The Booking.com Genius Rewards Visa Signature Credit Cards and Expedia One Key and One Key+ Cards both offer travel credit cards designed to reward your next trip. But how do they stack up against each other? Let’s take a closer look.
Booking.com Genius Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card (No Annual Fee)
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.
One Key™ Card (No Annual Fee)
One Key+™ Card ($99 Annual Fee)
Comparison
Booking.com Genius Rewards Visa Signature®
One Key™ Card
One Key+™ Card
Value Proposition Details
No Annual Fee
6% Travel Credits on Booking.com stays (app)
5% on flights, cars attractions
3% on dining, gas groceries
2% elsewhere
+1% in-trip acceleration near stays (up to $10k annually)
No Foreign Transaction Fee
No Annual Fee
3% OneKeyCash on travel + dining, gas, groceries
1.5% on all other purchases
$99 Annual Fee
3% OneKeyCash on travel + dining, gas, groceries
1.5% on all other purchases
$100 annual OneKeyCash bonus
Loyalty Program / Status
Instant Genius Level 3, which includes discounts, upgrades, free breakfast, and priority support
Automatic Silver status
15%+ hotel discounts and priority support
Automatic Gold status
20%+ hotel discounts, upgrades, and VIP perks
Platinum at $30k annual spend
Welcome Bonus
$150 Travel Credits after $1,500 spend in 90 days
$300 OneKeyCash after $1,000 spend in 3 months
$400 OneKeyCash after $3,000 spend in 3 months
Spend Bonus
$100 Travel Credits after $15,000 annual spend
Gold status upgrade after $15,000 spend
Platinum status upgrade after $30,000 spend
Application Process
Soft pull for pre-approval
Hard pull only if you accept offer
Wells Fargo standard application
Hard pull at application
Wells Fargo standard application
Hard pull at application
First Purchase Experience
Virtual card instantly added to Booking.com wallet
Immediate use via app + Apple/Google Pay
No virtual card access before arrival
Physical card arrives in 5–7 days
No virtual card access before arrival
Physical card arrives in 5–7 days
Rewards Redemption
$1 Travel Credit = $1 Booking.com credit
No minimums, no blackout dates
Redeem OneKeyCash only on Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo
Redeem OneKeyCash only on Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo
Servicing / Customer Service
Serviced by Imprint
Booking.com handles reservations and loyalty perks
Serviced by Wells Fargo
Silver members get priority Expedia support
Serviced by Wells Fargo
Gold/Platinum members get enhanced Expedia support
Network Benefits
Visa Signature perks
Mastercard network protections
Mastercard World Elite benefits + Trusted Traveler credit
Insurance, Protections, & Other Perks
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Trip Cancellation / Interruption Insurance, Travel and Emergency Assistance Services Insurance, Travel Accident Insurance, Extended Warranty Protection, and Purchase Security
Cell phone protection, Trip Cancellation / Interruption, Rental Collision Damage Waiver, and Travel Accident
Cell phone protection, Trip Cancellation / Interruption, Rental Collision Damage Waiver, and Travel Accident
World Elite extras
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit