Hotels.com Debuts Loyalty Program Visa Card

Hotels.com has launched a credit card to help users access rewards, according to CNBC.

The card is backed by Visa and issued by Wells Fargo. It will build on the existing Rewards program for Hotels.com, which allows users to earn rewards, or “stamps” as they’re termed, for every stay they book through the site, CNBC reported. If a user collects 10 rewards, they can earn a free night.

With the new credit card, users can access an additional reward or “stamp” every time they spend $500. That will help them get to a free night even sooner, CNBC reported.

The card will come with other benefits. It will allow for Silver status membership, meaning access to complimentary breakfasts, airport transfers, complimentary Wi-Fi and more, according to CNBC. Users will have access to cellphone protection for damage or theft if they pay bills through the card, and users will not have to pay a foreign transaction fee for purchases outside the U.S. that non-users are subject to.

In addition, cardholders can use Visa features like trip cancellations, interruption and price protections, extended warranty protections and travel and emergency assistance, CNBC reported.

The value of the rewards is equal to the average price of the 10 collected stamps, according to CNBC. If one earns a stamp from staying at an existing Hotels.com property, the price is equivalent to the average rate of the stay, and if one earns a stay for spending $500 on their card, the value is $110 per stamp. While users will still be responsible for taxes and fees, there will be no blackout dates.

Unfortunately, consumers haven’t been entirely sold on customer rewards cards as of late, finding that the perks like sign-up bonuses, airfare points and hotel stays just didn’t hold as much of a sway when the pandemic has had them mostly staying at home. In response, card issuers have made overtures in the form of new bonuses and discounts to retain customers, especially in the economic downturn.