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In a world of co-branded credit cards that earn points for one hotel or airline, it's beneficial to have a card that isn't tied to just one brand. And the Wells Fargo-issued One Key™ Card (Rates & Fees) is just that.
This card presents an easy way to turn your everyday spending into cash that can be used to book flights, hotels, rental cars, and vacation rentals through Expedia and its partners, Hotels.com and VRBO.
But should you get the One Key Card? Let's take a look.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn $300 in OneKeyCash™ after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. OneKeyCash is not redeemable for cash and can only be used on Expedia®, Hotels.com® and Vrbo®. To learn more, please refer to the One Key Terms and Conditions at www.expedia.com/one-key-terms.
- Earn 3% in OneKeyCash on Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo, 3% in OneKeyCash at gas stations, grocery stores, and on dining and 1.5% in OneKeyCash on other purchases.
- $0 annual fee.
- Get Automatic Silver tier in the One Key rewards program with savings of 15% or more with Silver Member Prices on over 10,000 hotels worldwide. Unlock Gold when you spend $15,000 per calendar year.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- 3% in OneKeyCash on Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo
- 3% in OneKeyCash at gas stations, grocery stores, and on dining
- 1.5% in OneKeyCash on other purchases
Page Contents
One Key Card Pros
- Automatic One Key Silver status
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Travel and cellular telephone protections
One Key Card Cons
- Limited redemption options
- Poor earning rates on non-bonused purchases
- Not ideal for travelers who prefer booking directly with airlines or hotels
One Key Card Welcome Offer
The no-annual-fee One Key Card does offer a welcome offer. As a new applicant, you can earn $300 in OneKeyCash™ after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
To put this bonus in perspective, it amounts to a 30% return on your first $1,000 of spending within the first three months.
Related: Best Rewards Credit Card Offers This Month
One Key Card Benefits
The One Key Card has a reasonable collection of benefits despite carrying no annual fee.
No foreign transaction fees
The One Key card has no foreign transaction fees, meaning you won't incur extra expenses when traveling outside the U.S.
Automatic Silver tier status
Cardholders get automatic Silver tier status in the One Key rewards program. Silver status members receive a 15% discount on over 10,000 hotels worldwide and an extra perk at VIP Access properties.
You will move up to Gold status if you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year. Gold status members receive a 20% discount on over 10,000 hotels worldwide and get an extra perk and room upgrades (when available) at VIP Access properties.
Cell phone protection
Charge your cell phone bill to your One Key Card and receive up to $1,000 to cover stolen or damaged phones. There is a $25 deductible for each claim filed, with a maximum of two paid claims per 12-month period.
Related: Free Cell Phone Insurance: Which Cards Cover Damage, Theft, and Loss
Travel protections
If you're considering the One Key Card, chances are you travel somewhat regularly. To that end, the card includes a few travel-related protection benefits:
- Trip cancellation and interruption protection: Use your One Key Card to pay for your trip and get reimbursed up to $5,000 for nonrefundable common carrier tickets if your trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason. This is secondary coverage, and the entire fare (less any certificates, vouchers, or coupons) must be paid with your card.
- Travel accident insurance: Receive up to $1,000,000 in travel accident insurance when you use your card to purchase a ticket from an airline or other common carrier. This coverage applies in the event of accidental loss of life, limb, sight, speech, or hearing during a covered trip. The full fare must be charged to your One Key Card.
- Auto rental collision damage waiver (CDW): Pay for your rental with the card and get up to $50,000 in reimbursement for covered damage or theft of the vehicle. This coverage is primary (except for New York residents). To qualify, you must decline coverage from the rental company and pay the full cost of the rental using your One Key Card and/or rewards linked to your card account.
One Key Card Earning Rates
The One Key Card has surprisingly decent earning categories for a no-annual-fee card, provided you spend regularly in those bonus categories. Cardholders earn OneKeyCash in the following ways:
- 3% in OneKeyCash on Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo
- 3% in OneKeyCash at gas stations, grocery stores, and on dining
- 1.5% in OneKeyCash on other purchases
Redeeming OneKeyCash with the One Key Card
The One Key Card earns rewards that can only be used within the One Key rewards program. This program includes three partners — Expedia, Hotels.com, and VRBO.
Even though the cash earned is not flexible, like Chase Ultimate Rewards or Capital One Miles, you still have options. Expedia and Hotels.com are aggregator websites that search many hotel and airline programs to find deals.
If you're not familiar with OneKeyCash, it’s important to understand how it works before applying for the One Key Card. Here are a few key points to know:
- OneKeyCash can only be used for U.S. dollar “Pay Now” bookings and participating vacation rentals.
- If you want to use OneKeyCash to book a flight, you must have enough to cover the full cost upfront, including taxes and fees. You can’t split payment with a card or add extras like bags or seat selection during checkout (those must be purchased separately after booking). And only select flights are eligible for redemption.
- OneKeyCash expires if you haven’t made a booking or completed a redemption within 18 months.
Cards that Compete With the One Key Card
It’s tricky to compare the One Key Card directly to others since it isn’t tied to a specific brand, yet it also doesn’t earn flexible points. Still, if you’re in the market for a new card, here are a few of our favorite alternatives worth considering.
- If you're loyal to the One Key rewards program but want better perks, consider the One Key+™ Card (Rates & Fees). This card offers automatic Gold status, $100 in OneKeyCash each year on your cardholder anniversary, up to a $120 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and more.
- If you're looking for a great travel rewards card for beginners, check out the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees). It's our top recommendation for anyone who wants a straightforward card that earns flexible points redeemable with a wide range of airlines and hotels. For more, check out our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.
- If you're interested in a hotel card with no annual fee, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card might be a good fit. It offers useful perks like no foreign transaction fees and the fourth night free on award stays. Check out our full review of the IHG One Rewards Traveler Card here.
Rates & Fees
- 3% in OneKeyCash on Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo
- 3% in OneKeyCash at gas stations, grocery stores, and on dining
- 2% in OneKeyCash on other purchases
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
- 17X points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 3X points per $1 spent on dining, utilities, select streaming services, and at gas stations
- 2X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 5X points for being a IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Cardmember
- Earn 2X points from IHG® with Silver Elite Status, a benefit of this Card
- Earn 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG® Rewards Club Member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
Related: The Best Cash Back Credit Card Offers
Bottom Line
The One Key Card is in a category of its own — a co-branded card that earns rewards redeemable across multiple travel websites. It has a low spending requirement to unlock a modest welcome offer and charges no annual fee.
While it’s not our top pick for a basic travel card (that honor goes to the Sapphire Preferred), it could be a solid choice if you’re looking for a simple way to earn travel rewards on everyday purchases — and a little extra at Expedia, Hotels.com, and VRBO.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn $300 in OneKeyCash™ after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. OneKeyCash is not redeemable for cash and can only be used on Expedia®, Hotels.com® and Vrbo®. To learn more, please refer to the One Key Terms and Conditions at www.expedia.com/one-key-terms.
- Earn 3% in OneKeyCash on Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo, 3% in OneKeyCash at gas stations, grocery stores, and on dining and 1.5% in OneKeyCash on other purchases.
- $0 annual fee.
- Get Automatic Silver tier in the One Key rewards program with savings of 15% or more with Silver Member Prices on over 10,000 hotels worldwide. Unlock Gold when you spend $15,000 per calendar year.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- 3% in OneKeyCash on Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo
- 3% in OneKeyCash at gas stations, grocery stores, and on dining
- 1.5% in OneKeyCash on other purchases
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees)
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