What Credit Card rewards do you get for paying your maintenance fees?

[DTKENT1]

I routinely get 45-60k WR points for attending sales updates. 25k is low - the lowest I've ever received is 30k WR points. Sometimes I'll take 15-20k WR if I'm also getting a gift card or another perk. Hold out for more WR points - they will almost always give you more than 30k if you hold out especially if this is the only perk you're asking for to attend a sales update.

Do you only earn the points with the credit card? How do they know when you do an owner update??

 

[HitchHiker71]

Do you only earn the points with the credit card? How do they know when you do an owner update??

I generate WR points via a combination of using the Earners+ card for almost everything (I average between 15-20k points earned per month - sometimes as low as 10k), and attending sales update meetings periodically. We don't attend updates as much these days for various reasons, but we still attend them occasionally. At the larger resort sales locations like NH or TOTG I won't attend for less than 60k WR points. At the smaller resort locations I'll start at 45k WR points - which is almost always never initially approved at the desk - but then I miraculously get a phone call shortly after we get to our room that my request has been approved. We haven't been burning a ton of WR points for travel the past several months - so I don't feel the need to attend updates when we don't need the points. I'm currently sitting at 381k WR points in our account - and that's after burning through most of what we'll use for CY 2022 to send our kids on their vacations in areas where timeshares don't have much availability (such as VA beach where our daughter prefers to go).

I'm not sure what you're asking about how do they know when you do an owner update? What are you trying to ascertain with this question?

 

[DTKENT1]

I generate WR points via a combination of using the Earners+ card for almost everything (I average between 15-20k points earned per month - sometimes as low as 10k), and attending sales update meetings periodically. We don't attend updates as much these days for various reasons, but we still attend them occasionally. At the larger resort sales locations like NH or TOTG I won't attend for less than 60k WR points. At the smaller resort locations I'll start at 45k WR points - which is almost always never initially approved at the desk - but then I miraculously get a phone call shortly after we get to our room that my request has been approved. We haven't been burning a ton of WR points for travel the past several months - so I don't feel the need to attend updates when we don't need the points. I'm currently sitting at 381k WR points in our account - and that's after burning through most of what we'll use for CY 2022 to send our kids on their vacations in areas where timeshares don't have much availability (such as VA beach where our daughter prefers to go).

I'm not sure what you're asking about how do they know when you do an owner update? What are you trying to ascertain with this question?

I guess I'm asking how the points get applied? I just attended an owner update yesterday here at seawatch and no one asked if I had a card or about applying points. They just gave me my 150$ Amex gift card and thats it. I guess I just don't see the connection as the card is technically a WR card not timeshare points. I may just be confused.

 

[HitchHiker71]

I guess I'm asking how the points get applied? I just attended an owner update yesterday here at seawatch and no one asked if I had a card or about applying points. They just gave me my 150$ Amex gift card and thats it. I guess I just don't see the connection as the card is technically a WR card not timeshare points. I may just be confused.

They give you a small foldable brochure - similar in size to a small greeting card - that is provided by the Wyndham Hotels system. This card contains a code and a website link that you use to add/redeem the agreed upon WR points grant within your WR account. You must have an active WR account to do this. You can also use the WR mobile app for this redemption process.

 

[Eric B]

They usually email me in parallel with giving me the pamphlet.

 

[HitchHiker71]

They usually email me in parallel with giving me the pamphlet.

Interesting - I've always just received the small pamphlet - never received an email - I will have to remember to ask about the email next time.

 

[r4rab]

Personally, I always will go for the Amex card (minimum of $150) for an update. We have not had such good luck with the quality of the Wyndham hotel brands and the points are not really so good for other things (although I did use many for MFs a while back since they were going to expire). Also WR points expire 4 years after earning them. For MFs we use a different travel card whose points can be redeemed for various hotel stays & airlines. I suggest looking at the Chase Sapphire cards. Or take a look at a cash back cc. A key point can be whether or not the card issuer puts MFs in the travel expense category.

 

[DTKENT1]

They give you a small foldable brochure - similar in size to a small greeting card - that is provided by the Wyndham Hotels system. This card contains a code and a website link that you use to add/redeem the agreed upon WR points grant within your WR account. You must have an active WR account to do this. You can also use the WR mobile app for this redemption process.

interesting...... I do have an account and it is active as I travel for work and use the account to aquire points. But I've never been given anything like this. I have from the last two updates attended amex authorization paper and a scrap piece of paper they wrote date time and salesmans name nothing more. This happend in smoky mountains last fall and here at the beach yesterday. I'm going to go and inquire about it before I leave.

Thank you for all the help.

 

[HitchHiker71]

interesting...... I do have an account and it is active as I travel for work and use the account to aquire points. But I've never been given anything like this. I have from the last two updates attended amex authorization paper and a scrap piece of paper they wrote date time and salesmans name nothing more. This happend in smoky mountains last fall and here at the beach yesterday. I'm going to go and inquire about it before I leave.

Thank you for all the help.

These days they seem to always default to the AMEX gift cards and they don't mention WR points as often nowadays at least IME. We do take the AMEX gift cards on occasion - or we choose local incentives such as free parking (NH), or free tickets to local entertainment venues (such as Busch Gardens when in Williamsburg). You have to choose and agree upon your gift before attending the sales update - if you already accepted the AMEX gift card - you're not going to be able to swap it out for WR points after the fact.

 

[HitchHiker71]

Personally, I always will go for the Amex card (minimum of $150) for an update. We have not had such good luck with the quality of the Wyndham hotel brands and the points are not really so good for other things (although I did use many for MFs a while back since they were going to expire). Also WR points expire 4 years after earning them. For MFs we use a different travel card whose points can be redeemed for various hotel stays & airlines. I suggest looking at the Chase Sapphire cards. Or take a look at a cash back cc. A key point can be whether or not the card issuer puts MFs in the travel expense category.

We have certain hotels that we always stay at every year - particularly locally in OCMD area. There are two HoJo's hotels in OCMD that are just your average hotels, but they are oceanfront so it's all about the view really. As Diamond WR members we also get free suite upgrades and we get to choose our room numbers (which we always do at the hotels we frequent). There's also Vacasa which is worth checking out - as you can use your points to rent vacation homes with your WR points. We haven't done this firsthand yet but it's on our list to do soon.

 

[DTKENT1]

These days they seem to always default to the AMEX gift cards and they don't mention WR points as often nowadays at least IME. We do take the AMEX gift cards on occasion - or we choose local incentives such as free parking (NH), or free tickets to local entertainment venues (such as Busch Gardens when in Williamsburg). You have to choose and agree upon your gift before attending the sales update - if you already accepted the AMEX gift card - you're not going to be able to swap it out for WR points after the fact.

Gotcha. Thank you again.

 

[hjsweet2002]

We use the Wyndham Earners reward card for all our charges. Our monthly bill. Usually runs about 2500-3000 a month. We use the reward points for hotels as we travel to and from resorts. We usually only use the free hotels when hotel prices range over 150 per night. We are staying in Quincy MA for three nights free where as it wold cost about 170 a night or a savings of about 500. We have used it also to book nights at Wyndham resorts such as Inn on Long Wharf in Newport RI.

 

[auntiepen]

Basically, the $300 travel credit (MFs count) makes it effectively a $250 annual fee for the Reserve. If you’re a big traveler, I think it’s pretty easy to make that up. That said, I did just cancel mine before my anniversary date to apply for the Preferred and its 100k bonus. Our traveling is pretty modest compared to some (we don’t fly a lot) so the Preferred should be the sweet spot for us.

I assume that if you use CSR to pay for Wyndham maintenance fee you will get credit of $300 from the card company as it considered as travel credit $300? I wonder why the Amex platinum doesn’t consider the maintenance fee as travel expenses

 

[r4rab]

I assume that if you use CSR to pay for Wyndham maintenance fee you will get credit of $300 from the card company as it considered as travel credit $300? I wonder why the Amex platinum doesn’t consider the maintenance fee as travel expenses

Check out the differences between the Amex Platinum & Chase Sapphire Reserve on The Points Guy website. The CSR card is very broad in its categorization of travel expenses. The Amex card is much more restrictive. I believe (going from memory) you must designate an airline each year and that is where the travel credit applies.

 

[jules54]

We took a few updates in 2021 and they offered the Rewards points plus some other items. I agreed with HH always ask for a higher amount and they will say no, but someone will call your room later and raise the stakes. When I took the reward points I had to go back to the desk at 2 different resorts to have them added. The sales department was doing it then. Some resorts ask for a deposit before the presentation and then refund your credit card after you have taken the update. Incentive to show up. In New Orleans at Avenue Plaza I had to go to the sales desk check in to get my credit card refundEd. That stuff wears me out, but my warning here is to double check everything that sales said they would do before you leave the resort. Some resorts I must be on the do not tour list as first they check the list and then give brochures of the area.

 

[HitchHiker71]

We took a few updates in 2021 and they offered the Rewards points plus some other items. I agreed with HH always ask for a higher amount and they will say no, but someone will call your room later and raise the stakes. When I took the reward points I had to go back to the desk at 2 different resorts to have them added. The sales department was doing it then. Some resorts ask for a deposit before the presentation and then refund your credit card after you have taken the update. Incentive to show up. In New Orleans at Avenue Plaza I had to go to the sales desk check in to get my credit card refundEd. That stuff wears me out, but my warning here is to double check everything that sales said they would do before you leave the resort. Some resorts I must be on the do not tour list as first they check the list and then give brochures of the area.

Starting in 2022 (perhaps even in the last half of 2021), we now receive the gifts up front before attending the sales update - right when we check in at the front desk to attend the sales update itself. The WR points redemption codes haven't always been activated at that time though - it seems to depend on the resort. I have literally been sitting in the sales update and have tried to redeem the WR points codes and some have worked right then - others failed but then worked later the same day. I've also noticed more resorts asking for a credit card deposit - which we usually refuse to give - IME they won't require the credit card deposit even if they act like it's a requirement - it's really just a tool to ensure you actually show up. We have rarely canceled attending an update once we agree to do so, so for us I've never had the parking pass marketing reps outright refuse to allow us to attend a sales update without a deposit on a credit card.

 

[DTKENT1]

Starting in 2022 (perhaps even in the last half of 2021), we now receive the gifts up front before attending the sales update - right when we check in at the front desk to attend the sales update itself. The WR points redemption codes haven't always been activated at that time though - it seems to depend on the resort. I have literally been sitting in the sales update and have tried to redeem the WR points codes and some have worked right then - others failed but then worked later the same day. I've also noticed more resorts asking for a credit card deposit - which we usually refuse to give - IME they won't require the credit card deposit even if they act like it's a requirement - it's really just a tool to ensure you actually show up. We have rarely canceled attending an update once we agree to do so, so for us I've never had the parking pass marketing reps outright refuse to allow us to attend a sales update without a deposit on a credit card.

Yes it's weird how they operate.... Tenn they took a deposit refused us without it. They called several times till we gave in. Tenn also didn't give gifts until the end of out 60 minutes that ended up being 2 hours as they said sorry it was on us for asking questions. lol Then here in myrtle they asked I refused the deposit on the card (as I am still trying to get mine refunded from tenn) but they said no worries be there at 1:30. But we received gifts upfront Luke you noted but Tenn did it at the end. My question is could there be a diffrence depending on the resort ypu are in?

 

[troy12n]

I use the Wyndham Rewards Visa to do my MF, because you get 4x WR points for anything Wyndham. I am curious if after this new "Paymentus" cutover if we still get the bonus WR points.

When I paid off my loan, I paid it off using the WR card and got something like 250,000 WR points out of it. Had to make several transactions and paid it off in full via wire transfer in the course of a month, but it was so nice getting out of that garbage loan.

 

[90_Min_Sales_Pitch]

Check out the differences between the Amex Platinum & Chase Sapphire Reserve on The Points Guy website. The CSR card is very broad in its categorization of travel expenses. The Amex card is much more restrictive. I believe (going from memory) you must designate an airline each year and that is where the travel credit applies.

You choose an airline, and it only counts towards incidentals, such as food, luggage, change fees, etc. I have the Hilton Aspire which has a similar credit, and so far have only redeemed $22.50 this year. In hind sight I should have picked Hawaiian Airlines, it would have saved us $120 in bag fees from one island hop!

 

[callwill]

Yes it's weird how they operate.... Tenn they took a deposit refused us without it. They called several times till we gave in. Tenn also didn't give gifts until the end of out 60 minutes that ended up being 2 hours as they said sorry it was on us for asking questions. lol Then here in myrtle they asked I refused the deposit on the card (as I am still trying to get mine refunded from tenn) but they said no worries be there at 1:30. But we received gifts upfront Luke you noted but Tenn did it at the end. My question is could there be a diffrence depending on the resort ypu are in?

Which resort in TN? Visiting Nashville end of september and wondering what to expect...

 

[Breezy52]

I like to play the credit card game for larger bonuses. When I see a large bonus on a card I like, I pay whatever is left on my maintenance fees with the new card to get to the required spending. Then I look at what cards I might drop. This year we got 2 chase cards, Marriott and Sapphire Preferred. It may not be the best way to go but I prefer getting the spend out of the way.

 

[callwill]

I used to get the spend out of the way pretty quickly when i had kids in college and tuition was due...

 

[DTKENT1]

Which resort in TN? Visiting Nashville end of september and wondering what to expect...

sorry was smoky mountains Sevierville

 

[echino]

3% cash back

 

[90_Min_Sales_Pitch]

I'm not sure if this card will count MF as travel, but I'm definitely interested regardless.

Synovus Travel Rewards Visa

5x points on up to $5,000 annually in net spend for travel purchases, including hotel, airlines, car rental, and vacation packages
3x points on up to $3,000 in net spend quarterly for purchases in a Dynamic Earn category of your choice (gas set as default)
Your points are worth 20% more when redeemed for travel rewards.
Pay no annual membership fee for the first year. Just $50 per year afterward.