The premium card offers considerable rewards for spending. While it may not top the market, it provides value through the Expedia status associated with the card. Cardholders of the premium version receive Gold status, which includes:
- 20% discount at certain hotels
- Room upgrades subject to availability and food and beverage discounts at VIP Access properties
- Price Drop Protection on eligible flights
- Priority customer service
There are two versions of the new Expedia cards:
**One Key Card:**
- Initial bonus: $400 in OneKeyCash after spending $1,000 in the first three months
- Ongoing earn: 3% in OneKeyCash on Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo; 3% at gas stations, grocery stores, and dining; 1.5% on all other purchases
- Key benefits: Expedia One Key Silver (Gold after $15,000 annual spend); cell phone protection; trip cancellation and interruption coverage
- Annual fee: None
**One Key+ Card:**
- Initial bonus: $600 in OneKeyCash after spending $3,000 in the first three months
- Ongoing earn: 3% in OneKeyCash on Expedia platforms; 3% at gas stations, grocery stores, and dining; 2% on all other purchases
- Key benefits: Expedia One Key Gold (Platinum after $30,000 annual spend); $100 OneKeyCash each anniversary; cell phone protection; trip cancellation and interruption coverage; up to $100 for Global Entry® or TSA PreCheck®
- Annual fee: $99
The premium card appears advantageous as its higher initial bonus offsets the annual fee in the first year. Subsequent annual credits from Expedia can cover future fees while providing Gold status and higher earnings outside accelerator categories.
Current Hotels.com cardmembers will transition to the no-fee OneKey Cash card.
Booking through Expedia usually means forfeiting hotel loyalty points and elite status benefits but still allows earning miles when booking flights. Dealing with customer service issues falls under Expedia rather than directly with airlines or hotels.
The strategic use of these cards could lead to substantial savings—potentially around 30% off many stays when combining rate discounts with earnings from both the One Key program and card usage. For example, a four-night stay priced at $250 per night could yield a total saving of approximately $200 plus additional earnings from Platinum member benefits.
While this strategy may not suit everyone—particularly those heavily invested in hotel loyalty programs—it presents an attractive option for frequent Expedia users who might find these rebates nearly equivalent to cash rewards.
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