Launch of new Walmart+ Travel powered by Expedia

For anyone looking for a savings opportunity while traveling, the nation’s largest retailer has just launched a new booking platform for its members that can help with just that.

Walmart+ Travel (powered by Expedia) is now live, allowing members to book flights, rental cars, hotels, vacation rentals, activities and more. But the best part? You can get up to 5% Walmart Cash on these purchases.

This new benefit adds to an already lucrative lineup of benefits for Walmart+ members.

Here’s everything you need to know about this new offering.

Overview of Walmart+ Travel

As noted previously, Walmart+ Travel is powered by Expedia, and it’s available through your Walmart+ account and at WalmartPlusTravel.com. It’s a great way to get extra benefits on virtually all aspects of a trip. When you book directly with Walmart+ Travel, you’ll receive Walmart Cash on your travel purchases at the following rate:

• 5% Walmart Cash on hotel bookings, vacation rentals, rental cars and activities.
• 2% Walmart Cash on air travel.

If you book a vacation package that includes two (or more) of these items, you’ll earn Walmart Cash at a blended rate (e.g., 2% on the air travel part of the purchase and 5% on the other parts).

Your Walmart Cash will appear as “pending” in your Walmart+ account before becoming available within 30 days of the completion of your trip. You have the option of using it for future Walmart purchases or receiving it as cash back in your pocket.

Walmart+ Travel is available now for existing Walmart+ members as well as new ones. You’ll even have access to it if you sign up for a free 30-day trial of the program — allowing you to test it (and the many other benefits of Walmart+) before committing to a full membership.

How to use Walmart+ Travel

To access Walmart+ Travel, simply visit walmartplus.com and sign in to your account. You’ll find the Walmart+ Travel tile in your member hub. Simply click “Book a Trip,” which will take you to the Walmart+ Travel site, which is powered by Expedia.

From there, search for your desired travel arrangements — including flights, rental cars, hotels, vacation rentals and packages. You’ll clearly see the amount of Walmart Cash you’d get for each type of booking.

Select the reservation(s) you want, then follow the on-screen instructions to finalize the booking.

Once you receive the confirmation, you’ll see your Walmart Cash listed as “pending” in your Walmart+ account within 48 hours.

Thirty days after the completion of your booking, your Walmart Cash will change to “redeemable” and can be applied to future Walmart purchases — or received directly as cash back.

Remember that airline tickets purchased through a third-party platform like Walmart+ Travel are typically treated like normal revenue tickets and thus are eligible to earn points or miles. You should also enjoy any elite status perks you have with the given airline — though this often isn’t the case with major hotel and rental car programs.

Using Walmart+ Travel with other member benefits

Of course, Walmart+ Travel is just the newest benefit for members, and it adds even more value for those taking to the skies (or hitting the roads) this summer.

For example, Walmart+ members enjoy free shipping with no order minimum (excluding most Marketplace items and certain location and freight charges). This allows you to stock up on travel essentials ahead of a trip you book with Walmart+ Travel — and you can even use any available Walmart Cash for these purchases.

For example, for those without a Walmart+ membership, these packing cubes would require a trip to your local Walmart for in-store pickup or cost $6.99 to ship.

However, Walmart+ members could have these shipped directly to their home address — and most items will arrive within one to two days.

If a road trip is in your future, you can also leverage Walmart+ fuel savings at more than 14,000 stations nationwide. This can give you 10 cents off every gallon of gas at participating locations (5 cents in Alabama and Oklahoma; subject to change).

Finally, when you arrive at your destination and settle into your hotel or vacation rental, you can launch your included Paramount+ streaming subscription (Essential plan only; separate registration required).

How to join Walmart+

If you’re not currently a Walmart+ member, you can become a member by visiting the Walmart+ website and clicking the link at the top to start your free 30-day trial.

Remember that holders of The Platinum Card® from American Express can receive a statement credit each month when they charge the monthly cost of a Walmart+ membership ($12.95 plus applicable taxes) to their card (enrollment required; Plus Ups not eligible).

As soon as your account is activated, you’ll be able to start receiving Walmart Cash for bookings through Walmart+ Travel — and access the various other benefits of membership.

Related: How to get Walmart+ with the Amex Platinum

Bottom line

Walmart+ Travel (powered by Expedia) is the newest benefit for Walmart+ members, offering up to 5% Walmart Cash on eligible bookings made through the platform. This enhancement allows Walmart+ members to save money on virtually every aspect of their travels, with Walmart Cash that can cover future Walmart purchases or be redeemed directly for cash back.

If you’re not a member, join today — and then begin receiving Walmart Cash on your next trip.