Guide to Wyndham Rewards
March 26, 2020
From budget options like Days Inn and La Quinta to boutique hotels like Esplendor located throughout Latin America, Wyndham offers travelers a wide range of properties around the globe. If you regularly stay in Wyndham hotels, the Wyndham Rewards Program offers the frugal adventurer some serious perks. To make the most of the program, you may want to consider one of the two Wyndham credit cards available so you can achieve elite status, earn rewards and speed up the timeline to your next free hotel stay or vacation.
Best cards to use for Wyndham Rewards points
There are two very similar Wyndham rewards cards: one with an annual fee and one without.
Wyndham Rewards Visa With No Annual Fee
The Wyndham Rewards Visa Card without an annual fee is a good choice if you regularly stay at Wyndham hotels and don’t want to be saddled with an extra cost for the privilege of using the card. The high earning rate of 3X points per dollar for Wyndham expenses and two-nights-free intro bonus makes this card a worthwhile investment. Plus, the 2x points per dollar for gas, utilities and grocery stores and 1x points per dollar on everything else deliver practical value for everyday expenses. With that said, there are other travel credit cards available that may offer better earning rates and better intro terms, like a 0% APR intro period.
Wyndham Rewards Visa
Although this Wyndham card has an annual fee, the intro offer has the potential to cover up to four nights of hotel stays. The earning rate for Wyndham purchases is also respectable at five points for every dollar you spend on Wyndham expenses. You’ll earn at the same rate on everyday expenses like gas and groceries as the Wyndham card with no annual fee, plus 1x point per dollar on everything else. If you can make the most of the bonus offer, you might get more value out of this card and overcome the annual fee by taking advantage of all those complimentary nights,
How to redeem your Wyndham Rewards points
You have a range of redemption options for your Wyndham Rewards points: free nights, merchandise or gift cards, to name a few. To redeem your points, you first need to log in to your Wyndham Rewards account and get into the Wyndham Rewards online portal. Once you’ve logged in, you can decide how you want to use your points. Redeem your points for free hotel stays or discounted stays by choosing the location, property and dates you want. Transfer your points to airline partners to get free or discounted travel. You can even go to the online shopping portal to see what kinds of products are available to trade in your points for instead.
Hotel stays
With the go free points redemption option, you can redeem your points with three simple free night tiers — 7,500, 15,000 and 30,000 points per room. Choose from Wyndham Vacation Clubs, Caesars Entertainment hotels, Wyndham homes and condo vacation rentals and cottage rentals in the UK, Ireland, France and Italy.
You can also get discounted hotel stays with the go fast rewards option, where you can receive a lower-priced hotel stay for just 1,500, 3,000 or 6,000 points per room plus cash at select properties.
Tours and activities
Book experiences using points and take part in activities like outdoor adventures, food tours and live entertainment. Whether you want to sip local wines in Napa or explore Chicago on foot, there are plenty of ways to satisfy your wanderlust.
Marathon Gas
Although you’re required to sign up with the MakeItCount Marathon Gas rewards program, it’s a worthwhile discount to leverage. The first time you fuel up at Marathon, you’ll save 40 cents per gallon. After that intro visit, you’ll save five cents per gallon every day and earn points on fuel and store items.
Merchandise and gift cards
Trade in your points through the Wyndham Rewards online shopping portal and treat yourself to products like luxury coffee makers, Bluetooth speakers or workout accessories. From electronics to handbags, there is a huge range of products to choose from.
You can also use your points to purchase gift cards to a variety of retailers including Amazon, Best Buy and Starbucks.
Charitable donations
With your points, you can give back to charities and causes you care about. Donate your points to participating charities like Save the Children and Hotels for Heroes.
Points transfer partners
Transfer your points to travel partner programs and enjoy a wider range of travel rewards. For example, you can receive airline miles or transfer points to Caesars Rewards Credits for special casino rewards.
In a nutshell
The Wyndham Rewards program is practical for budget travelers who frequently stay at properties in the Wyndham portfolio. By leveraging the higher-earning rate applicable to Wyndham purchases, travelers can quickly build up points for free stays, discounted stays, merchandise, donations or special events or activities.
