Booking.com Genius Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Overall Value Proposition

The Booking.com Genius Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card is a no-annual-fee travel rewards card that simplifies how users earn and redeem travel credits on the Booking.com platform. Cardholders earn Travel Credits, where $1 Travel Credit always equals $1 towards future Booking.com reservations, with no minimums to redeem and no blackout dates. It combines automatic elevated loyalty status immediately upon signup with cardholder-exclusive elevated rewards in key categories. Plus, for travelers, the card provides a suite of valuable insurance benefits and has no foreign transaction fees.

What is Genius Level 3 Status and What’s the Genius Loyalty Program?

The Genius loyalty program is a free Booking.com rewards program that unlocks travel perks when you create an account and make bookings. There are three Genius levels, and once you unlock a level, you keep it for life. To reach Genius Level 3 without becoming a Genius Rewards Visa Signature cardholder, you need to complete 15 bookings within two years. At Level 3, members enjoy 10–20% discounts, free breakfast and room upgrades at select properties, rental car discounts, and priority customer support.

Welcome Bonus

New cardholders receive $150 in Travel Credits after spending $1,500 in eligible purchases on the card within the first 90 days of account opening.

Annual Spend Bonus

If you spend $15,000 or more on the card within a year from account creation, you earn an additional $100 in Travel Credits.

Application & First Purchase Experience

The Booking.com Card offers a streamlined, modern application process with soft-check pre-approval before a hard credit inquiry, and applications are linked directly to your existing Booking.com account. Upon approval and acceptance of the offer, the card is automatically added to your Booking.com account wallet, allowing you to use it right away to make reservations on the platform without waiting for the physical card to arrive. In addition, approved applicants can instantly add the virtual card to Apple Pay or Google Pay for everyday spending, giving immediate access to rewards from the day cardholders accept their offer.

Value Proposition Details

• 6% in Travel Credits on stays booked in the Booking.com app.

• 5% in Travel Credits on flights, car rentals, attractions, cruises, airport taxis via Booking.com.

• 3% in Travel Credits on dining, gas, groceries.

• 2% in Travel Credits elsewhere

• In-Trip Acceleration: an extra +1% in Travel Credits for in-person purchases at/near your Booking.com accommodation (within ~50 miles), up to $10k annually — great for resort incidentals, cabana rentals, shopping, and more.

• No foreign transaction fees.

Rewards Redemption

With the Booking.com Card, rewards are straightforward — $1 in Travel Credits always equals $1 towards future Booking reservations. There is no minimum to redeem. Because redemption happens right in the app or site, travelers can use rewards instantly at checkout, and credits stay valid for two years.

Servicing Experience

The Booking.com Card is serviced by Imprint. Cardholders can view balances, make payments, and track rewards through Imprint’s mobile and web servicing platforms. Travel Credits also live in the Booking.com Wallet, and from there are automatically applied to reservations on the Booking.com site or app during checkout, keeping the earning and redemption experience simple. Booking.com handles support for travel reservations and loyalty perks.

Network Benefits

The card is issued as a Visa Signature card, which means it carries the network benefits offered by Visa Signature. Cardholders gain access to benefits around concierge services, Sofar Sounds, Troon Golf, and more, subject to Visa Signature’s benefit guide.

Third-Party Insurance

The Booking.com Genius Rewards card includes several cardholder protection features administered by a third-party insurer:

• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
  Save money by renting a vehicle with your Booking.com Genius Rewards Visa and you can receive built-in Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver coverage.*
  
  

• Trip Cancellation / Interruption Insurance
  Prepare for the unexpected when you purchase a common carrier ticket with your Booking.com Genius Rewards Visa. With Trip Cancellation and Interruption, you can be reimbursed up to $2,000 per insured person for the non-refundable common carrier ticket in the event your trip is canceled or interrupted due to a covered reason.*
  
  

• Travel and Emergency Assistance Services Insurance
  Call anytime for travel or emergency assistance, available for covered Booking.com Genius Rewards Visa cardholders from anywhere in the world.**
  
  

• Travel Accident Insurance
  Add peace of mind to your itinerary. Purchase your airline ticket with your Booking.com Genius Rewards Visa and you can receive up to $250,000 of accidental death and dismemberment coverage.*
  
  

• Extended Warranty Protection
  Extend your warranty’s time period when you use your Booking.com Genius Rewards Visa for your eligible purchase. Extended Warranty Protection will double the time period of coverage to your existing manufacturer’s U.S. warranty up to one additional year on eligible warranties of 3 years or less. The maximum coverage limit is $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder.*
  
  

• Purchase Security
  Safeguard your new item against theft or damage within the first 90 days from the date of purchase with Purchase Security, available when you pay for your eligible item with your Booking.com Genius Rewards Visa.*

Additional Perks

• Instant Genius Level 3 Status
  Cardholders reach Booking.com’s highest loyalty tier (Genius Level 3) from the moment they get the card, unlocking perks like room upgrades (when available), complimentary breakfast at participating properties, priority support, and discounts on stays and rental cars.