Maximize Your Wyndham Rewards Experience
Hotel points can be just as crucial as airline miles or credit card points when mapping out your travel rewards strategy. Moreover, travelers can earn and redeem hotel points for stays worldwide, convert points into airline miles, or exchange them for unique experiences such as concerts and private dinners.
What is Wyndham Rewards?
Wyndham Rewards is the loyalty program of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, consisting of a whopping 19 distinct hotel brands, featuring more than 9,000 properties across 80+ countries, including vacation rentals and club resorts like Shell Vacations Club and Cottages.com.
Familiar names include Ramada by Wyndham, Days Inn by Wyndham, La Quinta by Wyndham, Travelodge by Wyndham, and Howard Johnson by Wyndham. Consequently, these properties are primarily aimed at value-seeking travelers on a budget.
For those seeking higher-end accommodations, options include TRYP by Wyndham, Wyndham Grand, and Dolce Hotels and Resorts by Wyndham, which boasts luxury properties such as the Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa and the Aspen Meadows Resort in Colorado.
Furthermore, Wyndham Rewards has partnered with Caesars Rewards, allowing members to enjoy exclusive benefits at Las Vegas and Atlantic City hotels and casinos, including Caesars and Harrah’s.
How to Earn Wyndham Rewards Points
Wyndham Rewards members can earn points in several ways. Primarily, members can gain 10 points per dollar spent on room rates or 1,000 points per stay, whichever is greater. Additionally, points can be earned when booking activities through the brand’s destination portal.
Members can also take advantage of an online shopping portal, where they can earn multiple points per dollar spent at various partner retailers. Notably, recent deals included earning two points per dollar at Bloomingdale’s, three points per dollar at Apple, and four points per dollar at Macy’s.
Moreover, Wyndham Rewards offers two co-branded credit cards issued by Barclays. The Wyndham Rewards Visa, which has no annual fee, typically offers incentives of around 15,000 points upon first use. It earns three points per dollar on Wyndham purchases, while the Wyndham Rewards Visa Signature, with a $75 annual fee, can yield a sign-up bonus of 30,000 points upon certain spending criteria.
To maintain points, members must earn or redeem at least once every 18 months, as all points expire four years after being earned, regardless of activity.
How to Redeem Wyndham Rewards Points
Wyndham Rewards has introduced a dual award structure with go free awards for free nights and go fast awards requiring a mix of points and cash. These categories significantly vary by hotel.
For instance, go free awards cost either 7,500 points, 15,000 points, or 30,000 points, while go fast awards cost 1,500 points, 3,000 points, or 6,000 points coupled with cash co-pays.
Experiences and Merchandise Redemption
Additionally, members can use points not just for hotel stays, but also for experiences through the brand’s activities portal, as well as redeem for merchandise or gift cards. However, these alternatives often provide poor value, so it’s wise to minimize use unless you have ample points.
Wyndham Rewards Partners
Wyndham Rewards boasts a variety of partners for earning and redeeming points, including car rental services such as Avis and Budget. Members also earn 250 points for every DoorDash food order.
Moreover, the program collaborates with 13 airlines, including American Airlines and United, allowing members to earn airline miles on their hotel stays. Nonetheless, converting Wyndham Rewards points into airline miles tends to offer a poor return.
Elite Status Tiers and Benefits
Wyndham Rewards members can attain elite status by staying a specific number of nights each year. The program has three tiers of elite status—starting with Gold for just five nights. At this level, members earn 10% more points, gain access to preferred rooms, and enjoy late check-out.
Those who stay 15 or more nights reach Platinum status, which offers benefits such as 15% bonus points and early check-in. The top tier, Diamond, is attained after 40 nights, providing perks like suite upgrades and welcome amenities.
Regardless of tier, all members receive free Wi-Fi and can redeem points for awards. Any extra elite nights earned beyond the current year’s qualification can roll over for next year, enhancing your chances for future benefits.
Pros and Cons of Wyndham Rewards
With 9,000 hotels globally, there are many opportunities to earn and redeem Wyndham Rewards points. Generally, hotel award redemptions are favorable, and the co-branded credit cards offer substantial points earning potential.
However, Wyndham lacks a comprehensive luxury offering, which may deter those looking for high-end experiences. While achieving elite status is relatively straightforward, the perks might not justify the effort, particularly with a recent shift in the award redemption structure.
