How To Use Wyndham Rewards Points To Book Vacation Rentals With Vacasa

Wyndham is one of the largest hotel chains in the world, but odds are you haven’t heard much about it in the realm of award travel. Why’s that? Aside from its lack of aspirational hotels, finding value with Wyndham Rewards points can be difficult.

But a recent partnership with vacation rental platform Vacasa has morphed those relatively unknown Wyndham Rewards points into something extraordinary. Let’s take a look.

What Is Wyndham?

First things first: what is Wyndham? Wyndham is a massive chain featuring more than 9,000 properties. With brands including Days Inn, Microtel by Wyndham, and Baymont by Wyndham, odds are you’ve seen a Wyndham or two in your time.

Along with the ability to redeem your Wyndham Rewards points at any one of its properties, you can also take advantage of the chain’s partnership with Vacasa to book full-sized vacation homes.

What Is Vacasa?

Similar to platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO, Vacasa offers vacation rentals. These run the gamut from tiny condos in Miami to winter ski lodges in Aspen. You can find vacation properties in much of North America, including most U.S. states, Canada, and Mexico.

Vacasa also features properties in Belize and Costa Rica, all of which can be booked using Wyndham Rewards points.

Earning Wyndham Rewards Points

Earning Wyndham Rewards points is a simple process, and there are plenty of ways to do so.

Wyndham Rewards Credit Cards

Wyndham Rewards has 3 different options for co-branded credit cards, including 1 card for small businesses.

Wyndham Rewards^® Earner℠ Card

The base Wyndham Rewards card, the Wyndham Rewards Earner card, has no annual fee and awards you 5 points per $1 spent at Wyndham and gas stations. You’ll also earn 2 points per $1 spent on restaurant and grocery stores, and 1 point per $1 spent elsewhere.

Along with these multipliers, you’ll be able to earn a welcome bonus after meeting a minimum spend threshold: 30,000 points after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of card ownership.

The card offers automatic Wyndham Rewards Gold elite status and a 7,500-point anniversary bonus if you’ve spent $15,000 on your card. Finally, you’ll be able to redeem points for rewards with a 10% discount.

Wyndham Rewards^® Earner℠ Plus Card

The higher-end consumer option, the Wyndham Rewards Earner+ card, will run you $75 per year. In return, you’ll get 6 points per $1 spent on Wyndham hotel and gas stations, as well as 4 points per $1 on dining and grocery stores. All other purchases earn 1 point per $1.

Like its little brother, the Wyndham Rewards Earner+ card offers a sign-up bonus of 45,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days of card ownership.

As a cardholder, you’ll receive complimentary Wyndham Rewards Platinum elite status, as well as a 7,500-point anniversary bonus when you renew. This card is also eligible for a 10% discount on reward redemptions.

Wyndham Rewards^® Earner℠ Business Card

The most lucrative of Wyndham Rewards’ cards, the Wyndham Rewards Earner Business card will still cost you just $95 per year. However, it’ll earn you the most points possible for your credit card spending. In addition to 8 points per $1 spent at Wyndham and gas stations, you’ll earn 5 points per $1 on marketing, advertising, and utilities. Other purchases will get you 1 point per $1.

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Business card comes with a welcome offer of 45,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days.

This card also features the most benefits of any of Wyndham Rewards’ cards, including complimentary top-tier Wyndham Rewards Diamond elite status, which entitles you to benefits such as suite upgrades and early check-in.

In addition to elite status, you’ll receive 15,000 bonus points each year that you renew. Like the others, you’ll receive a 10% discount on award bookings while you hold the card.

Hot Tip: Learn more about the Wyndham Rewards loyalty program and how to get Wyndham Rewards elite status with our detailed guides!

Hotel Stays

As should seem obvious, hotel stays at Wyndham will earn you points. You’ll earn different amounts of points on your stays depending on your elite status; higher levels receive increased bonuses.

In addition to these earnings, you can take advantage of frequent promotions to stack your bonuses and maximize your earnings.

Shopping Portal

We always recommend using a shopping portal when online shopping, and this is no exception. If you’re looking to boost your balance, Wyndham Rewards has a robust shopping portal that’ll offer you rewards for every dollar you spend. It’s easy to use; you’ll simply navigate to Wyndham Rewards’ shopping portal, search for the retailer where you’re making a purchase, and then click through. Wyndham Rewards will track your purchase and award you points according to the bonus offered. Best of all, this service is free!

Buying Points

Buying points isn’t always a good idea, but it can be worth it to do so in high-value situations, such as these Vacasa redemptions. Wyndham Rewards typically sells its points for 1.3 cents each, though it will occasionally offer discounts or bonuses. Keep in mind that you can only purchase a maximum of 45,000 Wyndham Rewards points each year.

Transfer Partners

If you don’t want to acquire a Wyndham Rewards credit card, you can instead opt for a card with points that transfer to Wyndham Rewards. There are plenty of benefits to using a flexible points currency card; these points can be redeemed across a variety of programs and tend to hold more value compared to other points.

Wyndham Rewards has 2 credit card transfer partners: Capital One and Citi. And thanks to a reciprocal partnership with Caesars Rewards, you can also choose to transfer your Caesars Rewards credits over to Wyndham Rewards at a 1:1 ratio, though you’ll need at least 10,000 credits to do so.

Hot Tip: Wyndham Rewards and Caesars Rewards will match each other’s elite status, which means being a Wyndham Rewards Diamond member will make you a Caesars Diamond member, too!

Capital One miles transfer to Wyndham Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. Here are a few of our recommended Capital One cards:

TOP PICK

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$395

APR

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Excellent (740-840)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $395 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Welcome Offer

Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.

$250 Capital One Travel Credit + 75,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,600

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent Credit (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Cons

• $95 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Limited elite benefits

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

Welcome Offer

Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel.

20,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$360

Annual Fee

$0

APR

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Interested in a travel rewards credit card without one of those pesky annual fees? Then say hello to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

In addition to no annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne card offers no foreign transaction fees.

But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?

Pros & Cons

Pros

• No annual fee (rates & fees)
• No foreign transaction fees (rates & fees)
• Ability to use transfer partners

Cons

• Weak earn rate at 1.25x miles per $1 spent on all purchases
• No luxury travel or elite benefits

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Citi ThankYou Points also transfer to Wyndham Rewards, though the rate you’ll receive will vary based on which card you hold. You’ll either transfer at a 1:1 ratio or a 1:0.8 ratio. Here are a few of our recommended Citi cards:

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

Welcome Offer

Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou^® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com

70,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,120

Annual Fee

$95

APR

21.24%- 29.24% Variable APR

Why We Like This Card

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is a great all-around travel rewards card that allows you to earn big rewards on a variety of purchases like air travel, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and more, along with flexible redemption options, all for a modest annual fee.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
• 3x points on air travel, other hotel purchases, restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and EV charging stations
• $100 annual hotel benefit

Cons

• $95 annual fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou^® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
• Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
• Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
• Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.24%- 29.24% Variable APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Citi Rewards+^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This no annual fee card rewards cardholders for everyday purchases. Earn bonus points at supermarkets and gas stations, plus your points are rounded up on every purchase.

Citi Rewards+^® Card

This no annual fee card rewards cardholders for everyday purchases. Earn bonus points at supermarkets and gas stations, plus your points are rounded up on every purchase.

Welcome Offer

Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com.

20,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$320

Annual Fee

$0

APR

0% intro APR on balance transfers and on purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR of 18.74% - 28.74%.

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-840)

Card Highlights

• Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com
• Plus, as a special offer, earn a total of 5 Thank You^® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025.*
• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 18.74% – 28.74%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
• Earn 2X ThankYou^® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X ThankYou^® Points on All Other Purchases.
• The Citi Rewards+^® Card – the only credit card that automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase – with no cap.
• No Annual Fee

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 0% intro APR on balance transfers and on purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR of 18.74% - 28.74%.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each purchase transaction in US dollars

Citi Double Cash^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!

Citi Double Cash^® Card

Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!

Welcome Offer

Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.

$200 cash back

Annual Fee

$0

APR

0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers, then 19.24% - 29.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Fair to Excellent (580-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Citi Double Cash^® Card has long been one of the top cash-back credit cards on the market, and the card now has the ability to earn Citi ThankYou Points!

This means that cardholders of the Double Cash card will now earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. Cash back is earned in the form of ThankYou Points. This means each billing cycle, you will earn 1 ThankYou point per $1 spent on purchases and an additional ThankYou point for every $1 paid on your purchase balance as long as there is a corresponding balance in your Purchase Tracker.

Citi has turned the Double Cash card into a top choice for those who are looking for an everyday, no-fuss credit card.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Uncapped 2% for every $1 spent (1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay)
• Flexible redemption options
• No annual fee

Cons

• No bonus categories
• 3% foreign transaction fees

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Bonus Offer: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou^® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
• Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
• To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
• Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
• Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
• If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
• There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
• Citi Double Cash^® Card Travel Portal Limited Time Offer: Earn a total of 5 ThankYou Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rental, and attractions, excluding air travel, when booked through the Citi Travel^SM portal on ThankYou.com or by calling 1-800-Thankyou and saying “Travel.” Offer is valid through 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) 12/31/2024.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers, then 19.24% - 29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each purchase

Rewards Center

Citi ThankYou Rewards

Citi Custom Cash^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Earn big on purchases in your top eligible spend category, up to the first $500 each billing cycle, with no annual fee!

Citi Custom Cash^® Card

Earn big on purchases in your top eligible spend category, up to the first $500 each billing cycle, with no annual fee!

Welcome Offer

Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou^® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

$200

Annual Fee

$0

APR

0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%.

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Fair to Excellent (580-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Citi Custom Cash^® Card is inventive when it comes to cash-back credit cards. Instead of earning a set amount of cash-back on predetermined bonus categories, the Citi Custom Cash card earns 5% cash-back on your highest eligible spend category each billing cycle, without an annual fee.

Thanks to that unique perk, you’ll never need to worry about whether you’re using the right card for the right purchase, as your Citi Custom Cash card will always pay you 5% back on whichever category you end up spending the most on each month.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5% cash-back (on up to $500 each billing cycle) from your largest purchase category, including restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment
• No annual fee
• Multiple redemption options

Cons

• Your 5% category is limited to $500 in spend ($25 in cash-back) each month
• Not particularly rewarding for any purchases outside of your top 5% cash-back category

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou^® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
• Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked via the Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025.
• No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
• No Annual Fee
• Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash^® Card account per person.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3%

Bottom Line: Earning Wyndham Rewards points is easy thanks to a variety of methods you can use. Whether you’re going through a shopping portal, getting a co-branded Wyndham Rewards credit card, or choosing to transfer points over from a flexible point currency, building your balance isn’t difficult. 

Redeeming Wyndham Rewards Points

Wyndham Rewards has a fairly simple reward structure. Unlike competitors such as Hilton Honors and IHG One Rewards, Wyndham maintains a fixed award chart with only 3 levels: 7,500, 15,000, or 30,000 points per night. This applies to all of Wyndham’s hotels, though rates may vary when it comes to partners and timeshare properties.

Hot Tip: Wyndham Rewards also has a points + cash redemption option that allows you to redeem as few as 3,500 points per night for awards. 

When it comes to Vacasa, Wyndham Rewards has an even simpler rule: your booking will cost 15,000 points per bedroom per night. This is a nice, middle-of-the-road redemption, but rates can certainly get expensive when booking properties with multiple bedrooms. This rate is available for properties that cost an average of up to $350 per bedroom per night.

Why Should You Redeem Wyndham Rewards Points With Vacasa?

Depending on where you stay, it’s possible to get pretty decent value out of Wyndham Rewards points. This is true with all of Wyndham Rewards’ standard redemption rates. However, things get truly decadent when considering redemptions using Vacasa.

We value Wyndham Rewards points at 0.9 cents each, making them pretty average regarding rewards points. When you redeem your points, you’ll want to aim to receive at least 0.9 cents of value out of each point — any more than that makes it a great value, and any less means you may want to consider using cash instead.

Since you can book a 1-bedroom property that costs up to $350 per night, your value using Wyndham points for Vacasa vacation rentals tops out at 2.3 cents per point — more than double what they are typically worth.

Finding Vacasa Properties

Now that we’ve gotten the basics out of the way let’s get into finding the Vacasa properties where you’d like to stay. You won’t find any of these properties on Wyndham’s website. Instead, you’ll need to head over to Vacasa’s site to begin your search.

On Vacasa, you’ll see the search bar where you put in your information, such as location and dates of travel:

After you’ve entered everything, you can complete your search. Vacasa will then bring back a page of results for you, featuring all available properties for your dates, as well as an interactive map:

From here, you can select the property you’d like. Rates for homes will vary by demand; it’s possible to see fluctuations of hundreds of dollars depending on when you’re booking.

The search function for Vacasa is pretty robust — we’ll get to that down below, including searching with flexible dates, maximizing space, and filtering out expensive properties.

Bottom Line: Searching for Wyndham Rewards redemptions must be done via Vacasa’s website, but the search function is easy to use. 

Booking Vacasa Properties With Your Wyndham Rewards Points

Unfortunately, it’s not as easy to book a Vacasa property with your points as with other programs. Unlike other redemptions, Vacasa bookings must be made by phone. And worse, properties are subject to blackout dates, but you cannot see these blackout dates when conducting your online search.

To have the best chance of success when booking with Vacasa, you’ll want to have as much flexibility as possible. This isn’t just regarding dates — though that’s always a good idea when making award bookings — but with properties. Since blackout dates aren’t universal, one property may be blacked out while another is available.

Let’s go through a sample situation here, including the step-by-step breakdown for making a Vacasa booking.

Step 1: Choose Your Dates and Location

We detailed above how to complete a search for Vacasa properties, so you already know how to use the website and find homes. But there are some things you’ll want to keep in mind when looking at rentals.

The going rate for rentals is 15,000 points per bedroom per night. At some homes, this may mean that the maximum acceptable amount of travelers is just 2. But at others — usually those featuring nice, spacious lofts — you can squeeze in up to 8 people.

You can book a vacation rental that will sleep 8 folks for just 15,000 points a night. Will it be cozy? Maybe, depending on the size of the property. But for families or other larger groups of travelers, you won’t find a cheaper booking anywhere. Ever.

It’s easy to filter out these properties in your search. First, you’ll want to adjust the number of guests that you have:

This will bring back information on all the properties that can accommodate your group. However, this can include all 1, 2, and 3+ bedroom rentals as well. In order to limit your search down to vacation homes going for that 15,000 point per night rate, you’ll want to navigate to the filter section:

By filtering out any properties with more than 1 bedroom, you can guarantee you’re just seeing the 15,000-point rentals (as long as they cost $350 per night on average).

How does a beachfront treehouse in Costa Rica sound?

As you can see in the screenshot above, this property can sleep up to 8 folks thanks to its large second-floor loft. Still, because of its designation, it’ll only cost you those same 15,000 Wyndham Rewards points.

Since we can’t see the blackout dates for this property, we’ll want to be as flexible as possible when it comes to dates. You can search using flexible dates via the search toolbar:

Doing so will bring up search results indicating all dates of availability during your range:

On the flip side, if you’re not committed to any single vacation rental (or your search brings up multiple options), keep all of these on hand so you can inquire about availability in one go.

Different locations will have different quantities of rentals. If you’re more married to the idea of traveling and less of where you want to go, searching out spots with a high concentration of rentals will net you the best chance of success.

Bottom Line: Search features that allow you to view the calendar of dates, restrict property types, and include the number of guests ensure that you’ll be able to easily find a property to suit your needs. 

Step 2: Contact Wyndham Rewards

Once you’re armed with your rental properties and dates of travel, you’ll need to call Wyndham Rewards directly at 866-996-7937. You’ll then be transferred over to a representative who can check your dates and assist with booking.

However, there’s actually a dedicated phone line specifically for Vacasa bookings — 800-441-1034 — which should be your first line of attack before resorting to Wyndham Rewards’ offered number (if only to lessen the number of transfers you’ll endure).

During your phone call, you’ll provide all your information to the agent. They can see blackout dates on their system and will be able to tell you if the property you like has availability.

Note that as Vacasa bookings aren’t extremely popular, some agents may incorrectly tell you that these rentals can’t be booked. In this case, the use of HUCA (hang up, call again) is in order until you find someone with more knowledge on the subject.

Step 3: Transfer Points

Because you can’t know if a property is blocked out or not until you’re actually on the phone with Wyndham Rewards, it’s a good idea to hold off on transferring points until you’ve confirmed availability. If you don’t already have the points in your account, wait to move them over.

Because Capital One and Citi both transfer over to Wyndham Rewards instantly, you can do so while you’re on the phone with the agent.

Step 4: Confirm Your Booking

Once you’ve found the availability and transferred over your points, you’ll want to hang on the line with the agent until the booking has been confirmed. After this — enjoy the stay!

Tips for Vacasa Bookings

We’ve shown you the step-by-step method of completing a Vacasa booking using your Wyndham Rewards points, but here are a few tips to help make that process both easier and cheaper:

• We mentioned above that varying levels of Wyndham Rewards credit cards will give you a 10% discount on award bookings. This means that as a cardholder, you’ll pay just 13,500 points per bedroom per night for your Vacasa stay.
• It’s possible to email Wyndham Rewards/Vacasa to search for award availability, but calling the dedicated line at 800-441-1034 makes this a much faster process. You can also easily go through a list of properties you’d like searched all at once.
• Flexibility is the most important rule here — either with your location or your travel dates.
• We value Capital One miles at 1.8 cents each and Citi ThankYou Points at 1.6 cents each. This means you’ll be better off transferring Citi ThankYou Points (with either a Citi Prestige^® Card or Citi Strata Premier card) to Wyndham Rewards rather than Capital One miles since you’ll receive the same 1 Wyndham Rewards point no matter which program you use.

Final Thoughts

There’s no doubt that the Wyndham Rewards program is a lesser-known beast in the award travel world. However, skipping over Vacasa vacation rentals via Wyndham Rewards is a mistake — these properties, located throughout North America and other select countries — can provide you with immense value for your points. Even better, earning Wyndham Rewards points is easy with co-branded credit cards and both Citi and Capital One as transfer partners.