How the New Wyndham Rewards Earner Premier Card Compares to Other Premium Hotel Cards

The Wyndham Rewards Earner^® Premier Card is the newest premium hotel credit card, and it has a lower annual fee than its closest competitors from Hilton and Marriott.

Wyndham’s new top-tier card delivers automatic Diamond status, several statement credits, and a straightforward path to a free night, but how does it stack up against the competition? Here’s a look at how the welcome offers, elite status perks, benefits, and bonus categories compare on all 3 cards.

Premium Hotel Card Comparison

Welcome Offers and Bonus Categories

All 3 cards have excellent welcome bonus offers:

• Wyndham Rewards Earner Premier card: Earn up to 120,000 points when you spend $6,000 in the first 120 days (unlocks 90,000 points) and $750 on Hotels by Wyndham in the first 180 days (unlocks 30,000 points).
• Hilton Aspire card: Earn 150,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 in purchases within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card: Earn 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points plus a $250 statement credit after you spend $6,000 within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 09/30/2026.

Based on our current valuations of Wyndham, Hilton, and Marriott points, these welcome offer bonuses are worth $1,080, $750, and $1,300, respectively, with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card leading the pack.

Here’s how each card stacks up based on our valuation of the points that they earn.

Wyndham Rewards Earner Premier Card

Wyndham Rewards Earner^® Premier Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Premier card is for Wyndham loyalists who want top-tier elite status and beneficial perks during stays.

Wyndham Rewards Earner^® Premier Card

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Premier card is for Wyndham loyalists who want top-tier elite status and beneficial perks during stays.

Welcome Offer

Earn up to 120,000 points when you spend $6,000 in the first 120 days (unlocks 90,000 points) and $750 on Hotels by Wyndham in the first 180 days (unlocks 30,000 points).

Up to 120,000 points

Annual Fee

$395

APR

19.24% - 29.99%

Why We Like This Card

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Premier card is the top-tier offering in the Wyndham Rewards card lineup. The card is well-suited for anyone who frequently stays at Wyndham hotels and wants a premium card that offers top-tier Diamond status, a discount on paid nights, a 25% discount on award nights, and nearly $400 in annual credits.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 8x points on Wyndham hotel stays
• 4x points on eligible dining, grocery, and travel (gas, EV charging, air, car rental, rideshare, tolls, and trains)
• 1x points on all other purchases (excluding Vacation Club payments)

Cons

• $395 annual fee

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Card Highlights

• Earn up to 120,000 points when you spend $6,000 in the first 120 days (unlocks 90,000 points) and $750 on Hotels by Wyndham in the first 180 days (unlocks 30,000 points).
• 8x points on Wyndham hotel stays
• 4x points on eligible dining, grocery, and travel (gas, EV charging, air, car rental, rideshare, tolls, and trains)
• 1x points on all other purchases (excluding Vacation Club payments)
• 25% discount on award night redemptions
• 30,000 anniversary bonus points (after annual fee)
• Wyndham Rewards Diamond membership
• Booking discounts on Hotels by Wyndham
• Stay 5 nights and receive a free night annually (30,000 points)
• Emerald Club Executive status with National Car Rental
• Complimentary Wyndham Rewards Insider membership
• $395 annual fee

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.24% - 29.99%
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 

• 8x points on Wyndham hotel stays equals a 7.2% return on spend
• 4x points on eligible dining, grocery, and travel (gas, EV charging, air, car rental, rideshare, tolls, and trains) equals a 3.6% return on spend
• 1x points on all other purchases equals a 0.9% return on spend

These returns are based on our valuation of Wyndham Rewards points at 0.9 cents per point.

Hilton Aspire Card

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Automatic Hilton Diamond status, an annual free night, and a travel and resort credit make this the perfect card for those who stay in Hilton hotels.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Automatic Hilton Diamond status, an annual free night, and a travel and resort credit make this the perfect card for those who stay in Hilton hotels.

Welcome Offer

Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.

150,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $750

Annual Fee

$550

APR

19.49%-28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

Paying hundreds of dollars for an annual fee on a co-branded hotel card might seem ridiculous, but you should know that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is much more than your run-of-the-mill hotel credit card.

The Hilton Aspire card is not only a phenomenal card for Hilton Honors loyalists, but even those who visit Hilton hotels just a few times a year can still get excellent value out of all the benefits that are packed into this card.

So let’s have a look at what makes the card so valuable to travelers.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 14x points per $1 on Hilton purchases
• 7x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com, car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies, and at U.S. restaurants
• 3x points per $1 on all other eligible purchases

Cons

• High annual fee of $550 (rates & fees)

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Enjoy an Annual Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors in your first year of Card Membership and every year upon Card renewal.
• Earn 14X Hilton Honors Bonus Points when you make eligible purchases on your Card at participating hotels or resorts within the Hilton Portfolio.
• Card Members can earn 7X Points on purchases of flights booked directly with airlines or flights booked through American Express Travel, car rentals purchased directly from select car rental companies, and purchases at U.S. Restaurants.
• Card Members can earn 3X Points on all other eligible purchases.
• $400 Hilton Resort Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts on your Hilton Honors Aspire Card. That's up to $400 back annually.
• $200 Flight Credit: Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter, for a total of up to $200 back each year, on flight purchases made directly with an airline, through AmexTravel.com, or through the Amex Travel App™ using your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
• CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster at 55+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $219 per calendar year in statement credits when you pay for your membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Hilton Honors Aspire Card.
• Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
• $100 Property Credit: Receive up to a $100 credit for qualifying charges at Waldorf Astoria^® Hotels & Resorts and Conrad^® Hotels & Resorts properties when you book a 2 night minimum stay with your Card at HiltonHonorsAspireCard.com and select the Aspire Card Benefit rate option on the booking page, or call Hilton Honors at 855-292-5757 with the proper booking reference.
• Hilton Honors Aspire Card Members can enjoy complimentary National Car Rental^® Emerald Club Executive^® status, including perks like Executive Area Access (for full-size reservations and above) in the USA and Canada. Card Members must enroll in the National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status through their American Express online account using their Card. Terms apply.
• Whenever you travel more than 100 miles from home, Premium Global Assist^® Hotline is available for 24/7 emergency assistance and coordination services, including medical, legal, and financial referrals. Emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost only if approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline. Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
• $550 annual fee.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

• 14x points on Hilton purchases equals a 7% return on spend
• 7x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com, car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies, and at U.S. restaurants equals a 3.5% return on spend
• 3x points on all other eligible purchases equals a 1.5% return on spend

These returns are based on our valuation of Hilton Honors points at 0.5 cents per point.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points plus a $250 statement credit after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 09/30/2026.

150,000 points + $250

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $1,300

Annual Fee

$650

APR

19.49%-28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.

So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy program
• 3x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• Steep annual fee of $650 (rates & fees)
• 6x points per $1 is the same earn rate offered with lower annual fee alternatives like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy^® American Express^® Card

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points plus a $250 statement credit after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 09/30/2026.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Earn 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines.
• Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Earn up to 21X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Earn 6X points with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card. Earn up to 10X points from Marriott Bonvoy for being a Marriott Bonvoy member. Earn up to 5X points from Marriott Bonvoy with the 50% Bonus Points on Stays, a benefit available with your complimentary Platinum Elite status.
• $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: With the $300 Brilliant Dining Credit, you can get up to $25 per month each calendar year in statement credits for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide when you pay with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card.
• With complimentary Marriott Bonvoy^® Platinum Elite status, earn up to 5X points from Marriott Bonvoy^® on eligible hotel purchases with the 50% Bonus Points on stays benefit.
• Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®, such as Le Metropolitan, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Paris. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Brilliant Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• $100 Marriott Bonvoy^® Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton^® or St. Regis^® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Receive either a $120 statement credit for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee every 4 years, when charged to your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Each calendar year, receive 25 Elite Night Credits towards the next level of Marriott Bonvoy^® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.
• With your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, you can enroll in Priority Pass™, with an unlimited number of visits to over 1,300 airport lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or in-between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks and internet access in a comfortable location.
• Trip Cancelled or Interrupted? If you purchase a round-trip entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason cancels or interrupts your trip, we may be able to help. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• $650 Annual Fee.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

• 6x points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program equals a 4.2% return on spend
• 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide equals a 2.1% return on spend
• 2x points on all other purchases equals a 1.4% return on spend

These returns are based on our valuation of Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents per point.

Elite Status Benefits

One of the most important benefits of any premium hotel credit card is automatic elite status and the associated perks. The Wyndham Rewards Earner Premier offers top-tier status, the Hilton Aspire card offers Hilton’s second-highest status, and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card offers the third-highest status in the program.

Despite the different levels in the program, they offer similar benefits, including complimentary suite upgrades (subject to availability), early check-in, late checkout, and the ability to earn bonus points during your stay.

Hilton and Marriott offer a food and beverage benefit, a popular perk for many travelers, but Wyndham Diamond status does not. The 20% bonus points earned with Wyndham Diamond status amounts to 12x points at most properties, for a combined total of 20x when you pay with your card, which is an 18% return on spend based on our Wyndham valuation.

With the 100% bonus for Hilton Diamond, you can earn 20x points on stays, for a combined total of 34x when you pay with your card, which is a 17% return on spend based on our Hilton valuation.

With the 50% bonus points from Marriott Bonvoy, you can earn 15x points on stays, for a combined total of 21x when you pay with your card, which is a 14.7% return on your spend based on our Marriott valuation.

Free Night Benefits

Premium hotel credit cards typically offer a valuable free night allowance, allowing you to stay at a luxury hotel.

The Hilton Aspire card stands out with a free night reward redeemable for any standard room worldwide. Recently, I used one of mine at the ROKU KYOTO, LXR Hotels & Resorts, a property that would have cost 140,000 Hilton points per night.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card’s free night benefit is more limited and can be redeemed at properties that cost up to 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night. Marriott will allow you to top off the award with up to 25,000 points from your account. You can get a great stay at properties that cost up to 85,000 points, but many properties in the portfolio cost quite a bit more than that.

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Premier card offers 30,000 bonus points annually and the ability to earn a free night at any property costing up to 30,000 points after you stay 5 nights at Wyndham hotels in a year.

Annual Credits

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Premier card stands out with a low annual fee and up to $385 in annual credits: a $100 Wyndham Hotels & Resorts credit, up to $120 in meal delivery credits ($10 per month), up to $100 in streaming credit, and a $65 warehouse membership credit.

Those almost match the card’s $395 annual fee.

The Hilton Aspire card has a $550 annual fee but offers up to $919 in annual statement credits that exceed it. Credits include up to $400 in annual statement credits on purchases at participating Hilton Resorts, up to $200 back annually on eligible flight purchases, up to $100 in credits at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties, and up to $219 in annual CLEAR+ credits.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card comes up a bit short. Despite charging the largest annual fee of $650, it only has an up to $300 annual dining credit and a $100 annual Luxury Property Credit.

Special Features

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card offers Priority Pass airport lounge access, which can go a long way toward boosting your airport experience. It also comes with 25 bonus Elite Night Credits annually, which gives you a meaningful leg up toward reaching higher levels of elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program.

One of the best benefits of the Hilton Aspire card is its free night certificate, and the card gives you the ability to earn 2 more of these extremely valuable certificates annually when you spend $30,000 and $60,000 on the card in a calendar year.

Wyndham Rewards Earner Premier cardholders receive a 25% discount on award nights. With the program’s 4 award tiers as of September 15, 2026, you can book award nights at 5,000, 15,000, 30,000, and 45,000 points.

Cardholders can book award nights at just 3,750, 11,250, 22,500, and 33,750 points, respectively. This makes for excellent value and effectively boosts the value of all of the Wyndham points you earn by 25%.

Which Card Should You Add to Your Wallet?

The simplest deciding factor is to choose the card tied to the hotel program you use most often. But if you’re not committed to a certain program, which card should you pick?

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Premier card is the easiest card to justify because of its lower annual fee and competitive mix of benefits, elite status, and statement credits. If you stay at Wyndham properties, it could be worth adding to your wallet. However, Wyndham’s luxury hotel footprint is far more limited than that of Marriott and Hilton.

The Hilton Aspire card offers the most upside with its annual free night certificate. The ability to earn 2 more of these certificates each year makes it a great option for big spenders. Plus, its collection of statement credits and perks makes it easy to offset the annual fee.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card isn’t quite as lucrative as the others, especially given its high annual fee, but Marriott has a large global hotel portfolio, and the card still offers plenty, including automatic Platinum Elite status and airport lounge access, a perk neither of the other cards has.

Final Thoughts

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Premier card is new but competitive with the 2 premium players in the space, Hilton and Marriott.

Deciding which card is best for you comes down to which hotel chain you tend to stay with most, what benefits you are looking for, and how large an annual fee you are comfortable paying. All 3 cards are well worth holding, so you can’t go wrong.