Expedia
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About Expedia
Expedia is one of the world's largest online travel companies, founded in 1996 (originally as a Microsoft division) and headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Expedia Group (NASDAQ: EXPE) operates Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Vrbo, Travelocity, Orbitz, Trivago (majority stake), CarRentals.com, and Hotwire. Expedia Group generated $13.7 billion in 2023 revenue and is publicly traded with a $20+ billion market cap. Expedia.com, the flagship brand, focuses on the US market — it is the largest US OTA by direct bookings. Expedia offers package deals (flights + hotels + car rentals at discounted bundle prices) and the Expedia Rewards/One Key loyalty program (3% back on all Expedia Group bookings, redeemable across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo). Expedia is particularly strong for US domestic travel, package deals, and travelers who want to consolidate hotel + flight bookings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Expedia package deals worth it?
Yes, often. Expedia's flight + hotel package deals frequently save 15-25% vs booking each component separately because hotels offer 'opaque' rates only visible in bundles. Best for: typical leisure trips with standard hotel chains and major airlines. Worse for: trips with niche airlines or unique accommodations (Airbnb-style), where unbundled booking is more flexible. Always compare the bundled price to the unbundled equivalent — sometimes the savings are small (under 5%), but for major chain hotels and standard flights, savings are often substantial.
Expedia vs Booking.com: which has better prices?
Neither is consistently cheaper — both source rooms from the same hotel partners but receive different commission deals on specific dates and properties. Studies show that for any given booking, prices differ by 5-15% between major OTAs. Always compare both (and Hotels.com, which is owned by Expedia). Expedia tends to win on US package deals; Booking.com tends to win on European hotels and last-minute bookings. Both honor price match guarantees if you find lower elsewhere.