As first reported on DoC blog, the 45,000 points offer on Wyndham co-branded credit card is back. Keep in mind that $75 annual fee is not waived. Also, be aware that there is no landing page, but the bonus is clearly mentioned when you click on “terms and conditions”:
The offer is as high as it gets on this particular product, though only you can decide whether you should actually apply. See my list of best hotel points bonuses.
As always, when it comes to hotel points, what’s good for one person may be mediocre for someone else.
Non-affiliate application link
On difficulty of dealing with Wyndham
Before you get too emotionally invested in this card, I want to make it clear that Wyndham website/program is not for the faint of heart. Agents are usually clueless, so I recommend you skip the headache and ask for supervisor right away. Also, canceling online is often impossible, so if you hate making phone calls, stop reading right now. With Wyndham you have to be a “people” person.
To get an idea of what’s in store, read this post of mine. Just the other day I got an email from my cousin-in-law who unbeknownst to me signed up for the card awhile back:
“Have you had trouble redeeming Wyndham Rewards? This is ridiculous. I had enough points for two nights. My husband had enough for one night. The resort I was trying to book had a two- night minimum stay requirements. So I booked two nights with my points and tried to call to add a third night with my husband’s points.
I called the rewards line. They said since it’s a resort, I had to call the resort line. The resort people said they only handle timeshares, so call the rewards people. I called the hotel, and they said to talk to reservations. Reservations said to talk to the rewards people.
I called the rewards people, and they said to talk to reservations. Finally got it booked, and today I get an email that says my reservation has been canceled per my request. WHAT? I never canceled it.
I talked to the same person who finally booked three nights yesterday. She said they canceled it because my husband didn’t have enough points for three nights. DUH! She then said they can’t combine points from two accounts for one reservation, so we can only stay two nights.”
Ability to redeem points on vacation rentals
This is a wonderful feature for families who prefer more space, and the main reason to consider the card. It costs a flat 15,000 points to get a 1-bedroom unit, the exact same price as a hotel room. When Wyndham rolled out this feature, you could only get your vacation rental redemption by calling in.
These days you can reserve the rentals online (if you are lucky). You can see all available options by searching this website Note that availability is limited and during high season you may have a hard time finding a unit. But it’s definitely possible as long as you are flexible on dates.
Another thing to keep in mind is that usually you have to book at least two consecutive nights. Also, in general, cancellation policy is more strict compared to hotels. It will depend on the resort, so make sure to read the fine print. Here is an example for one property:
Honestly, 72 hours isn’t bad at all. A nice perk to reserving a Wyndham vacation rental rather than hotel room is that you can usually avoid paying resort fees. Those can definitely add up.
Orlando area
Wyndham Bonnet Creek resort is a very popular place, located close to Disney. There are many amenities, so even if you decide to skip the parks, your kids won’t get bored. For 15,000 points per night you can get a 1-bedroom unit:
If you don’t mind dealing with individual owners, you can reserve a condo here on VRBO for about $170 per night during high season. During off-season, you may be able to score a great deal by checking SkyAuction website. To me, burning points during peak season is definitely the way to go. In fact, I plan to use my Wyndham stash to get a condo here sometime in July of 2019.
You can also pay 30,000 points per night for a 2-bedroom condo, but the deal isn’t quite as hot. VRBO lists those units for around $200 per night. But it’s an option nonetheless.
Clearwater beach area
Wyndham Clearwater Beach resort is an excellent deal via points, especially during spring months. Hotels in the area go for $250-$300 per night, so the ability to get a beachfront condo for only 15,000 Wyndham points is a steal:
I will be the first one to admit that Clearwater is not my favorite area in Florida. That said, there is lots to do here, so if you want an active beach vacation, this is the place to be. See my posts on vacationing in Clearwater here and here
Bottom line
There are many other options in Hawaii, Colorado etc, so I suggest you check out Wyndham Vacation Resorts page in order to see specific listings. You can take your family to the mountains, beach or big city, you name it. While most programs charge a premium for suites, with Wyndham you can get an actual 1-bedroom unit for the same price as a regular room. That’s hard to beat if you are a family of four.
Click here to view various credit cards and available sign-up bonuses
Author: Leana
Leana is the founder of Miles For Family. She enjoys beach vacations and visiting her family in Europe. Originally from Belarus, Leana resides in central Florida with her husband and two children.
We are staying two nights at the Bonnet Creek Resort this weekend. It looks amazing. I hope the hassle of Wyndham customer service is worth it.
@Amy This resort gets really good reviews, and I’m looking forward to taking my kids there next summer. Let me know what you think of it.