At NerdWallet, we strive to help you make financial decisions with confidence. To do this, many or all of the products featured here are from our partners. However, this doesn’t influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own.
There are lots of widely advertised and talked-about travel rewards cards, but there’s one that may be flying under your radar: The Orbitz Rewards Visa Card. The card’s only significant drawback is that the rewards it earns, known as Orbucks, can only be used to book hotels with Orbitz.
What makes this card attractive, though, is that it earns a 5% bonus on top of the rewards already earned in Orbitz Rewards, the site’s loyalty program. That makes it a lucrative card for people who use Orbitz to book their business or leisure travel. You do have to prepay for your hotel stays on the site to maximize your rewards, so that is a consideration.
» Learn more: The Orbitz Rewards Visa Card review
If you’re an Orbitz booker or you’re considering switching your bookings from another travel booking site like Expedia or Travelocity, this card is worth a look. It has no annual fee, so it could even be worth it if you only book some of your travel on Orbitz or if you only travel occasionally. It offers up to 10% in rewards that can be used for future travel, which is a great earning rate that exceeds other travel cards that come with an annual fee.
Here are the top reasons to consider this card:
Sign-up bonus
The card comes with the following sign-up bonus: Get $100 statement credit after you spend $1500 in the first 90 days.. And you don’t need to spend that minimum amount on travel to earn the $100 travel credit. Any purchases will do.
Elite status
Orbitz Rewards Visa Card cardholders get complimentary Gold status in Orbitz Rewards, which entitles you to exclusive deals, free Wi-Fi, breakfast and waived resort fees at certain properties. It also gets you priority access on the customer service line, among other benefits.
» Learn more: 5 reasons to get the Orbitz Rewards Visa Card
Earning points
When using this card to pay for hotel bookings through the Orbitz mobile app, you earn 10% in Orbucks, a deal that’s similar to the one you’ll get booking on the hotels.com/venture site using the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card. You earn 8% when booking via desktop and 6% on flights.
Orbitz also take part in a restaurant program that earns 5% when dining out at participating restaurants. Use your Orbitz Rewards Visa Card and that amount increases to 7%. You are automatically enrolled in Orbitz Dining Rewards when you become a cardholder. Cruise bookings and activities earn 5% and car rentals and all other purchases earn 2%.
» Learn more: The best dining rewards programs
Redeeming points
You can only use Orbucks for hotels and booked on the site. There are no blackout dates for redemptions. So as long as the room inventory is available you can use Orbucks to book a hotel night. You can also use your rewards as a partial payment for a hotel stay.
Travel benefits
The card has no foreign transaction fees. It offers an emergency cash advance or replacement card if it’s lost or stolen. You’re covered for up to $3,000 if your baggage is lost or stolen. The card also offers rental car collision and theft coverage.
Additional benefits
As part of the Visa Signature program, Orbitz Rewards Visa Card cardholders can qualify for Visa Signature benefits. These benefits include rental car privileges, access to a concierge and elite-type benefits through the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection. Book your hotel through Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection and get exclusive benefits like free breakfast for two, availability-based room upgrades, dining credit and more.
» Learn more: The 3 levels of Visa credit card benefits
The bottom line
The Orbitz Rewards Visa Card can really help you maximize Orbitz Rewards, so it’s a good fit if you book travel on the site and like to redeem your rewards for hotel stays. The 5% bonus on top of rewards you’re already earning in the Orbitz Rewards loyalty program will help you earn a free hotel night quicker than with many other programs. With no annual fee, it doesn’t cost you anything for that extra earning power.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2019, including those best for:
Planning a trip? Check out these articles for more inspiration and advice:
Find the best travel credit card for you
Orbitz gets more rewarding for platinum members
The best hotel credit cards