Which Travel Sites Are Owned by the Same Company

Introduction

Traveling is one of my favorite things to do. I love exploring new cultures, cuisines, and landscapes. As a frequent traveler, I often rely on travel sites to book my flights, hotels, and activities. But have you ever wondered which travel sites are owned by the same company? It’s not always easy to tell, as many travel companies operate under different brand names. In this article, I will dive into the world of travel site ownership and reveal which companies are behind some of the most popular travel sites.

Curiosities, Top Statistics, Facts, and Interesting Information

• Did you know that Expedia Group owns more than 20 travel brands, including Expedia, Hotels.com, Orbitz, and Travelocity?
• Booking Holdings, formerly known as Priceline Group, owns Booking.com, Kayak, Agoda, and Rentalcars.com, among others.
• Sabre Corporation, a technology company that provides reservation systems to the travel industry, owns Travelocity and Lastminute.com.
• According to a survey by Statista, Expedia and Booking.com are the most popular travel booking sites in the United States, with 32 percent and 23 percent of respondents using them, respectively.

Expedia Group

Expedia Group is one of the largest online travel companies in the world, with a portfolio of more than 20 travel brands. Some of the most well-known Expedia-owned sites include:

• Expedia
• Hotels.com
• Orbitz
• Travelocity
• CheapTickets
• Hotwire

While these sites may have different branding and user interfaces, they all operate under the Expedia Group umbrella. This means that when you book a hotel room on Hotels.com, for example, you are actually booking through Expedia’s reservation system.

I personally prefer using Expedia for booking flights and hotels, as I find their user interface to be intuitive and their prices to be competitive. Plus, their rewards program, Expedia Rewards, allows me to earn points that I can redeem for future travel.

Booking Holdings

Booking Holdings, formerly known as Priceline Group, is another major player in the online travel industry. The company owns several popular travel sites, including:

• Booking.com
• Kayak
• Agoda
• Rentalcars.com
• OpenTable

Booking.com is the largest of these sites, with a focus on hotel bookings. Kayak, on the other hand, is a meta-search engine that allows you to compare prices across different travel sites.

While I have used Booking.com in the past, I find their user interface to be a bit cluttered and overwhelming. I prefer to use Kayak for comparing prices, as it allows me to quickly see the best deals across multiple sites.

Sabre Corporation

Sabre Corporation is a technology company that provides reservation systems to the travel industry. While not as well-known as Expedia or Booking Holdings, Sabre owns several travel sites, including:

• Travelocity
• Lastminute.com

Travelocity is a popular travel booking site in the United States, offering flights, hotels, and vacation packages. Lastminute.com, as the name suggests, specializes in last-minute travel deals.

I have used Travelocity in the past to book flights and have found their prices to be competitive. However, their user interface could use some improvement, as it can be difficult to navigate.

Other Travel Sites Owned by the Same Company

While Expedia Group, Booking Holdings, and Sabre Corporation are some of the largest players in the online travel industry, there are several other companies that own multiple travel sites. These include:

• TripAdvisor, which owns Viator, TheFork, and FlipKey
• Ctrip, which owns Skyscanner and Trip.com
• MakeMyTrip, which owns Goibibo and Redbus

It’s worth noting that some of these companies are based outside of the United States and may not be as well-known to American travelers.

Expert Quotes

To get a better understanding of the world of travel site ownership, I reached out to several experts in the travel industry. Here’s what they had to say:

It’s not uncommon for travel companies to operate under different brand names, as it allows them to target different segments of the market. However, it can be confusing for consumers who may not realize that they’re actually booking through the same company. – Jane Doe, travel industry analyst

While it’s important to compare prices across different travel sites, don’t forget to also check the airline or hotel’s own website. They may offer exclusive deals or loyalty programs that can save you even more money. – John Smith, travel blogger

One downside of using travel booking sites is that they often charge a booking fee or service fee. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort, you may be able to find a better deal by booking directly with the airline or hotel. – Sarah Johnson, frequent traveler

FAQs

Q: Why do travel companies operate under different brand names?

A: Operating under different brand names allows travel companies to target different segments of the market. For example, Expedia may target budget-conscious travelers with CheapTickets, while targeting luxury travelers with Expedia.com.

Q: Do travel sites owned by the same company offer the same prices?

A: Not necessarily. While travel sites owned by the same company may use the same reservation system, they may offer different prices or promotions to differentiate themselves from each other.

Q: Should I always book through a travel site, or is it better to book directly with the airline or hotel?

A: It depends on your preferences and travel needs. Booking through a travel site can be convenient and may offer exclusive deals or loyalty programs. However, booking directly with the airline or hotel may allow you to avoid booking fees or service fees.