Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier vs Wyndham Earner Plus: Which Is Better In 2025?

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Breakdown

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Why We Like It

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Here’s a closer look at why we’re fans of the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus.

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• It offers strong rewards on everyday spending categories, including accelerated points on gas, dining, and grocery purchases.
• For a modest annual fee (See Rates & Fees), cardholders receive automatic Wyndham Rewards Platinum status, which includes benefits like early check-in and late checkout.
• The 7,500 anniversary bonus points can largely offset the card's annual fee, as they're enough for up to one free night each year (publisher-formulated estimate).

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Pros

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• It offers accelerated rewards on popular spending categories like gas, dining, and groceries.
• Cardholders automatically receive elite status with Wyndham, unlocking travel perks like early check-in and late checkout.
• An annual points bonus and a discount on award night redemptions help cardholders get more value from their points.

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Cons

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• It has an annual fee but doesn't offer a free anniversary night certificate, a common perk on competing hotel cards.
• The annual points bonus may not be enough to cover a free night at mid- or high-tier properties.
• Rewards are most valuable when redeemed for Wyndham stays, offering limited flexibility compared to general travel rewards cards.

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier

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Categories

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Deciding between a co-branded airline card and a hotel card can be tricky, so let's break down which is better: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier or Wyndham Earner Plus.

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• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: This is a mid-tier airline credit card designed for loyalists of Southwest Airlines. It offers a balance of travel perks for semi-frequent flyers who don't want the high fee of a premium card.
• Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card: This is a hotel credit card for travelers who frequently stay at Wyndham properties. It is designed to help members maximize their point earnings and enjoy elite status benefits.

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Redemption

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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Points are primarily redeemed for flights on Southwest Airlines, with the value of points tied to the cash price of the fare. You can also use your points for other travel like international flights, hotel stays, and car rentals, as well as gift cards and merchandise.

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Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card: Rewards are redeemed for free or discounted nights at Wyndham's extensive portfolio of hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals. Points can also be transferred to airline partners or used for gift cards and merchandise.

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Travel Perks

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• Loyalty Status: The Wyndham Earner Plus card grants automatic Platinum elite status, unlocking perks like early check-in and late checkout. The Southwest Premier card doesn't grant A-List status directly, but all points earned count toward earning the highly coveted Companion Pass®.
• Travel-Specific Perks: The Southwest card comes with airline-centric benefits like credits for EarlyBird Check-In and discounts on inflight purchases. In contrast, the Wyndham card's perks are centered on the hotel stay itself, driven by the benefits of Platinum status.
• International Travel: Both cards are traveler-friendly when it comes to international trips, as neither charges a foreign transaction fee.
• Anniversary Bonuses: Both cardholders are rewarded for their loyalty with bonus points credited to their account each year on their cardmember anniversary.

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Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos

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To make a data-driven decision, you can use a tool like Kudos, which evaluates nearly 3,000 credit cards to find the best match for your spending habits.

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• Test Drive Cards: The platform’s standout feature allows you to “test drive” credit cards using your real spending data to see projected annual rewards before you apply, all without a hard credit pull.
• Welcome Offer Guarantee: If you find a better public welcome offer for a card you got through Kudos within three months, the platform will match it.
• Detailed Approval Odds: Get a comprehensive analysis of your approval chances based on your credit report to help you apply with confidence.
• Rewards & Perks Management: Track your spending, monitor your credit score, and manage all your card benefits in one centralized dashboard.
• Browser Extension: A Chrome extension automatically selects the best card for you at checkout to maximize rewards on every purchase.

Who Should Choose the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier?

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The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is designed for semi-frequent Southwest flyers who want a balance of useful perks and a moderate annual fee. This cardholder typically flies with the airline occasionally and wants to offset the cost with benefits like EarlyBird Check-Ins and anniversary bonus points, without paying for the premium features of a top-tier card. As one credit card review notes, it's a mid-tier option for Southwest fans who can maximize its day-of-travel benefits.

Who Should Choose the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus?

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The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card is tailor-made for loyalists of the Wyndham brand who frequently stay at their properties, including hotels, vacation rentals, and timeshares. Cardholders who spend heavily on gas, dining, and groceries will also benefit significantly from the card's accelerated rewards structure. Ultimately, it's a strong choice for travelers who can maximize the brand-specific perks and high earning rates, as detailed in a NerdWallet review.

Alternatives to Consider

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If the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier vs Wyndham Earner Plus comparison has you convinced that neither card is for you, don't fret. There are plenty of other fish in the sea when it comes to travel rewards cards.

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_{Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.}

Tips for Application Success

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Before You Apply

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• Check your credit score: Most rewards cards require good to excellent credit for approval.
• Review application rules: Be aware of issuer-specific policies, like Chase's 5/24 rule, that could affect your eligibility.
• Plan your spending: Make sure you can meet the welcome offer's spending requirement without overspending.

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Application Strategy

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• Know the issuer's rules: Some issuers have strict limits on how many cards you can open in a certain period, like Chase's 5/24 rule.
• Confirm bonus eligibility: Many cards restrict welcome offers if you are a current or recent cardholder of a similar product.
• Try different methods: If you don't see the best offer, try applying through a different browser or directly on the issuer's site.

Our Methodology

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We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.

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Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Can I transfer points between Southwest Rapid Rewards and Wyndham Rewards?

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No, you cannot transfer points between Southwest Rapid Rewards and Wyndham Rewards. They are separate loyalty programs, and points earned in one must be redeemed within that same program.

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Do the points earned with these cards expire?

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Southwest Rapid Rewards points do not expire. Wyndham Rewards points, however, will expire following 18 months of account inactivity or automatically after four years, whichever comes first.

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Which card offers better elite status benefits?

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The Wyndham Earner Plus Card automatically grants you Platinum status in its loyalty program, which includes benefits like early check-in. In contrast, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card helps you earn A-List status through flying and spending, but does not grant it automatically.

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