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The Wyndham Rewards loyalty program is straight up one of the top 10 hotel loyalty programs in the world. It extends to more than 30,000 properties worldwide and has numerous brand affiliates, so it’s obvious why points and travel enthusiasts see a lot of value in it.
As one of the world’s largest hotel chains, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts operates 20 hotel brands which include Dolce Hotels and Resorts by Wyndham, Ramada by Wyndham, and Wyndham Grand.
Not to mention, it’s also affiliated with Amtrak and other airline carriers like United Airlines and American Airlines.
Wyndham Rewards‘ extensive network is one of the reasons why the travel community loves it. Members have the flexibility to earn miles or points and redeem them from a long list of valuable rewards.
Wyndham Rewards Points: Basic Info & Guide
Earning Points
Getting a Wyndham Rewards Visa Signature Card is the primary method in earning Wyndham Rewards points.
The points you’ll earn will vary depending on these three credit card bonus categories:
- Wyndham Stays
- Groceries, gas, and utilities
- Other purchases
But you don’t necessarily need to have a Wyndham Rewards Credit Card because members can use various travel credit cards and earn points when they book directly through the Wyndham Hotels & Resorts website or its sub-brands’ websites. You’ll earn 10 points per $1 spent on room prices or 1000 points per night (whichever is higher).
Transferring points from other loyalty programs to the Wyndham Rewards loyalty program will also earn you points.
Using Points
The points you earned can be used to redeem rewards like gift cards, airfare, car rentals, and free hotel stays.
For hotel stays, there are two ways to use your points in redeeming rewards: go freeSM and go fast SM.
- go freeSM – This feature allows you to redeem your points from three categories – 7,500, 15,000, or 30,000 points per bedroom.
- go fast SM – This feature allows you to only pay a partial amount of points – 1,500, 3,000, or 6,000 points per bedroom – and then pay the remaining price with cash plus. In addition, you’ll also earn points for every dollar spent on the price you paid for your room.
Award nights used to have a flat rate of 15,000 points for all properties but unfortunately, Wyndham changed their system back in 2019. Now, high-end properties would cost more points compared to low-end ones.
Read More: How To Keep Points From Expiring
Points Expiration
Unfortunately, Wyndham Rewards points expire over time. If you want to keep your points from going to waste, take note of these two expiration policies:
- Your points will expire if your membership account becomes inactive for 18 months. This means that your account should have some activity where you earn, use, or transfer points.
- All the points you’ve earned will expire after 48 months (4 years) even if your account is active. Hoarding points is just a big NO.
Read More: Why Hoarding Points Is The Worst Idea
Wyndham Rewards Loyalty Program Credit Cards
Currently, the card is available in two versions: An annual fee card and a no annual fee card. They have the same name but the differences lie in the features and obviously, the card design.
The annual fee card is for people who want additional travel perks and want to accelerate their points earning by 5 points by staying at eligible Wyndham stays.
Meanwhile, the no annual fee card is for people who just want a purchase credit card that earns points, and then redeem those points for rewards.
Membership Levels
There are four levels in the Wyndham Rewards loyalty program: Blue, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. All new members will start off being a blue member, and as they slowly upgrade their level, they’ll receive more perks and benefits.
Reaching Elite Status
Your elite status level is determined by the number of nights you stay at Wyndham hotels per year. This includes paid and award stays.
- Gold: After 5 nights in a calendar year
- Platinum: After 15 nights in a calendar year
- Diamond: After 40 nights in a calendar year
What’s great about the Wyndham Rewards loyalty program is they allow rollover nights. For example, if you’re a Blue member who only had four stays in your first year, you just need one more stay in the following year to get Gold status.
Elite Status Benefits
Blue Member:
- 10 points per $1 spent on Wyndham stays or 1000 points per stay (whichever is higher)
- Avail go freeSM and go fastSM award nights
- Avail go freeSM PLUS and go fastSM PLUS (discounts on local experiences for every awards night bookings)
- Free Wi-Fi
- Rollover nights from year to year
Gold Member:
- All Blue benefits
- Preferred room choice
- Late checkout
- Additional 10% bonus points on stays
Platinum Member:
- All Gold benefits
- Early check-in
- Additional 15% bonus points on stays
- Caesars Rewards status match
- Avis and Budget car rental upgrades
Diamond Member:
- All Platinum benefits
- Complimentary snack or beverage at check-in
- Suite upgrades
- Additional 20% bonus points on stays
- Gift one gold status to 1 friend/family per calendar year
You can check the Wyndham Rewards website for more details about their membership levels.
Pros
- 9,000+ participating properties across different brands worldwide
- Roll-over nights are allowed and award nights are also counted
- All-inclusive free stays cover meals, drinks, and amenities
- Points used for hotel stays already include taxes and fees.
Cons
- Partner rewards take about 6-8 weeks to be processed
- High-end properties are limited
- Points expire after four years regardless of activity
- The 15,000 points flat rate for all award nights has been removed
Is The Wyndham Rewards Loyalty Program Worth It?
The Wyndham Rewards loyalty program is best known for its elite qualification rollover nights. This makes it easy for members to upgrade their status year by year so they can get more perks and benefits.
In addition, the program gives members the flexibility to earn their points since Wyndham has an extensive list of partner brands.
If you do end up getting the Wyndham Rewards Visa card (annual fee version), you can pay off your annual fees in no time with all the points earning opportunities. If you’re still struggling with points and cards? We can provide you with more insider advice and unlimited credit card and award booking assistance through our travel concierge.
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