Affiliate Disclosure

Transparency is a core value at WanderWise. Here's exactly how we make money, who pays us, and why you can still trust our recommendations.

Last updated: June 2025

The short version: WanderWise earns money through affiliate commissions when you apply for credit cards or book travel through links on our site. This does not cost you anything extra, and it does not influence which cards or products we recommend.

How WanderWise Earns Money

WanderWise is a free resource. We don't charge you to read our articles, use our tools, or take our Travel Score Quiz. To keep it that way, we earn revenue in the following ways:

Credit card affiliate commissions — When you click a link to a credit card on our site and are approved for that card, the card issuer may pay us a referral fee. This is the primary way we generate revenue.
Travel booking commissions — When you book flights, hotels, or other travel through our partner links, we may earn a small commission from the booking platform.
Paid memberships — We offer optional premium services (WanderWise Club and Concierge) for members who want personalized, hands-on help.

Our Partners

We work with affiliate programs from major credit card issuers and travel companies, including (but not limited to):

Credit card issuers: Chase, American Express, Capital One, Citi, Bank of America, and others
Travel platforms: Airlines, hotel chains, and online travel agencies
Financial comparison services

Not every card or product on our site is an affiliate partner. We frequently review and recommend cards and services that earn us nothing — because they're genuinely the best option for our readers.

Editorial Independence

This is the part that matters most. Our recommendations are based on our own independent research, analysis, and editorial judgment.

We never let compensation determine our rankings or recommendations. If a card that pays us less is genuinely better for our audience, that's the card we recommend.
We evaluate cards based on real-world value: sign-up bonuses, earning rates, redemption flexibility, annual fees, and how well the card fits the needs of travelers over 55.
We will always tell you about the best option — even if it's a card we don't earn commissions from. Your trust is worth more to us than any single referral fee.
Affiliate partners never review, approve, or have any influence over our editorial content before it's published.

What This Means for You

No extra cost — Affiliate links don't cost you anything. You get the same sign-up bonus and card terms whether you use our link or go directly to the issuer.
You support free content — By using our links, you help us keep WanderWise free. It's that simple.
You always have a choice — We include the card name in every recommendation so you can search for it directly if you prefer not to use our affiliate link. No hard feelings.

How You'll Know

Wherever we include affiliate links, you'll see clear disclosure — typically at the top of the article. We believe in telling you upfront, not burying it in fine print.

FTC Compliance

This disclosure is made in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's guidelines on endorsements and testimonials (16 CFR Part 255). We take these guidelines seriously because, frankly, being honest is easier than being clever.

Our Promise

We started WanderWise because we believe travelers over 55 deserve honest, clear guidance — not another site optimized for ad revenue at the expense of trust. If we ever recommend something, it's because we genuinely believe it will help you travel better.

If you ever feel that's not the case, tell us. Email hello@wanderwiseguide.com and we'll make it right.

See also: Privacy Policy · Terms of Service