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The Wyndham
Plus, the card gives you automatic Diamond status during your first year, and then Platinum elite status after that. What else does this card offer? Here's everything you need to know about the Wyndham Earner Plus Card.
- 6X points on Hotels by Wyndham
- 4X points on eligible Vacation Club, dining and grocery store purchases (excluding Target® and Walmart®)
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases (excluding Vacation Club down payments)
Wyndham Earner Plus Card Pros
- Complimentary Wyndham Diamond status during your first year, then Platinum elite status after that.
- Redeem 10% fewer Wyndham Rewards points for Wyndham award nights.
- Receive 15,000 bonus points each anniversary year.
Wyndham Earner Plus Card Cons
- Has a $95 annual fee.
- Limited bonus earning categories from spending.
- Wyndham Rewards has few aspirational properties.
Wyndham Earner Plus Card Welcome Bonus
New cardholders can take advantage of a great welcome bonus: Earn 45,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days, plus 55,000 bonus points after spending $500 at Hotels by Wyndham in the first 180 days.
On average, AwardWallet users redeem Wyndham points for 1.4¢ apiece, making this welcome offer worth roughly $1,400 when maximizing the offer.
Related: The Best Rewards Credit Card Offers for This Month
Wyndham Earner Plus Card Benefits
Beyond the welcome bonus, the Wyndham Earner Plus Card offers decent benefits that may make the annual fee worth it year after year.
Complimentary Wyndham Platinum elite status
Wyndham Platinum elite status is the upper-middle tier in Wyndham Rewards. It isn't worth a ton, but it can give you a few perks, such as preferred room choice, 15% bonus points on paid stays, early check-in and late checkout, and rental car benefits with Avis and Budget.
However, for the first year you hold the credit card, you'll have trial Diamond elite status, which offers even more perks, like free breakfast, 100% base points, and space-available upgrades, including suites.
Discount on award stays
One outstanding perk of the Wyndham Earner Plus Card is that you'll pay 10% fewer points when redeeming for free nights through the Wyndham go free program.
Anniversary points
Each year on your anniversary, you'll receive 15,000 bonus Wyndham Rewards points after paying the $95 annual fee. With AwardWallet users redeeming their Wyndham points at 1.4¢ each, the 15,000 bonus points are worth far more than the annual fee.
You can earn an additional 15,000 points when you stay five nights in a calendar year.
Introductory APR on balance transfers
With the Wyndham Earner Plus Card, there is an introductory APR of 0% on balance transfers for 15 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening. There is also a balance transfer fee of 5% (minimum of $5).
Related: Credit Cards With Introductory Balance Transfer Offers
No foreign transaction fees
Avoid foreign transaction fees when you use your card abroad.
Meal delivery credits
The card offers up to $25 in statement credits back twice per year on eligible meal delivery purchases when you pay with your card. The credit is active January to June and July to December. The nice thing is that this credit isn't tied to a particular meal delivery brand.
Car rental status
The Wyndham Earner Plus Card offers complimentary Emerald Club Executive status when you're a cardmember. Executive status includes upgrades, waived second-driver fees, and preferred rental credit for its members.
Wyndham Earner Plus Card Earning Rates
On everyday purchases, you'll earn Wyndham Rewards points at the following rates:
- 6X points on Hotels by Wyndham
- 4X points on eligible Vacation Club, dining and grocery store purchases (excluding Target® and Walmart®)
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases (excluding Vacation Club down payments)
- If you want Wyndham Rewards points without an annual fee, consider the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card. It has similar perks — 7,500 bonus points when you spend $15,000 in a calendar year, and a 10% discount on award stays, but with no annual fee and only automatic Gold status.
- If you want points you can use with Wyndham and other programs, consider the Citi Strata Premier® Card. You'll earn flexible points that you can transfer to 21 programs, including Wyndham, Choice Hotels, Accor, JetBlue, Air France, and more. You won't get any specific Wyndham benefits, but you can earn up to $100 back on a hotel booking of $500 or more in the Citi Travel℠ portal each year.
- If you want flexible rewards to use with Wyndham plus simple earnings, the
Capital One - 5X points on Hotels by Wyndham
- 3X points on eligible Vacation Club, dining and grocery store purchases (excluding Target® and Walmart®)
- 1X points on all other purchases (excluding Vacation Club down payments).
- 10X on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations
- 1X – Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
- 5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases
- 6X points on Hotels by Wyndham
- 4X points on eligible Vacation Club, dining and grocery store purchases (excluding Target® and Walmart®)
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases (excluding Vacation Club down payments)
- Wyndham Earner Plus Card Pros
- Wyndham Earner Plus Card Cons
- Wyndham Earner Plus Card Welcome Bonus
- Wyndham Earner Plus Card Benefits
- Wyndham Earner Plus Card Earning Rates
- Redeeming Points With the Wyndham Earner Plus Card
- Application Restrictions
- Cards That Compete With the Wyndham Earner Plus Card
- Bottom Line
You'll get our best returns on purchases at Wyndham hotels. If you have a great use for Wyndham Rewards points, such as Wyndham properties when cash rates are high, you might also find value in using the card for dining, grocery, and gas purchases. Otherwise, you're likely better off spending with another card in many circumstances.
Related: The Best Rewards Credit Cards for Each Spending Category
Redeeming Points With the Wyndham Earner Plus Card
Here's a look at all the ways you can redeem Wyndham Rewards points.
Wyndham Go Free stays
The most straightforward way to redeem your Wyndham points is for free stays at Wyndham hotels. Wyndham has a four-tier award chart, where hotels cost 5,000, 15,000, 30,000, or 45,000 points per night. And with the Wyndham Earner Plus Card, you get a 10% discount on all Go Free redemptions, meaning a free night could cost as few as 4,500 points.
Wyndham Go Fast stays
Wyndham Go Fast is essentially a cash-plus-points stay. You'll pay a small points copay (often around 3,000 Wyndham Rewards points but technically as low as 500 points) and a cash amount for each night. You'll want to run the numbers on the particular hotel you're looking to book, but this typically doesn't provide great value for your points.
Related: How To Use Points and Miles for Vacation Home Rentals
Points Payback
Another option, which we don't recommend, is redeeming your points for a statement credit. This option applies to purchases made on the card in the last 90 days. All redemptions are final and cannot be changed.
Gift cards, merchandise, and other redemption options
A last-resort option for redeeming Wyndham points is for gift cards, experiences, merchandise, point transfers, or even an AARP membership. Generally, you'll get poor value when you redeem your points this way.
Related: When Do Wyndham Rewards Points Expire?
Application Restrictions
As a Barclays-issued product, the Wyndham Earner Plus Card is subject to the bank's credit card application restrictions. Anecdotally, Barclays considers the total number of cards you have open, as well as how often you apply for cards.
Related: How To Plan a Long-Term Credit Card Strategy
Cards That Compete With the Wyndham Earner Plus Card
If this isn't the right card for your wallet, here are some other options to consider:
$0
$95Rates & Fees
$95
Related: The Best Rewards Credit Card Offers for This Month
Bottom Line
If you're interested in staying at Wyndham properties, the Wyndham Earner Plus Card is a valuable wallet addition that can make each stay more rewarding. A hefty welcome offer gives you a starting stash of Wyndham Rewards points you can use for award bookings. Plus, you'll get the 10% award discount and anniversary points each year, which may offset the card's annual fee.
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For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees)
