Orbitz, under the Expedia umbrella is another fare aggregator website, like Expedia, Hotels.com, Kayak, and Booking.com that allows you to book all of your travel needs under one loyalty program. They offer online bookings for airfare, car rentals, hotel, cruise, excursions/activities, as well as vacation packages generally at a lower price than booking directly with airlines, hotels and car rental agencies.
After using Orbitz for 7 years, I’ve finally gotten hip to most of the website’s hidden perks. What I love is that there is always a coupon available to save 10 - 15% on hotel bookings and they price match if you find a competitor offering a cheaper price. Spoiler alert, I have yet to find another booking site or hotel to offer a cheaper price online than Orbitz, even without using a coupon.
Another great draw to them is that they sell pretty good vacation packages. You’re able to mix and match what combination you need such as flight+hotel, hotel+ car, flight+ car, etc. along with your origin and destination.
My first introduction to Orbitz was through a package vacation for Spring Break during my senior year of undergrad. My friend and I flew from DCA airport, right outside of Washington, D.C. to MIA airport and stayed at a hotel in North Beach for 7 days. The price you ask? $750 for both of us.
I love and use Orbitz so much that I’ve been a Platinum member with them for 3 years now. To earn Platinum status, you have to stay in Orbitz booked hotels for 12 nights or more per calendar year.
Here are the perks you receive with Platinum status:
Reimbursed $50 in Orbucks for expenses like baggage fees and WiFI for flights that were booked through Orbitz. I unfortunately learned this after a nasty TSA agent at LAX made me check a bag, that has always been my carry-on bag. I reached out to Orbitz with proof of payment for my $30 checked bag and after days and back and forth emails between myself and Customer Support, someone finally explained that Orbucks is redeemable for flights booked through Orbitz, which brings me to my next point.
When booking flights through Orbitz, you earn Orbucks as well as your airline miles
$85 to cover your TSA Pre-Check fee. That’s right, a separate security line and no more worrying about taking your shoes off, or taking electronics out your bag for 5 years!
Free VIP upgrades at hotels, where available
Priority access to the customer service line
If you don’t intend to travel or use Orbitz as frequently as I do, there are 2 other levels, the Silver and Gold Statuses. More info can be found on their website in case any perks may change.
Now besides realizing I could double dip and earn airline miles as well as Orbucks when purchasing flights through Orbitz this year, I also learned that I earn 5% back in Orbucks when booking hotels on their app vs the website, offering 1%. Yes! After 7 years, I just learned that — so guess who’s been booking hotel stays on their Orbitz app ever since?!
How do you book your travel? Have you ever used Orbitz? Let me know in the comments!
