Should I get the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card or the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card?

Choose the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card if you spend enough to justify the $75/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

Should I get the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card or the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card?

Choose the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card if you spend enough to justify the $75/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

Should I get the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card or the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card?

Choose the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card if you spend enough to justify the $75/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card vs Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

The USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card ($0/yr) is better for everyday value, while the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card ($75/yr) is worth it for frequent travelers who can use its premium perks. Here's the full comparison.

No image

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card

USAA

No image

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

Barclays

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

$75

Welcome Bonus

—

45,000 Hotel

Earn Rates

Category	USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card	Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card
Gas Stations	5X	6X
Wyndham Hotels	1X

Category-by-Category Winner

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card wins in 4 of 5 categories. The USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card leads in 1.

Gas Stations

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card earns 6X vs 5X

Military Base Purchases

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card earns 5X vs 1X

Grocery Stores

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card earns 4X vs 2X

Wyndham Hotels

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card earns 6X vs 1X

Dining

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card earns 4X vs 1X

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card costs $75/yr — that's $75 more than the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $75 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.

Bottom line: The $75 difference is small enough that the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card's extra perks make it worth considering for most cardholders.

Which Card Is Right for You?

Get the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card if you:

Want strong rewards without a large annual fee commitment

The Bottom Line

The USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card has a lower annual fee ($0 vs $75), making it the more accessible option.

Choose the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card if you want solid rewards with a lower cost of entry. Choose the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card if you travel frequently and can maximize its premium benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card worth the higher annual fee?: The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card costs $75/yr vs $0/yr for the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.
Which card earns more rewards, the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card or Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card?: The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
Should I get the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card or the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card?: Choose the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card if you spend enough to justify the $75/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

Explore More

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card — Full Review All USAA Cards

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card — Full Review All Barclays Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: USAA cards · Barclays cards

Editorial disclosure: The analysis on this page is based on publicly available card data and is updated regularly. CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or editorial content. Last updated: May 2026.

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card vs Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

No image

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card

USAA

No image

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

Barclays

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

$75

Welcome Bonus

—

45,000 Hotel

Earn Rates

Category	USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card	Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card
Gas Stations	5X	6X
Wyndham Hotels	1X

Category-by-Category Winner

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card wins in 4 of 5 categories. The USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card leads in 1.

Gas Stations

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card earns 6X vs 5X

Military Base Purchases

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card earns 5X vs 1X

Grocery Stores

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card earns 4X vs 2X

Wyndham Hotels

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card earns 6X vs 1X

Dining

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card earns 4X vs 1X

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

Bottom line: The $75 difference is small enough that the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card's extra perks make it worth considering for most cardholders.

Which Card Is Right for You?

Get the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card if you:

Want strong rewards without a large annual fee commitment

The Bottom Line

The USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card has a lower annual fee ($0 vs $75), making it the more accessible option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card worth the higher annual fee?: The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card costs $75/yr vs $0/yr for the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.
Which card earns more rewards, the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card or Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card?: The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
Should I get the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card or the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card?: Choose the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card if you spend enough to justify the $75/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

Explore More

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card — Full Review All USAA Cards

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card — Full Review All Barclays Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: USAA cards · Barclays cards

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card vs Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

No image

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card

USAA

No image

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

Barclays

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

$75

Welcome Bonus

—

45,000 Hotel

Earn Rates

Category	USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card	Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card
Gas Stations	5X	6X
Wyndham Hotels	1X

Category-by-Category Winner

The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card wins in 4 of 5 categories. The USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card leads in 1.

Gas Stations

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card earns 6X vs 5X

Military Base Purchases

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card earns 5X vs 1X

Grocery Stores

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card earns 4X vs 2X

Wyndham Hotels

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card earns 6X vs 1X

Dining

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card earns 4X vs 1X

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

Bottom line: The $75 difference is small enough that the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card's extra perks make it worth considering for most cardholders.

Which Card Is Right for You?

Get the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card if you:

Want strong rewards without a large annual fee commitment

The Bottom Line

The USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card has a lower annual fee ($0 vs $75), making it the more accessible option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card worth the higher annual fee?: The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card costs $75/yr vs $0/yr for the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.
Which card earns more rewards, the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card or Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card?: The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
Should I get the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card or the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card?: Choose the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card if you spend enough to justify the $75/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

Explore More

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card — Full Review All USAA Cards

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card — Full Review All Barclays Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: USAA cards · Barclays cards

Pros & Cons

Pros

+5% cash back on gas stations
+5% cash back on military base purchases (commissaries, exchanges)
+2% cash back at grocery stores
+No annual fee
+Competitive rates for USAA members

+Automatic Platinum status for life of card (normally requires 15 nights or 25,000 points)
+6x points at Wyndham hotels - strong earning for brand loyalists
+6x points on gas stations - excellent for road trips
+4x points on dining and groceries - solid everyday earning
+45,000 point welcome bonus worth up to 6 free nights

Cons

−Restricted to USAA-eligible military members and families
−American Express network less widely accepted than Visa/Mastercard
−1% foreign transaction fee
−Only 1% on non-category purchases

−Wyndham portfolio is primarily budget/midscale hotels
−Points only valuable within Wyndham ecosystem (limited transfer options)
−No lounge access or premium travel protections
−Only 1x earning on non-bonus purchases
−Platinum status benefits are modest (early check-in, car rental upgrades)

Pros & Cons

Pros

+5% cash back on gas stations
+5% cash back on military base purchases (commissaries, exchanges)
+2% cash back at grocery stores
+No annual fee
+Competitive rates for USAA members

+Automatic Platinum status for life of card (normally requires 15 nights or 25,000 points)
+6x points at Wyndham hotels - strong earning for brand loyalists
+6x points on gas stations - excellent for road trips
+4x points on dining and groceries - solid everyday earning
+45,000 point welcome bonus worth up to 6 free nights

Cons

−Restricted to USAA-eligible military members and families
−American Express network less widely accepted than Visa/Mastercard
−1% foreign transaction fee
−Only 1% on non-category purchases

−Wyndham portfolio is primarily budget/midscale hotels
−Points only valuable within Wyndham ecosystem (limited transfer options)
−No lounge access or premium travel protections
−Only 1x earning on non-bonus purchases
−Platinum status benefits are modest (early check-in, car rental upgrades)

Pros & Cons

Pros

+5% cash back on gas stations
+5% cash back on military base purchases (commissaries, exchanges)
+2% cash back at grocery stores
+No annual fee
+Competitive rates for USAA members

+Automatic Platinum status for life of card (normally requires 15 nights or 25,000 points)
+6x points at Wyndham hotels - strong earning for brand loyalists
+6x points on gas stations - excellent for road trips
+4x points on dining and groceries - solid everyday earning
+45,000 point welcome bonus worth up to 6 free nights

Cons

−Restricted to USAA-eligible military members and families
−American Express network less widely accepted than Visa/Mastercard
−1% foreign transaction fee
−Only 1% on non-category purchases

−Wyndham portfolio is primarily budget/midscale hotels
−Points only valuable within Wyndham ecosystem (limited transfer options)
−No lounge access or premium travel protections
−Only 1x earning on non-bonus purchases
−Platinum status benefits are modest (early check-in, car rental upgrades)

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card vs Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

Fees & Welcome Offer

Earn Rates

Category-by-Category Winner

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

Which Card Is Right for You?

The Bottom Line

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore More

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card vs Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

Fees & Welcome Offer

Earn Rates

Category-by-Category Winner

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

Which Card Is Right for You?

The Bottom Line

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore More

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card vs Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

Fees & Welcome Offer

Earn Rates

Category-by-Category Winner

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

Which Card Is Right for You?

The Bottom Line

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore More

Benefits & Features

Pros & Cons

Benefits & Features

Pros & Cons

Benefits & Features

Pros & Cons