--- source_url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedia?utm_source=openai" title: Expedia - Wikipedia mirrored_at: 2026-08-06T01:03:28.773Z host: en.wikipedia.org cited_in_42a: true mirror_canonical: "https://index.42a.ai/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedia__q__utm_source_openai" --- > **Original source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedia?utm_source=openai From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article is about the Expedia.com travel website and mobile app. For the parent company, see [Expedia Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedia_Group "Expedia Group"). Expedia Inc. Type of business [Subsidiary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subsidiary "Subsidiary") Type of site - [Travel agency](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel_agency "Travel agency") - [Metasearch engine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metasearch_engine "Metasearch engine") Owner [Expedia Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedia_Group "Expedia Group") General manager Tracey Weber[\[1\]](#cite_note-1) URL [expedia.com](https://www.expedia.com/) Commercial Yes Registration Yes Launched October 22, 1996; 29 years ago Current status Active **Expedia Inc.** is an American online travel agency owned by [Expedia Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedia_Group "Expedia Group"), which is headquartered in [Seattle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle "Seattle"), [Washington](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_\(state\) "Washington (state)"). When [Microsoft Corporation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft "Microsoft") launched Expedia on the [Microsoft Network](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSN "MSN") in October 1996, it was the first online travel service to be offered by a major technology company, allowing consumers to make air, car, and hotel reservations online and to browse a library of multimedia travel guides.[\[2\]](#cite_note-2) Expedia was founded on October 22, 1996, inside [Microsoft](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft "Microsoft") in [Redmond](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redmond,_Washington "Redmond, Washington"), [Washington](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_\(state\) "Washington (state)"), led by Richard (Rich) Barton and a small team who saw an opportunity to bring transparent airfare, hotel, and car booking directly to consumers without travel agents.[\[3\]](#cite_note-3) Through its website and mobile app, customers can book airline tickets, hotel reservations, car rentals, cruise ships, activities, and vacation rentals. Once operating solely as Expedia.com, the group gradually acquired a wide range of travel brands, including [Vrbo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vrbo "Vrbo"), [Hotels.com](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotels.com "Hotels.com"), and [Trivago](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trivago "Trivago"), becoming the second-largest online travel agency worldwide, just behind Booking Holdings.[\[4\]](#cite_note-4) Expedia is the lead travel app in the US market, with 19.3% market share, and operates over 200 travel websites.[\[5\]](#cite_note-5) [Microsoft](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft "Microsoft") launched the first public beta of the Expedia booking engine in October 1996, positioning it as a consumer complement to its MSN portal.[\[6\]](#cite_note-lat96-6) After early traffic growth, Microsoft announced plans to float the unit; the initial public offering on 10 November 1999 was priced at US$14 and the shares closed the first day at US$37, valuing the business at more than US$2 billion.[\[7\]](#cite_note-twn1999-7)[\[8\]](#cite_note-forbes1999-8) In July 2001, [Barry Diller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Diller "Barry Diller")’s [USA Network](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Network "USA Network") (later IAC/InterActiveCorp) agreed to purchase a 75 % stake in Expedia for about US$1.5 billion, marking one of the first large-scale Internet travel acquisitions.[\[9\]](#cite_note-lat2001-9) IAC took full control in 2003 and subsequently consolidated its various travel holdings. Shareholder pressure to unlock value led IAC to spin off its travel division as a standalone, Nasdaq-listed company, Expedia Inc., on 9 August 2005.[\[10\]](#cite_note-twn2005-10) During the late 2000s Expedia broadened its portfolio with brands such as [Hotels.com](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotels.com "Hotels.com"), [Hotwire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotwire.com "Hotwire.com"), [Vrbo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vrbo "Vrbo") and regional OTAs. In April 2011 the company announced plans to separate its user-generated-content unit [TripAdvisor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripadvisor "Tripadvisor"); analysts welcomed the move and Expedia shares rose 11 %.[\[11\]](#cite_note-reuters2011-11) In February 2020, chairman Barry Diller ordered a cost-cutting programme that eliminated about 3,000 jobs (≈12 % of staff) after characterising the organisation as “bloated and sclerotic.”[\[12\]](#cite_note-geek2020-12) Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo share a [loyalty program](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyalty_program "Loyalty program") called One Key, which launched in July 2023.[\[13\]](#cite_note-13)[\[14\]](#cite_note-14) In 2025, Expedia was the first online travel agency to partner with [Southwest Airlines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Airlines "Southwest Airlines") to start selling tickets on behalf of the airline.[\[15\]](#cite_note-15)[\[16\]](#cite_note-16)[\[17\]](#cite_note-17) ## Criticism and legal issues \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Expedia&action=edit§ion=2 "Edit section: Criticism and legal issues")\] ### Delays in refunds of flights cancelled due to COVID-19 \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Expedia&action=edit§ion=3 "Edit section: Delays in refunds of flights cancelled due to COVID-19")\] In 2020, during the [COVID-19 pandemic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic "COVID-19 pandemic"), customers complained regarding the process to get refunds for cancelled flights. Customers complained of excessively long call times and being unable to get through to a representative.[\[18\]](#cite_note-18) This led to many lawsuits.[\[19\]](#cite_note-19)[\[20\]](#cite_note-20) ### False advertising and trademark violation \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Expedia&action=edit§ion=4 "Edit section: False advertising and trademark violation")\] In August 2016, Buckeye Tree Lodge and Sequoia Village Inn, LLC filed a class-action lawsuit in [California](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California "California") accusing the company and its partners of violating trademark rights of numerous independent hotel and motel establishments by running advertising implying that consumers could book reservations for those hotels on Expedia even though Expedia had no relationship with those hotels, in violation of the [Lanham Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanham_Act "Lanham Act"), and also falsely noting that hotels with which the company had no relationship were "sold out".[\[21\]](#cite_note-21) In April 2021, the lawsuit was settled and the company promised not to engage in false advertising.[\[22\]](#cite_note-22) ### Listings in Israeli settlements \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Expedia&action=edit§ion=5 "Edit section: Listings in Israeli settlements")\] Expedia, along with other travel companies, such as [Booking.com](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booking.com "Booking.com") and [TripAdvisor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripadvisor "Tripadvisor"), has been criticized by activists and NGOs, such as [Amnesty International](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amnesty_International "Amnesty International"), for offering holiday apartments in illegal Israeli settlements under [international law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_law "International law") in the [occupied](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupied_Palestine_territory "Occupied Palestine territory") West Bank.[\[23\]](#cite_note-23) In February 2026, a coalition of Spanish civil society organisations filed a criminal complaint in the courts of Madrid against [eDreams ODIGEO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EDreams_ODIGEO "EDreams ODIGEO"), [Booking.com](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booking.com "Booking.com"), and an Expedia subsidiary. The complaint alleged [money laundering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money_laundering "Money laundering") from proceeds linked to [war crimes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_crimes "War crimes") in occupied Palestinian and Syrian territories, invoking Articles 301 and 611 of the Spanish Penal Code and Spain's Royal Decree-Law 10/2025, adopted in September 2025, which prohibits the advertising of services in occupied territories.[\[24\]](#cite_note-24) - [Holiday cottage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday_cottage "Holiday cottage") - [Vacation rental](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacation_rental "Vacation rental") 1. [↑](#cite_ref-1) Biesiada, Jamie (August 4, 2025). ["Expedia says AI is improving the customer experience and generating revenue"](https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Technology/Expedia-says-AI-generating-revenue). _Travel Weekly_. 2. [↑](#cite_ref-2) ["History of Expedia, Inc"](https://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/expedia-inc-history/). _FundingUniverse_. Retrieved February 25, 2026. 3. [↑](#cite_ref-3) ["What is Brief History of Expedia Group Company?"](https://portersfiveforce.com/blogs/brief-history/expedia). _Porter's Five Forces_. December 10, 2025. Retrieved February 25, 2026. 4. [↑](#cite_ref-4) ["Topic: Expedia Group, Inc"](https://www.statista.com/topics/3363/expedia-inc/). _Statista_. Retrieved February 25, 2026. 5. [↑](#cite_ref-5) ["Expedia Revenue and Usage Statistics (2026)"](https://www.businessofapps.com/data/expedia-statistics/). _Business of Apps_. Retrieved February 25, 2026. 6. [↑](#cite_ref-lat96_6-0) ["Connecting to a New Frontier"](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-09-06-mn-41051-story.html). _Los Angeles Times_. September 6, 1996. Retrieved August 7, 2025. 7. [↑](#cite_ref-twn1999_7-0) ["Expedia joins IPO bandwagon"](https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Technology/Expedia-joins-IPO-bandwagon). _Travel Weekly_. September 28, 1999. Retrieved August 7, 2025. 8. [↑](#cite_ref-forbes1999_8-0) ["Travelocity Bumps Expedia"](https://www.forbes.com/1999/10/04/mu9.html). _Forbes_. October 4, 1999. Retrieved August 7, 2025. 9. [↑](#cite_ref-lat2001_9-0) ["Diller's USA to Buy 75% of Expedia"](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jul-17-fi-23034-story.html). _Los Angeles Times_. July 17, 2001. Retrieved August 7, 2025. 10. [↑](#cite_ref-twn2005_10-0) ["IAC completes spinoff of Expedia travel group"](https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Online-Travel/IAC-completes-spinoff-of-Expedia-travel-group). _Travel Weekly_. August 10, 2005. Retrieved August 7, 2025. 11. [↑](#cite_ref-reuters2011_11-0) Karen Jacobs (April 8, 2011). ["Expedia shares gain on TripAdvisor spin-off plan"](https://www.reuters.com/technology/expedia-shares-gain-on-tripadvisor-spin-off-plan-2011-04-08/). Reuters. Retrieved August 7, 2025. 12. [↑](#cite_ref-geek2020_12-0) Taylor Soper (February 24, 2020). ["Expedia cuts 3,000 jobs, including 500 at new Seattle HQ"](https://www.geekwire.com/2020/expedia-cuts-3000-jobs-including-500-new-seattle-hq-read-internal-email-employees/). _GeekWire_. Retrieved August 7, 2025. 13. [↑](#cite_ref-13) Vaughn, Harlan (October 20, 2025). ["Best Hotel Booking Sites To Find The Cheapest Rates"](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/credit-cards/travel-rewards/best-hotel-booking-sites/). _[Forbes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes "Forbes")_. Retrieved December 20, 2025. 14. [↑](#cite_ref-14) Chang, Rachel (July 18, 2023). ["You Can Win $60K to Spend on Travel Thanks to Expedia's New Rewards Program — Here's How"](https://www.travelandleisure.com/expedia-group-one-key-rewards-travel-contest-7561560). _[Travel + Leisure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel_+_Leisure "Travel + Leisure")_. Retrieved December 20, 2025. 15. [↑](#cite_ref-15) Cappetta, Michael (February 26, 2025). ["Southwest Airlines Announces Big Partnership With Expedia—What to Know"](https://www.travelandleisure.com/book-southwest-flights-on-expedia-11686733). _[Travel + Leisure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel_+_Leisure "Travel + Leisure")_. 16. [↑](#cite_ref-16) Silk, Robert (February 26, 2025). ["Southwest puts flights on Expedia"](https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/Southwest-puts-inventory-on-Expedia). _Travel Weekly_. 17. [↑](#cite_ref-17) Witcher, Zach (February 26, 2025). ["You can now book Southwest Airlines flights on Expedia platforms"](https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2025/02/26/southwest-airlines-expedia-tickets/80472881007/). _[USA Today](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Today "USA Today")_. 18. [↑](#cite_ref-18) Ulrich, Todd (February 5, 2021). ["Consumers grow frustrated with Expedia over COVID-19 refunds"](https://www.wftv.com/news/action9/consumers-grow-frustrated-with-expedia-over-covid-19-refunds/LRJUN2R3EFGFPDUVAPF3XTNBLU/). _[WFTV](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WFTV "WFTV")_. 19. [↑](#cite_ref-19) ["Traveler sues Expedia for refusing refunds on canceled flights during COVID-19 pandemic"](https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2020/09/09/expedia-sued-refusing-refunds-pandemic/5763768002/). _USA Today_. September 9, 2020. 20. [↑](#cite_ref-20) RENDA, MATTHEW (August 19, 2016). ["Hotels Accuse Expedia, Orbitz of Brazen Deceit"](https://www.courthousenews.com/hotels-accuse-expedia-orbitz-of-brazen-deceit/). _[Courthouse News Service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courthouse_News_Service "Courthouse News Service")_. 21. [↑](#cite_ref-21) ["Buckeye Tree Lodge and Sequoia Village Inn, LLC v. Expedia, Inc. _et al_"](https://dockets.justia.com/docket/california/candce/3:2016cv04721/302190). _[Justia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justia "Justia")_. August 17, 2016. 22. [↑](#cite_ref-22) IOVINO, NICHOLAS (April 9, 2021). ["Expedia Settles False Advertising Class Action With Hotels"](https://www.courthousenews.com/expedia-settles-false-advertising-class-action-with-hotels/). _[Courthouse News Service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courthouse_News_Service "Courthouse News Service")_. 23. [↑](#cite_ref-23) ["Opinion: TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Expedia – please stop offering holidays in illegal Israeli settlements"](https://web.archive.org/web/20260329142105/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/israel-palestine-illegal-settlements-west-bank-air-bnb-trip-advisor-booking-expedia-a8754001.html). _The Independent_. Archived from [the original](https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/israel-palestine-illegal-settlements-west-bank-air-bnb-trip-advisor-booking-expedia-a8754001.html) on March 29, 2026. Retrieved March 29, 2026. 24. [↑](#cite_ref-24) ["Spanish civil society takes eDreams to court over profits from illegal Israeli settlements"](https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20260218-spanish-civil-society-takes-edreams-to-court-over-profits-from-illegal-israeli-settlements/). _Middle East Monitor_. February 18, 2026. Retrieved June 5, 2026. - Alexander, Todd (2012). [_Everyday Internet at Any Age_](https://books.google.com/books?id=OZnIQSXzODYC&pg=PT104). Hachette UK. Chapter 8. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-0-7336-2971-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7336-2971-6 "Special:BookSources/978-0-7336-2971-6"). Retrieved May 14, 2014. - Barr, Alistair (January 21, 2014). ["Expedia hit by big drop in Google search traffic"](https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/01/21/expedia-google-search-traffic/4719917/). _[USA Today](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Today "USA Today")_. Retrieved May 14, 2014. - Tims, Anna (March 29, 2014). ["Expedia needs to speed up £2,500 refund for flights"](https://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/mar/30/expedia-refund-flights-website-fault). _[The Guardian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Guardian "The Guardian")_. London. Retrieved May 14, 2014. - [Official website](https://www.expedia.com/)