Hotel Key Cards Compatible With Onity
Onity DirectKey, Advance, HT & Trillium electronic locks.
The direct answer
Yes — American Hotel Cards supplies RFID key cards compatible with Onity DirectKey and Advance locks. They use MIFARE chips on the 13.56 MHz ISO/IEC 14443-A standard, in CR80 format, custom-printed and shipped blank for your front desk to encode — or pre-programmed to your profile. Older Onity HT-series doors were magnetic-stripe, and we supply magstripe and combo cards for those.
Overview
How Onity reads a key card
Onity (now part of Carrier) is the third of the three lock brands that dominate U.S. hotel doors. Its current RFID platforms — Onity DirectKey and Onity Advance — read contactless 13.56 MHz credentials in the MIFARE family, and DirectKey adds Bluetooth mobile-key support alongside the physical card. Cards we supply for these locks are standard CR80 RFID cards with the chip matched to your reader configuration.
The long-running Onity HT-series (HT24, HT28 and similar) were magnetic-stripe locks and remain in service at many properties. If your doors take a swipe, you are on an HT-series Onity, and we supply HiCo magnetic-stripe cards — or combo cards with both a magstripe and an RFID inlay for properties moving from HT to DirectKey/Advance in phases.
On the RFID platforms, your own Onity system and front-desk encoder write the credential — room, dates and access rights — at check-in. We supply the blank or printed card; you program it. That keeps the access security entirely on your side, and means we provide compatible card stock rather than ever copying a guest’s active card.
Card specification
The Onity-compatible card, in detail
MIFARE Classic / DESFire (13.56 MHz)
| Chip | MIFARE Classic 1K · MIFARE DESFire (matched to your DirectKey / Advance config) |
|---|---|
| Protocol | ISO/IEC 14443-A |
| Frequency | 13.56 MHz |
| Mobile key | DirectKey supports Bluetooth mobile keys alongside the physical card |
| Legacy option | Magnetic stripe (HiCo) for Onity HT-series doors; RFID + magstripe combo |
| Format | CR80 — 85.6 × 54 mm (0.76 mm / 30 mil) |
| Encoding | Blank for on-site encoding, or pre-encoded to your profile |
| Printing | Full-bleed CMYK, Pantone, metallic foil, spot UV, sequential numbering |
| MOQ | From 500 cards |
| Lead time | Approx. 2–3 weeks after artwork approval |
How encoding works
Onity RFID credentials are written by your own Onity system and front-desk encoder, not by us. We supply the blank or custom-printed card; your property programs the room, dates and access at check-in. On DESFire configurations the credential is encrypted and cannot be cloned, so on-site encoding on your own system is the secure path. We provide compatible stock for your system to encode and never copy a live guest card.
What we make for Onity
We supply cards compatible with Onity DirectKey and Onity Advance (13.56 MHz MIFARE, encoded on your Onity system), plus magnetic-stripe and RFID+magstripe combo cards for legacy Onity HT24/HT28 and Trillium doors. Send us your lock model or a sample card and we will confirm the exact chip before you order.
Ordering tips
- A swipe at the front desk means legacy HT-series magstripe; a tap means DirectKey/Advance RFID — that one observation tells us most of what we need.
- If you are rolling out DirectKey mobile keys, pair them with NFC fallback cards so no guest is ever locked out by a dead phone.
Recommended cards
Cards we recommend for Onity
Every one carries the right credential for your locks — choose the material and finish that fits your property.
RFID Hotel Key Cards
MIFARE® & NFC key cards encoded for any U.S. hotel lock system.
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NFC & Mobile-Key Cards
Tap-to-enter NFC cards that bridge plastic and mobile-key rollouts.
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Custom Printed Key Cards
Full-bleed CMYK, metallic foil, spot UV and Pantone brand matching.
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Eco Wood RFID Hotel Key Cards
FSC®-certified maple, walnut & birch cards with a natural, warm feel.
View productQuestions
Onity compatibility, answered
What key cards work with Onity locks?
Onity RFID locks — DirectKey and Advance — read 13.56 MHz MIFARE cards (Classic or DESFire). American Hotel Cards supplies exactly those in CR80 format, custom-printed and encoded blank or to your profile. Older Onity HT-series doors are magnetic-stripe, and we supply magstripe or combo cards for those instead.
Can you copy or duplicate our existing Onity cards?
No. We supply compatible blank or custom-printed cards that your own Onity system encodes with each guest’s room and dates. On DESFire configurations the credential is encrypted and cannot be cloned anyway — which is the point. We never copy a live guest card; you keep full control of access.
What chip and technology does Onity use?
Current Onity RFID locks (DirectKey, Advance) operate at 13.56 MHz on ISO/IEC 14443-A using MIFARE chips; DirectKey also supports Bluetooth mobile keys. The legacy HT-series used a magnetic stripe. We match the card to whichever your doors read.
Can you print our branding on Onity-compatible cards?
Yes. Onity-compatible cards are fully custom — full-bleed CMYK, Pantone matching, metallic foil, spot UV, signature panels and sequential numbering — all as surface finishes that do not affect how the lock reads the card.
What is the minimum order for Onity-compatible cards?
Minimums start at 500 cards, with most custom orders shipping in roughly 2–3 weeks after artwork approval. Reorders and plain stock are typically faster; tell us your timeline and we will plan around it.
We run Onity DirectKey with mobile keys — do we still need cards?
Almost always, yes. Mobile-key adoption is never 100% — guests skip the app, run out of battery or use unsupported phones — so a physical DirectKey-compatible card (or an NFC card) is the dependable fallback at the door. Many properties keep both.
Ready when you are
Get Onity-compatible cards made for your property
Request a free sample pack to test the chip and the print against your own Onity doors, or send us your lock model and quantity for a tailored quote. We confirm compatibility before anything prints.
Prefer email? sales@americanhotelcards.com · samples@americanhotelcards.com
Onity and Onity (Carrier) are trademarks of their respective owners. American Hotel Cards is an independent supplier and is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by Onity (Carrier) or any lock manufacturer. “Compatible with Onity” describes technical interoperability only — we supply compatible blank or custom-printed card stock that your own system encodes; we do not copy guest cards.