Wyndham Rewards is the only major loyalty program that has not had elite tiers for members. Now Wyndham Rewards adds a Gold elite level for members who stay 20 nights in a calendar year in Wyndham Rewards numerous brands.

The only benefit advertised for Gold status are bonus points awarded upon reaching 20 eligible nights in a calendar year.

How does Gold Status work?

• After staying 20 qualifying* nights in a calendar year, you’ll achieve Gold Status and automatically be rewarded with Gold Status Points that can solely be redeemed for a free night.
• The amount of Gold Status Points you have depends on the average amount you spent over the course of your 20 qualified nights.

Average spend per 20 nights

Gold Status     Points earned

$100 or less           6,000

$100.01 – $150      10,000

$150.01+              20,000

• You will earn an additional Gold Status Point bonus for every 20 qualifying nights, up to 3 bonuses in a calendar year.
• Your Gold Status will last for the remainder of the calendar year in which you achieved status as well as the following calendar year.
• You will continue to earn your regular Rewards points on every qualifying night you stay. Again, your Gold Status Points may only be redeemed for a free night; however, your regular Rewards points can be redeemed for free nights, gift cards, merchandise & more.

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I disagree with Gary Leff at View from the Wing calling the Wyndham Rewards category changes a ‘bloodbath’ devaluation of points on March 14.  For most  Wyndham Rewards members used to redeeming points for hotels in the U.S., the changes will mostly be no big deal.

The changes are more severe for Canada and international hotels where hundreds of hotels will rise by 50% or more in points cost, but the vast majority of Wyndham Rewards 7,000+ hotels are located in the USA and these Ramada, Days Inn, Howard Johnson, Super 8, Microtel, Travelodge and other brand hotels in the states do not look like that many will increase in points cost for award nights.

Wyndham Rewards posted in the comments section on View from the Wing and Loyalty Traveler to share their posting of pdf files showing the hotels increasing and decreasing in award tier on March 14.

Wyndham Rewards pdf for hotels increasing award tier.

Wyndham Rewards pdf for hotels decreasing award tier.

Their word choice could have been better.

View a list of properties with increasing point levels or decreasing point levels right here!

Looking over the pdf files reveals that most hotel awards for U.S. properties are only increasing or decreasing in award tier with the shift from seven categories introduced in mid-2012 to eight categories in effect march 14, 2013. The amount of points for most hotels is actually not increasing or decreasing.

Wyndham Rewards is not doing itself a favor by saying thousands of hotels are increasing points level when the points required for an award night are not changing with the new tier system March 14.

Despite the Wyndham Rewards pdf showing thousands of hotels increasing in award tier, the impact is nil for many of these hotels.

Tier 2 to Tier 3 = 10,000 points for hotel award night (no points increase).

Tier 3 to Tier 4 = 14,000 points for hotel award night (no points increase).

Tier 4 to Tier 5 = 16,000 points for hotel award night (no points increase).

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Wyndham Rewards seems to not have thought through its restructured seven tier award categories last month. The program now plans to change to eight award tiers March 14 in what looks to be a global realignment of hotel awards.

Free Nights Just Got Faster

Get a free night faster than ever before. Starting March 14, 2013, we are introducing our lowest point level ever and lowering other tiers so you can experience a free night faster!

• Our lowest tier is decreasing from 6,000 to 5,500 points!
• We are adding a new 8,000 point tier between 5,500 and 10,000 points so you can stay at hotels for FREE more quickly
• Our highest point tier will be 30,000 points. The 35,000 and 45,000 point tiers are being eliminated.
• Properties within the current point level may move into different point levels. This means that point levels for individual hotels may increase or decrease beginning March 14. You’ll be able to see the new point levels on March 14.*

Wyndham Rewards

• Tier 1 = 5,500 points
• Tier 2 = 8,000 points
• Tier 3 = 10,000 points
• Tier 4 = 14,000 points
• Tier 5 = 16,000 points
• Tier 6 = 20,000 points
• Tier 7 = 25,000 points
• Tier 8 = 30,000 points

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Travelodge and Thriftlodge properties in Canada have joined Wyndham Rewards according to a press release yesterday. This adds 91 hotels in Canada for earning Wyndham Rewards points and grows the loyalty program portfolio to 380 Wyndham brand hotels in Canada.

There is no history given in the Wyndham news release for why Travelodge was previously not part of Wyndham Rewards. The other good news is these properties in Canada will earn 10 points per $1 for hotel stays.

15 of 16 Wyndham Hotel brands earn 10 points per dollar. Hawthorn Suites extended stay brand earns only 5 points per dollar.

• Baymont Inn & Suites
• Days Inn
• Dream
• Hawthorn Suites hotels (earns 5 points per $1)
• Howard Johnson
• Knights Inn
• Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham
• Night
• Ramada
• Super 8 (China hotels do not participate in Wyndham Rewards)
• Travelodge
• TRYP
• Wingate by Wyndham
• Wyndham Garden
• Wyndham Grand Collection
• Wyndham Hotels and Resorts

One of the great values of Wyndham Rewards is the point-to-miles exchange rate is 10 points = 4 miles for most frequent flyer program partners. This gives Wyndham Rewards the best points-to-miles exchange rate at the base level. SPG, Hyatt, Marriott and Club Carlson only exceed the miles earning rate of Wyndham Rewards when a member is a high elite level and/or exchanging a large number of points.

Now if only the 200+ Super 8 hotels in China start participating in Wyndham Rewards promotions…

Turkish Airlines and Saudia Airlines partner with Wyndham Rewards.

The value for Americans and other Wyndham Rewards members with the expansion of Wyndham Rewards to other countries is new international airline partners.

Wyndham Rewards has the highest exchange rate of any hotel loyalty program for points-to-miles transfers.

1,000 Wyndham Rewards points exchange to 400 miles in most miles-based frequent flyer programs. All hotel brands in Wyndham Rewards earn 10 points per USD$1, except the extended stay brand Hawthorn Suites earn 5 points per USD$1. This means every $1 spent at Wyndham earns 4 airline miles. That is a great rebate.

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