Wells Fargo to add transfer partners and launch new Autograph card

Wells Fargo has historically been a minor player in the points and miles universe, primarily due to its lack of cobranded cards or a currency that transfers to travel partners (outside of the Bilt card).

The bank dipped into the cobrand world earlier this year when it took over the portfolio of Choice Privileges cards, while adding some very good welcome offers in the process. Then, over the last couple of months, Wells Fargo has been telling cardholders (via monthly statements) that the ability to transfer to partners would be added in some fashion to its points-earning cards. Originally, it said that this would occur on November 15th but it’s now expected to happen on December 10th. We still don’t which partners will be added or what the transfer ratios will be.

Today, it became public that the bank recently filed trademarks for two new Autograph cards and even briefly made the initial welcome offer and earning details public on one of them. Things are starting to get a little more interesting on the ‘ole stagecoach. (h/t: DOC)

What’s Happening with Wells Fargo

• Wells Fargo is expected to add transfer partners in some form to its points-earning cards on December 10th.
• It has filed trademarks for two new Autograph cards: the Autograph Journey and the Autograph Beyond.
• There was briefly a public web page that gave details for the Autograph Journey card. The page has since been taken down, but here’s what it was showing:
  • Initial Welcome Offer: 60,000 points after $4k spend in first 90 days
  • Annual Fee: $95
  • Earns 3x at:
    • Entertainment
    • Food/Drink Establishments
    • Fuel/Charging Stations
    • Telecommunication Services
    • Transport
    • Travel
    • 1x Everywhere else

Quick Thoughts

Well, well, well(s). Wells Fargo has never moved the needle much for most of us in the hobby and didn’t seem to care much about competing with other banks’ portfolios of cobranded cards and transferable currencies. It appears that’s about to change and possibly in a potentially exciting way. While it’s not unheard of for companies to file trademarks for new card names that never see the light of day (ahem, Citi), the fact that there is a launch page and specific URL for the Autograph Journey seems to indicate that there’s fire in the smoke…and it’s coming this way soon.

We don’t know the details of the transfer partners that Wells Fargo will be adding and, maybe more importantly, don’t know whether or not they will be at a 1-1 transfer ratio. If that is the case, these cards could be very interesting. Being able to earn 3x transferable currency on restaurants, gas stations, travel and entertainment on one card would be competitive with some of our other favorite cards (although it should be noted that the current welcome offer on the Chase Freedom Unlimited gives you a minimum of 3x everywhere for one-year).

It should be noted that the Autograph Journey’s bonus categories bear a striking resemblance to the current Autograph card. That makes me think that it either will be a replacement for the current no annual fee card or that it will need to be paired with an Autograph Journey card in order to transfer to partners. If the regular Autograph does stick around in its current form and transfers 1-1 to partners, it would make it one of the more attractive free cards out there.

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