Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card Review

Image Above (Courtesy Wyndham) Example Details (6 cents per point example)

The hotel above is a prime example why those ignoring Wyndham rewards shouldn't be. Even at the discounted rates of the Wyndham Rewards Business Earner, which are lower than the typical member rates, you're looking at over $800 per night when the fees are included, vs 13.5k/night w no fees, or a value of 6 cents per point:

If you were to combine that with the currently available rates to fly with Turkish Air Miles and Smiles flying United, you could get there from elsewhere in the US, even the West Coast, Hawaii, or Alaska, for a mere 10,000 points per person each way.

One of my favorite keeper cards where I rack up some of the highest points per year in terms of the number of points per dollar I get each year is the Wyndham Rewards Earner®Business Card. In this post, I wanted to go over why it's a keeper card for me.

Sign Up Bonus

The signup bonus at the time of publication is "Earn 40,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 90 days and earn 40,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on purchases within the first 365 days." That varies over time.

Here's the US Credit Card Guide's chart I find to be the best at looking at historic SUBs:

Annual Fee Justified Without Spending a Dime Due to 15k Points/Yr & Points Value

The #1 reason why the annual fee is justified is the points you can get each year for holding onto the card (15k) compared to the annual fee ($95). The TPG valuation for Wyndham Rewards is 1.1 cents per point. That means that if you get the TPG valuation in value exactly, you're getting $165/yr from a $95 annual fee card. That said, I don't recommend redemptions with Wyndham valued under 1.5 cents per point, with me seeing options even for over 5 cents per point, & previously, over 12 cents per point. While Wyndham Rewards can be a good points purchase option during promos, you can never buy Wyndham Rewards for as low as .633 cents/pt, except in this case. It's very easy to get a positive expected value from 15k points vs $95. In many cases, 15k points can easily be worth more than $300, and in rare cases, 15k points can be worth more than $1500.

Even if you didn't spend a dime on the card (which I wouldn't recommend, since that's not good for your credit and the card could be canceled), it would still be a keeper card as long as you aren't letting points expire and not spending points ineffectively. That's not true for a number of other cards, i.e. the Amex Business Gold or the Amex Gold, even though I have both of those as well at the time of this writing.

Excellent Ongoing Earning on Spend: 8x at Wyndham & on Gas, 5x on Utilities & Advertising

The ongoing earning rates on this card are fantastic considering the value possible from points. Each of the below are uncapped.

8x Wyndham Rewards at Wyndham Hotels

8x on gas

5x on utilities

5x on advertising

5x on marketing

1x on everything else (so I don't recommend spending with this card on this category)

What about When No Recurring Payments Are Possible or When Utility Payments by Credit Card Involve Fees?

While some recurring payments are possible via credit card, there are some utilities where it’s not possible to set up a recurring credit card, but possible to do it manually. I do that myself for payments to Dominion Energy with overpayments each time to reduce the time required. The time required is well worth the points available when value of time/minute is done considering the low amount of time it requires & the value available. There is a fee involved in some cases with credit card payments for utilities, but when the return on spend is as good as this card, it’s rare for the fee to be in excess of the return. Also, when the fee is a flat fee rather than a % fee, even if recurring payments are possible, it’s ideal to prepay in large lump sums.

10% Points Discount, Diamond Status Benefits (i.e. Suite Upgrades) & Annual Status Match to Caesars (going away February 1, 2025), National, & More

10% discount on points-only stays, including options like Vacasa

Diamond status (which includes upgrades up to suites at certain properties if space if available at check-in):

Image courtesy Wyndham

Annual status matching with Caesars (going away February 1, 2025) which includes waived resort fees, a free stay in Atlantis, and several other perks with Caesars Diamond Status), Executive Elite recurring status (though you need to redo it each year) with National (which is superior to the Executive Status provided by Amex Platinum), etc.

Images courtesy Caesars

Here are those National benefits available via Caesars Diamond status:

When it comes to status, matching to Caesars and National annually are only the beginning with Wyndham, as many (i.e. Miles Talk) have written about. As shared by Miles Talk, status matching alone could easily be an excellent reason to get this card in light of some of the perks available via the status match "Merry Go Round" that starts with Wyndham Diamond, i.e. a 10-night cruise.

Primary Coverage on Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver

Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver benefit acts as primary coverage as long as following the terms including the rental being for commercial &/or business purposes. You often won't find this card mentioned in lists of the best cards for auto rental insurance, but because it's a keeper card without any spend on it, and no complex list of benefits to justify the annual fee, nor the need to worry about a certificate expiring each year to get positive value to justify the annual fee, if you're looking for something for business trips, this one's fantastic. I'd argue that this card's primary coverage on a net positive card even if you ignore it for a year is in its own category on the subject, as I can't think of any other business card where you can justifiably do that and come out positive on the annual fee. The terms are on pages 2-6 in this guide to benefits.

"Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver reimburses You for damages caused by theft or collision—up to the Actual Cash Value of most rented cars."

Cell Phone Coverage up to $600/Claim $1k/yr

While superior cell phone coverage is available on other cards, for something that has a net positive value just for holding the card, the cell phone coverage it offers is also fantastic.

The Chase Ink Preferred has a superior policy by comparison (i.e. up to $1k/incident instead of $600 like the Wyndham Business Earner, with earning rates that are also over 3x better on a plan, since it's 3x points and Hyatt points are generally considered worth more than Wyndham Rewards), but requires a hefty amount of spend on it or other significant benefits usage to justify the annual fee, unlike the Wyndham Business Earner.

"A. To get coverage:

You must charge your monthly Eligible Cellular Wireless Telephone bill to your Covered Card. You are eligible for coverage the first day of the calendar month following the payment of your Eligible Cellular Wireless Telephone bill to your Covered Card..."

"B. The kind of coverage you receive:

Reimbursement for the actual cost to replace or repair a Stolen or damaged Eligible Cellular Wireless Telephone. • Coverage ends on the earliest of: The date you no longer are a Cardholder; the date the Covered Card is determined to be ineligible by the participating organization; the date the participating organization ceases to pay premium on the Group Policy; the date the participating organization ceases to participate in the Group Policy; the date the Group Policy is terminated."

C. Coverage limitations:

"...The maximum liability is $600 per claim, and $1,000 per Covered Card per 12 month period. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per Covered Card per 12 month period..."

You'll find more terms in this guide to benefits.

Lower $ Cost on Paid Rates

The Wyndham Business Earner paid rate is lower than the typical member rate.

Points Expiration (4 yrs)

Where Wyndham gets positive value out of this card, if they do at all, would be from points expiration & from people using points ineffectively. Wyndham Rewards, unlike most points, have a 4-year expiration that can't readily be extended. In addition, they have a policy of expiration 18 months after inactivity (which isn't as unusual).

To keep track of your expiring points, I recommend a free account with AwardWallet. I do a paid account myself so that I can track points for more than 1 person.

Lost Luggage Reimbursement - Meh due to low earning rates & alternatives

I don't find this benefit that compelling compared to alternative cards that have higher earning rates along with extended protections, but here are the terms per Wyndham:

"With Lost Luggage Reimbursement, You can be reimbursed for the difference between the “value of the amount claimed” and the Common Carrier’s payment up to three thousand dollars ($3,000.00) per Covered Trip (for New York residents, coverage is limited to two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) per bag), provided the Checked Luggage and/or Carry-on Baggage and/or its contents was lost due to theft or misdirection by the Common Carrier. “Value of the amount claimed” is the lesser of the following three amounts: the original purchase price of the item(s), the actual cash value of the item(s) at the time of theft or misdirection (with appropriate deduction for depreciation), and the cost to replace the item(s). You and Your Immediate Family Members are all eligible for this benefit when You take a Covered Trip and pay for the cost of Your Common Carrier tickets with Your eligible card issued in the United States and/or rewards program associated with Your covered Account."

You'll find more terms in this guide to benefits.

Purchase Security/Extended Protection - Meh due to low earning rates & alternatives

I don't find this benefit that compelling compared to alternative cards that have higher earning rates along with extended protections, but here are the terms per Wyndham:

"Purchase Security

Life is full of surprises…some good surprises; and some, not so good. For instance, Your son’s brand new iPad got soaked, in a sudden rainstorm at summer camp. But, You bought the item with Your card so, You may be covered. Purchase Security protects new retail purchases made with Your eligible Account and/or rewards programs associated with Your covered Account within the first ninety (90) days from the date of purchase. To be eligible for this coverage, You need to purchase either a portion or the entire cost of the item using Your Account and/or rewards program associated with Your covered Account. At the Benefit Administrator’s discretion, this benefit replaces, repairs, or reimburses You, up to the total purchase price of Your item for a maximum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) per claim and fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00), per cardholder, in the event of theft or damage. You are eligible for this benefit if You are a cardholder of an eligible card issued in the United States. Gifts purchased for friends and family members may also be covered if they are purchased with Your covered Account and/ or rewards program associated with Your covered Account. Purchase Security covers Eligible items of property purchased with Your Account and/ or rewards program associated with Your covered Account are covered for theft or damage. Purchases made outside the United States are also covered as long as You purchased the item with Your covered Account and/or rewards program associated with Your covered Account."

"Here’s how Extended Protection works:

Your warranty coverage can be doubled up to one (1) additional year on eligible warranties of three (3) years or less. For example, a manufacturer’s warranty of three (3) months would be provided with an additional three (3) months of coverage for a combined total of six (6) months of coverage, and a warranty for six (6) months would be provided with an additional six (6) months of coverage for a combined total of twelve (12) months of coverage. However, if the manufacturer’s warranty is for three (3) years, it would only be extended one (1) additional year. This benefit is limited to no more than the original price of the purchased item (as shown on Your credit card receipt), less shipping and handling fees, up to a maximum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) per claim, and fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) per cardholder. The benefit covers purchases made both inside and outside the U.S. The eligible item must have a valid original manufacturer’s U.S. repair warranty of three (3) years or less, store-purchased dealer warranty, or an assembler warranty."

You'll find more terms in this guide to benefits.

More Meh Benefits

Up to $250k of travel accident insurance can be beneficial, though I'd typically recommend travel expenses on cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve (for diverse travel expenses including hotels booked through the travel portal for 10x return on spend) or Amex Platinum (for flights directly with airlines for 5x return on spend) instead due to points earning and other beneficial travel benefits like trip delay coverage.

Travel & emergency assistance services - I don't see it as very beneficial since with many items mentioned, it states "all costs are your responsibility".

Roadside Dispatch - pay per use, so I'd rather use benefits on cards mostly with Chase with no payment required, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve & Ritz Carlton Rewards Credit Card.

Example of 6750/Night Williamsburg Redemption Option

A prime local redemption option is available at Club Wyndham Patriots Place.

Related:

• ($.12/pt) Stretching Wyndham Rewards with $+ Points Bookings at US Wyndham Vacation Properties for 50% Off

• My First Vacasa Booking Using Wyndham Rewards

• Hotel Maps