How To Use Orbucks | Orbitz Rewards tips for a cheap hotel room - Work Hard Travel Well (2024)

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I always seek to find a good travel deal. One Summer, I took a last-minute trip to Las Vegas to Grand Canyon by car. I booked the flight the morning of, and because of the late arrival, I needed to reserve a room in a Vegas hotel to drive to Arizona the next morning. Here is how I was able to use Orbitz Orbucks savings to bring down the cost of my last-minute hotel room.

Is Orbitz legit?

Yes, Orbitz is a legitimate online travel agency that has been operating for over two decades. It’s a subsidiary of Expedia Group, one of the largest travel companies globally. Orbitz offers a wide range of travel services, including flights, hotels, car rentals, vacation packages, and activities, and it’s a trusted platform used by millions of travelers worldwide.

How Does Orbitz Rewards Compare to Other Programs?

Orbitz Rewards is just one of many travel loyalty programs. Competitors like Expedia, Hotels.com, and Booking.com’s Genius program also offer ways to earn points and discounts.

Orbitz is part of the Expedia Group, but it operates independently from other reward programs like Expedia Rewards and Hotels.com Rewards, which are now integrated under the One Key program. While Orbitz Rewards uses Orbucks as its currency, Expedia Rewards and Hotels.com Rewards points are unified under One Key, allowing for cross-brand usage.

This distinction is important because if you frequently use multiple Expedia Group platforms, understanding which brands are part of One Key versus those that aren’t (like Orbitz) can help you maximize your rewards.

In contrast, Booking.com’s Genius program operates separately and offers different benefits focused on immediate savings rather than accumulated rewards like Orbucks or One Key points.

What are Orbitz Orbucks?

Orbucks are the “currency” of Orbitz Rewards, the loyalty program from Orbitz where you can earn Orbucks in various ways to redeem on hotel rooms. To earn Orbucks, you must sign up for the Orbitz rewards program. Sign up here; it’s free!

How Can You Earn Orbucks?

Once you’ve signed up for the Orbitz Rewards program, you can earn Orbucks in a few ways:

• Flights, you can earn 1% on flight purchases (2% if you use the Orbitz app)
• Hotels, you can earn 3% on hotel purchases (4% if you use the Orbitz app)
• Packages, you can earn 1% on package purchases (2% if you use the Orbitz app)
• Activities, you can earn 3% on an activities purchase (4% if you use the Orbitz app)

Do orbucks expire?

Remember that Orbucks do expire, typically within a year of earning them. Make sure to use them before they disappear! Additionally, Orbucks cannot be applied to certain bookings, such as those made through third-party sites or some exclusive deals. Always check the fine print to avoid any surprises.

Orbitz Rewards Tiers

Orbitz Rewards offers different membership tiers, such as Silver, Gold, and Platinum, each with its own perks. For example:

Silver Members: Start earning 1% back in Orbucks on flights.
Gold Members: Enjoy additional perks like room upgrades and free Wi-Fi at select hotels.
Platinum Members: Receive even more benefits, including VIP access to certain hotel services and priority customer support.
As you book more through Orbitz, you’ll climb the tiers and unlock more valuable benefits.

Maximizing Your Orbucks Earnings

To get the most out of Orbitz Rewards, here are a few tips:

• Use the Orbitz App: Earn up to 4% back on hotel bookings when you use the app.
• Combine with Credit Card Points: If you have a travel rewards credit card, you can earn points or miles in addition to Orbucks.
• Book During Promotions: Keep an eye out for special promotions where you can earn bonus Orbucks on bookings.

Here’s a breakdown of how I maximized Orbucks

• I earned points from an Orbitz package booked almost two years before, and hotel stays from the prior years.
• I participated in Twitter contests where I earned 25.00 Orbucks for submitting my travel photos.
• I earned 11.64 Orbucks for dining at a restaurant for a friend’s birthday dinner. Ten of the points were due to a sign-up bonus. I looked up the qualified restaurants ahead of time and was ecstatic that the chosen restaurant was on the list. Please note that if you are in other dining programs, you must use a card different from the others to earn the points. Read more about earning points for things you do every day!

In addition to Orbitz, check out the other ways you score for travel giveaways on social media. My flight for the trip was $11.20 round trip to redeem Southwest points. Check out more Travel Well Hacks.

How to use Orbucks

Redeeming your Orbucks is easy! Here’s how you can do it:

1. Log in to your Orbitz account.
2. Search for your preferred hotel, flight, or activity.
3. During checkout, you’ll see an option to apply your Orbucks balance.
4. Simply enter the amount you want to use, which will be deducted from your total cost.

Remember to check if there are any specific terms, like minimum spend or exclusions, to ensure a smooth redemption process.

$1 orbuck= $1 off your hotel stay.

My Experience using Orbucks

While on the plane, I searched every tool and remembered I had 57.00 in Orbucks. I logged in to Orbitz rewards and saw I had 57.00 in Orbucks. I applied the Orbucks to my room. After using the Orbucks, the room came to $16.49 for one night, and the resort fee was $33.60 for a total of $50.09. Yes, total and not per person! I booked this all during the flight.

The Vegas Hotel-Mandalay Bay

I used the Orbucks to stay at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas. This is the 6th hotel I’ve stayed in Vegas. While it’s not my number-one pick for a hotel in Vegas, it was just ok. I’ve stayed at better hotels in Las Vegas. Search more Vegas hotels.

Read more about my Vegas reviews of restaurants and hotels.

Using Orbucks is a convenient way to save on future travel expenses. By earning points through eligible bookings on Orbitz, you can seamlessly apply these rewards towards your next adventure, whether for flights, hotels, car rentals, or activities. Keep track of your Orbucks balance and log in to your Orbitz account when making reservations to maximize your savings and enhance your travel experiences.