New OneKey credit cards from Expedia and VRBO: An easy way to earn travel rewards

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 OneKey Cash 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 OneKey Cash. One dollar of OneKey Cash 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: 

• $0 annual fee.
• Earns 3% in OneKeyCash on Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo as well as 33% in OneKeyCash at gas stations, grocery stores, and on dining. Earn 1.5% in OneKeyCash on all other purchases.
• A welcome bonus of $400 in OneKeyCash after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months.
• Foreign transaction fees: N/A
• Automatic Silver tier elite status in the OneKey program which grants a 15% discount at eligible properties and priority traveler support. Unlock Gold status by spending at least $15,000 in a calendar year.
• World Elite Mastercard benefits including cellphone protection, primary auto rental collision damage waiver coverage, travel accident insurance and trip cancellation and interruption coverage.

The One Key+™ Card:

• $99 annual fee.
• Earns 3% in OneKeyCash on Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo as well as 3% in OneKeyCash at gas stations, grocery stores, and on dining. Earn 2% in OneKeyCash on all other purchases.
• A welcome bonus of $600 in OneKeyCash after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months.
• $100 in OneKeyCash each cardholder anniversary
• Statement credit of up to $100 for a Global Entry or TSAPreCheck application fee.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Automatic Gold tier status in the OneKey program which grants a 20% discount at eligible properties, room upgrades when available at VIP Access properties and One Key Price Drop Protection at no additional cost on select flights on the Expedia app.
• World Elite Mastercard benefits including cellphone protection, primary auto rental collision damage waiver coverage, travel accident insurance and trip cancellation and interruption coverage.

Who are these cards good for?

The OneKey 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 OneKey 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 OneKey Cash 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 OneKey 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.