Booking.com has launched its own credit card, The Booking.com Genius Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card. While this card probably won’t have wide appeal, it could be interesting to those who are heavily invested in the Booking.com platform.
The Offer & Key Card Details
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
 ⓘ $134 1st Yr Value EstimateClick to learn about first year value estimates $150 in Credits Non-AffiliateThis is NOT an affiliate offer. We always present the best offer even when it means less revenue for Frequent Miler $150 in Booking.com credits after $1.5K spend in first 90 daysNo Annual Fee Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. FM Mini Review: This card offers reasonable return for bookings made through Booking.com and the bonus category for purchases during a stay is kind of interesting, but keep in mind that rewards are in the form of travel credits that can only be used at Booking.com. Earning rate: 6% on accommodations booked through Booking.com app ✦ 5% on travel booked at Booking.com ✦ 3% on dining, gas, and grocery ✦ 3% on in-person purchases (with card present) during your stay made within 50 miles of accommodations booked via Booking.com on up to $10K in purchases per year ✦ 2% everywhere else Card Info: Visa Signature issued by FEB. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: $100 in travel credits with $15K cardmember year spend Noteworthy perks: Genius Level 3 status (10-20% off select stays + priority support) |
Quick Thoughts
I don’t love booking hotels through third parties since you typically won’t earn hotel points or elite credit and you’ll probably forgo elite benefits during your stay. That said, if you’re staying at independent hotels and/or hotel loyalty doesn’t matter to you, this card might be worth a look.
For starters, you can earn 6% back on accommodations booked within the Booking.com mobile app and 5% back on travel in the following categories booked through Booking.com: accommodations, flights, car rentals, cruises, attractions, and airport taxis.
A unique bonus category here is that you can earn 3% back on up to $10K in annual in-person purchases made during your stay within 50 miles of your Booking.com-booked accommodations. In other words, when you make your stay, you’ll get 3% back on your in-person purchases made within 50 miles of your hotel so long as you booked it via Booking.com. Note that purchases made over the phone or online or before or after your stay won’t count, only in-person purchases made within 50 miles of your accommodation during your stay.
Then the card has a couple other popular 3% categories as well.
Keep in mind that rewards earned on this card come in the form of Booking.com travel credit, so this isn’t cash back that you can use for anything but rather it is credit you can use for future travel booked through Booking.com.
You’ll also get an instant upgrade to “Genius Level 3” status, which they say gets you 10-20% off on select accommodation and priority support. I can’t speak to how those benefits work in practice, but I would expect that discounted accommodations will likely be independent properties for the most part.
Overall, I don’t find this card terribly exciting, but it might work for those who are particularly loyal to Booking.com.
H/T: Doctor of Credit
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SUB seems pretty disappointing compared to their One Key competitor card.