By Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, Founder and CEO of The Points King. Last updated: October 10, 2026. Editorial Policy
Yes, you can use Expedia points for flights, but only one way. Expedia’s points are called OneKeyCash, and the One Key terms allow them on flights booked on Expedia, on a limited set of airlines, and only when your balance covers the entire cost of the ticket including taxes and fees. You cannot pay for part of a flight with OneKeyCash and put the rest on a card. And since July 28, 2026, flights booked on Expedia no longer earn OneKeyCash at all.
I have worked with miles and points for 15 years and have run The Points King since 2017. OneKeyCash is a different animal from the miles we buy: it is a fixed-value rebate, not a currency you can move. That makes the rules below the whole story, so I have taken them from Expedia’s One Key terms, effective July 28, 2026.
OneKeyCash for Flights at a Glance
| Question | Answer, October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Can OneKeyCash pay for a flight? | Yes, on Expedia, on limited airlines |
| Can it pay for part of a flight? | No. It must cover the entire cost, including taxes and fees |
| Can it pay for seats, bags or change fees? | No |
| What is $1 of OneKeyCash worth? | $1 off an eligible booking |
| Do flights earn OneKeyCash? | No, not since July 28, 2026 |
| Does it expire? | Yes, after 18 months with no eligible booking or redemption |
| Can it be transferred, sold or cashed out? | No |
What Changed on July 28, 2026
Expedia announced changes to One Key on June 24, 2026, and they took effect on July 28. Anything written before that date about earning 2% on hotels and 0.2% on flights is out of date.
- Flights stopped earning. They used to earn 0.2%. They now earn nothing, per The Points Guy and Upgraded Points.
- Earning is now tied to your tier. On Expedia, Blue members earn 1%, Silver and Gold 2%, and Platinum 3% on hotels, vacation rentals, cars, activities and cruises. Taxes and fees do not count.
- The Hotel Price Guarantee was removed on Expedia and Hotels.com, Frequent Miler and AwardWallet reported.
- Flights still count toward status. Each flight ticket flown on an Expedia booking is one trip element, as long as it costs $25 or more before taxes.
0 to 4 elements
5 elements
15 elements
30 elements
Flights earn no OneKeyCash since July 28, 2026. OneKeyCash on flights must cover the entire cost, works only on Expedia with limited airlines, and expires after 18 months with no eligible booking or redemption.
The Rule That Catches People: No Partial Payment on Flights
On hotels, cars and activities you can apply some OneKeyCash and pay the balance by card, as long as the booking is a “Pay Now” rate. Flights do not work that way. The terms say you “must have enough OneKeyCash available to cover the entire cost of the flight.” If the fare with taxes is $240 and you have $230 in OneKeyCash, you cannot use any of it on that ticket.
Two more limits from the same terms:
- OneKeyCash works on flights on Expedia only, and only on “limited airlines.” Expedia does not publish the list, so you find out at checkout.
- It cannot pay for seat selection, baggage or flight changes.
How to Book a Flight With OneKeyCash
- Sign in to your One Key account on Expedia and check your OneKeyCash balance.
- Search for flights and compare the total price, with taxes and fees, against your balance.
- Pick a flight whose full price is at or below your balance. If the airline is eligible, the option to use OneKeyCash appears at checkout.
- If the option does not appear, the airline is not eligible or your balance is short. Use the OneKeyCash on a hotel or car instead, where partial payment is allowed.
- Add your frequent flyer number at checkout. Upgraded Points notes that you still earn airline miles on flights booked through Expedia.
How You Earn OneKeyCash Now
| Tier | Trip elements in a calendar year | Expedia earn rate |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | 0 to 4 | 1% |
| Silver | 5 | 2% |
| Gold | 15 | 2% |
| Platinum | 30 | 3% |
A trip element is one hotel night, one flight ticket flown, one car rental day, one activity ticket or one cruise cabin night, each costing $25 or more before taxes. VIP Access hotels pay Silver, Gold and Platinum members more: 3%, 4% and 6%, The Points Guy reported. The terms list the same tier rates for Hotels.com in the US. Vrbo pays less: nothing for Blue, 1% for Silver and 2% for Gold and Platinum.
One trade-off to know before you book a hotel this way: AwardWallet notes that hotel chains generally do not award their own points, elite nights or status benefits on bookings made through an online travel agency. The same goes for hotels inside Costco Travel packages.
The One Key Credit Cards
Wells Fargo issues two One Key Mastercards. These are the terms The Points Guy listed in the spring of 2026. We could not load Wells Fargo’s page to confirm the current welcome offers, so check them before you apply.
| One Key Card | One Key+ Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $99 |
| Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo | 3% | 3% |
| Gas, groceries and dining | 3% | 3% |
| Everything else | 1.5% | 2% |
| Status | Silver automatically. Gold after $15,000 in annual spending | Gold automatically. Platinum after $30,000 in annual spending |
| Other | $100 in OneKeyCash each anniversary, and up to $120 toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck |
The cards still earn 3% on Expedia purchases, flights included, after the July 28 change. With flights earning nothing from the program itself, a card is now the only way an Expedia flight booking adds to your balance.
Should You Use Expedia Points for Flights?
- Yes, if your balance covers a whole ticket on an eligible airline. $1 of OneKeyCash is worth $1 wherever you spend it, so a flight is as good a use as any.
- No, if you would be short by even a few dollars. Put the balance toward a hotel, where you can pay the difference by card.
- Either way, use it before 18 months pass without a booking or redemption. After that the whole balance expires.
Can You Sell or Transfer OneKeyCash?
No. The One Key terms say OneKeyCash “may not be assigned, sold, transferred, and/or pledged” and has no cash value. It cannot be moved to another member, so it is not something any broker can buy, The Points King included.
Airline miles and bank points are different, because they can be transferred. If that is what you have, read the risks of selling miles and points first, then see our page on selling airline miles for cash. For a sense of what miles are worth before you decide, see how much airline miles are worth in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use Expedia points for flights?
Yes. OneKeyCash can pay for flights booked on Expedia on limited airlines, but only if your balance covers the full cost of the ticket including taxes and fees.
Can I pay for part of a flight with OneKeyCash?
No. The One Key terms require enough OneKeyCash to cover the entire cost of the flight. Partial payment is allowed on Pay Now hotels, cars and activities.
Do flights booked on Expedia earn OneKeyCash?
No. Since July 28, 2026, flights earn no OneKeyCash. They still count as trip elements toward One Key status.
How much is OneKeyCash worth?
$1 in OneKeyCash gives a $1 discount on an eligible booking.
Does OneKeyCash expire?
Yes. It stays active as long as you make one eligible booking or redemption every 18 months. Otherwise the whole balance expires.
Do I still earn airline miles on a flight booked with Expedia?
Yes, according to Upgraded Points, if you add your frequent flyer number at checkout.
Can I use OneKeyCash on Hotels.com and Vrbo?
Yes, for stays. Flight redemptions are on Expedia only. One Key covers the US sites and apps of Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo.
From the card table on this page. One Key has no annual fee and gets Silver status automatically, Gold after $15,000 in annual spending; One Key+ costs $99, gets Gold automatically and Platinum after $30,000, plus $100 in OneKeyCash each anniversary and up to $120 toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
Sources
- Expedia: One Key terms and conditions, effective July 28, 2026
- The Points Guy: Expedia One Key changes, June 24, 2026
- Upgraded Points: One Key changes for 2026, July 28, 2026
- Frequent Miler: One Key changes, June 24, 2026
- AwardWallet: Expedia One Key guide, updated October 2, 2026
- The Points Guy: One Key credit cards, updated April 29, 2026