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Wyndham Rewards is an underdog in the points and miles world. It isn't discussed nearly as much as other big players like Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy. However, there are some interesting sweet spots within the program, and we want to highlight one of those today: Wyndham Rewards Tours and Activities. Specifically, we want to highlight how to earn 10X Wyndham points on these bookings.
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What Are Wyndham Tours and Activities?
Wyndham Tours and Activities, powered by Viator, is a way to book over 300,000 different tours and activites around the world through the Wyndham website. These experiences include guided city tours, experience tickets, day trips, food and wine classes, and more. You can use either points or cash to pay. However, when using cash, you'll earn 10X Wyndham points on your purchase, which is an intriguing points-earning opportunity.
Guaranteed 10X Points
Many points enthusiasts will try to stack their purchases by using shopping portals when buying things online or booking excursions, tickets, and tours. Oftentimes, we'll wait until the shopping portals have elevated bonuses before making purchases. For example, we may wait to book an experience on Viator until it earns 8X when purchased through Rakuten, instead of the standard 2X.
However, with Wyndham Tours and Activities, you don't have to worry about this runaround. Instead, every time you book something through the tours and activities page, you'll earn a flat 10X back.
Not only that, but you don't have to worry about markups on pricing. You can rest assured that you're getting a good deal since the prices are the same whether you book through Wyndham or Viator. For example, you can take a street go-cart tour in Shibuya City, Japan with prices starting at $101 on both websites. Notice that the listings are nearly identical since Wyndham Tours and Activities is powered by Viator.
The difference is that booking directly through Viator will not necessarily earn 10X points back. Even if you go through an additional shopping portal, you'll need to save the purchase for one of the few times each year when earnings are elevated. Alternatively, booking through Wyndham guarantees a 10X return on all purchases at all times. No waiting around hoping the price doesn't go up in the meantime.
Redeeming Wyndham Points
Once you've earned all of those extra Wyndham points, what can you do with them? We're glad you asked!
Wyndham breaks down its points redemptions into two categories: Go Free and Go Fast. Go Free nights are award nights fully booked with points, starting at just 7,500 points per night. Go Fast nights use a combination of points and cash, starting at 1,500 points per night plus varying cash rates.
Earning a Free Night through Tours and Activities
Let's do some math here, so you can see how to turn your Tours and Activities purchases into a free hotel stay.
Wyndham cardholders receive a 10% discount on award stays. This means you need just 6,750 points to book a free night at participating properties, instead of the standard 7,500. Because you earn 10X points on purchases through Tours and Activities, this means you need to spend $675 on bookings to earn enough points for a free night.
Alternatively, if you aren't a cardholder, you need to spend $750 to earn enough points for a free night. Remember, this is the starting rate for free nights. Some properties cost more.
Related: Current Wyndham Rewards Promotions
Vacasa
We also love using Wyndham points to book Vacasa vacation rentals. Wyndham partners with Vacasa, meaning over 15,000 Vacasa Vacation Rentals are bookable with Wyndham Rewards points. Vacasa properties offer unique pricing:
- Average nightly price is $250 or less: 15,000 points per bedroom per night
- Average nightly price is above $250: 30,000 points per bedroom per night
Cardholders also receive a 10% discount on nights booked through Vacasa, meaning cardholders need only 13,500 points for a one-bedroom rental that costs under $250 each night — instead of the standard 15,000. If you're trying to earn these points by booking experiences through Wyndham Tours and Experiences, this equates to $1,350 spent.
Other Ways To Earn Wyndham Points
Another quick way to earn a healthy stash of Wyndham points is to open a Wyndham card. There are three co-branded cards offered through Barclays. They are:
- Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.
- Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card: Earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.
- Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Business Card: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 90 days and 25,000 bonus points after spending $12,000 on purchases within the first 365 days.
As we mentioned above, Wyndham cardholders receive a 10% discount on award stays, plus additional benefits like elevated points back on Wyndham purchases, automatic elite status, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
Related: Do Wyndham Points Expire?
Bottom Line
If you're already planning to book an experience in your hometown or a city you're visiting, you might as well take advantage of the extra earnings when booking through Wyndham. That way, you can turn those extra points earned into future trips. With a guaranteed 10X on your purchases, earning enough points for a free night is easily obtainable. Plus, it comes from money you're already planning to spend anyway.
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