Wells Fargo Making Changes To Rewards Accounts
Wells Fargo is rolling out several changes to its rewards program, and some of them could be a headache for points enthusiasts.
According to Travel with Grant, Wells Fargo will no longer allow customers to combine rewards balances across multiple credit cards, a feature many cardholders have used to pool their points togethers. The bank is also ending the ability to gift rewards to other customers and removing automatic redemption options.
Key Changes
- No More Combined Rewards Accounts: Perhaps the biggest change is the elimination of combined rewards accounts. Until now, customers with multiple Wells Fargo cards can pool rewards into a single account, making it easy to combine rewards earned from cards like the Active Cash, Attune, and Autograph cards. This feature has become especially valuable since Wells Fargo added airline and hotel transfer partners. Now that the change has taken effect, rewards will remain tied to the individual card that earned them.
- Rewards Gifting Is Going Away: Wells Fargo is also eliminating the ability to gift rewards to another Wells Fargo customer. This feature has occasionally been useful for households looking to consolidate rewards or transfer points to a family member with a transfer-enabled card. Going forward, those transfers between customers will no longer be possible as of September 25, 2026.
- Automatic Redemptions Being Discontinued: The bank is also ending automatic redemption options on September 25, 2026. Some customers currently have rewards automatically redeemed as statement credits, deposits, or other redemption options once certain thresholds are reached. Those automatic settings will no longer be available, requiring customers to manually redeem rewards instead.
While Wells Fargo has made significant improvements to its rewards ecosystem over the past couple of years, including adding transfer partners and launching new cards, these changes move in the opposite direction.
Guru’s Wrap-up
Wells Fargo has spent the last few years improving its rewards program. Removing the ability to combine rewards balances and gift points feels like a step backward, especially for customers who have multiple Wells Fargo cards.
