Is the One Key+ Card Worth Its Annual Fee? - NerdWallet

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The Expedia bank cards and Accommodations.com bank card are lengthy gone. As a substitute, Expedia and Wells Fargo have launched two new journey bank cards related to its One Key loyalty program for Expedia, Accommodations.com and Vrbo.

The One Key Card is the entry-level card with a $0 annual payment and the opposite is the One Key+ Card with a $99 annual payment. Each OneKey bank cards earn 3% rewards when reserving by Expedia, Accommodations.com or Vrbo and three% rewards on eating, fuel and groceries.

So, what’s the distinction between the 2 playing cards and when is it price upgrading to the One Key+ Card?

Learn on to study extra about One Key+ bank card, what advantages it provides and the way it stacks up towards standard lodge bank cards.

Finest advantages of the One Key+ Card

The One Key+ Card has just a few elevated advantages which can be totally different from its no-annual-fee counterpart:

2% OneKeyCash on purchases exterior of the bonus classes of spending on eating, fuel, groceries, or One Key manufacturers. (The One Key Card solely has 1.5% on the identical purchases.)

Computerized Gold elite standing, with the potential of incomes Platinum after spending $30,000 on the cardboard. (The One Key Card had automated Silver elite standing, with the potential of incomes Gold after spending $15,000 on the cardboard.)

$100 OneKeyCash upon renewal.

Each One Key playing cards provide the possibility to earn OneKeyCash, which may be redeemed for journey on Expedia, Accommodations.com and Vrbo reservations, in addition to another key advantages:

How does the One Key+ Card evaluate to different lodge playing cards?

Whereas many lodge bank cards provide elite standing, bonus factors and different advantages, they sometimes require you to remain inside that model to maximise the cardboard’s worth. Plus, lodge loyalty applications devalue their redemption applications repeatedly, making it more durable to redeem the property you need to keep at. For these causes, many vacationers may discover the One Key program extra versatile and simpler to make use of than different lodge loyalty applications.

This chart compares a few of the hottest lodge bank cards towards the One Key+Card that can assist you determine if one of many new One Key+ Card is definitely worth the annual payment.

World of Hyatt Credit score Card

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit score Card

Earn $600 in OneKeyCash after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months.

Earn 30,000 Bonus Factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, as much as 30,000 Extra Bonus Factors by incomes 2 Bonus Factors whole per $1 spent within the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that usually earn 1 Bonus Level, on as much as $15,000 spent.

Earn 85,000 Bonus Factors after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months out of your account opening.

• 3% at Expedia, Accommodations.com and Vrbo.

• 3% on eating, fuel and groceries.

• 2% on every little thing else.

• 4 factors per $1 at Hyatt motels and resorts.

• 2 factors per $1 on eating, airline tickets bought instantly from the airline, fitness center memberships, and native transit and commuting.

• 1 level per $1 on all different eligible purchases.

• 6 factors per $1 at taking part Marriott Bonvoy motels.

• 3 factors per $1 on as much as $6,000 a yr in mixed purchases on grocery shops, fuel stations and eating.

• 2 factors per $1 on all different eligible purchases.

Gold, improve to Platinum after $30,000 spent.

Discoverist, 5 nights credit score plus 2 extra nights for each $5,000 spent.

Silver, improve to Gold with $35,000 in purchases, 15 elite night time credit, extra elite night time credit score for each $5,000 spent.

World Entry or TSA PreCheck

As much as $100 as soon as each 4 years.

Main rental automotive, journey cancellation/interruption.

Baggage delay insurance coverage, misplaced baggage reimbursement, secondary rental automotive protection, journey cancellation/interruption insurance coverage.

Baggage delay insurance coverage, misplaced baggage reimbursement, journey cancellation/interruption insurance coverage.

$100 OneKeyCash renewal bonus, cellphone insurance coverage.

Annual free night time (Class 1-4), second annual free night time after $15,000 spent, buy safety.

Annual free night time (as much as 35,000 factors), buy safety.

Is it price getting the annual payment model over the no-annual-fee model?

When you’re fascinated about getting one of many new One Key bank cards, you might have a selection between the no annual payment model and one which prices $99 per yr. Figuring out which one is smart relies on how continuously you utilize Expedia, Accommodations.com or Vrbo to e-book your journey.

The One Key+ Card is the most suitable choice for vacationers who plan to make a minimum of one reserving with Expedia, Accommodations.com or Vrbo every year. Though you pay a $99 annual payment, the $100 OneKeyCash renewal bonus that covers the payment.

Whether or not you are reserving a flight, lodge, rental automotive or exercise, it is simple to make use of that $100 credit score. Plus, you may be reimbursed as much as $100 as soon as each 4 years for World Entry or TSA PreCheck software charges.

When selecting the One Key+ Card, you are additionally eligible for a bigger welcome bonus and it earns 33% extra rewards on on a regular basis spending than the One Key Card.

The underside line

With the introduction of OneKey bank cards, vacationers can now earn extra rewards when reserving journey by Expedia, Accommodations.com or Vrbo. Cardholders additionally obtain automated elite standing and the chance to improve based mostly on annual spending. The playing cards embody quite a few journey advantages at no further cost, together with main rental automotive safety, no overseas transaction charges and journey cancellation/interruption insurance coverage.

Whenever you’re not touring, you may earn 3% rewards on eating, fuel and groceries and as much as 2% rewards on every little thing else.

As a result of $1 of OneKeyCash is the same as $1, the One Key+ Card is basically like having a 2% money again card, besides that you may solely use the money again on journey.

When you’re one of many many vacationers questioning whether or not particular person lodge loyalty is price it, it’s possible you’ll be higher off reserving by Expedia Group’s on-line journey businesses and utilizing considered one of these new OneKey bank cards to earn rewards and elite standing perks.

The knowledge associated to the One Key Card, One Key+ Card and Accommodations.com® Rewards Visa® Credit score Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or supplied by the issuer or supplier of this services or products.