Expedia may be one of the best places to book travel, but booking sites are competitive for a reason; It seems there's always somewhere to find a better deal. If booking travel accommodation through Expedia leads to more jet lag than pleasure, here are 9 other popular Expedia-like sites to try.
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1. Price
Priceline is one of Expedia's competitors known as much for its celebrity spokespeople (most famously Star Trek actor William Shatner) as it is for its uniqueness as an alternative to Expedia. Sometimes referred to as the "eBay of travel booking sites", Priceline allows users to bid on select travel accommodation bookings, which can result in even greater discounts than usual. Additionally, their unique "Name Your Price" program allows you to reserve accommodations based on how much you're willing to pay for them. Be careful though... because accommodation companies don't want to be advertised below retail prices, you won't be able to see some details about your accommodation until you book it if you use the 'Name Your Own Price' option.
be sure to check it outour free course on how to use Pricelineif you want to know more information.
2. Orbit
Orbitz is very similar to Expedia in that it allows you to book travel accommodations such as airline tickets, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and package deals. Like Expedia, Orbitz has a rewards program that gives you "Orbucks" (local currency), which you can use to pay for hotel reservations. Orbitz also has a price guarantee system, so if you find a better price for the same accommodation elsewhere, let Orbitz know and they'll give you Orbucks equal to the price difference, plus a little extra! Orbitz also stands out for its relatively good customer service, despite being part of an industry that is often criticized for its lack of support in this area.
3. Toggle key
FlipKey, affiliated with TripAdvisor, is a website where you can rent properties from owners or book directly with the property owner. By using this booking method, you can usually save a lot of money compared to the traditional hotel booking method. FlipKey has over 30,000 property listings in 1,100 cities around the world - so there's definitely something for every travel need. They even offer 5000 booking deals per day, so you can save some money on your bookings.
FlipKey also takes security very seriously compared to other property booking sites as they go to great lengths to verify the identity of each owner. The FlipKey team takes extra steps to ensure there are no scams, so you don't take any risks when choosing a property and can book with confidence.
4. Hotwire
If you're not a picky traveler and just want to save as much money as possible on your travel accommodation, try Hotwire. This is one of the sites like Expedia that many travel companies turn to when trying to sell their bookings at any price to avoid a total loss. This means that you can get accommodation at extremely low prices, but the catch is that you will not know some details about what you have booked until you have finished, and you will not be able to cancel the reservation. This means that you may need to do a little more research and planning ahead of time than usual if you're going to use Hotwire. Either you just have to be lucky, or - like we said - don't be a nit when it comes to travel.
5. Booking.com
Booking.com is an Expedia competitor that has become very popular recently. Although it focuses only on hotel bookings (not flights, car rentals or cruises), it has a much larger selection, partnering with more than 650,000 properties worldwide. It offers its interface in more than 41 languages, no booking fees for the accommodation you book, easy self-service customer service to change your booking details and free cancellation for most rooms. Plus, if you create a Booking.com account and sign up for their newsletters, you can find even better deals! Booking.com also allows you to book non-hotel rental properties such as apartments, villas, B&Bs and more through its main website as well as its sister site, Villas.com.
6. Hoteis.com
As you might have guessed from the name, Hotels.com is focused on finding hotels for you in cities around the world. If you don't need a big vacation package, but just want an offer for a hotel stay, Hotels.com is for you. Hotels.com also has a rewards program that offers its users additional discounts and promotions, as well as one free hotel night for every ten nights booked on Hotels.com.
7. Trivago
Another Expedia alternative, Trivago, aims to show its users the lowest travel prices, but they do this by collecting offers from all the major booking websites. Trivago compares prices from those sites, even if they're not the lowest, if you find a price close to a site you know and like to use. You can easily filter every minute aspect of your search, so if you don't want to search every website for the best deals, you can use Trivago to compile and sort.
8. TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor is another great alternative to Expedia, although it started out as a review site where you can search for accommodations you want to book and research all about them. Reviews are provided by people who have stayed at the places and include information such as when and how long they stayed, what rooms they stayed in, who they traveled with, what activities they did and more. They rate every aspect of your stay and leave free reviews, so you know exactly what the place is like - before you spend any money.
TripAdvisor has now become a standalone booking site and has partnered with many other travel sites (including the ones featured in this article!) On TripAdvisor you can also check which of the popular booking sites currently have the lowest prices and book directly on TripAdvisor. And if you want to know more, be sure to take our free coursehow to use tripadvisorreading.
Have you booked travel accommodation with one of these Expedia competitors? Did it go smoothly or are you stuck in limbo? Are there any other travel booking sites you've used that you'd recommend to our followers? Give us the details by leaving a comment below or by posting a message on our Facebook or Twitter pages!
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FAQs
9 Best Sites Like Expedia to Get Deals on Travel Bookings? ›
Expedia also recommends booking domestic flights at least a month in advance — or six months for international flights — for 10% savings on average. The domestic flight “sweet spot,” in particular, is between 28 and 35 days before your departure, according to the report.
When should I book on Expedia to get the best deals? ›Expedia also recommends booking domestic flights at least a month in advance — or six months for international flights — for 10% savings on average. The domestic flight “sweet spot,” in particular, is between 28 and 35 days before your departure, according to the report.
What are the sister companies of Expedia? ›Expedia Group, Inc., headquartered in Seattle, owns and operates travel fare aggregators and travel metasearch engines, including Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Vrbo, Travelocity, Hotwire.com, Orbitz, Ebookers, CheapTickets, CarRentals.com, Expedia Cruises, Wotif, and Trivago.
What days are cheaper on Expedia? ›According to Expedia, upgrading to a higher travel class can save you even more. For domestic and international flights in a premium class, travelers can save 20% on average if they book on a Sunday versus a Friday.
Why is Expedia cheaper than direct from airline? ›In many cases, Expedia can offer flight tickets cheaper than the airlines. Because third-party services often get a bulk discount, they can sell their flight deals for less than the average ticket prices.
Why is Expedia cheaper than Google flights? ›Google Flights and Kayak are ideal for looking at a wider view of flight prices across multiple airlines and they will send you to the website that offers the cheapest fare. This differs from Expedia, which is an online travel agency (OTA) that books flight reservations under the OTA, not directly through the airline.
What day is the cheapest to book flights? ›Since Wednesdays tend to be the cheapest day to fly, see if you can tweak your travel plans so you depart and fly home during the week instead of on weekend days. Set price alerts.
Do flight prices go down on Tuesday? ›Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly domestically. The cheapest days to depart if you're flying within the U.S. are midweek — generally Tuesday or Wednesday. For economy tickets, Tuesdays are about 24% lower than peak prices on Sundays, which translates to savings of about $85 per ticket.
What is the cheapest day to fly? ›Over the past five years, flights that took off Monday to Wednesday were, on average, 12% to 20% cheaper than weekend flights. Sundays are a particularly expensive day to depart, Google said.
Are Travelocity and Expedia the same? ›Travelocity.com is an online travel agency owned by Expedia Group. It has 12.4 million monthly unique visitors, making it the third most popular website owned by Expedia Group, after Expedia.com and Hotels.com.
What country owns Expedia? ›
Expedia Group, Inc. is an American travel company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1996, Expedia was initially a division within Microsoft operating solely as an online travel agency.
Is Expedia owned by Amazon? ›Expedia.com is an online travel agency owned by Expedia Group, based in Seattle.
Is it cheaper to book a trip in advance or last-minute? ›Generally, last minute flights are more expensive than advance flights. The closer to departure time, the more costly international airfare. However, if you plan an open trip and are ready to book your flights anywhere, you may find cheap international flight deals last-minute too.
Can Expedia prices go down? ›Expedia offers a "Price Match Promise" for a sliding scale fee on selected flights. Expedia automatically checks for lower fares across airlines and allows customers to initiate their own checks.
Do Expedia prices change daily? ›Amy Cisneroz: Well, prices are really determined by suppliers so pricing can vary from day to day. One day, a specific flight might be available on a Friday, where that flight at a cheaper price is not available on a Saturday.
Do flights get cheaper closer to booking? ›Timing plays an important part. Specifically, plane tickets usually don't get cheaper closer to the departure date. Instead, flights tend to be the most inexpensive when you book between four months and three weeks before your departure date.
Is it better to book directly with hotel? ›Reality is, hotels tend to offer the best rate when guests book directly with them. At the same time, hotels are very clear about their prices in order to avoid any misunderstandings that might affect the guests' experience. Because of this, when you book directly with a hotel, prices are final and free of hidden fees.
Why aren t direct flights cheaper? ›Why is this happening? It all goes back to supply and demand. Most travelers want to take the nonstop flight as it means getting there quicker and with less chance of disruption. That demand ultimately pushes prices higher.
What day of the week is the best time to book a vacation package? ›Booking in advance is the most consistent way to find the best price and flight times. Even when you're booking early, visiting the airline website or a travel booking site from Monday through Thursday can help you find potentially cheaper rates than if you wait to buy your ticket on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
Is Kayak the same as Expedia? ›One, many brands own a handful of sites that sell airline tickets, offer car rentals, and book accommodations. For example, Expedia owns Orbitz, Travelocity, Hotwire, and CheapTickets (among others), per Wikipedia. Priceline owns Booking.com, Agoda, and Kayak.
Can I trust Expedia for flights? ›
Is Expedia reliable? You might be cautious of go-betweens or third-party booking sites, but Expedia is a legitimate, well-known online travel agency that's been around for years. Microsoft originally launched the Expedia website in 1996.
Do flight prices go up the more you search? ›When searching for a great travel deal, it's best to search both logged in and anonymously to compare all the deals, because it can make a difference — but not a significant difference. Flight prices can vary based on the day and time at which you perform your search.
Do flight prices go down at night? ›Tuesday Around Midnight is the Cheapest Time to Book
In general, flights were slightly cheaper at midnight earlier in the week (Monday through Wednesday). However, this is only applicable to about 1.6% of U.S. markets, meaning that it's not likely you'll find the same savings on your specific route.
- Check the cheapest days to fly out. ...
- Check which locations are on offer. ...
- Use flight price search engines. ...
- Book through travel agents for students. ...
- Last-minute deals aren't always cheaper so book early. ...
- Beware of extra costs on budget airlines. ...
- Go incognito when booking flights.
♦ Cheapest month to fly: January or February
For the lowest fares on domestic flights, travel in January or February. But for international trips, you'll find the cheapest fare in August.
- Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airlines is one of the largest budget carriers in the world. ...
- JetBlue. ...
- Spirit. ...
- Breeze Airways. ...
- Hawaiian Airlines. ...
- Avelo Airlines. ...
- Delta Air Lines. ...
- Alaska Airlines.
So, you guessed it, that means the most expensive days to book flights are those days when most travelers are heading out – or coming home. That means flying Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays will typically be more expensive.
Is Southwest cheaper on Tuesdays? ›Watch for sales (They happen frequently)
Southwest has an unofficial but predictable fare sale calendar that drops the prices on some routes nearly every Tuesday. While it's not a published policy, these generally run from Tuesday through Thursday and offer one-way prices on select routes as low as $39.
Hopper has said Tuesday flights are usually cheaper only if you purchase them exactly at midnight, and even so, that saves only about $18 on average for 1.6 percent of domestic U.S. flights.
What is the cheapest month to fly to USA? ›Top tips for finding cheap flights to the United States
High season is considered to be July, August and September. The cheapest month to fly from India is February. Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest United States flight deals.
Is Expedia or Orbitz better? ›
Orbitz redemptions are limited to hotel bookings; if they're a large part of your travel expenses, Orbitz is probably the superior program. Expedia points are more varied, however: They can be redeemed to pay for hotels, airfare, rental cars, and attractions.
Why is Expedia all sold out? ›When a hotel is marked as "sold out" on Expedia, it means that there are no more rooms available for the dates you have selected. This could be due to high demand for the hotel or because the hotel has a limited number of rooms and they are all currently occupied.
Does Expedia own cheap tickets? ›CheapTickets was a wholly owned subsidiary of Orbitz Worldwide, Inc., and with Expedia Inc.'s purchase of Orbitz, it is now a subsidiary of Expedia Group.
Are Priceline and Expedia the same company? ›Their parent companies hold the lion's share of the market: Expedia, Inc. also manages 200 additional sites, including Travelocity, Orbitz, and Hotels.com, while The Priceline Group owns five other brands, including Kayak and Booking.com.
Who owns Hopper? ›Frederic Lalonde - Founder & CEO @ Hopper - Crunchbase Person Profile.
Is Expedia and booking com the same? ›Expedia operates mainly in the U.S. while Booking is the undisputed leader in Europe with a 70.60% market share. Although both companies make money in the same way, the commissions they earn in percentage terms are different because the hotel market in which they operate is not the same.
Is Tripadvisor owned by Expedia? ›In July 2011, the company acquired Where I've Been, a Chicago-based Facebook app. In December 2011, Expedia completed the corporate spin-off of Tripadvisor into a public company.
What travel sites does Expedia not own? ›Expedia also owns Travelocity, Orbitz, Hotwire, Hotels.com, VRBO, HomeAway, has a majority stake in Trivago, etc. Basically the only big travel sites not owned by Expedia or Priceline are TripAdvisor (previously spun off from Expedia) and AirBnB. And Skyscanner! Lone little skyscanner.
How many brands does Expedia have? ›Expedia Group has 10 consumer brands, but its marketing strategy shifted starting in late 2021 to emphasize three core brands above all others: Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo.
How many months before a trip should you buy tickets? ›How far in advance should you book a flight to get the best deal? The best time to book a flight is one to three months before your departure for domestic airline tickets and two to eight months prior for international flights, according to Scott's Cheap Flights. “We call these the 'Goldilocks windows,'” says Keyes.
What day of the week do hotel prices drop? ›
In short, remember that getting the best deal on a hotel room comes down to a few basic rules: Make your bookings on a more favorable day of the week (try Tuesday or the weekend), try for last-minute bookings if you can (maybe make a back-up booking with a flexible cancellation policy and check back for any last-minute ...
What month are hotels the cheapest? ›The best month to book hotels in the US is September.
During the month of December, hotel bookings are 6% cheaper on average. The second cheapest month to book a hotel deal is March. Avoid October, as this is the most expensive time to book a hotel stateside.
Expedia has a fairly straightforward cancellation policy for hotel reservations. In general, you can cancel your reservation up to 24 hours before your check-in date without incurring any fees. If you cancel within 24 hours of your check-in date, you may be charged a cancellation fee.
Why does Expedia charge more? ›Expedia makes the majority of its money through booking accommodations in bulk at a cheap price, and then selling them to their users with a slight markup. Expedia makes a profit off of the increased margin, and also occasionally makes commission fees from hotels increasing their exposure through the Expedia website.
Is there a problem with Expedia? ›Expedia is up and running now. In the last 24 hours there was 0 outages.
What day does Expedia drop prices? ›Book on a Sunday to save up to 15% on average3 Travelers who book on Sundays instead of Fridays tend to save, on average, around 5% on domestic flights and 15% on international flights.
How to find the cheapest dates on Expedia? ›To do this, click on the “Show flexible dates” link at the top of your search results. After a few seconds, a calendar will pop up. With flexible dates search activated, Expedia will compare the flights three days on either side of your initial search and highlight the cheapest fare of these dates in green.
What time do prices drop on Expedia? ›The best time to book flight tickets on Expedia is typically when you find the lowest fare. Generally, fares are at their lowest about three weeks before departure, but this can vary depending on your destination and airline.
Are Expedia and Priceline the same company? ›Their parent companies hold the lion's share of the market: Expedia, Inc. also manages 200 additional sites, including Travelocity, Orbitz, and Hotels.com, while The Priceline Group owns five other brands, including Kayak and Booking.com.
Are Orbitz and Expedia the same? ›However, Similarweb ranked Expedia's Hotwire #30 in the U.S. while eBookers, which came as part of the package when Expedia acquired Orbitz Worldwide in 2015, was 218th within the UK travel and tourism website pecking order.
Are Expedia and booking com the same? ›
Expedia operates mainly in the U.S. while Booking is the undisputed leader in Europe with a 70.60% market share. Although both companies make money in the same way, the commissions they earn in percentage terms are different because the hotel market in which they operate is not the same.
Can a travel agent get cheaper flights? ›Do travel agents get discounts on flights? Generally not, and especially not for short distances. For the most part, any discount you'd get from using a travel agent would be for a combined package. Still, it never hurts to ask if your travel agent can get you a deal on your flight.
Is Kayak owned by Expedia? ›One, many brands own a handful of sites that sell airline tickets, offer car rentals, and book accommodations. For example, Expedia owns Orbitz, Travelocity, Hotwire, and CheapTickets (among others), per Wikipedia. Priceline owns Booking.com, Agoda, and Kayak.
Is it safe to book flights with Priceline? ›Can I trust Priceline? The short answer is: Yes, you can. Priceline launched in 1998 with the ability to book otherwise empty airline seats. Since then, it's grown to include hotels, rental cars and cruises, and the website hosts millions of visitors each month.
What are the levels in Expedia? ›Expedia Rewards program is free to join and has three levels: blue, silver, and gold.
Why Expedia is better than booking com? ›User interface: Booking has a more streamlined and user-friendly interface, making it easier to search for and book hotels. Expedia's interface can be cluttered and overwhelming for some users. Inventory: Expedia has a larger inventory of hotels, flights, and rental cars, offering more options for travelers.
Who owns Expedia now? ›Expedia.com is an online travel agency owned by Expedia Group, based in Seattle. The website and mobile app can be used to book airline tickets, hotel reservations, car rentals, cruise ships, and vacation packages. Expedia.com was launched on October 22, 1996 by Microsoft. Expedia Inc.
Can I trust a booking on Expedia? ›Is Expedia reliable? You might be cautious of go-betweens or third-party booking sites, but Expedia is a legitimate, well-known online travel agency that's been around for years. Microsoft originally launched the Expedia website in 1996.
What is the cheapest way to book a hotel? ›- Register Yourself. ...
- Search for the Best Sites for Hotels. ...
- Go for Advance Booking. ...
- Collect Points. ...
- Hotel Reward System. ...
- First-time Discount. ...
- Look out for Coupon Codes. ...
- Try Finding Last-minute Deal.
Reality is, hotels tend to offer the best rate when guests book directly with them. At the same time, hotels are very clear about their prices in order to avoid any misunderstandings that might affect the guests' experience. Because of this, when you book directly with a hotel, prices are final and free of hidden fees.