Orbitz will cover your TSA PreCheck enrollment. Is it worth it?

The Orbitz Rewards program is becoming a bit more rewarding, at least for Platinum members. The discount travel-booking company has announced that its customers eligible for Platinum Member perks - those who book at least 12 hotel nights a year on Orbitz - will now have their TSA PreCheck enrollment fee reimbursed.

The credit, worth $85, joins other top tier benefits like baggage fee reimbursement, free Wi-Fi and breakfast during your stay, and a guarantee that Orbitz will pay the difference (up to $100) if you manage to find a better rate for the same hotel elsewhere.

But is the perk worth its weight in reservations? If you're already a frequent Orbitz user, then sure. Knock yourself out. But for those of you looking for an easy entry into the rapidly expanding PreCheck program after sitting on the fence this past year, its hard to imagine waiting out nearly two weeks of nights in hotels just for an $85 credit. Plus, if you stay within the same network of hotels, booking direct with the hotel instead of orbitz can add up to well more than $85 worth of rewards after a dozen nights.

That said, experts suggest that the best way to get the bucks out of this booking offer is by making strictly boutique hotel reservations that wouldn't normally provide bonus points or perks of their own.

"If you want to earn elite status with a hotel chain, it’s better to book your stay directly through the hotel instead of through a 3rd-party website like Orbitz. But if you like to stay at non-chain or boutique hotels and Orbitz has the best price, this could be a great deal!"

Bottom line, Orbitz is dangling an $85 carrot right in front of you, so go on and grab it if you're already using the site regularly. But just as not all hotel reservations are created equally, not all customers may find the extensive number of booked night requirements to qualify for the reimbursement to be especially worthwhile.