to the Wyndham brand. While this card might not have the versatility of a more general rewards credit card, it pays dividends for committed customers who frequently stay with Wyndham.

That said, there are a few other cards that pair especially well with the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card. For frequent travelers interested in this card, an additional travel rewards credit card for flights and other traveling expenses is a good idea. A robust travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a nice complement, and earns 2 points per dollar on travel and dining at restaurants, along with discounted travel bookings through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Bankrate’s take—Is the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card worth it?

If you travel frequently and prefer to book your stays with Wyndham properties, this card is a clear winner. With up to 6X points per $1 for qualifying hotel stays as a loyalty member, a wide array of travel-related perks and benefits and redemption options for free and discounted stays, the card is well worth the annual fee for Wyndham loyalists.

On the other hand, if you travel infrequently or don’t want to limit your options to Wyndham properties, there are other more lucrative rewards credit cards that could better suit your needs. With a $75 annual fee, the card also isn’t the best option for borrowers looking for a truly fee-free card.

Pros:

• Great earnings potential for Wyndham hotels stays, gas, restaurants and more
• No foreign transaction fees
• Plenty of travel perks
• Generous welcome offer

Cons:

• $75 annual fee
• The best value for rewards redemption is limited to Wyndham hotel bookings
• High upper APR limit

The information about the Wyndham Rewards® Earner Plus Card and 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.