Credit Card News
Expedia Group and Wells Fargo Unveil One Key Credit Cards
Wells Fargo and Expedia Group have revealed two new One Key co-branded credit cards: the One Key Card and One Key+ Card.
About the cards:
Starting with the no-annual-fee One Key card, customers will earn 3% back in OneKeyCash on purchases from Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo. Additionally, the card earns 3% rewards at gas stations, 3% at grocery stores, and 3% on dining. All other purchases will earn 1.5% OneKeyCash back.
As a perk of having the One Key card, customers will earn automatic One Key Silver status. Plus, those who spend at least $15,000 per calendar year on the card will earn Gold status. In terms of other features and benefits, the card does not charge any foreign transaction fee and includes some trip protections.
Turning to the One Key+ Card, it will carry a $99 annual fee. This upgraded version will also earn 3% back in OneKeyCash on purchases from Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo as well as 3% at gas stations, at grocery stores, and on dining. However, with this card, all other purchases will earn 2% back in OneKeyCash.
With the One Key+ Card, customers will earn automatic Gold status. This can be increased to Platinum status for those who spend at least $30,000 per calendar year on the card. Notably, One Key+ cardholders will also earn a $100 OneKeyCash bonus each cardholder anniversary year (upon renewal). Additionally, the card includes a statement credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA Precheck applications.
Both cards are expected to open applications later this summer.
To mark the launch of these two cards, each will also be offering a welcome bonus. In the case of the One Key card, new cardholders can earn $400 in OneKeyCash after spending $1,000 on the card within their first three months. Meanwhile, new One Key+ cardholders will be able to earn $600 in OneKeyCash after spending $3,000 on the card during their first three months from account opening.
My thoughts:
Seeing as each of these cards only earns OneKeyCash, they’re immediate non-starters for me. That said, boosting the base rate to 1.5% back (or 2% back for the One Key+) is a nice touch for an otherwise unexciting card.
I do feel compelled to mention that the art for the new cards suggests that they will utilize the Mastercard Touch Card design. We’ve previously seen this employed in cards from Citizens, while it was also seemingly teased in the announcement of an upcoming Virgin Red card. These Touch Card notches come in three versions and are intended to help blind or partially sighted cardholders distinguish between credit, debit, and prepaid cards.
Something else I want to call out is that, according to a WSJ article detailing how much Wells Fargo is apparently losing on the Bilt credit card, these One Key cards are expected to be the last co-branded cards Wells Fargo issues for the foreseeable future. So, while I personally don’t have an interest in these cards, I do wish Expedia Group and Wells Fargo well with them.