If you are a Wells Fargo Reward Card holder, you may have used Go Far Rewards®, a banking rewards platform. But is it the best way to book travel shopping? Wells Fargo points are quite flexible and can be redeemed for cash or credits once you reach 2500 points. This makes it easy to redeem points for travel booked on other platforms. Also, deals on Wells Fargo Go Far Rewards seem to be a bit more limited than on other booking sites.
However, despite slightly higher airfare and hotel rates than other booking sites, Go Far Rewards travel can be very rewarding for Wells Fargo cardholders who follow a few simple tips.
What is the Go Far Rewards Travel Portal?
Go Far Rewards is Wells Fargo’s credit card redemption portal, allowing users to purchase merchandise, gift cards, digital entertainment, and travel purchases with reward points or cashback. The Go Far Rewards travel portal works similarly to third-party booking sites and users can search for flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises and more in one place.
Premiums with no annual fee
Not many Wells Fargo credit cards offer reward points, but one of the best cards for traveling without an annual fee is the Wells Fargo Propel American Express®* card. Its rewards structure gives 3X points for meals, rides and travel, gas station purchases, and some streaming services. It also gives 1X points for other purchases. Not only is its reward structure pretty good, it also offers a 20,000 points welcome bonus if you spend $1,000 within the first three months.
Unfortunately, you cannot transfer points to any travel partners, but you can transfer your points to other Wells Fargo cards, such as the Wells Fargo Visa Signature credit card*. With a Wells Fargo Visa Signature card, you can even redeem your Wells Fargo points for 50% extra value per point on airfare.
A lesser known but useful fact is that Wells Fargo cashback credit cards earn cashback in the form of Go Far Rewards. This means that you can use a Wells Fargo cashback card, for example, Wells Fargo Reflect℠ card to book trips and flights on the Go Far Rewards travel portal.
How to book a ride with Go Far Rewards
If you have a Wells Fargo Premium Card, booking a trip through Go Far Rewards is easy. When you sign in to your account, you can switch between different types of travel purchases or view an interactive price map to select your next vacation destination.
No matter what purchase you make through the Go Far Rewards travel portal, you will have the option to pay for it in whole or in part with points or online cash rewards. Each search result will include the cost of the ride in both USD and points (or a cash reward if you have a cashback card). For the most part, travel shopping will cost you the same amount of rewards as cash, but sometimes you can find special deals.
Flight booking
To find a flight through Go Far Rewards, you just need to enter your travel dates, destination, and number of travelers. Like many third party booking sites, Go Far Rewards gives you a quick breakdown of prices by airline and number of stops above your search results.
One of the unique things about Go Far Rewards is that it includes Southwest Airlines fares – the airline is known for keeping its information from third-party sites. This way, Wells Fargo credit card holders can better see the best deals.
Hotel booking
To find a hotel on Go Far Rewards, simply enter your destination and date of travel. You then have the option to view the available properties in a list or on a map to make sure you’re in the part of the city you want.
Cruise Booking
Go Far Rewards also allows users to book cruises and receive special offers, in addition to displaying results based on destination, cruise line, and trip length.
To help you better understand which trip is best for you, you can view the map of cruise destinations before making your choice.
Car booking
When you book a rental car, the search results will include a quick breakdown of available rental companies and a price comparison.
Despite the small savings, the above example demonstrates the result when the reward is cheaper than paying in cash. Whether you’re earning points or cash rewards online with your Wells Fargo Reward Card, be sure to compare prices closely and keep an eye out for special offers.
Booking holiday packages
If you’re the type of traveler who likes to keep all their bookings together rather than keeping track of multiple individual purchases, check out Go Far Rewards Vacation Packages. All you need is the destination and duration of the trip to filter out all kinds of unique trips.
Once you’ve found the package you’re interested in, the booking process will work a little differently than other purchases. You will submit your information as a request and a vacation planner will contact you within 48 hours to discuss travel details and what is included in the package.
Booking experience
In addition to flights, hotels, cruises and travel packages, you can use Wells Fargo Go Far Rewards points or online cash rewards to book hundreds of unique experiences, such as theme park tours or outdoor adventures. You can search all available opportunities based on location.
Disadvantages of Booking Travel Through Go Far Rewards
With a wide range of travel purchases available and the option to pay with rewards, cash or a combination of both, booking a trip through Go Far Rewards seems like a no-brainer. However, there are several downsides to using the platform.
No Elite Hotel Perks
As Go Far Rewards Travel Portal is a third party booking site, when you book your stay in this way, you will not be able to enjoy any luxury hotel benefits with your favorite brand. If perks such as free Wi-Fi, late check-out and free breakfast are an important part of your holiday, you may want to cash in your credit and booking rewards directly at the hotel.
Only reward card holders can book through Go Far Rewards
While other travel portals such as American Express Travel allow anyone to book a trip on their site, the Go Far Rewards program is for Wells Fargo credit card holders only. If you only have a checking or savings account with a bank, you will not be able to access the platform.
Should I book through Go Far Rewards?
For many Wells Fargo cardholders, booking through the Go Far Rewards program can generate great value for your points or cash back. However, there are a few important factors to consider before deciding if using the portal is right for you.
No airline blackout dates
Unlike many airline rewards programs, Go Far Rewards does not set blackout dates for flights when booking using points. If you need to travel during busy times of the year, booking through Go Far Rewards may include additional options.
Use points or cash rewards to pay for your trip
If you have a lot of Go Far Rewards points or online cash rewards on your Wells Fargo Rewards card, booking travel through the Go Far Rewards portal is one of the easiest ways to redeem your rewards. While you can redeem points for Statement Credit, you will need a minimum of 2,500 points to select this option. When booking through Go Far Rewards, you can use any portion of your points.
Higher Point Value with Wells Fargo Visa Signature Card
If you have a Visa Signature Wells Fargo card, booking travel through a travel portal is almost always a good deal. As an added bonus, your points will be worth 50% more when redeemed for flights through Go Far Rewards with a Wells Fargo Visa Signature card.
Tips for Making the Most of the Go Far Rewards Travel Portal
- Sign up for a Visa Signature card (if you don’t already have one) to take advantage of the higher value of points on your flight purchases.
- Compare prices with other booking sites to make sure you’re getting the best deal. You can redeem your points for cash or credit statements to book elsewhere.
- Pay for anything you can’t cover with points or cash rewards online with Wells Fargo Propel to earn more points for your next trip. The card earns 3 times more points for trips.
- Check out travel packages and experiences for unique trips and savings.
bottom line
Wells Fargo credit card holders, especially Visa Signature cardholders, can benefit from their points by booking trips through Go Far Rewards. But if finding the lowest price or the benefits of a luxury hotel is a top priority, you might be better off cashing in your points and booking somewhere else.
*All information about the Wells Fargo Propel American Express card and Wells Fargo Visa Signature credit card has been independently collected by CreditCards.com and has not been verified or approved by the issuer.
Editorial disclaimer
The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective judgment of our contributors and is not based on advertising. It was not provided or ordered by credit card issuers. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to our partners’ products.
