Should You Buy Unused Hotel Gift Cards Online?

We’re all (mostly) looking for a good deal when it comes to booking upcoming trips. However, if you’ve come across a “hack” telling you to buy unused hotel gift cards online, you may be wondering if it’s legitimate or not. Sure, you could supposedly buy those gift cards for a lower dollar amount than what the cards supposedly offer at your preferred hotel brand, but can you really trust unused or partially used gift card sellers online?

It all depends where you buy. There are websites out there claiming to sell gift cards … though they really sell nothing. Others sell gift cards with incorrect pricing.

That being said, there are a few online vendors offering legitimate, unused gift cards at a discount. One of those is CardCash, which comes with a few key features that make it safer than just, say, buying an unused gift card on Facebook Marketplace. There’s a 45-day, money-back guarantee on all gift cards if you make a purchase and something goes wrong.

The website will also tell you how much money you’re saving by purchasing a gift card to use, versus spending straight cash with your preferred brand. The vendor also offers travel gift cards to top brands, ranging from American Airlines to Marriott, Airbnb to Celebrity Cruises. Discounts range from as little as 2 percent to a whopping 30 percent. As an example, you can currently purchase a $100 Fairmont Hotels & Resorts gift card for $86.

So, if you’re looking for an extra discount when booking travel this year, CardCash is worth consideration. Just note purchases do come with a few caveats. For example, it can take up to 24 hours to receive your gift card after purchase, as an email attachment, so expect a bit of a waiting period. Additionally, you’ll want to use that gift card within 45 days, just in case you need to take advantage of that money-back guarantee.