What happens to Wyndham Rewards points when the owner dies
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts points are forfeited under the program's terms when the account is closed
Wyndham Rewards Member Services
Wyndham Rewards Member Services (no dedicated estate claims line)
No formal process; points are forfeited under program terms
Under Wyndham Hotels & Resorts's terms, Wyndham Rewards points do not constitute property of the account holder and are forfeited when the account is closed upon death. There is no established process for transferring points to heirs or the estate.
Families have occasionally received goodwill accommodations from Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, but these are not part of the published terms and cannot be relied upon.
What to do
After a Wyndham Rewards account holder's death, here is how to proceed:
- •Certified copy of the death certificate
- •Letters testamentary or letters of administration
- •Government-issued ID of the requesting party
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Letters testamentary or letters of administration (if making a discretionary request)
- Government-issued ID of the requesting party
- Deceased member's Wyndham Rewards account number
Timeline
No formal process; points are forfeited under program terms
Frequently asked questions
Under the Wyndham Rewards Terms and Conditions, points "do not constitute property of the Member" and cannot be transferred "during or after the Member's life, by operation of law or otherwise." Points are forfeited upon death with no published estate transfer process.
No. The terms explicitly prohibit transfer by operation of law, which includes inheritance through a will or probate. Wyndham has no documented estate claims process, unlike Hilton, Marriott, or IHG.
Yes, through two mechanisms. First, all accrued points may be forfeited after approximately 18 consecutive months of no account activity (earning or redeeming). Second, individual points expire four years after the date they are posted to the account, regardless of account activity. Accounts with no activity for 60 consecutive months may be terminated entirely.
Redeem points for free nights, transfer them to airline partner programs (11 partners, 6,000 points = 1,200 miles), transfer to Caesars Rewards (1:1 ratio, up to 30,000 per year), or redeem through the points catalog during the member's lifetime. Because points are non-transferable at death under the program terms, using them while alive is the only reliable path to capturing value.
The Terms do not provide a process for executor access. Since points are explicitly non-transferable "during or after the Member's life, by operation of law or otherwise," an executor has no formal mechanism to claim or transfer points. Contact Wyndham Rewards Member Services at 1-866-996-7937 to report the death and inquire about any discretionary options, such as canceling upcoming reservations booked with points.
Since Wyndham Rewards points are forfeited at death under the official terms, points can only be used during the account holder's lifetime. Redeeming, transferring, or sharing points while the account is active preserves their value.
Sources
Data sourced from Wyndham Hotels & Resorts primary sources (6 pages reviewed). How we research.
Wyndham Rewards Member Services
Wyndham Rewards Member Services (no dedicated estate claims line)
No formal process; points are forfeited under program terms
