Expedia Enables Customers to Travel with Points
New Functionality Simplifies Point Redemption for Expedia+ Rewards Members
BELLEVUE, Wash., September 14, 2015 – Expedia.com®, one of the world’s largest full service online travel sites, today announced a new functionality that enables Expedia+ rewards members to redeem earned points towards merchant hotel purchases.
“The concept is that we want to allow our Expedia+ rewards members to Travel with Points,” said David Doctorow, Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer for Expedia.com. “We introduced this first in our hotel checkout, so our rewards members shopping for a standalone hotel have the opportunity to apply their points directly to their hotel balance. Travelers tell us they want booking, earning, and redeeming travel to be simple. This new functionality embraces that notion. Today customers can ‘stay with points,’ and we look forward to expanding this capability so they can ‘fly with points,’ ‘go on excursions with points,’ and a range of other options in the future. For Expedia+ rewards members, travelling with points has never been easier.”
Expedia+ rewards benefits remain valid when traveling with points, so travelers can still earn double the value for their points when redeemed at +VIP Access™ hotels. And unlike other online travel agency rewards redemption programs, customers paying for travel with points are also able to apply Expedia.com promotional coupons.
Previously, Expedia.com customers had to turn their points into a coupon before applying the coupon to their hotel price. Expedia has since made the process easier: when customers arrive at the checkout page, they will see qualifying points* that can be applied directly to their transaction. Members can use as many of their earned Expedia+ rewards points as they desire for a given merchant hotel transaction, potentially bring the cost of their purchase down to $0.
All travelers are eligible to join Expedia’s free rewards program. Logged-in members will earn points on any type of product they book with Expedia.
About Expedia.com
Expedia.com is one of the world's largest full service travel sites1, helping millions of travelers per month easily plan and book travel. Expedia.com (http://www.expedia.com/) aims to provide the latest technology and the widest selection of top vacation destinations, cheap tickets, hotel deals, car rentals, destination weddings, cruise deals and in-destination activities, attractions, services and travel apps. With the Expedia Best Price Guarantee, Expedia.com customers can get the best rates available online for all types of travel.
Expedia, Expedia.com, Expedia Rewards, Find Yours and the Airplane logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners © 2015 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST # 2029030-50
1Based on a comparison of other full-service online travel agencies, defined as those providing booking and services related to air, hotel, cruise, car and activities to a global customer base. Data based on comScore Media Metrix for Expedia, Inc. Sites, Worldwide, Average Monthly Unique Visitors, Oct '12-Sept '13.
Website: http://www.expedia.com/
*Expedia+ Rewards members must have at least 3500 points in their account before points will be applied to the transaction.
For further information:
Tarran Street, Expedia.com, (425) 679-4165, tstreet@expedia.com
Dave McNamee, HL Group, (212) 529-5533, dmcnamee@hlgrp.com