Here’s the problem with travel rewards: They’re a lot of work. Most credit card programs have a steamer trunk’s worth of rules and regulations about redeeming your rewards and there’s an entire industry dedicated to telling you the long list of minutiae you should follow to get the most value for your points.
But what about everyone else? Where’s the credit card program that lets you earn rewards towards travel without having to fuss with transfer partners, combining points or paying hundreds of dollars a year for a fancy credit card? Expedia’s OneKey Rewards program launched two new credit cards designed to fill that niche.
Issued by Wells Fargo, the new OneKey cards earn rewards in the form of OneKeyCash that can be used across any of the Expedia Group’s travel opportunities, which include travel booked through Expedia, Hotels.com or Vrbo vacation rentals.. This means you can book a business trip to Omaha and use the rewards for family fun in Orlando .
The difference between these credit cards and programs like Chase’s Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards and Capital One Rewards is that there’s no way to juice the value of OneKeyCash. One dollar of OneKeyCash is worth one dollar towards travel and travel can include an entire vacation package, a home rental or just about any component of a trip. There’s no transferring to outside loyalty partners or increased redemption values if you book through the card issuer. For those seeking the simplest travel rewards program possible, this might be it.
Here are the details on each of the two new cards:
The One Key™ Card:
The One Key+™ Card:
The One Key cards are aimed at a few subsets of travelers. Those who like to rent a vacation home when they travel and can do it through Vrbo will find great benefit in the ability to earn accelerated rewards towards future experiences with one of the two One Key cards. Also, travelers who can’t stomach the idea of having to transfer to travel partners or hunt for the best use of their rewards will like the predictable value from their OneKeyCash and the ability to book and redeem for travel packages or components through Expedia, Hotels.com or Vrbo as fits their need.
Those who may not find either of the One Key cards to be a fit are those who have or are chasing elite status with an airline or hotel program, since flights and hotels booked through Expedia and Hotels.com are considered to be online travel agency (OTA) bookings and won’t count towards status-earning. Also, more experienced points-and-miles collectors who know their way around transfer partners won’t be satisfied with the penny-per-point redemption values.
Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.
