Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has launched the Wyndham Rewards Debit Card, which the company claims is the first debit card from a major hospitality brand in the U.S.
Designed for younger travelers as well as those who do not wish to use traditional credit cards, the debit card lets users earn and redeem Wyndham Rewards points and achieve complimentary Wyndham Rewards Gold level membership.
AA recent EY study from last year found that nearly 70 percent of Gen Z consumers use their debit cards once or more per week. At the same time, research last summer from PMG shows travel as a key area of spend for Gen Z, 65 percent of whom intend to spend more on travel in 2025 and nearly 60 percent of whom consider loyalty programs essential when booking their travel.
“Research continues to show a large number of travelers, particularly younger consumers such as Gen Z, prefer debit cards as their primary method of payment,” Charmaine Taylor, SVP, strategic and financial partnership, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, that means many have been left on the sidelines when it comes to earning free hotel nights and other travel rewards. With the Wyndham Rewards Debit Card, that’s no longer the case. Now anyone and everyone can earn points on their day-to-day purchases and in turn, enjoy meaningful rewards.”
Benefits
Users of the new debit card can earn one Wyndham Rewards point per dollar spent on eligible hotels by Wyndham, gas and grocery purchases and one Wyndham Rewards point per two dollars spent on all other qualifying purchases. They also will get Wyndham Rewards Gold-level membership with perks like accelerated points earning, preferred rooms and late checkout.
The Wyndham Rewards Debit Card is backed by Galileo Financial Technologies, SoFi’s Technology Platform, and is issued by Sunrise Banks N.A. and backed by Mastercard as the payments network.
“People who use debit are often overlooked by traditional rewards programs, which is what makes this card—a first of its kind in the hospitality space—so special,” said Derek White, CEO, Galileo Financial Technologies. “What’s more, with the help of Galileo, Wyndham was able to stand its offering up in just a few months. That’s the power of our platform. By bringing together card issuing, processing, Cyberbank Digital and program management, brands can launch quickly and efficiently, delivering innovative financial products that strengthen customer relationships and drive revenue.”
The Wyndham Rewards Debit Card works with Wyndham’s existing suite of credit cards.