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If you frequently book flights and hotels through Hotels.com, Expedia, or Vrbo, then you are familiar with One Key. This rewards program offers two credit cards — the most premium option being the One Key+™ Card (Rates & Fees).
With this card, you can earn up to 3% in OneKeyCash on your spending, which can go towards your next booking with Hotels.com, Expedia, and Vrbo.
But is the One Key+ Card right for you? Let's look at its benefits to help you make the call.
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
Page Contents
One Key+™ Card Pros
- Automatic Gold tier in the One Key rewards program
- Receive $100 in OneKeyCash each year upon your cardholder anniversary
- Trusted Traveler Program application or renewal fee credit
One Key+™ Card Cons
- Limited redemption options
- Not ideal for travelers who prefer booking directly with airlines or hotels
- $99 annual fee — although that's more than offset by the annual $100 OneKeyCash credit
One Key+™ Card Welcome Offer
New applicants can earn $350 in OneKeyCash™ after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
One Key+™ Card Benefits
The One Key+ Card comes with a solid collection of benefits in exchange for a $99 annual fee. Here's what's available to you as a cardholder:
Automatic Gold tier status
Cardholders get automatic Gold tier status in the One Key rewards program. Gold members can save 20% or more at over 10,000 hotels worldwide and receive an extra perk, room upgrades when available, and other benefits at VIP Access properties.
If you want to level up, you can reach Platinum status by spending $30,000 on the card in a calendar year. It's another path to top-tier status if you can’t earn at least 30 trip elements through eligible bookings.
Anniversary OneKeyCash
One of the best perks of the One Key+ Card is that it can essentially pay for itself. Each year, starting on your cardholder anniversary, $100 in OneKeyCash is deposited into your One Key account.
If you can use this full $100 annual OneKeyCash credit, it more than offsets the card’s annual fee.
TSA PreCheck or Global Entry statement credit
Cardholders who use their One Key+ Card to pay the application fee for either Global Entry® or TSA PreCheck® will receive a statement credit of up to $120 to cover the cost every four years.
These programs can help speed up airport security or immigration, and the card’s credit can offset the application or renewal fee.
Related: Expedited Security Screening Programs: How To Get Them for Free
No foreign transaction fees
The One Key+ Card has no foreign transaction fees, meaning you won’t pay foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad.
Related: 8 Tips for Saving Money While Traveling Internationally
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 — but not those that “mysteriously disappear.” There is a $25 deductible for each claim filed, with a maximum of two paid claims per 12-month period. Note that this policy is secondary, meaning that you'll need to exhaust other insurance that covers your phone before this coverage applies.
Related: Free Cell Phone Insurance: Which Cards Cover Damage, Theft, and Loss
Travel protections
The One Key+ Card also comes with a handful of travel protections that are great to keep in your back pocket while on the road:
- 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 use this benefit, 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 solid earning categories on a variety of spending. 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
- 2% 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, which covers bookings through three Expedia Group brands: Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo.
The cash earned is not flexible — like Chase Ultimate Rewards or Capital One Miles — but you still have options.
You can redeem OneKeyCash for eligible travel purchases available through Expedia, Hotels.com, or Vrbo. This includes hotels, airfare, rental cars, and vacation rentals. For instance, I recently used my small bit of OneKeyCash to discount my hotel stay in an area that doesn't have many points options.
However, OneKeyCash comes with a few limitations. It can only be used for “Pay Now” bookings priced in U.S. dollars at participating hotels and vacation rentals. If you want to redeem it for a flight, you must have enough to cover the full cost upfront, including taxes and fees. Split payments aren't allowed on flight reward redemptions.
OneKeyCash also expires after 18 months of inactivity. To keep your OneKeyCash active, make an eligible booking, redeem OneKeyCash, or earn promotional OneKeyCash through a One Key credit card at least once every 18 months.
Cards that Compete With the One Key+ Card
The One Key+ Card isn’t tied to a single airline or hotel brand but also doesn't earn flexible points, which makes it hard to choose comparable cards. However, here are a few ideas if you're looking for a new card.
- If you want a card that earns OneKeyCash but doesn't have an annual fee, check out the One Key™ Card (Rates & Fees). This card is the little brother to the One Key+™ Card and comes with no annual fee, a smaller spending requirement for the welcome offer, and automatic Silver-tier status. Learn more in our full review of the One Key Card.
- If you're looking for an excellent travel rewards card for beginners, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees) is a great option. The card earns flexible points that can be used with a variety of airline and hotel partners. It has a low $95 annual fee, comes with an annual $100 hotel credit, and has no foreign transaction fees. Plus, a recent refresh added 3X points on vacation homes at top brands such as Airbnb and Vrbo, making the card a more direct competitor to the One Key+ Card. Learn more in our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.
- If you're looking for a card that earns points you can use with many international partners, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card may be a good fit. This card has 18 airline and four hotel partners, making it one of the most versatile cards on the market. It also earns 2X Capital One Miles on all purchases, so it's easy to use without focusing on specific spending categories. Learn more in our full review of the Capital One Venture.
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Rates & Fees
- 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
$95Rates & Fees
- 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 gas and EV charging
- 3X points on vacation homes at top brands like Airbnb, Vrbo and more
- 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
$95
- 5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases
Related: Best Credit Cards for Everyday Purchases
Bottom Line
The One Key+ Card may not be our top choice for a travel rewards card. We prefer cards that earn flexible points and offer much more value from our points and miles. However, the One Key+ Card is a solid option as a supporting card, as it offers OneKeyCash and Gold-tier elite status — plus the $100 annual OneKeyCash credit more than offsets the annual fee.
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
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees)
