Last updated on September 6th, 2023
Walmart+ has added a new benefit for its members. The membership plan now includes an opportunity for its patrons to earn cash-back travel rewards. The exciting new feature shows promise, particularly for anyone missing out on a travel credit card. Here’s what you need to know about the new Walmart+ benefit.
Walmart+ Unveils Its New Cash Back Travel Perk
Walmart+ is a membership plan with a variety of benefits, including delivery services with free shipping, gas savings, and more. Recently, the retail brand added a new perk for its members and it is borderline comparable to that of a travel credit card. Members can now earn up to 5% Walmart Cash with Walmart+ Travel, powered by Expedia, for competitive prices. The 5% category applies to hotel bookings, vacation & car rentals, tours, activities, and more. Members can also earn 2% Walmart Cash on air travel.
The introduction of the new travel program reflects Walmart’s efforts to catch up to the most favored subscription service available, Amazon Prime. By adding a travel perk to the mix, Walmart+ hopes to expand the appeal of its membership plan to new and existing members. According to Investor.com, Morgan Stanley estimated Walmart+ has 21.5 million members, and Amazon has about 167 million members since March 2023. While these numbers may not come close to each other, Walmart’s initiatives to spice up the Walmart+ benefits can make a huge impact on anyone who may not have a travel credit card or someone who frequently uses travel portals/agencies to book their trips.
How Walmart+ Travel Compares to Credit Cards
Both travel credit cards and Walmart+ have reward-earning potential for booking travel. For example, with the Chase Freedom Unlimited, cardholders earn 5% cash back on travel purchases through the Chase Unlimited Rewards platform. Now, even if you don’t have a travel credit card, you can still earn up to 5% back with Walmart+ – so it compares fairly evenly with the Chase Freedom Unlimited.
However, if you have a card like The Platinum Card® from American Express, you can earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for travel and also get access to a complimentary Walmart+ subscription. In this case, Walmart+ Travel cancels itself out because Amex Platinum cardholders already get rewards for travel purchases. On the other hand, if you don’t have a travel credit card or can’t qualify for one due to your credit score, with Walmart+, you can still earn rewards for your travel purchases.
Are Walmart+ Travel Rewards Worth It?
The new Walmart+ Travel benefit rewards its members in Walmart Cash (previously known as Walmart Rewards.) In the past, Walmart Cash was only redeemable for online or in-store purchases and had no cash or monetary value. However, now with the new perk, Walmart+ members can enjoy the same options and redeem Walmart Cash for U.S. currency. Shoppers must have at least $25 in Walmart Cash to use the cash redemption option, which is limited to $100 per day.
Walmart+ members can save money with the membership’s additional exclusive benefits, including the following:
- Free delivery from Walmart stores, including groceries and more
- Free shipping with no order minimum for online purchases
- Gas savings at 10¢ per gallon
- Early access to product releases, special prices, and holiday sales
- Access to the Paramount+ streaming service
- Mobile scan & go
In addition to its benefits, Walmart+ recently started offering special subscription pricing for customers on government assistance and for students. The original subscription price is $98 a year or $12.95 monthly. However, if patrons receive government assistance, they can sign up for a Walmart+ Assist subscription for a 50% off membership (the same applies to student memberships) – that totals to $6.47 a month or $49 per year.
Related Article: How to Decide Between General and Co-Branded Travel Rewards Credit Cards
