Booking.com has officially entered the credit card game—and it’s not doing things the traditional way. The Booking.com Genius Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card, launched in the U.S. in partnership with fintech company Imprint, is a no-annual-fee travel card that focuses on simplicity: instead of points and miles, you earn Genius travel credits.

Here’s what makes the new Booking.com credit card stand out — and whether it’s worth it for you.

Key Features

• No annual fee
• Instant Genius Level 2 status (for new cardholders)
• Earn travel credits instead of points or miles
• Backed by Imprint (a modern financial technology company)
• Visa Signature benefits

How the Rewards Work

Ideal For:

• Frequent Booking.com users
• Travelers who prefer simple rewards
• U.S. residents looking for a fee-free travel card
• Those who want to unlock Genius perks instantly

Limitations

• Only available in the U.S.
• Travel credits can only be used on Booking.com
  (No airline, rental car, or transfer partners)
• No airport lounge access, travel insurance, or premium benefits found on more expensive cards

Backed by Imprint

This card is powered by Imprint, a fintech company that issues modern, app-based credit cards. That means:

• Card management is fully digital (via the Imprint app)
• Fast approval process
• No physical branch support — everything is online

Final Thoughts

The Booking.com Genius Rewards Visa Signature card marks a distinctive pivot in the travel credit card landscape. By offering straightforward travel credits and instant Genius Level 3 membership, it targets platform-loyal users more effectively than traditional points-based or flexible rewards cards.

Against major players like Chase Sapphire, Capital One Venture X, and AmEx Gold, Booking.com’s offering stands out with its high-earning rates (6% on app stays, 5% on Booking.com travel) and no annual fee—benefits that clearly outweigh the entry-level cost for frequent users. Yet this comes with a tradeoff: those rewards are locked to the Booking.com ecosystem, limiting cross-platform flexibility, which is a strength of cards like Chase Sapphire or Venture X.

This strategy aligns with broader industry currents: simpler, experience-driven offerings have grown more appealing amid economic pressure and evolving consumer values. Over the long term, the travel credit card market is projected to expand significantly—growing from $18 billion in 2023 to over $57 billion by 2033—underscoring ample space for niche, platform-based products like this one.

However, regulatory headwinds—such as proposed legislation restricting swipe fees—could imperil traditional rewards models, pushing issuers toward simpler, cost-effective formats like cashback or platform-specific credits. If broader market shifts continue, Booking.com’s model may offer resilience by aligning benefits directly with usage of its platform, reducing reliance on interchange-based subsidy systems.

In short: The Booking.com Genius card is a sharp, well-targeted play—ideal for frequent Booking.com users seeking no-fee, high-value perks within a single ecosystem. While it lacks broad flexibility, it capitalizes on evolving traveler behavior and market dynamics, offering a viable, modern alternative to traditional travel rewards cards.