You can have your bags packed and ready to go in just minutes. You book flights and navigate airports with ease. Your passport has so many stamps that you had to order more pages. Yes, all the signs are there: You’re a frequent traveler. Although you know a lot of the tips and tricks to make travel easier and more affordable, you might be missing out on one. We’re talking about the Expedia rewards program.
Officially known as One Key, the Expedia rewards program allows you to earn rewards (no matter how and where you like to travel) and quickly move up through the different reward tiers. It’s one of the best ways to save with Expedia!
We’re explaining everything you need to know about this lucrative rewards program, including how it works and how to make the most of your Expedia rewards points.
Before you sign up to earn Expedia Rewards, make sure you’ve signed up to earn RetailMeNot cash back. We frequently offer cash back at Expedia, which you can stack WITH the Expedia rewards program.
What Is the Expedia Rewards Program?
The free Expedia rewards program is called One Key, and it allows you to save big on hotels and flights. When you join One Key, you’ll receive Member Prices that allow you to save 10% or more on thousands of hotel bookings. You can also save up to 30% when you add a hotel to a flight on Expedia.
Additionally, the program lets you earn Expedia rewards points in the form of OneKeyCash. You can use OneKeyCash to book everything from hotels and vacation activities to rental cars and flights. With every trip you take, you move one step closer to getting travel freebies as a member of the Expedia rewards program.
You’ll also get other perks as you move up through the tiers of One Key. For example, members in higher tiers can enjoy free room upgrades at select VIP Access properties and enjoy peace of mind when booking flights on Expedia with Price Drop Protection.
Best of all, you won’t just enjoy the benefits of One Key at Expedia. As a member of the program, you can also earn points on your purchases through Hotels.com and Vrbo.
How Do You Sign up for the Free Expedia Rewards Program?
Expedia makes it easy to sign up for the free One Key rewards program. You just need to create an account on the U.S. version of the Expedia, Hotels.com or Vrbo website or app.
Do you already have an account with one of these sites? That’s great news! Most existing account holders will automatically be signed up for One Key. The only distinction is for those who signed up for Vrbo. If this applies to you, you’ll need to accept the One Key terms and conditions before joining the program.
Keep in mind that the Expedia rewards program is only available in the United States (at least for now). If you’re signed up through the app, this means your phone settings must be set to the United States when you create your account or download the app.
How Can You Increase Your Expedia Rewards Points Value?
Rewards points in this program are called OneKeyCash, and it’s easy to increase your Expedia rewards points value. You just need to book more trip elements.
So, what are trip elements? Trip elements are all the little pieces that make your trip complete, including airfare, hotel stays, activities and ground transportation. For purposes of OneKey, each of the following is considered a separate trip element:
- One flight ticket (one-way or roundtrip).
- One night in a hotel or vacation rental.
- One night on a cruise.
- One day of a car rental.
- One roundtrip ground transportation ticket (like an airport shuttle).
- One activity ticket (like a tour or a theme park ticket).
As you can imagine, your Expedia rewards point value grows quickly. For example, a weeklong trip for one with a flight can net you up to nine points!
What Are the Expedia Rewards Membership Tiers?
The Expedia rewards program has four membership tiers: blue, silver, gold and platinum. Blue is the first tier, which is free to join. As you book more travel, you’ll move up through the ranks to reach new membership tiers and receive more perks.
Blue membership applies when you book four or fewer trip elements. At this level, you can save 10% or more on 100,000 hotels around the world and get free price tracking for flights on the Expedia App. You can also earn and use OneKeyCash.
Silver membership applies when you hit five to 14 trip elements. As a silver member, you can save 15% or more on 10,000 hotels worldwide. In addition to earning and using OneKeyCash, you can also earn 50% or more OneKeyCash on stays at VIP Access properties. You’ll also enjoy priority traveler support and food and extra perks at select VIP Access properties.
Gold membership applies when you book 15 to 29 trip elements. When you’re a gold member, you save 20% or more on 10,000 hotels and earn double the OneKeyCash on stays at VIP Access properties. You’ll also enjoy all the perks of silver membership plus room upgrades and Price Drop Protection.
Platinum membership is available when you book 30 or more trip elements. In addition to all the perks of gold membership, you’ll receive Platinum VIP support and earn three times the OneKeyCash at VIP Access properties.
Now that you see how easy it is to start earning Expedia rewards points with One Key, take a minute to sign up now and start earning free travel today!
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