Orbitz's loyalty program is one of the easiest to understand because its "Orbucks" count dollar-for-dollar when you redeem them.

Accruing points: Members can earn points by signing up and booking through the site or by using the Orbitz Reward Visa card.

You earn three Orbucks for every $100 spent booking hotels and one per every dollar spent on airfare and vacation packages.

Book using Orbitz's mobile app and you earn five Orbucks per $100 spent on hotels and two Orbucks on flights. Use both the app and card together and you'll earn a total of 10 Orbucks on hotels and seven on flights.

Elite status is not hard to achieve: Book four hotel nights a year for "Star" and 12 nights for "Superstar" status.

Redeeming points: Orbucks can be used dollar-for-dollar to reduce the amount you pay on hotels booked through Orbitz's site. Other discounts and loyalty programs can still be applied at booking.

Expiration: The points expire after 12 months.

What makes it a deal: If you take advantage of all the available discounts and book using the site's mobile app and Visa card, you can get discounts of up to 10%. "Orbitz can be a pretty compelling value," said Kelly.

In addition, Orbucks can also be used immediately -- on the same purchase you're earning the rewards for, according to LoyaltyOne's Thompson.

The drawback: The Orbucks can only be used to reduce hotel room costs. You can't use them for travel packages or airfare.

The credit card doesn't carry an annual fee but it charges an APR of 16% to 25%, depending on your credit score.