Expedia announced new One Key benefits on October 6, 2026, all aimed at people who book flights through Expedia. One Key is the shared loyalty program for Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo. The headline perk is airport lounge access during long delays, and it’s now open to Gold members, not just Platinum. U.S. members also get tier-based discounts on CLEAR+. Here’s how it works, and how it fits with the earning cuts that took effect this summer.
Lounge access when your flight is delayed
Expedia calls this a pilot. The rules, as of October 2026:
- Who: One Key Gold and Platinum members. Other travelers on the same itinerary can be covered too.
- Which flights: Eligible flights booked through Expedia (Business Traveller says the U.S. site) between September 30, 2026, and December 31, 2027. Some airlines are excluded.
- The catch: You have to register the flight at least 24 hours before departure, and the flight has to be delayed at least 90 minutes.
- Where: Lounges in the LoungeKey network, such as The Club, Escape Lounges, Plaza Premium and Aspire. Some airports offer a restaurant, bar, spa, gaming lounge or sleep pod instead. Most airline-operated lounges are excluded.
- No lounge available? Each eligible traveler gets $20 in OneKeyCash.
CLEAR+ discounts (U.S. members)
CLEAR raised its standard CLEAR+ price to $219 a year on July 1, 2026. One Key prices booked through Expedia:
| One Key tier | CLEAR+ (1 year) | CLEAR+ with 2 Concierge departures |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | $209 | Not listed |
| Silver | $179 | $249 |
| Gold | $179 | $249 |
| Platinum | $129 | $199 |
Silver, Gold and Platinum members also get 20% off additional CLEAR Concierge departure bookings. Before you buy, check whether a credit card you already have covers CLEAR+. Some premium cards do.
Price Drop Protection, which isn’t new
Gold and Platinum members already had free Price Drop Protection on eligible flights booked in the Expedia app. Expedia checks its own price every 24 hours until departure and pays any drop as OneKeyCash after the trip. It compares only Expedia’s own prices for the same flight and fare class. Expedia says U.S. and U.K. members received $28 million in OneKeyCash this way in 2025.
The cuts that are still in place
These perks follow changes that took effect July 28, 2026, and those changes are staying. On Expedia bookings like hotels, vacation rentals, cars and activities, members now earn OneKeyCash by tier: Blue 1%, Silver 2%, Gold 2%, Platinum 3%. Before, the rate was a flat 2%. Standalone flights no longer earn OneKeyCash (it used to be 0.2%), though they still count toward status. The Hotel Price Guarantee is gone for new bookings. You reach Silver at 5 trip elements, Gold at 15 and Platinum at 30. OneKeyCash is worth $1 per $1 toward eligible bookings.
One gray area: the reporting we found describes the tiered earning rates for Expedia bookings. It doesn’t clearly say how Hotels.com and Vrbo bookings earn now. If you mostly book there, check your own account’s earning details.
Who this affects and what to do
- Gold and Platinum members who book flights on Expedia: Register each eligible flight at least 24 hours before departure. If you don’t, you won’t get the delay benefit.
- Blue members: Your CLEAR+ discount is just $10 off, and your earning on Expedia hotel bookings was cut in half in July. Compare against booking directly with hotel chains, where you earn their points and elite credit.
- Anyone booking flights through any online travel agency: When flights are canceled or changed, the airline may send you back to the agency instead of fixing it at the airport. Factor that in.
Our take
Adding Gold members to the delay lounge benefit is a real improvement. A few hours in a lounge instead of at a crowded gate is worth having. But it only applies to Expedia-booked flights, only after registration, and only when the delay reaches 90 minutes. It’s also a pilot, so it could change. The $20 fallback is modest.
The bigger picture hasn’t changed. Since July, Blue members earn half what they used to on Expedia bookings, Silver and Gold earn about the same, and standalone flights earn nothing for anyone. Only Platinum members got a higher base rate. These new perks look designed to make booking flights on Expedia more appealing, and they don’t undo the July cuts. If you’re already Gold or Platinum through regular Expedia use, enjoy the extras. If you’re not, we wouldn’t move bookings to Expedia just to chase them.
Sources: Expedia press release (Business Wire); Business Traveller; Upgraded Points; The Points Guy; Thrifty Traveler.
