Final yr, it was introduced that the separate loyalty applications from companions within the Expedia Group will merge in 2023 to develop into a single unified program referred to as One Key. Of the manufacturers within the group, one of the notable and useful applications has been Resorts.com Rewards.

We’ve simply discovered a few of the particulars of the brand new program, and sadly, Resorts.com Rewards will probably be very negatively affected by the change. Within the newest downward change to a loyalty program this yr, Resorts.com Rewards will see a devaluation of as much as 80%, which is important.

As you may anticipate, the modifications are being touted as constructive by One Key and Expedia Group, however a fast peek on the particulars reveals a a lot completely different story.

Resorts.com Rewards to Change into A part of One Key

Later this yr, we’ll see the loyalty applications from quite a lot of manufacturers beneath the Expedia Group develop into a singular program known as One Key. When it occurs, Expedia Rewards, Resorts.com Rewards, Orbitz Rewards, and different applications beneath the Expedia umbrella will all comply with the identical incomes and redemption construction.

It’s essential to notice that One Key will debut in the US first, after which in different international locations. Dates for the roll out haven’t been confirmed, so till then, it’s enterprise as normal.

As of now, every program has a unique incomes and redeeming construction, and bringing all of them collectively is supposed to streamline the foundations amongst all of the completely different applications. 

Arguably, Resorts.com Rewards has provided the strongest return from any of the included applications, however sadly, that may change considerably for the more serious as soon as the transition to One Key takes impact.

As a reminder, the present format of Resorts.com Rewards is that you just get a free night time for each 10 nights you keep at properties booked by means of the web site. For every eligible night time, you accumulate a stamp, and upon getting 10 stamps, you may redeem them for a free night time that’s well worth the common worth of the ten nights from which you earned stamps.

For instance, if every of your 10 nights value $100, you’d get a free night time value $100. In case your redemption keep prices much less, you wouldn’t get to retain the distinction, but when your redemption keep prices extra, you may high it up, which provides higher worth.

The brand new program, One Key, could have a unified incomes construction for all of the applications, which will probably be as follows:

• One Key members will earn 2% OneKeyCash per greenback spent on actions, cruises, resorts, packages, rental automobiles, and trip leases
• One Key members will earn 0.2% OneKeyCash per greenback spent on flights
• One Key Silver members will earn a 50% bonus (3% return), Gold members will earn a 100% bonus (4% return), and Platinum members will earn a 200% bonus (6% return) at eligible VIP Entry properties

Members received’t have to attend till they attain a sure threshold of stays to have the ability to redeem their OneKeyCash, which will be taken as a constructive growth; nevertheless, this comes on the expense of shedding as much as 80% of the worth they’ve been incomes by means of Resorts.com till now.

When the transition from Resorts.com Rewards to One Key occurs, members could have their stability transformed to OneKeyCash at a 1:1 ratio, and after that time, they’ll be topic to the two–6% return for stays, relying on their standing and whether or not or not the property is a VIP Entry property.

The complete particulars of the upcoming modifications will be discovered on the VRBO web site. On the time of writing, the One Key portion of the Resorts.com web site was unavailable.

Resorts.com Rewards Will Be Devalued by As much as 80%

It isn’t tough to see that it is a vital blow to the worth provided by reserving by means of Resorts.com. As soon as the modifications kick in, you’ll go from incomes 10% again on lodge stays to incomes 2%, until you occur to have this system’s top-tier standing and are staying at a VIP Entry property.

For instance, in the event you have been to spend $100 10 occasions at properties booked by means of Resorts.com in its present kind, you’d obtain a free night time value $100. Below One Key, you’d get $20 in OneKeyCash for that very same $1,000 spent on resorts, or as much as $60 in the event you’re a top-tier member staying at VIP Entry properties.

It’s unlucky that this variation will occur afterward this yr, as reserving by means of Resorts.com will be helpful within the absence of different properties to e book with factors or money. Resorts.com Rewards is pretty well-liked resulting from its simplicity and its potential profit for reserving resorts that don’t belong to any chains. 

Many people elect to e book with main lodge chains to earn factors and standing that give kickbacks within the type of free nights and additional perks. When planning out a visit, step one is to often see if Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt, or every other applications have properties out there.

Of their absence, web sites equivalent to Resorts.com provide a really cheap different, since you may predictably get a ten% return in your stays. That is a lot better than different options to main lodge manufacturers, equivalent to Airbnb, which doesn’t have a loyalty program or any rewards in any respect.

Conclusion

In a while this yr, Resorts.com Rewards will develop into a part of One Key alongside different applications from the Expedia Group umbrella. It’s anticipated that the merger will happen in mid-2023, though there isn’t an official date set simply but.

One Key will first debut in the US earlier than it rolls out in different international locations. Till then, it’s enterprise as normal, however as soon as the merger takes place, the Resorts.com portion of this system will probably be devalued by as much as 80%.

In the event you’re planning to e book any lodge stays by means of Resorts.com, ensure to take action as quickly as potential to learn from a ten% return. As soon as this system turns into a part of One Key, you’ll be bumped right down to a a lot decrease 2% return, and at that time, it is perhaps higher to look elsewhere.