Apple Card partners with Booking.com to speed up loyalty rewards. Apple Card users have a new way to get more value out of Booking.com without spending months climbing its loyalty ranks, though the perks are notably limited. Ad ends in 10 Video Muted Apple is offering cardholders immediate access to Booking.com's Genius Level 2 after one qualifying stay or rental car booking. The offer is available through eligible reservations made with Apple Card. Genius Level 2 gives users 10-15% discounts on select stays and rental cars, free breakfasts on select stays, and free room upgrades on select stays. Normally, users would need to make five bookings over 24 months to reach this level. It is important to note that Genius levels are unique to Booking.com, and not to Apple Card. This has nothing to do with Apple's similarly-named service, the Genius Bar. In addition to discounts and perks, users who book via Booking.com with Apple Card will earn 3% Daily Cash. You can also get 2% in Booking.com travel credits when using the Apple Card booking link, though you'll need to use Safari while checking out. Before you buy. As far as perks programs go, Booking.com's Genius rewards system isn't that impressive. Not only are the perks somewhat lackluster, but they also apply only to certain rooms in certain hotels or to certain cars in certain locations. A spot-check of common travel destinations like San Francisco, Houston, Orlando, Miami, Washington DC, and Boston found only about one in 10 hotels qualified for Genius Level 2 discounts. It's not hard to find a hotel that offers free breakfast without the Genius Level 2 perk level, either. That's long been a carrot dangled in front of prospective hotel guests. Truthfully, the biggest reason to use your Apple Card over, say, any other rewards card would be the 3% Daily Cash and the 2% Booking.com travel credits. Of course, that assumes that your other cards aren't already offering something similar. And this isn't even Booking.com's best promotion either. Right now, Booking.com is running a promotion with Affirm that gives users $200 off any purchase of $500 or more made before August 10. Ultimately, the choice is yours. AppleInsider always recommends that you do your own research before any large purchase. This is doubly true if it's a limited-time promotion.

The Booking.com scam that is 'incredibly difficult' to tell. 12.57 31 Jul 2026 A Booking.com user has revealed how she nearly fell for a sophisticated scam after her details were leaked. In March, Newstalk producer Dee King booked accommodation with Booking.com for Edinburgh this summer. However, a few weeks later, the platform's website was hacked and some people's details were illicitly obtained. Booking.com contacted customers to warn them of the data breach but Ms King didn't pay much attention to the email at the time. In June, she got a text message from a British number purporting to be the hotel she had booked. "It was basically just to verify my details," Ms King recalled on The Claire Byrne Show. "They had my full name, they obviously had my phone number to WhatsApp me, they had the dates I was going for - they were all correct - and the number of rooms I had booked. "So, they had all my information and to ensure my booking remains confirmed, they needed some more details." There was a link on the WhatsApp message to fill out these extra details and Ms King decided to ignore it, thinking she would do it later. "Then a week later, I got another WhatsApp from a different number - but again, the exact same script," she continued. "The exact same text all looks very, very official and looks very legitimate and it was a business account as well that it came from. "The only thing strange about this one was it was from a US number - so, that was a bit odd. "I don't know why a US number would be texting me about a British booking." A few weeks later Ms King got an email that claimed to be from her accommodation provider, which also looked "perfect". "It had all the right branding of the accommodation," she said. "It was all in perfect colour; there were no spelling mistakes, it was all formatted perfectly, looked like an incredibly legitimate email." After she received a reminder email, Ms King decided to fill out her card details and it was only when she was ready to submit that she began to feel suspicious. She contacted the accommodation provider and they told her the email had nothing to do with them. "It turned out the whole thing was a scam," Ms King said. "And I was this close to falling for it and I can absolutely see how anybody else would have, because mine is partly through luck, partly through laziness." 'Most reliable red flags' Also on the programme, Newstalk's Tech Correspondent Jess Kelly said it can be "incredibly difficult" to work out what is a scam and what is a legitimate email from a company. However, she suggested people should be suspicious of any email or text that suggests a booking will be cancelled unless people hand over their card details. "That to me is one of the most reliable red flags that we can look for, because as Dee said, there weren't spelling issues or anything like that," Ms Kelly explained. "But 'if you don't do this, this consequence will happen' - that type of jeopardy is a red flag that very often scammers will use."

Bank of America revamps its travel portal with improved search and booking tools. July 28, 2026 The cards The Points Guy, LLC feature here are from partners who compensate The Points Guy, LLC when you are approved through its site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. The Points Guy, LLC don't cover all available credit cards, but its analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from its editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view its advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Credit card issuers have increasingly invested in their travel portals over the past several years. Now, Bank of America is giving its Travel Center one of its biggest updates yet. Bank of America, in partnership with Booking.com, has redesigned its Travel Center, with expanded hotel and flight inventory and new features that it says will give travelers more flexibility when booking trips. Credit card issuer travel portals need to offer competitive pricing, broad inventory and useful features to persuade customers to book through them instead of booking directly with the airline or hotel. Get updates on special offers and compare its editors' top credit card picks with its. Here's what Bank of America cardholders can expect from the redesigned portal. The redesigned Bank of America Travel Center. Powered by Booking.com's Rocket Travel by Agoda, Bank of America's redesigned Travel Center offers several enhancements: * Expanded airline and hotel inventory * More comprehensive hotel information, including amenities and reviews * Improved search tools to help travelers narrow their search based on timing, price and amenities * More flexible booking options, including the ability to combine credit card rewards with a payment by card * The ability to mix and match different airlines for outbound and return flights These changes modernize Bank of America's Travel Center and bring it more in line with the kinds of experiences The Points Guy, LLC can expect from portals like Chase Travel(SM) and American Express Travel. These travel portals already offer features such as detailed hotel descriptions and the ability to combine card rewards with cash payments. It's difficult to judge how much of an improvement the redesigned Travel Center will be until The Points Guy, LLC has had a chance to use it ourselves. Better search tools and expanded inventory are positive additions on paper, but the overall booking experience and pricing will ultimately determine how competitive the portal is. Join millions of savvy travelers for early deal alerts, airline updates, booking strategies and more. Plus, new subscribers get an exclusive offer on a premium annual plan with point.me. An intuitive booking process can make travel portals easier to use, while expanded inventory gives travelers more options when comparing flights and hotels. How to access the Bank of America Travel Center. You'll be able to access the issuer's travel by holding an eligible Bank of America credit card. If you're interested in opening a BofA card, here are three solid options to consider: Let The Points Guy, LLC help find the best card for you Get personalized card matches to maximize your earning potential. Let's get started. * Bank of America(R) Premium Rewards(R) Elite Credit Card: This premium travel rewards card offers statement credits for airline incidentals and select everyday purchases, including for streaming and ride-hailing services. * Bank of America(R) Premium Rewards(R) credit card: This card charges a more modest $95 annual fee than the Premium Rewards Elite's. It offers some useful travel perks, including a credit for your TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application. To learn more, check out its full review of the Premium Rewards card. * Bank of America(R) Travel Rewards credit card: If you'd prefer a no-annual-fee option, the Travel Rewards card provides access to the Travel Center. You'll earn 3 points per dollar spent on bookings made through the portal. To learn more, check out its full review of the Travel Rewards card. The information for the Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. Bottom line. Bank of America's redesigned Travel Center gives eligible cardholders a more robust way to search, compare and book travel. With expanded inventory, improved search tools and more flexible booking options, the updated platform promises a smoother booking experience than before. The Points Guy, LLC'll reserve final judgment until The Points Guy, LLC has had the opportunity to book through it ourselves, since pricing and the overall booking experience will ultimately determine how useful the redesign is. As with other issuer travel portals, remember that hotel bookings may not qualify for elite status benefits or earnings. Even so, lower prices, bonus rewards or valuable statement credits can sometimes outweigh those missed perks.