Wyndham Rewards Earner Card Review: An Affordable Option for Wyndham Fans

Wyndham Rewards Earner Card Benefits

Strong Welcome Bonus

New Wyndham Earner cardholders can earn an impressive bonus: Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days and also earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $500 at Hotels by Wyndham in the first 180 days. Free nights can require up to 30,000 points per bedroom at participating properties and are subject to availability. Resort fees may apply and cannot be paid with points.

This is a strong offer for a no-annual-fee travel credit card, and the first tier of the bonus is relatively easy to earn. However, to unlock the second part of the bonus, you’ll need to spend $500 at Hotels by Wyndham in the first 180 days of account opening. That makes it important to time your application so it aligns with your travel plans.

Earn up to 5 Points per Dollar

This card offers 5x points per dollar spent at gas stations and Wyndham Hotels, an exceptional rate of return — competitive with some of the best gas credit cards. In fact, I’ve found that I often receive 5 points per dollar at convenience stores attached to gas stations, allowing me to earn even more points during my road trips.

Purchases at restaurants and grocery stores (excluding Target® and Walmart®) earn 2x points, and everything else earns 1 point per dollar.

Booking Discounts

Wyndham Earner cardholders automatically receive award nights for 10% fewer points. This allows you to stretch your rewards even further. Cardholders also receive discounts on eligible paid Wyndham stays using the cardmember rate at the time of booking.

Wyndham’s award chart starts at just 7,500 points per night, but properties in this price range are not very common. However, it’s easy to find hotels for 15,000 points per night, and there are some more upscale properties for 30,000 points per night. With the 10% discount on award stays, award night prices become 6,750, 13,500 and 27,000 points, respectively.

With its fixed award chart, you’ll find excellent value during holidays and other times of peak demand, such as concerts, sporting events, festivals and graduation week in college towns. It’s during these events that even modest, budget hotels often charge hundreds of dollars a night, but you can still redeem your Wyndham points at the regular rate.

For example, I attend the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh air show and festival every year in Wisconsin, along with hundreds of thousands of other aviation enthusiasts. And while hotels in the area typically charge $400 to $600 per night, I’m thrilled to redeem just 13,500 Wyndham Rewards points for a free night stay nearby.

Automatic Gold Status

With the card, you’ll receive automatic Wyndham Rewards Gold elite status, which offers perks such as a 10% points bonus on paid stays, preferred room choice (subject to availability) and late checkout (subject to availability).

Anniversary Bonus Points

Cardholders can unlock 7,500 bonus points if they spend at least $15,000 in eligible purchases in an account anniversary year. That’s a hefty threshold, but it could be worth pursuing if you’re a big spender, since 7,500 points is enough for a free night at the lowest-tier Wyndham hotels.

Introductory APR Offer

New Wyndham Earner cardholders qualify for a 0% introductory APR for the first 15 billing cycles for balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening. After that a your APR will be 19.24% – 29.49% variable. A 19.24% – 29.49% variable APR applies to purchases.

Opening a balance transfer credit card can save you money on interest and help you consolidate debt. You’ll want to run the numbers and consider the card’s balance transfer fee ($5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.) before deciding whether a balance transfer is worth it for you.

Wyndham Rewards Earner Card Drawbacks

Intro APR Doesn’t Apply to Purchases

If you’re looking for a low-APR credit card to save money on new purchases, the Wyndham Earner Card won’t be of help. Its intro APR offer only applies to balance transfers; purchases are subject to a 19.24% – 29.49% variable APR.

High Spending Requirement for Anniversary Bonus Points

Spending $15,000 in a year to earn 7,500 Wyndham points isn’t practical for average spenders, especially considering you could put those purchases on another card and earn a potentially more valuable award night outright.

For example, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card offers a free night award (valid at most Hilton hotels) after spending $15,000 in a calendar year. Similarly, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card and Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® Credit Card each offer a free night reward worth up to 50,000 Marriott points (some hotels have resort fees) after spending $15,000 on purchases in a calendar year.

Few High-End Properties in Major Cities

If you are looking for luxury accommodations in cities like New York and Los Angeles, Wyndham may not be for you. It does offer some mid-range hotels in certain locations, but the selection is heavily skewed towards budget chains such as Super 8, Travelodge, Days Inn and Ramada.

I’ve had many great stays at Wyndham properties, but I’ve also been hesitant to book at some after reading guest reviews. Travelers often choose roadside hotels and motels based on price alone, which can offer little incentive for owners to properly clean and maintain their properties. When choosing a Wyndham hotel, make sure to read some of its reviews and look for properties that have recently been renovated.

Wyndham Rewards Reservations Aren’t Very Flexible

This isn’t a drawback of the card specifically, but I’ve found an unusual quirk: you can’t modify an existing Wyndham reservation. Wyndham’s reservations system doesn’t really allow you to lengthen or shorten your stay. If you need to shorten your stay, you can cancel it, but there’s no guarantee your room will be returned to inventory. This has been a problem for me several times in the past, and one I haven’t faced with award reservations from other hotel chains.

Who Is the Wyndham Rewards Earner Credit Card Best For?

The Wyndham Earner Card is designed for value-minded travelers who primarily travel by car across the country and visit smaller and medium-sized cities. These travelers may appreciate the kinds of properties Wyndham offers while maximizing the 5x points earned at gas stations. At the same time, this card still offers a strong 2x points per dollar spent at restaurants and grocery stores, so even those who aren’t on the road can find it very appealing.

But what really sets this card apart is the strength of the Wyndham program, especially for budget properties and stays during high-demand events. If you are a frequent traveler who isn’t into luxury hotels, but would love to score a free night stay during the big game, a sold-out concert or graduation weekend at a college town, this card really delivers.

That said, if you’re loyal to Wyndham and want more premium perks, consider the $75-annual-fee Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card. It offers a bigger welcome bonus, higher earning rates and stronger benefits, including Platinum elite status and an automatic 7,500-point bonus each card anniversary.

Is It the Right Card for You?

The Wyndham Earner Card could be worth it for you if any of the following apply:

• You’re loyal to Wyndham hotel brands and don’t need luxury accommodations
• You don’t want to pay an annual fee
• You value automatic Gold elite status and booking discounts
• You don’t need an intro APR on purchases

Alternatives to the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card

There are several other hotel loyalty programs that offer credit cards with no annual fee:

• IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card: The IHG Rewards program can be a good alternative to Wyndham, as it offers a selection of both high-end properties and budget locations. This card earns 5x points on IHG hotels, which include Holiday Inn, InterContinental and other brands, plus bonus points in other select everyday categories. Benefits include IHG Silver Elite status and a fourth night free when you redeem points for three consecutive nights.
• Choice Privileges® Mastercard®: Compared to Wyndham, Choice offers more international locations that can provide excellent value. This card offers 5x points per dollar spent at Choice Hotels, which includes many budget properties, like Wyndham, plus bonus points in select everyday categories. Benefits include Gold Elite Status and a fast track towards higher levels of status.