Wyndham Rewards Visa card review

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Note: This card offer is no longer available from the issuer. New Wyndham cards from Barclays are now available.

If you prefer to stay at hotels and resorts in the Wyndham family and are looking for a no-annual-fee card, the Wyndham Rewards Visa credit card may be worth a look. Many well-known brands fall under the Wyndham umbrella, including Days Inn, Dolce, Super 8, Baymont, Tryp, Wyndham Grand hotels and resorts, Microtel, Ramada and Travelodge.

This no annual fee hotel card offers a fair rewards rate with bonus earnings on gas and groceries and a simple redemption structure you can use to your advantage if you aspire to stay in a luxury hotel. But unlike its annual fee cousin, the Wyndham Rewards Visa Signature card, the Wyndham Rewards Visa card offers three points per dollar spent at a Wyndham property (compared to five points for the Visa Signature card), and the sign-up bonus is 15,000 points (compared to 30,000). That 15,000-point sign-up bonus is worth about $100 — enough for one night’s hotel stay — but well below what many competitors offer.

Average rewards rate

The card offers three points per dollar on stays at Wyndham hotels, two points per dollar on gas, grocery and utility purchases and one point per dollar on all other purchases. This is a fairly average earning scheme for a hotel card, though many general rewards cards offer  much better earning schemes. On the bright side, if you are a fan of Wyndham hotels, the card at least offers an opportunity to accrue some extra points on your gas and grocery purchases.

Below average rewards value

Unfortunately, Wyndham points are typically worth just a fraction of the average credit card rewards point if you redeem your points for a standard room at a non-luxury hotel, so its rewards offer isn’t nearly as generous as it seems. Most credit card rewards points are each worth at least a penny.

You may be able to get more value out of your rewards points, though, if you redeem your points for stays in pricier cities, such as New York City or San Francisco, or if you choose a luxury hotel. Wyndham charges the same flat rate for every rewards-funded hotel stay, so a standard room that typically costs $200 a night will give you a lot more value than a room that costs $80 a night.

Points expire after four years

Unforutnately, Wyndham points expire four years from the date that they are posted to your account. This is a very short lifespan compared to other hotel program’s rewards points, most of which don’t expire as long as the card is active. With a four year limit on points, many card owners may have a difficult time accumulating enough Wyndham rewards points to redeem for a hotel stay before the points expire.

Flat redemption rate for every Wyndham hotel

Wyndham’s simple redemption structure is, by far, this card’s most appealing feature. Wyndham sets itself apart from other hotel rewards programs by charging a flat number of points – 15,000 per night – for any standard hotel room, no matter what type of hotel you choose. So if you opt to stay in a luxury hotel or if you plan to stay in an expensive city, you could get substantially more value out of your rewards.

If you plan to stay at a lower cost hotel, you may be better off redeeming just part of your rewards. Wyndham gives cardholders the option of paying for part of a hotel stay with 3,000 points – a roughly $20 discount.

Modest sign-up bonus

As a reward for signing up, the Wyndham card offers 15,000 bonus points – the equivalent of one free night at a hotel. The bonus is significantly less generous than many competitors offer. Some no annual fee hotel cards, for example, offer bonuses worth up to $300 or more. But if you choose your hotel wisely, you could get some respectable value out of the reward.

Huge network

Wyndham operates roughly 7,800 hotels and resorts in 72 cities. Brands that fall under the Wyndham umbrella include Tryp, Wingate, Hawthorn, Microtel, Ramada, Baymont, Days Inn, Super 8, Howard Johnson, Travelodge and Knights Inn.

Why get the Wyndham Rewards Visa card?

• You want a card with an extensive hotel network.
• You want a card with a simple rewards structure.
• You plan to redeem your rewards for a pricier room in an expensive city or at a luxury hotel.

How to use the Wyndham Rewards Visa card:

• Look for Wyndham-brand hotels when you travel and use your card to book your reservation.
• Supplement your rewards earnings by using your card for gas, grocery and utility purchases.
• Be choosy about how you redeem your rewards. You’ll get more value out of your rewards if you use them to book a pricier standard hotel room.
• If you plan to stay at a budget hotel, consider paying for your visit with partial points.

Is the Wyndham Rewards Visa card worth it?

The Wyndham Rewards Visa falls short as a hotel rewards card, and will only appeal to Wyndham hotel loyalists looking to avoid an annual fee. Though it boasts a wide network and a refreshing flat rate redemption structure across hotels, this card’s below average rewards value, unimpressive sign-up bonus and poor point transfer rate make it hard to recommend for the average cardholder. Still, if you frequent Wyndham hotels and want a chance at a deal on a pricier room, it may be worth a look.

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