5 Things to Know About the World of Westgate Mastercard
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If you have a Westgate Resorts timeshare or you visit one of the hotel chain’s resorts frequently, then the World of Westgate Mastercard — issued by First Electronic Bank and serviced by Imprint — can help you earn extra rewards on your next vacation with little effort.
This $0-annual-fee card earns a solid 3% back on Westgate purchases, even including your timeshare mortgage. But since this card doesn’t offer elevated rewards on any other purchases and you can only redeem your rewards at Westgate, most people — even some timeshare owners — will likely fare better with a general travel credit card.
But if you’re a Westgate loyalist who wants a simple way to earn rewards on your vacation, the card’s straightforward rewards and convenient redemption might be a good option for you.
Here’s what you need to know about the World of Westgate Mastercard.
» MORE: Are timeshares worth it?
The company previously offered a different credit card, Westgate Rewards Mastercard, which was issued by Comenity Bank but discontinued in 2021.
1. Applying won't automatically impact your credit scores
When you apply for the World of Westgate Mastercard, Imprint won't automatically do a hard credit pull. You'll be able to see if you're approved first and what your credit limit would be. The company will perform a hard credit pull only if you decide to accept the offer. If you're on the fence about applying (or are unsure if you will be approved), this perk can help you make your decision without impacting your credit scores.
2. You’ll earn a small sign-up bonus
Once you’re approved and make three purchases in the first 180 days, you’ll receive 50,000 points, which can be redeemed for $50 back on future purchases at Westgate. This is significantly lower than sign-up bonuses on other no-annual-fee cards, but it’s rare for a credit card to offer a bonus without requiring you to spend a specific amount of money first.
Similar hotel cards might require you to spend anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 before you can get a bonus. With the World of Westgate Mastercard, any three purchases — no matter how small — will qualify you for the bonus.
3. Earnings are underwhelming
Purchases with Westgate earn 3% back — including on-property purchases and timeshare mortgage payments. The ability to pay your timeshare mortgage on a credit card is unique.
Even though this is a solid rate, the World of Westgate Mastercard doesn’t make a good standalone card because you won’t earn elevated rewards on any purchase outside the hotel chain. All other purchases earn 1% back.
If you prefer to keep only one card in your wallet, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card could be a good alternative. Cardholders earn 2% back on purchases. Sure, you’d earn slightly less on Westgate purchases, but the higher rate on purchases outside of the hotel will easily make up the difference.
Westgate loyalists could also carry both credit cards and use the World of Westgate Mastercard with the hotel brand and the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card on everything else.
You'll earn rewards in the form of points, and 10 points are worth 1 cent. So for every dollar you spend at Westgate, you'll earn 30 points, which equals 3 cents.
4. You can only redeem rewards at Westgate
The rewards you earn on the World of Westgate Mastercard can only be redeemed for Westgate purchases. But you don’t have to redeem your rewards for reservations. You can also redeem for timeshare mortgages, restaurants on site and on-property activities.
Since you can redeem your rewards on many Westgate purchases, it probably won’t be too hard for timeshare holders and frequent Westgate visitors to redeem rewards. But other cards will offer you more flexibility. With the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, rewards are much more flexible. You can redeem your rewards for a statement credit, a mailed check, direct deposit into a Wells Fargo checking or savings account or a withdrawal at a Wells Fargo ATM (in increments of $20).
» COMPARE: Best cash back credit cards
Westgate does have loyalty status levels, but higher tiers are reserved for timeshare owners. Anyone can join the Member Tier, which gives you up to 10% off direct bookings, complimentary Wi-Fi and discounts on certain fees.
5. The card doesn’t come with many perks
Many hotel cards — even some with no annual fee — come with valuable extras like elite status, free nights and annual spending bonuses. The World of Westgate Mastercard is missing all of these perks. If you’re already a timeshare owner or otherwise loyal to the hotel brand, this isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker. But if you’re not partial to Westgate, you will probably get more value out of a different hotel card.
For instance, the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card also has no annual fee, but you’ll earn a 7,500 point bonus each anniversary after you spend $15,000 on the card. You’ll also get automatic Gold status, which gives you late checkout, free Wi-Fi and preferred room choice when available. Plus, you won’t only earn rewards on Wyndham purchases. The card also earns elevated rewards on gas, dining and grocery stores.
» MORE: Best hotel credit cards
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