The Barclays Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Card is a basic no-annual-fee hotel card that provides automatic Gold status and bonus points on gas and hotel stays. This entry-level card offers straightforward value through its 10% discount on award stays, though premium perks are notably absent.
This credit card review will cover everything you need to know about this card to determine if you should add this card or a different card to your wallet. Let's dive right in.
- Earn up to 75,000 bonus points (30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days plus 45,000 bonus points after spending $500 at Hotels by Wyndham in the first 180 days).
- 5x Points at Wyndham Hotels and Gas
- 2x Points at Restaurants and Grocery Stores
- Wyndham Gold Elite Status
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- No Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus of Wyndham Earner
The Wyndham Earner Card currently offers the following welcome bonus:
Earn up to 75,000 bonus points (30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days plus 45,000 bonus points after spending $500 at Hotels by Wyndham in the first 180 days).
Before rushing to apply, you should know about some key restrictions that could affect your eligibility. Barclays tends to be quite selective about credit card applications, making approval more challenging than with other issuers. You’ll have better approval odds if you have fewer than six hard inquiries on your credit report in the past 24 months.
Previous cardholders should note that you generally won’t be eligible for the bonus if you currently have or previously had this specific card. This applies even if you received a bonus on the card in the past.
Earning Points with Wyndham Earner
The Wyndham Earner Card earns points at the following rate:
- 5 points per dollar at Wyndham Hotels.
- 5 points per dollar at gas stations;
- 2 points per dollar on dining;
- 2 points per dollar at grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart); and
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
The 5x earnings on both hotels and gas makes this card compelling for road warriors who frequently stay at Wyndham properties. However, the 2x categories are fairly limited compared to transferable points cards that often offer better rewards on dining and groceries.
For everyday spending, you’d likely get better value from a card earning flexible points that can transfer to multiple hotel and airline partners. While the gas bonus is solid, the overall earning structure is fairly restrictive unless you’re specifically loyal to Wyndham hotels.
No Annual Fee
The Wyndham Rewards Earner Card has no annual fee. You'll get solid value through benefits like automatic Wyndham Gold status, a 10% discount on award stays, and the ability to earn 7,500 bonus points after spending $15,000 in purchases during your card anniversary year.
Card Benefits of Wyndham Earner
Here are the card benefits and perks of the Wyndham Earner Card:
Wyndham Gold Status: The Wyndham Earner offers automatic Gold elite status. The benefits of Wyndham Gold include a preferred room, 10% points bonus, late checkout, and an “Experience” discount on award stays.
Spending Bonus: If you spend $15,000 in a calendar year on the Earner card, you can get an annual bonus of 7,500 points.
10% Award Discount: Wyndham cardholders automatically get a 10% discount on free night (Go Free) awards, which normally cost 7,500, 15,000, or 30,000 points. With the discount, the free nights cost 6,750 points, 13,500 points, or 27,000 points, depending on the category.
Booking Discount: Cardholders save 7% or 12% off the Best Available Rate. The typical Member Rate is a 5% to 10% discount, so this benefit is only about a 2% extra discount.
0% Intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening. There is a balance transfer fee of the greater of $5 or 5%. After the promotional period, a variable APR will apply: 20.74%, 24.99% or 29.99%, based on your creditworthiness.
No Foreign Transaction Fees: You’ll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn’t add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose.
Redeeming Wyndham Rewards Points
Wyndham Rewards has one of the easiest award charts to wrap your head around. Free nights fall into just three tiers: 7,500, 15,000, or 30,000 points, depending on the property. Budget brands like Days Inn and Super 8 sit at the bottom, while upscale picks like The New Yorker in Manhattan or the Wyndham Hotel Melbourne top out at 30,000. You'll also find Wyndham Vacation Club properties, including Club Wyndham and WorldMark, priced at 7,500 points per bedroom per night, so a two-bedroom villa runs 15,000 points.
If you're short on points, "Go Fast" points-and-cash bookings let you cover part of the cost with cash. A 30,000-point night, for example, can drop to 6,000 points plus a cash copay.
Beyond hotel stays, Wyndham has a partnership with Cottages.com for UK vacation rentals, running 15,000 points per bedroom per night, plus a similar deal with Vacasa for U.S. vacation homes at 15,000 or 30,000 points per bedroom depending on cost. Both require a phone call to book.
You can also convert points to Caesars Rewards credits, up to 30,000 points annually, or use Wyndham Rewards Experiences to snag Minor League Baseball tickets and unique fan experiences for as few as 2,500 points.
If you'd rather use Wyndham points toward flights, you can transfer them to airline partners, though the math is rough: 6,000 Wyndham points typically becomes just 1,200 airline miles. It's worth doing only if you have points about to expire, or during a rare transfer bonus promotion.
Pros and Cons
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of this card:Pros:
Strong Gas Station Earnings: The card offers 5x points on gas purchases, providing excellent value for everyday transportation expenses.
No Annual Fee Value: You’ll receive automatic Gold status, award discounts, and earning potential without paying any annual fees.
Award Chart Pricing: Wyndham uses a fixed award chart rather than dynamic pricing, making it easier to plan redemptions and potentially get outsized value.
Vacasa Rental Access: You can redeem points for vacation rentals through Vacasa at reasonable rates, providing flexibility beyond traditional hotel stays.
Cons:
Limited Premium Benefits: The card lacks premium perks like free night certificates or significant travel protections that other hotel cards offer.
Modest Elite Status: While Gold status is included, it only provides basic benefits like late checkout and preferred room selection.
Basic Earning Structure: Outside of gas and Wyndham purchases, the earning rates on dining and groceries are relatively low compared to competing cards.
Is the Wyndham Earner Worth It?
The Wyndham Earner Card The Wyndham Rewards Earner Card, despite having no annual fee, offers limited value for most travelers due to its restricted earning categories and basic benefits package.
While the card provides Gold status, the perks at this level are minimal, offering little more than preferred room selection and late checkout when available. The card’s earning rates on gas and Wyndham stays can be outperformed by general travel cards that offer more flexibility with their rewards.
Wyndham’s hotel portfolio largely consists of budget properties, making it difficult to find truly aspirational redemptions for your points outside of select Vacasa vacation rentals.
Unless you frequently stay at Wyndham properties or specifically need this card for Vacasa bookings, you’d likely be better served by a general travel rewards card that offers more versatile points and broader redemption options.
