Barclays Wyndham Rewards Visa Signature (three cards) Review
Updated July 17, 2021.
The Facts
Wyndham Rewards earner Visa Signature
Wyndham Rewards earner+ Visa Signature
Wyndham Rewards earner BUSINESS Visa Signature
The Math
Our current valuation for Wyndham Rewards points is about 0.7 cent a piece. None of the Wyndham Visa returns good value for general spending; even the bonus categories (2x to 8x) are not that attractive compared to the competitions.
The true value of these cards lies in Wyndham related perks. Each card comes with 10% points redemption discount, which essentially increases the points value by 11% - Wyndham points are now worth 0.78 cent a piece. The earner Visa gives you Gold status for free. The $75 earner+ Visa gives you 7.5K anniversary points (~$60 value), Platinum status, and a little bit more category bonuses; if you somehow frequent Wyndham hotels, this card represents better value than earner Visa. The $95 earner Business Visa gives you 15K anniversary points (~$120 value), top-tier Diamond status, and a little more on Wyndham purchases; it is obviously the best of the three, even if you only stay at Wyndham hotels a few times per year.
The Conclusion
The three Wyndham Rewards earn Visa cards are great if you enjoy the Wyndham related perks, and in this regard, Wyndham earner BUSINESS Visa is the best of the bunch.
The Facts
- There are three versions of Barclays Wyndham Rewards Visa Signature cards: Wyndham Rewards earner Card, Wyndham Rewards earner+ Card, and Wyndham Rewards earner BUSINESS Card.
- Best Use of Wyndham Rewards points: (1) You might use points for hotel stays in over 8,000 Wyndham portfolio hotels worldwide which includes the brands Wyndham Grand, Wyndham, Wyndham Garden, TRYP, Wingate, Hawthorn, Microtel, Ramada, Baymont, Howard Johnson, Knights Inn, Super8, Days Inn, Travelodge, etc. Each free night requires 7.5K, 15K, or 30K points. Select hotels also offer points + cash options. In addition, you might also redeem points on Wyndham Vacation Clubs, Caesar hotels, Vacasa vacation rentals, Cottages.com vacation rentals, Landal GreenPark properties, etc. (2) You might transfer points into miles of frequent flyer programs of 10 airlines that include American and United, mostly at 1:0.2 ratio (6,000 points = 1,200 miles). Compared to the hotel redemptions, transferring to miles is probably not a great option for most customers. (3) You might also use points for tours, activities, select gas purchases, merchandise, gift cards, charity, etc.; however, the value is considered poor compared to hotel redemptions.
- History: The transfer ratio to airline miles used to be 1:0.4, and that was the reason why the old version took a spot on our Top List. However, with the major devaluation in January 2014, we took it off the list. On the hotel redemption side, before May 2015, Wyndham Rewards had 9 tiers, ranging from 5,500 to 50,000 points per night; however, starting May 2015, every Wyndham Rewards night required the same 15,000 points, which we applauded as a positive change in general. In October 2016, Barclays revamped Wyndham Visa, reducing the rewards for general spending from 2x to 1x, adding automatic elite status, and waiving the foreign transaction fees. In April 2019, Wyndham changed the hotel redemption structure to 3 tiers ranging from 7,500 to 30,000 points per night, which represented a devaluation in our opinion (from ~$0.01 to ~$0.007 a piece). In September 2020, Barclays introduced another major revamp to the cards and adding "earner" to the naming convention.
Wyndham Rewards earner Visa Signature
- Annual Fee: None
- Signup Bonus: up to 60,000 points (45,000 points after you spend $1,000 within 3 months of new account opening and an additional 15,000 points after you spend a total of $2,000 within the first 6 months. Historical best bonus for this product: 60,000 points in 2021.
- Application Landing Page
- Rewards: 5x Wyndham, 2x groceries & dining, and 1x everywhere.
- Other Benefits: (1) 7,500 bonus points upon each anniversary when you spend $15,000 in the previous membership year. (2) 10% redemption discount for go free awards (standard hotel awards). (3) Automatic Gold status. The entry-level Gold status, normally achieved after 3 nights, is not much, only offering preferred rooms, late check-out, and free Wi-Fi over general members. (4) Special cardmember rates at participating hotels. (5) Waived foreign transaction fees.
Wyndham Rewards earner+ Visa Signature
- Annual Fee: $75
- Signup Bonus: up to 90,000 points (60,000 points after you spend $1,000 within 3 months of new account opening and an additional 30,000 points after you spend a total of $2,000 within the first 6 months. Historical best bonus for this product: 90,000 points in 2021.
- Application Landing Page
- Rewards: 6x Wyndham, 4x groceries & dining, and 1x everywhere.
- Other Benefits: (1) 7,500 bonus points upon each anniversary when you renew. (2) 10% redemption discount for go free awards (standard hotel awards). (3) Automatic Platinum status. The mid-tier Platinum status, normally achieved after 9 nights, adds room upgrades, early check-in, Caesar Rewards status match, and Avis & Budget car rental upgrades. (4) Special cardmember rates at participating hotels. (5) Waived foreign transaction fees.
Wyndham Rewards earner BUSINESS Visa Signature
- Annual Fee: $95
- Signup Bonus: up to 90,000 points (60,000 points after you spend $1,000 within 3 months of new account opening and an additional 30,000 points after you spend a total of $2,000 within the first 6 months. Historical best bonus for this product: 90,000 points in 2021.
- Application Landing Page
- Rewards: 8x Wyndham, 5x eligible marketing & advertising & utilities, and 1x everywhere.
- Other Benefits: (1) 15,000 bonus points upon each anniversary when you renew. (2) 10% redemption discount for go free awards (standard hotel awards). (3) Automatic Diamond status. The top-tier Diamond status, normally achieved after 24 nights, adds suite upgrades, welcome amenities, and the ability to gift Gold status to one family member or friend per year, on top of the Platinum status. (4) Special cardmember rates at participating hotels. (5) Waived foreign transaction fees.
The Math
Our current valuation for Wyndham Rewards points is about 0.7 cent a piece. None of the Wyndham Visa returns good value for general spending; even the bonus categories (2x to 8x) are not that attractive compared to the competitions.
The true value of these cards lies in Wyndham related perks. Each card comes with 10% points redemption discount, which essentially increases the points value by 11% - Wyndham points are now worth 0.78 cent a piece. The earner Visa gives you Gold status for free. The $75 earner+ Visa gives you 7.5K anniversary points (~$60 value), Platinum status, and a little bit more category bonuses; if you somehow frequent Wyndham hotels, this card represents better value than earner Visa. The $95 earner Business Visa gives you 15K anniversary points (~$120 value), top-tier Diamond status, and a little more on Wyndham purchases; it is obviously the best of the three, even if you only stay at Wyndham hotels a few times per year.
The Conclusion
The three Wyndham Rewards earn Visa cards are great if you enjoy the Wyndham related perks, and in this regard, Wyndham earner BUSINESS Visa is the best of the bunch.