Difference between revisions of "Wyndham credit cards"
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| + | === Getting Rid of the Card === | ||
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| + | {{Cancel Keep Points|Wyndham points}} | ||
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| + | You can downgrade a Wyndham card to the no-annual-fee version, and retain some minor benefits. However, if you keep it and don't spend on it, it can be harder to get approved for new Barclays cards. | ||
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Revision as of 16:32, 28 August 2019
$75
30,000 Wyndham Points
$1,000 initial spend
($90 net value, .09/$)
Signup Bonus Chart5x Wyndham Purchases (≈4%)
2x Groceries and Gas (≈1.6%)
2x Utilities (≈1.6%)
1x Everywhere Else (≈0.8%)
No Foreign Transaction Fee
After you've finished collecting more valuable signup bonuses, you might think about getting the Wyndham credit card for a year. It is nice to have a little stockpile of Wyndham points, that you are ready to use at a moment's notice. And unlike most other programs, you can't just buy a bunch of points when you need them. You definitely want to wait to signup when they have are offering their periodic 45,000 point signup bonus.
A little known "feature" of the Wyndham card is a free two night stay at the Atlantis Resort each year. The card comes with Wyndham Platinum status, which is automatically matched to Total Rewards Platinum status, which entitles you to a free visit to Atlantis every year. If you can take good advantage of this benefit, it is worth hundred of dollars. Combined with the annual points bonus, and other benefits of this card, you may decide to make it a permanent part of your core credit card collection.
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No Annual Fee Version
The Wyndham card also has a no-annual-fee version.
The no-annual-fee version has a smaller signup bonus. The normal offer is 15,000 points (on first purchase), rather than 30,000 points. You'll also receive less in the way of benefits, as described below.
if you are going to mess around with this card, either as part of your core credit card collection, or just to collect the signup bonus, the regular version is almost always your better option.
Collecting the Signup Bonus
Our base value for Wyndham points is .8 cents per point. How Much are Hotel Points Worth?
- The normal signup bonus is not very good. The normal signup bonus of 30,000 points is valued at $240 (at .8 cents per point), and is good for a single night at one of their nicer hotels, or two nights at the majority of their hotels. Because you can't purchase more than 5,000 Wyndham points per year, the credit card is one of the only ways to get enough points for free nights.
- A 45,000 point signup offer is sometimes available. You may want to wait to see if it comes back.
- It is possible to earn the same signup bonus multiple times. Barclays has no real limit on the number of times you can get the bonus. Hold onto the card until close to the end of your first year, cancel it, wait a few months, and reapply.
- If you no longer want the card, rather than cancelling, consider downgrading to the no-annual-fee version. You can hold onto that card indefinitely, and get at least some extra benefits at from the automatic Wyndham Gold status. And, you'll also continue to be able to earn slightly-better-than-normal reward rates on utility payments. Note that you'll need to wait until after your first anniversary to convert.
After subtracting the annual fee, and the opportunity cost of using the card for $1,000 of spending, the calculated net value of the sign-up is $90 (9 cents per dollar spent). Your value may be higher or lower, depending on how much you value the points. How Much are Hotel Points Worth?
However, if you have been actively signing up for credit cards, it can sometimes be hard to get approved for new cards from Barclays. If you really want to keep the card part of your core credit collection, don't cancel it, counting on being able to be re-approved for the card a few months later. But if you are mainly interested in the signup bonus, there is little harm in trying.
Other Notable Benefits
- Wyndham Platinum elite status. This entitles you to a preferred room (upon availability), late checkout, and early check-in, among other benefits. You'll also get an annual bonus of 3,000 points. Wyndham Status Benefits.
- Total Rewards Platinum elite status. Your Wyndham Platinum status will be automatically matched to Total Rewards Platinum status. Total Rewards is the loyalty program of the Caesers and Harrah's family of casinos. Platinum status entitles you to a free three night stay every year at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas (for each night you'll still need to pay a $50+tax resort fee plus a $5 per person gratuity) , as well as free parking at the Las Vegas and Atlantic City casinos.
- 6,000 annual bonus points. This is valued at $72.
- Access to the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection. As with all Visa Signature cards, you'll get access to Visa's luxury hotel program. Whenever you book one of the 900+ participating hotels, you'll receive a set of valuable benefits, including free breakfast, late check-out, and a $25 food and beverage credit. The Visa program has slightly weaker benefits than the other luxury hotel programs, but includes a larger number of more affordable hotel options and a best price guarantee. Take Advantage of Luxury Hotel Programs for Valuable Extra Perks.
- Access to Visa Signature Offers. Your card entitles you to a set of special offers available from Visa.
The no-annual fee version doesn't come with the annual point bonus, and gives you Wyndham Gold elite status, instead of Platinum. This lower level of elite status doesn't come with early check-in, and the annual point bonus, and won't be matched by the Total Rewards program.
Bonus Categories
- You shouldn't use this card for your Wyndham purchases. The 5x Wyndham points you'd earn are not even as valuable as what you could earn just by using a good general-purpose reward card. And you would do even better by using a card that offers a good reward rate on all your travel spending.Best Credit Cards for Travel Spending.
- There are better options for your grocery and gas purchases. The bonus category rewards from Wyndham are more valuable than what you would earn from a good general-purpose reward card, but you can earn even more valuable rewards from other cards. Best Credit Cards for Grocery Spending. Best Credit Cards for Gas Spending.
- You don't want to use these cards for your everyday spending. You'll earn higher rewards from a good general-purpose reward card. Get a Great General Purpose Reward Card and Use It for All of Your Spending.
Getting Rid of the Card
You can cancel without worrying about losing your Wyndham points. Once you earn them, they are treated like any other points in your account.
You can downgrade a Wyndham card to the no-annual-fee version, and retain some minor benefits. However, if you keep it and don't spend on it, it can be harder to get approved for new Barclays cards.