With nearly 9,000 properties in 80 countries around the globe, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has a huge footprint and a wide variety of hotel categories to choose from. The brand’s 20 different brands are conveniently located in big cities and small towns, as well as at the beachfront and popular vacation destinations.
You’ll find the basic value hotel brands such as Super 8 and Days Inn, but you’ll also find some very upscale properties, like an over-the-water bungalow in the Maldives or luxury suites in Paris. Wyndham offers high-end properties with executive lounges, all-inclusive beachside resorts, and even vacation condo rentals.
You could easily pay to stay at a Wyndham hotel or resort as there are plenty of affordable properties. But why not stay for free, even at one of its luxury properties? Wyndham Rewards points can make that happen. These points offer good value at redemption time for booking free hotel nights, and they’re easy to earn, too.
In this article, we’ll cover why you’d want to earn Wyndham Rewards points, your choices for Wyndham-branded credit cards that can help, and other earning opportunities.
Let’s get started learning how to earn lots of Wyndham Rewards points and booking free hotel nights!
Why Wyndham Rewards Points?
Wake up to Waikiki Beach in your free Wyndham hotel room paid for with Wyndham Rewards points. Image Credit: WyndhamThe best-case scenario of any points program is that there are lots of ways to earn rewards and good value at redemption time. With Wyndham Rewards, you’ll get both: valuable rewards points that are also easy to earn.
The Value of Wyndham Rewards
While the value of each Wyndham Rewards point varies based on your redemption selection, we calculate the value to be around 0.9 cents per point. The higher the hotel night (cash) rate of the reward night you’re booking, the greater value you will receive for your points.
Wyndham free nights cost either 7,500 points, 15,000 points, or 30,000 points per night.
Hot Tip: To clearly illustrate the value of Wyndham Rewards points, our experts put together a big list of best ways to redeem Wyndham Rewards. It’s an impressive collection!
Ease of Earning Wyndham Rewards
Wyndham Rewards points are easy to earn because there are so many different ways to earn them. You can earn big on its credit cards with welcome bonuses, everyday spending, and bonus category spending.
And even without a Wyndham Rewards credit card, you can earn when staying at Hotels by Wyndham properties, during special promotions, or on car rentals.
Bottom Line: There are so many easy ways to earn a lot of Wyndham Rewards points — and free nights start at just 7,500 points per night.
Credit Cards That Earn Wyndham Rewards
There are 2 personal Wyndham Rewards credit cards: the Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Card and the Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Plus Card. Each has its own specific earning structure, pricing, and benefits.
In addition to the 2 personal cards, Wyndham offers a business version. The Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Business Card earns generously on Wyndham stays and purchases common to businesses.
| Card | Wyndham Rewards Earner Card | Wyndham Rewards Earner + Card | Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card |
| Benefits | - 5x points on Hotels by Wyndham and gas
- 2x points on dining and groceries
- 1x points on all other purchases
- Gold status
| - 6x points on Hotels by Wyndham and gas
- 4x points on dining and groceries
- 1x points on all other purchases
- Platinum status
| - 8x points on Hotels by Wyndham and gas
- 5x points on marketing, advertising, and utilities
- 1x points on all other purchases
- Diamond status
|
| Annual Fee | $0 | $75 | $95 |
The collection of Wyndham Rewards-branded cards are issued by Barclays and all come with Visa Signature benefits. Cardmembers redeem 10% fewer points for awards and receive an annual/anniversary points bonus (terms apply) and a cardmember booking discount.
Now let’s move on to all the ways you can earn Wyndham Rewards points.
Bottom Line: Select from 2 personal Wyndham-branded rewards credit cards and 1 business version to start earning Wyndham Rewards points on every purchase you make.
Earning Points With Wyndham Rewards Credit Cards
Royal Sea Cliff Resort Kona, Hawaii. Image Credit: WyndhamRegardless of whether you secure a Wyndham Rewards credit card, you’ll want to sign up for the Wyndham Rewards loyalty program if you’ll be staying at Wyndham hotels. You’ll need to establish a member account since this is where all your Wyndham Rewards points will be deposited as you earn them.
Once you’re signed up, you’re ready to start earning Wyndham Rewards points.
1. Earn a Welcome Bonus
Wyndham-branded rewards credit cards each offer a generous welcome bonus when you are approved for the card and meet minimum spending requirements within the first 90 days after approval.
While you should always review the offered welcome bonus before applying, here is a snapshot of the currently offered bonuses:
Earning 30,000 points could be enough to get 4 free nights at a Wyndham property that could cost hundreds of dollars per night!
2. Pay for Your Wyndham Hotel Stay With Your Wyndham Rewards Credit Card
You’ll automatically receive Wyndham Rewards points when staying at Wyndham hotel properties — but if you use your Wyndham Rewards credit card, you’ll earn even more! We’ll talk more about the bonus earnings shortly but here’s what you can expect to earn on each dollar spent on your Wyndham Rewards credit card at Hotels by Wyndham:
- Wyndham Rewards Earner card — 5x earnings
- Wyndham Rewards Earner+ card — 6x earnings
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Business card — 8x earnings
Note that Club Wyndham, WorldMark by Wyndham, and Shell Vacations Club are considered vacation clubs, and earnings will differ from earnings at Hotels by Wyndham.
3. Earn at the Supermarket
We all know that supermarkets carry more than groceries, so it’s great to have a hotel rewards card earning bonus points on everything you buy at the supermarket!
The Wyndham Rewards Earner card earns 2x points per dollar spent in this category, while the Wyndham Rewards Earner+ card earns 4x points per dollar spent. With either card, you’ll want to think about buying more than just groceries during your next trip to the supermarket.
Hot Tip: The “supermarket” category does not include Target, Walmart, or warehouse clubs.
4. Earn on Dining
Use your Wyndham Rewards Earner card to earn 2x points per dollar spent in this category, or the Wyndham Rewards Earner+ card to earn 4x points per dollar spent. With this level of earnings, you’ll want to eat out more often.
5. Fill Up the Tank
Wyndham-branded credit cards earn big on purchases at the gas station.
- Wyndham Rewards Earner card — 5x earnings
- Wyndham Rewards Earner+ card — 6x earnings
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Business card — 8x earnings
6. Earn on Business Expenses
If you’re a business owner, you’ll appreciate earning 5 points for every dollar spent on utilities, advertising, and marketing with the Wyndham Rewards Earner Business card.
7. Earn on Every Purchase You Make
Even if your purchase is not included in one of the bonus categories, every purchase you make on any Wyndham Rewards credit card earns at least 1x point per dollar spent.
8. Card Anniversary Bonus Points
Wyndham Rewards cardholders have the opportunity to receive Wyndham Rewards points at their first and subsequent card renewal anniversaries. Here’s how the different cards stack up for anniversary bonuses.
- Wyndham Rewards Earner card — spend $15,000 on the card during an anniversary year period and receive 7,500 points at renewal
- Wyndham Rewards Earner+ card — receive 7,500 rewards points at renewal
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Business card — receive 15,000 rewards points at renewal
9. Pay Your Maintenance Fees
If you’re a current Wyndham Vacation Rental North America property owner, you can earn bonus Wyndham Rewards points by using your card to pay your maintenance fees!
On-property spending and maintenance fees at Club Wyndham, WorldMark by Wyndham, and Shell Vacations Club properties earn 2 points per dollar spent on the Wyndham Rewards Earner card and 4 points per dollar spent on the Wyndham Rewards Earner+ card.
10. Earn Bonus Points with Complimentary Elite Status
Each Wyndham Rewards credit card comes with complimentary elite status in the Wyndham Rewards hotel loyalty program which in-turn offers bonus earnings during your stay. Bonus earnings are over and above the 10 points per dollar spent a base member would receive.
For example, if a room rate was $100, a base member would receive 1,000 points and a Gold Elite member would receive an additional 10% for a total of 1,100 points.
| Card | Wyndham Rewards Earner Card | Wyndham Rewards Earner+ Card | Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card |
| Elite Status and Bonus Earnings | Gold, 10% bonus points | Platinum, 15% bonus points | Diamond, 20% bonus points |
Card Earnings Summary
We’ve just covered 10 ways to earn Wyndham Rewards points using Wyndham-branded credit cards — let’s summarize those earnings opportunities.
| Earning Category | Wyndham Rewards Earner Card | Wyndham Rewards Earner+ Card | Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card |
| Welcome Bonus | | | |
| Earnings at Wyndham and Gas Stations | | | |
| Earnings on Dining and Grocery Stores | | | |
| Earnings on Marketing, Advertising, and Utilities | | | |
| All Other Purchases | | | |
| Anniversary Bonus | - 7,500 after spending $15,000 on the card each anniversary year
| | |
| Purchases at Wyndham Vacation Ownership Properties | | | |
| Bonus Earnings From Complimentary Elite Status | | | |
Bottom Line: Wyndham Rewards credit cards help you accumulate rewards faster, make your stay more comfortable with automatic complimentary elite status, and reward everyday purchases.
Additional Ways to Earn Wyndham Rewards
Stay at any Wyndham hotel or resort and earn plenty of Wyndham Rewards points. Image Credit: WyndhamBe sure you’re signed up for Wyndham Rewards before staying at a Wyndham property or utilizing any of the additional reward-earning activities.
11. Staying at Hotels by Wyndham
Earning Wyndham Rewards on all affiliated hotel stays is a simple process. You’ll earn 10 base points per dollar spent (regardless of the credit card you use) and receive a minimum of 1,000 points for each stay.
Hot Tip: Since free nights at Wyndham start at 7,500 points per night, even staying at lower-priced properties can earn free nights quickly. For example, staying at a $49 per night hotel would mean you would only need to spend just $735 (15 nights) to earn 15,000 points, good for as many as 2 free nights.
12. Purchase the “Best Rate + Points”
Select a Best Rate + Points option when you book your hotel room and receive:
- 2,000 bonus points for weekday stays of 2+ nights
- 1,000 bonus points for weekday stays of 1 night
- 500 bonus points for weekend stays
13. Plan a Meeting
Book a meeting and earn Wyndham Rewards points. Image Credit: WyndhamHave a special event or meeting? You’ll earn 1 Wyndham Rewards point per dollar spent for the meeting room, hotel rooms, and associated charges. Note that the paying guest earns 10 points per dollar spent or 1,000 points minimum, whichever is greater.
14. Earn Elite Status by Staying at Hotels by Wyndham
Stay just 5 nights in a calendar year and receive Gold status and 10% bonus points on your stay. After 15 stays in a calendar year at Wyndham properties, you’ll qualify for Platinum status and receive a 15% bonus on Wyndham Rewards points from stays.
If you stay 40 nights in a calendar year, you’ll qualify for Diamond status and receive a 20% bonus on Wyndham Rewards points from stays.
If you have elite status with another hotel chain, see if you’re eligible for a status match or challenge with Wyndham.
15. Party in Vegas
Earn Wyndham Rewards points at Caesars-affiliated properties. Image Credit: Caesars EntertainmentWyndham Hotels & Resorts partners with Caesars Entertainment, so you’ll earn Wyndham Rewards points for stays at Caesars-affiliated properties, too.
16. Transfer Capital One Miles
You can transfer miles earned on your Capital One credit cards to Wyndham Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card - The newest card in the Capital One lineup with a welcome offer of 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. Not only does the card come with up to $300 in statement credits when booking through Capital One Travel, you'll also get get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary.
Earn unlimited 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5x miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, plus unlimited 2x miles on all other purchases. |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card - This card is packed with lots of benefits and perks. Earn 75,000 mile welcome bonus once you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. We recommend this as a no-brainer card if you even semi-regularly stay at hotels since this card earns unlimited 2x miles on every purchase. |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card - This is an excellent card for those looking to earn 1.25x miles per $1 on every purchase. With a 20,000 mile welcome bonus (worth $200 toward travel) after spending $500 within the first 3 months and no annual fee, it's a strong choice. |
17. Transfer Citi ThankYou Points
You can transfer points earned on the Citi Premier® Card and the Citi Prestige® Card to Wyndham Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.
18. Use the Best Rate Guarantee
Book a Wyndham hotel online or by calling the reservation number and you’ll be eligible for the Best Rate Guarantee.
If you find a lower publicly available rate on another website, Wyndham will match that rate plus give you 3,000 Wyndham Rewards bonus points. Terms and conditions apply.
19. Rent a Car
Wyndham partners with Avis and Budget, allowing you to earn bonus rewards points on every car rental.
You’ll earn 100 Wyndham Rewards points per day for each booking when applying your Wyndham Rewards number to the reservation. There is also a 30% discount for members.
20. Attend a Timeshare Vacation Presentation
Image Credit: Club WyndhamVarious Wyndham Vacation Ownership properties offer thousands of Wyndham Rewards points for attending timeshare presentations.
To start, elect to receive marketing and promotional emails when you sign up for the Wyndham Rewards loyalty program.
You’ll then receive invitations for discounted stays at Vacation Ownership properties with the requirement of participating in a timeshare presentation.
21. Earn Points With Special Offers
Wyndham runs periodic special offers, such as the recent Super 8 Military Appreciation rate that awarded a special rate plus 500 bonus points. Other examples include the “15% off plus 100 bonus points” promo and the “stay 2 nights, get 8,000 points” deal.
Once you’ve signed up for the Wyndham Rewards program, keep an eye on your email for special reward-earning offers.
22. Join the Opinion Rewards Panel
Share your opinion and earn Wyndham Rewards! You’ll receive 500 points for signing up with the Opinion Rewards Panel and taking your first survey.
23. Buy Wyndham Rewards Points
Another way to acquire Wyndham Rewards points is to purchase them. You can normally purchase up to 10,000 points per year.
24. Shop Online
Earn extra Wyndham Rewards points by shopping online through the Wyndham shopping portal.
Final Thoughts
Wyndham truly offers a vast range of properties, and having a variety of lodging choices is a good thing.
If you plan to stay at these properties or are already a member of Wyndham Rewards, it also makes sense to have a Wyndham-branded credit card.
If you stay often at Wyndham properties, the card offering the better value is the Wyndham Rewards Earner+ card. The extra points received with the welcome bonus definitely offset that annual fee, especially if you redeem them to stay at a high-end property! The extra earnings and annual renewal bonus on this card could also offset future annual fees.
If your business involves travel, you might want to consider the Wyndham Rewards Business card with its higher earnings for hotel stay purchases and bonus earnings on common business purchases.
But if you stay at Wyndham just occasionally, perhaps select the credit card with no annual fee.
No matter which credit card you choose, there isn’t much of a downside to earning and redeeming Wyndham Rewards points!
