Expedia’s OneKey loyalty program is about to change again, further reducing value for travellers. From May 22nd 2025, OneKeyCash earnings for bookings made via Vrbo will be paid according to One Key member status.
The changes in brief
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From May 22 2025, OneKeyCash for Vrbo bookings will be earned according to your membership tier:
Platinum = 2% cash back
Gold = 2% cash back
Silver = 1% cash back
Blue = 0% cash back
Previously, every member would earn 2% for each £1 spent on Vrbo. Including Blue Tier members like us. Paid as ‘OneKeyCash’, this rebate can be used as part-payment for future bookings or other Expedia services.
Why is Expedia making this change?
Expedia has not announced why they are making this change. Interestingly, the full 2% OneKeyCash rebate will still be paid on all holiday rentals made through the Expedia.co.uk / Expedia.com websites.
That suggests that maybe the Vrbo brand is set to be retired in much the same way ebookers was. Or that Expedia wants to punish their Blue tier members for not spending enough…
Does this devaluation matter?
That’s a purely subjective question. For us, we rarely book holiday rentals and we have never used Vrbo. However, if I was a Silver tier OneKey member and committed user of Vrbo, this change would be quite annoying.
Devaluation of loyalty programs is nothing new. As we wrote at the time, the switch from the old ebookers+ loyalty program to the new OneKey system was a huge step down. Reaching OneKey silver/gold/platinum tiers is much more expensive than the system it replaces – and the benefits are less attractive too.
Expedia is playing a dangerous game. Booking.com’s Genius loyalty program isn’t all that special, but their pricing is often keener, allowing travellers to snap up cheaper hotel stays.
As always, our advice is to shop around hotel booking websites (not Trivago). And don’t forget to check whether you can get a better price by booking direct with the property. With price matches and additional perks, you can sometimes snap up a real bargain that more than makes up for “missing out” on your Expedia OneKeyCash – as was the case when we stayed at the Copthorne Tara London Kensington recently.
No loyalty program devaluation is welcome – but this latest move by Expedia may be the encouragement you need to look elsewhere when searching out your next holiday rental.
The Expedia announcement in full
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