Why I Think The Wyndham Card is Undervalued

Since we got this cards, both Wife and I have had the AF waived twice. We also each get 15K every year on our anniversary. As stated previously, we’re staying in A.C. next weekend. Originally each booked a room @ Bally’s. We wanted Caesar’s but nothing available. Looked last night and Caesar’s had openings which I booked and cancelled the Bally’s reservations. Cash prices is about $300 w/ tax so nice redemption w/ points.

This card is a lot like the IHG card – more than worth the moderate AF for road trippers looking for a clean, safe place to crash for the night, but with extra surprise benefits. My intro offer was 45K points, which is enough for THREE free nights (quickly used up on a road trip to Oregon). Going forward, there is a 9K points bonus every year, which is about enough to offset the $75 AF, so I was planning to keep the card. But then they rolled out a weird little promo – earn 5K points by spending $1500/month on the card for each of the next 3 months. Since this is the only card I have ever heard of that gives 2x points for utility payments, I just paid up my gas, electric and water bills in advance. This will earn me 14K points in total: almost enough for another free room night. Cool.

mark, there’s additional benefit for new cardmember as follows (so the 1st yr fee is only $25?):

Earn a $50 statement credit when you use your card.
Cardmembers will receive a one-time $50 statement credit on their Account if a Purchase or Balance Transfer posts to their Account (provided the transaction is not later rescinded or returned) within the first 30 days after the Account is opened.

I have been to Atlantis twice in recent years. The 1st time my wife and I (60 years old) went alone and used Marriott points. We enjoyed ourselves, gambled a bunch (and won on the slots nicely). However, we found the resort to be getting a bit tired and old. We were then offered incentives to come back and gamble some more which included free rooms for us and nearly free rooms for friends. So, we went back for 3 nights and took our adult daughter and her husband and our two young grand kids. This is a wonderful resort for the grand a great time was had by all. We gambled, but not as much and the resort did not like this and did not give us as much in rebates when we checked out. Now, when they send offers they have small print that if you don’t gamble to the levels they expect, they can charge you for the rooms at the end of your stay. IF YOU HAVE THE WYNDHAM CARD AND TOTAL REWARDS, you can get the room and stay without the gambling “minimum spend” restriction wording. One final bit of advice…..if you plan to go. Do not get sucked into the Atlantis dining plans. Way expensive. Lots of good places to eat on the property that you just pay for as you go. And, if you put it on a points earning card like Arrival or Venture, you can pay for it at the end on those and get your money back.

Booked 2 rooms next Saturday @ Bally’s A.C. w/ Wyndham pts.. I’m TR Diamond (via status match from Black Label/MGM/Hyatt/Hilton/IHG from a few years ago), so will probably get two suite upgrades. Love the flexibility of Wyndham pts., especially condos using pts.. Also have 2% card which makes very easy to accumulate boatloads of pts.. Wife also has same card and status. I like the fact that I can transfer Wyndham pts. to TR to use in the Diamond lounges (1K pts.) which are excellent in A.C., especially Bally’s oceanfront lounge. Overall, I value the card highly and it’s a keeper for us. Looking forward to January when my Wyndham Diamond expires and see if I’ll be able to match again from TR.

well, I still have the old earning as 2 points per dollar, therefore, I dont have the Platinum Status. Is there any way I could upgrade to Platinum status but still earning 2 points per dollar?

Do you know anything about the quality of the “free” Atlantis rooms. Just read something pretty negative.