Is the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card Worth the $395 Annual Fee?
Likely yes. On a typical budget the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card earns about $680 a year in rewards, which already clears the $395 fee with $285 to spare, before counting the $220 in credits. Heavier spenders come out further ahead.
Every credit, broken down
The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card offsets its fee with statement credits and benefits. Here is every one, with the most you can get from each per year. Remember that credits only count if you would have spent that money anyway, and some renew on a monthly or semi-annual schedule you have to use or lose.
| Credit or benefit | Up to |
|---|---|
| $100 annual Hotels by Wyndham statement credit (after $100 in Wyndham spend) | $100 |
| $120 annual meal delivery statement credit ($10 per month) | $120 |
| Total stated value | $220 |
If you use all of it, that is $220 back against a $395 fee, leaving $175 of the fee for your rewards to make up.
What you earn on spending
Credits are only half the story; the card also earns rewards every time you swipe. On $29,160 of annual spending, the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card earns about $680 a year at a flat 1 cent per point. The figure below is based on a typical household budget. See the full category breakdown in our Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card review, or run your own numbers in the rewards calculator.
The break-even
Add it up. The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card costs $395 a year. Its credits return up to $220, and everyday rewards add about $680. That is a net of $505 in your favor every year you hold it, before any welcome bonus. First-year holders also collect a welcome bonus worth about $1,200, pushing the first-year total to roughly $1,705.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card worth the annual fee?
- Likely yes. On a typical budget the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card earns about $680 a year in rewards, which already clears the $395 fee with $285 to spare, before counting the $220 in credits. Heavier spenders come out further ahead.
- How do you offset the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card annual fee?
- Use the statement credits first: the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card offers up to $220 a year, which knocks the effective cost down to about $175. Everyday rewards add roughly $680 more on a typical budget.
- Is there a no-annual-fee alternative to the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card?
- Yes. If you cannot clear the $395 fee, a no-fee card keeps every dollar of rewards as profit. See our ranked no-fee picks to compare.
