Rakuten Travel Targets US Hotels with Cashback Shortcut to Travelers

Rakuten Travel is preparing to enter the US, using Rakuten’s existing American cashback audience as a possible starting point.

James Park, CEO of Rakuten Travel Xchange and director of Rakuten Travel Singapore, told Skift that the US is one of the markets the company wants to enter. Rakuten is especially interested in the West Coast and Hawaii, where travel links with Asia are strong.

In the US, many shoppers already know Rakuten.com as a cashback platform. Rakuten bought Ebates in 2014 for $1 billion, which gave the Japanese company a direct consumer brand in the American market. Now, Rakuten Travel wants to turn some of those shoppers into hotel customers.

The plan is bigger than hotel booking

Rakuten Travel is part of Rakuten Group, one of Japan’s largest digital companies. The group operates across online shopping, financial services, mobile, media, communications, and travel.

This makes hotel booking a possible entry point for other Rakuten services. A traveler may first use Rakuten to book a hotel, then continue using the same account for rewards, shopping, or other digital products. Rakuten has said this ecosystem is a key advantage for its global travel plans, with one Rakuten ID connecting users across services.

Cashback may work better than points in the US

Rakuten’s loyalty model is very strong in Japan. Customers earn Rakuten Points across many services and can use them for shopping, travel, payments, and other purchases. This keeps users active even when they are not booking trips.

The US may need a different approach. Park told Skift that American consumers often prefer cashback instead of collecting points for later use.

Rakuten has already expanded global hotel supply

Rakuten Travel has been building the inventory it needs for a wider international push. In October 2025, the company expanded its worldwide hotel booking platform to more than 400,000 hotels, resorts, and unique stays. It also promoted clear pricing, with taxes and fees shown upfront.

AI search is part of the next phase

Rakuten Travel is also testing AI-powered hotel discovery. In September 2025, it launched Rakuten Travel AI Hotel Search in Japan. The tool lets users describe what they want in natural language and then recommends hotels using reviews, booking trends, accommodation data, and travel preferences.

The company is still adjusting the tool for wider use. Travelers in Japan may know exactly which station, district, or town they want. International visitors often need broader guidance before they can choose a hotel.

Recently, Google added hotel price alerts, giving travelers a way to track price drops for specific properties before booking. Hotel discovery is becoming more personalized and more connected to user intent. For Rakuten Travel, this is the same competitive direction.

Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash