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The 10 best online travel agencies in 2024

The top 10 online travel agencies.

  • Booking.com
  • Lastminute.com

Best online travel agencies for business travel

1. travelperk.

Main offerings and features:

  • Industry-leading travel inventory
  • Flexible booking with FlexiPerk
  • Safety alerts with TravelCare
  • Integrated travel policy & approval flows
  • Centralized invoicing
  • Easy & real-time expense reports
  • Carbon offsetting with GreenPerk
  • 24/7 fast customer support in target 15s
  • VAT reclaim
  • Integration with 3rd party tools , such as expense management or HR software like Expensify and BambooHR

Save time and money on your business travel with TravelPerk

2. sap concur.

Sap Concur homepage

  • Works with some of the biggest brands
  • Easy tracking and reporting of expenses for expense reports
  • Many connected apps, such as Uber and Airbnb for cars and hotels
  • One solution for a variety of business travel spending

Click below to compare both platforms’ features and benefits

CWT homepage

  • Ample integrations
  • Award-winning mobile app
  • Employee-centric travel management

Click below for a more detailed comparison between both platforms:

Best online travel agencies for leisure travel, 1. booking.com.

Booking.com_homepage

  • Intuitive booking tool and website
  • Flight + Hotel booking for easily planning trips with no cross-referencing travel websites
  • Simple car rental options and taxi hire
  • Available in over 40 different languages and offers over half a million properties across 207 countries
  • You can book experiences in your destination city to entertain you on your travels
  • Genius rewards program

Agoda_homepage

  • Simple interface and booking tool
  • Deals when making more than one booking
  • 38 different languages and offers a 24-hour, multilingual customer support service
  • Free cancellation within 24 hours of booking
  • Millions of reviews to help make your decision

3. Lastminute.com

Lastminute homepage

  • Filter hotels according to budgets, star ratings, guest ratings, board types, and more
  • ATOL protection on flight + hotel bundles
  • Flash sales for last-minute deals
  • Payment plans to spread out the cost of travel
  • Extra entertainment booking for your trips, like theatrical productions and day trips
  • Gift cards for gifting travel

Expedia homepage

  • Expedia rewards for hotels, cars, and more
  • Experienced support
  • Compare cruise lines
  • Big savings when booking flights, hotels, and car
  • Operates in nearly 70 countries and in over 35 different languages
  • Luxury travel options

Hotwire homepage

  • Book hotels, flights, cars, and bundles
  • 24/7 support
  • Lower prices on the app
  • Great last-minute deals for spontaneous travel

6. Bookmundi

Bookmundi homepage

Best online travel agencies for flights

1. skyscanner.

Skyscanner homepage

  • Super flexible booking filters
  • Cheaper flights and hotels than other OTAs
  • Price alerts for travel routes of interest
  • Easy-to-use booking tool and UI
  • Hundreds of location and currency options
  • One-way, return, and multi-city travel options

2. Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com homepage

  • Simple flight booking tool
  • Partnerships with Booking.com and Rentalcars.com
  • Discover deals anywhere with the option to open up your search
  • Easy-to-use app

How do online travel agencies work?

What are the advantages of booking through an online travel agency.

  • Access to comparison tools
  • Peer reviews to help you with your decisions
  • Flexible cancellation policies
  • All your travel in one place
  • Local flights and deals

Rewards programs

Comparison tools, peer reviews, flexible cancellation.

" "

Flexiperk: Cancel anytime, anywhere. Get a minimum of 80% of your money back.

One account for all of your travel needs, a local approach to global travel, wrapping up.

Woman riding train

Make business travel simpler. Forever.

  • See our platform in action . Trusted by thousands of companies worldwide, TravelPerk makes business travel simpler to manage with more flexibility, full control of spending with easy reporting, and options to offset your carbon footprint.
  • Find hundreds of resources on all things business travel, from tips on traveling more sustainably, to advice on setting up a business travel policy, and managing your expenses. Our latest e-books and blog posts have you covered.
  • Never miss another update. Stay in touch with us on social for the latest product releases, upcoming events, and articles fresh off the press.

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Apps Business Traveler Scaled

Top 20 best apps for business travelers

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The best airline loyalty programs in Europe

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The best airline loyalty programs worldwide

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Best Online Travel Agencies

Booking.com is our top choice for making your trip arrangements

Ligaya Malones is an editor, blogger, and freelance writer specializing in food and travel. Ligaya's work has appeared in publications including Lonely Planet and BRIDES.

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We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Planning a trip can be easier through an online travel agency than if you handle each aspect of the planning separately. You can book hotels, air travel, rental cars, and more through a single site, and booking everything together sometimes results in discounts. By inputting a destination, a range of dates, and other preferences, you will see a list of options for each aspect of travel.

The best online travel agencies offer options from the largest number of airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and more. Look for sites that offer discounts for combining reservations for different aspects of your trip. For example, the best sites will have lower rates if you book both plane tickets and a hotel through their services. The best sites also provide reviews from customers who actually have booked through the service. These are our top picks.

  • Best Overall: Booking.com
  • Best Budget: Skyscanner
  • Best Price Predictor: Hopper
  • Most Innovative: Kiwi.com
  • Best for Eco-Conscious: Kind Traveler
  • Best for Social Impact: I Like Local
  • Best for Design-Forward Homestays: Plum Guide
  • Our Top Picks
  • Booking.com

Kind Traveler

I Like Local

  • See More (4)

Final Verdict

Frequently asked questions, methodology, best overall : booking.com.

 Booking.com

This industry leader offers one of the most comprehensive trip planning platforms on the Internet.

Lots of options to choose from

Interface is easy to use

Numerous filters to customize your search

Tricky to tell whether changes/cancellations can be made with Booking.com or the vendor directly

Booking.com was founded in 1996 and has grown into an industry leader that stands out for being one of the most comprehensive trip planning platforms out there. From one website, you can compare and book accommodations, flights (including one-way and multi-city flights), sightseeing activities, and even airport taxis. The website lists more than 28 million accommodation options, from hotels, hostels, and B&Bs to vacation homes and luxury resorts—you can browse more choices per destination on Booking.com than other online travel agencies. The website also performs well on cost and typically returns lower-than-average prices for flights and hotels. 

Booking.com's interface is also easy to use. On the home page, search for a hotel by entering your chosen destination and dates. Then, use the extensive list of filters—such as price range and distance from the city center—to narrow the results down and find the best fit. You can also search for a specific hotel, or seek inspiration by clicking through options grouped by destination or property type or by topic such as the country’s best Michelin-starred hotel restaurants or the top cities for vegan travelers. The flights, car rental, and other tabs are just as intuitive. 

Best Budget : Skyscanner

 Skyscanner

You can compare prices across airlines, hotels, and car rentals.

Simple interface

Option to toggle searches between specific dates or by monthly calendars

Search Everywhere button is great for spontaneous planners

Extra clicks are required to make a final purchase

Must read fine print for changes/cancellations—may need to deal directly with the vendor

Ads on the sidebar can be distracting

Find deals on airfare, hotels, and car rentals with an aggregator site like Skyscanner , which uses a metasearch engine to compare prices from all online travel agencies and the airline, hotel, or car rental company in question. Run searches with fixed dates, opt to compare airfare prices month to month, or click “Cheapest Month.” Searches also include options for nearby airports or non-stop flights only. With hotel searches, you can choose to select only from properties with free cancellation, a cleanliness rating of 4.5/5 or higher, or 3- or 4-starred hotels only. Car rental searches include an option to select “return car to different location.”

Once you’ve found the best rate, click on the link to be redirected to the third-party site to make your booking. Feeling spontaneous? The Search Everywhere button on the homepage offers a list of the cheapest flight deals for destinations both locally and across the world—just plug in your departure airport first.

Best Price Predictor : Hopper

The company claims a 95 percent accuracy rate at predicting when flights and hotel rates will be cheapest.

Color-coded system makes it easy to determine cheapest days to buy

App is easy to use

Option to track flights and receive alerts when the best time to buy arises

Some have mentioned the app functions better as a research tool than a booking tool

Unclear whether Hopper will price match if you find a cheaper flight elsewhere

Hopper is a travel app available on iOS and Android that aims to help travelers save on airfare by usng historical data and their own algorithm to predict when flights will be cheapest. Just type in where and when you’d like to fly and Hopper will present you with a color-coded pricing calendar indicating how much tickets are likely to cost. (Green is the least expensive, then yellow, orange, and red for most expensive.) Hopper will also recommend you either buy now or wait, or you can choose to watch a trip and receive notifications on the best time to buy. In addition, the app has expanded to offer hotel and car rental price predictions, too.

Some newer features since the app’s inception in 2009 include an option to freeze a price for a limited time—for an extra fee—as well as exclusive app-only discounts. Hopper is free to download, and you can choose to book directly through the app, though some users mentioned they use Hopper as more of a research tool before booking directly with the airline or hotel. The company claims a 95 percent accuracy rate at predicting flight rates up to a year ahead.

Most Innovative : Kiwi.com

This metasearch engine scours the web to piece together the ideal itinerary using planes, trains, buses, and more.

Creative itineraries get you where you need to go, especially if you’ve got a multi-stop trip

Kiwi Guarantee offers rebooking or cancellation protections

Nomad option appeals to travelers with a lot of flexibility

Creative itineraries mean you may not fly out of the same airport you flew into

Kiwi Guarantee has an additional fee

Charges all-in-one fee for booking flights, trains, buses (though you can always purchase a la carte)

Travelers planning multi-city destinations and seeking a bargain, as well as those looking to take planes, trains, and automobiles to get there, might consider Kiwi . Kiwi is a metasearch engine that scours and pieces together itineraries from various airlines (even if they don’t have a codeshare agreement), considers multiple airports (even if your arrival airport is different from departure), and offers booking options, whether you’re looking at very specific dates or more general ones (up to 60 nights).

Some will find the ability to make multiple bookings for a particular trip more convenient than going at it manually several different times, though note that you must opt into the Kiwi Guarantee program to access rebooking and refund protections should your reservation change or be canceled. Kiwi’s Nomad option allows you to plug in a bunch of destinations you’d like to visit and the length of your intended stay, and the website will churn out the most affordable itineraries for review.

Best for Eco-Conscious : Kind Traveler

A give-and-get business model means booking accommodations with exclusive perks, a donation to environmental organizations, and more.

All participating hotels include a local give-back component

Exclusive savings and perks

Participating hotels are located in some of the most beautiful places in the world

Inventory is much smaller compared to other booking platforms

Some of the amenities mentioned are based on availability only

In 2022, Kind Traveler (an online trave agency focused on hotel bookings) announced an increase in environmentally and socially conscious hotels, charity donations, voluntourism opportunities, and additional perks like waived resort fees or a welcome amenity.

Unlock exclusive hotel rates and perks from participating Kind Traveler hotels with a minimum $10/night minimum donation to a local charity. For example, stay at the Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives and receive up to $33 off the nightly rate and perks such as a food and beverage credit and an Earth Lab or Alchemy Bar workshop when you make a donation to Manta Trust. The organization funds coastal research to protect the island nation’s large yet fragile population of reef mantas.

Select from more than 140 participating hotels from the Hawaiian Islands to Bozeman, Montana, and the Maldives. Charities include wildlife, human rights, arts, education, and environmental preservation organizations.

Best for Social Impact : I Like Local

Choose from a host of travel experiences with the peace of mind that 100 percent of the cost goes directly to local partners.

Social impact mission woven into organization’s business model

Immersive experiences led by local guides

Range of experiences offered

May not be best fit for those seeking upscale, luxury experiences and stays

Can’t sort experiences by a list of countries (though an interactive map is available)

No experiences outside of Africa and Asia

For an online travel agency with a booking platform designed to route dollars spent directly to the communities travelers intend to visit, consider I Like Local . Visit the website to browse a host of travel experiences in countries including Indonesia, Kenya, and Cambodia. Experiences include homestays and farmstays as well as wellness and culturally oriented experiences—from cooking and cycling tours to weaving classes.

To search for an experience, select from drop-down items like travel dates and experience categories, or view a global map and click on a country to view experiences that way.

The platform got its start in 2014 and has grown to 4,000 local hosts across nearly 20 countries. As a social impact organization, 100 percent of each booking fee goes to local hosts. To date, 16,000 travelers have booked with I Like Local.

Best for Design-Forward Homestays : Plum Guide

Browse and book seriously vetted, design-forward vacation homes.

Highly curated inventory of vacation rentals across the world

Design-forward

Thorough vetting process

Does not publish guest reviews

Other platforms have homes available across more destinations

When it comes to booking a vacation home, serviced apartment, or condo, travelers are spoiled for choice. Plum Guide is an online travel agency that specializes in accommodations—though not just any home makes its directory. The company claims that each potential home listed on its site must jump through 150 hoops to be included, from internet speed and mattress and pillow quality to the showers’ water pressure and the home’s proximity to dining, shopping, and attractions.

Search by a featured collection on the website such as “ pet-friendly homes ” or “one-of-a-kind homes in Palm Springs.” Scroll to the bottom of its homepage to view its top destinations, as well as a list of all destinations where Plum Guide homes are available, including Barbados, Mexico, Portugal, Switzerland, the U.S., and Turkey. Note: From the top right-hand corner of the site, use the dropdown menu to select currency of choice.

As long as you know what you value most out of your travel experience—such as affordability, social impact, or luxe accommodations—there’s an online travel agency to help plan your next trip. Be sure to read the fine print, as some agencies are third-party websites and not direct vendors. If you're not sure where to start, Booking.com is your best bet for a smooth user experience and hard-to-beat offers on flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements.

What Is the Biggest Travel Agency?

Our choice for best overall, Booking.com, is known as an industry leader with listings for all major hotels, airlines, car rental companies, and more. It boasts more choices for accommodations per destination than any other site, and we found its interface to be user-friendly.

Are Online Travel Agencies Worth It?

This depends on your needs and priorities. The best online travel agencies certainly can save time by booking everything all at once. However, if you're someone who is good at haggling and enjoys the details of planning a trip, you might be able to find better deals by reaching out to hotels or other destinations and speaking to someone personally.

Is It Cheaper to Book Online Than With a Travel Agent?

Not always. A travel agent you know and trust should have the experience and connections to find deals that can match or surpass what you'll find online. Additionally, if something goes wrong, travel agents provide you with an actual person you can use as an advocate to correct the problem . But if you don't have access to a good travel agent, online sites still provide plenty of ways to streamline planning and save money .

We considered dozens of online travel agencies and narrowed down the options based on user experience, volume and quality of inventory, unique offerings and specials, and customer reviews. We also assessed travel companies’ environmentally and socially conscious policies.

Catherine Falls Commercial / Getty Images

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The Pros and Cons of Booking Through Online Travel Agencies

Carissa Rawson

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

You’re likely already familiar with online travel agencies, even if you don’t travel often. These companies — such as Priceline , Expedia and Orbitz — act as intermediaries between you and a travel provider.

Booking your travel through an OTA can be a good idea in some circumstances, but you’ll want to be wary of its pitfalls. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of online travel agencies, so you’ll know what to use to book your next vacation.

Pros of booking through online travel agencies

There are certainly advantages booking through online travel agencies, though you’ll find different experiences whether you’re using public OTAs — such as Kayak — or private ones like those offered by your card issuer, such as the Chase's travel portal .

✅ It may be cheaper

When searching for flights online, you may see different prices for the same routes that vary across websites. Although it may be a result of fare type — for example, some search results may not clarify that a fare is basic economy rather than main cabin or economy — other times, the difference comes down to competition for your business.

Online travel services will often offer slightly lower prices on flights in an effort to entice you as a customer. This is true for both hotels and airlines.

» Learn more: Best credit cards for online travel-booking websites

✅ It can earn you more rewards

Have you ever heard of shopping portals ? By logging into a shopping portal, you can earn rewards for purchases made with many online merchants. Some hotel chains, such as Hilton , Marriott and IHG , can be accessed through shopping portals while still booking directly on the hotel website. In this way, you can earn rewards with the hotel directly as well as with the shopping portal.

The same isn’t true for shopping portals and most airline sites. However, many public online travel agencies are accessible through shopping portals, which can then earn you rewards for airfare bookings. By opting to book in this way, you’ll be able to earn points or cash-back rewards through the shopping portal that you’d otherwise miss.

Some card issuers will also reward you heavily when using their online travel services. Clear examples of this can be seen with Capital One and Chase. With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card , for example, you’ll get 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel .

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is similar. With this card, you can get 10 Ultimate Rewards® points per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Chase's portal.

While these numbers are high, it’s important to remember that there are trade-offs when booking through an OTA rather than directly with a hotel or airline. We’ll get into that a little later.

Online travel agencies offered by your card issuer may not feature the same prices as booking directly; you’ll want to compare these before committing to a purchase.

Some card issuers will go so far as to give your points more value when redeeming through their online travel agencies.

This is true with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . When redeeming points on Chase's travel portal, you’ll get 1.25 cents in value per point rather than 1 cent elsewhere.

» Learn more: How much are your airline miles and hotel points worth this year?

Cons of booking through online travel agencies

There are several downsides when it comes to using online travel services for booking travel. It mainly comes down to the fact that travel providers prefer that you book directly with them — and offer more perks to woo your business.

❌ It can be harder to change a booking

Ever needed to change a flight after it's booked? No matter the reason, attempting to alter or otherwise cancel a flight can be a hassle — especially if you’ve booked through a third party.

Generally speaking, rather than offering you direct assistance, both hotels and airlines will recommend you contact the online travel agency you’ve booked with in order to make any changes.

While you may be able to make changes or get refunds with the travel agency, airlines and hotels can — and will — offer much more flexibility when you’ve booked with them directly. You may also be subject to additional fees charged by the online travel agency, which can erase any savings you’ve received.

❌ You may not receive elite benefits

This is the real kicker for anyone wanting elite status. Although airlines will almost always recognize your elite status and allow you to earn miles even for bookings made through an online travel agency, hotels and rental car companies will not.

This is especially important for hotel chains. Earning elite status with hotels generally relies on elite night credits. Although these can be earned in a variety of ways — including having complimentary status by holding certain credit cards — the main method of acquiring elite night credits is by spending nights in hotels. Rooms booked through an online travel agency do not count toward elite status as elite night credits.

Additionally, you will not receive any of the benefits of your existing elite status if your booking is through a third party. This can mean the loss of perks such as room upgrades, complimentary breakfast and even free Wi-Fi.

» Learn more: The best airline and hotel rewards loyalty programs this year

❌ It may be more expensive

Did you know that many hotel chains have best price guarantees? Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott and IHG all have a guarantee that’ll give you either points or a discount if you find a better rate elsewhere.

These guarantees are generous; Hilton, for example, will match the rate and then discount it by a further 25%.

Although you’ll need to file claims for these guarantees and they face limitations — such as a 24-hour window from when you made the booking — you can save a lot of money on your stay if your request is approved.

Online travel agencies can be hit or miss

There are two sides to every coin and this is no different, as there are several benefits and limitations of online travel services. Depending on your needs and loyalty program status, you’ll want to choose whether to book directly with a travel provider or rely on OTAs to do the job for you.

Booking travel through credit card portals from issuers like Chase and Capital One can earn you big rewards. But if you anticipate altering your travel plans or aim to earn elite status instead, booking directly is the way to go.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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The Complete Guide to Booking Travel Online

What is an online travel agency, and what are the best sites and apps to use to search for hotels and flights we break it all down for you..

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The Complete Guide to Booking Travel Online

There’s a lot to navigate when researching and booking travel online.

Photo by Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

My first travel adventure was to Venezuela. I booked the ticket with a travel agent over a pay phone. The agent searched a dozen flight itineraries over a few days, all so I could save $15.

Times have changed. Today, flight searches start online , often on your mobile device. Passengers book either directly with the airline or hotel or with online travel agencies. Rarely do we get on the phone. In fact, American Airlines and United Airlines charge $25 to make a domestic flight booking by phone. And pay phones hardly exist anymore.

So, what is the best way to book online? Here is our complete guide to online travel agencies, search tools, and the variety of booking options available on both mobile devices and desktops.

What is an OTA?

An online travel agency, or OTA, is a website or mobile app that allows users to search for and book travel services such as flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and activities. The booking is made directly with the online travel agency but confirmed by the service provider, such as an airline or a hotel. As a customer, your relationship is with the OTA.

What are the main OTAs?

Many online travel agencies nowadays are owned by two main companies: Expedia and Priceline. The Expedia Group is the largest online travel agency in the United States with 70 percent market share, according to travel data firm Phocuswright. Expedia Group operates Expedia.com , Orbitz, Hotels.com , Trivago, CheapTickets , Hotwire , Vrbo , and Travelocity .

Priceline is a major competitor to Expedia, with global revenues larger than the Expedia Group. The company owns Priceline.com, Booking.com, Cheapflights, Momondo, and Kayak—the latter two being metasearch engines (more on that below).

There are also independent newcomers such as Hopper (a mobile-only booking tool) and Kiwi.com (which allows you to book flights on air carriers that don’t normally have a commercial relationship).

Are OTA fares lower than booking directly?

Generally, no. The fares that are displayed by an OTA will be similar if not slightly more expensive when compared to an airline’s website. They’re usually only a few dollars higher or lower. The OTAs charge a booking fee to the airlines, and often that fee is passed directly to consumers. For example, Lufthansa tacks on an additional $18 to any booking made through an OTA for Lufthansa flights. The same flights are exactly $18 cheaper on the airline’s website.

Where you can score a good travel deal through an OTA is when booking a last-minute hotel and flight package. Many OTAs have cut agreements with airlines allowing last-minute travelers to access lower rates than are typically available when passengers book a flight alone.

Are all airlines available to be booked through OTAs?

No. Many OTAs do not display flights from some of the low-fare leaders. For example, Southwest and Allegiant flights are not available through OTAs; the same goes for Ryanair in Europe. And, earlier this year United Airlines threatened to pull out of Expedia altogether, only recently signing a multi-year agreement to stay in. The airlines would rather not lose any margin to online travel agencies in an already low-margin industry and would rather maintain a direct relationship with the customer.

Are smaller OTAs safe to use?

Expedia and Priceline are the two largest players in the online booking space, but there are dozens of independent OTAs, such as CheapOAir, OneTravel, JustFly, and SmartFares. Confusingly, you might actually stumble on ads for these OTAs while using Expedia or Priceline sites. That’s because the larger OTAs earn revenue through advertising, sending passengers to smaller OTAs and charging those OTAs for the favor.

Buyer beware: some of these lesser-known OTAs are masters at hidden fees. For example, a flight search on JetBlue allows for free seat selection in many instances. If you perform the same search on FlightNetwork, an independent OTA, and select a seat, you will be charged an additional $25—despite the fact that JetBlue doesn’t charge a seat selection fee if you book directly.

What if you need to change your itinerary?

Itinerary changes are often a pain. If your plans change, it won’t matter whether you’ve booked directly with an airline or with an OTA—you’re going to pay fees for the privilege, if you can even change your ticket at all.

For example, CheapTickets.com, which is part of the Expedia Group, charges $25 to change or cancel a ticket if that change is requested after 24 hours of making the booking—it is free if you do so within 24 hours of booking. However, the fees go up from there. JustFly, an independent OTA, charges a $75 fee for changes to domestic flights in addition to airline change fees, plus the difference in fare, for tickets that can be changed. For an international trip, the fee rises to $200. That means to change an international flight with Delta (which charges a $100 change fee) booked through JustFly, you’ll be assessed $300 in fees, plus the difference in fare. At that rate, you may as well book a new flight. FlightNetwork indicates in its terms of service that changes may incur a change fee but doesn’t specify what those fees are. That hardly makes the few dollars you saved by booking with the OTA in the first place worth it.

What is an OTA price match policy?

To assure travelers that they are getting the lowest fare possible, many OTAs have a price match policy. The rules vary and so do the benefits.

For example, if you book with Orbitz and find a less expensive flight, car rental, or activity on any U.S.-based website within 24 hours of your booking, Orbitz will refund you the difference you paid. And it works: I have personally found a flight in the same class, on the same airline, for the same origin and destination cities, and requested Orbitz to refund the difference of around $35. Within a few weeks, I received a check in the mail. A similar program applies for CheapOAir, but there’s a catch—the price difference must be found on a major OTA such as Expedia or Travelocity.

Expedia has a particularly good price match policy, but you have to pay extra for it at the time of booking. Expedia offers the price match option as an add-on that costs between $5 and $30 when you book. With the price match applied, if the airfare on Expedia drops between 120 days of the flight and up to six hours before the flight, Expedia will automatically refund you the difference in fare. Unfortunately, fares generally do not drop substantially as the travel date approaches, so while this might give you peace of mind, it’s probably not worth the expense.

How do Google Flights and other travel metasearch engines work?

Frequent fliers are likely familiar with websites such as Google Flights, Kayak, Momondo, or Skyscanner. On these websites, passengers search on the site but are redirected to the service provider to complete the booking, such as an airline, rental car company, or hotel.

Metasearch started with a product called ITA Matrix, which is a tool for searching airfares online but not for actually booking online. ITA Matrix allows for multi-city searching, such as setting two different departure or arrival airports, and for offering a calendar view of fares for easier comparison. That company was acquired by Google in 2011, and savvy travelers swear by it to help find the least expensive fares online. Most consumers are more familiar with Google Flights, which has gained traction more recently not least because it has the benefit of being displayed first in search results on Google.

Metasearch engines receive distribution fees from the airlines for sending traffic to the supplier websites. There are no additional hidden fees for using a metasearch engine because you’re booking directly with the airline or hotel.

A major benefit of the metasearch engines is their price tracking tool, which lets users know whether the displayed fares are low, average, or high for the flight, allowing travelers to make a more informed decision on whether to book a flight or not . Google Flights and Kayak, for instance, both have price tracking tools.

Why not just book directly?

The airlines would definitely much rather you book directly with them. Over the past five years, they have gotten much better at marketing and selling their product directly to consumers online and through mobile sites and apps. But in the past, they weren’t so good at it. In fact, Delta, Northwest, United, American, and Continental got together to invest $145 million to launch Orbitz in 1999 to counter the threat from Expedia. Now Orbitz is owned by Expedia.

The airlines also try to encourage customers to book directly so that they can maintain a closer relationship with them. It allows carriers to connect bookings with loyalty programs and create special offers and discounts catered to individual passengers.

There is another benefit to booking directly. The U.S. Department of Transportation requires carriers to hold a reservation at the quoted fare for 24 hours without payment or allow a reservation to be cancelled within 24 hours without penalty, so long as the booking is made at least seven days before travel. The law applies, however, only to U.S. and foreign air carriers that have websites marketed to U.S. consumers. This means that, in theory, an online travel agency does not have to offer such a policy, although most OTAs do.

What are the options for booking on your mobile device?

Airlines and the major OTAs all have apps to help you book and manage your trip on your mobile device, but their functionality is lacking compared to these websites’ desktop editions. For example, Expedia’s app doesn’t allow you to view flights on a month-view calendar. Kayak has an app with more bells and whistles and a better user interface, including a month-view calendar with color-coded pricing. It also has a handy “augmented reality” function to help you see if your carry-on bag will fit in the overhead bin (a feature originally developed by KLM). Point your phone’s camera at the luggage, and it’ll give you the dimensions.

While apps are improving and gaining in popularity, you still might find it easier to locate the best deals on flights and hotels by using your desktop, where you can have multiple tabs open and have all the available search tools at your disposal. Apps are fine for booking directly with an airline once you know which flights you want to book.

If you’re determined to use your mobile device, you may want to look into Hopper. Hopper is a mobile-first flight booking tool that has a solid price prediction tool. You can research travel options and book directly on the app. Another benefit of Hopper: Of its team of 300 employees, nearly half are dedicated to customer support and are based in Canada versus some OTAs and airlines that outsource much of their customer service further afield.

The bottom line?

Like many travelers, I enjoy a flight deal as much as the next person, but I also don’t like any added hassle. I typically start my travel searches using the ITA Matrix or Google Flights to get a general sense of the fares. It helps to know what is a good deal and what is expensive for a particular route. I do my research, typically on a desktop computer. When I’m ready to book, I’ll book directly with the airline. I’ve found that customer service is better when booking directly with the service provider. But I’ve also saved money by using OTAs and have booked with them, too. Whichever way you choose to book, you can be safe in the knowledge that finding and purchasing travel online is a lot easier today than searching for a deal with a travel agent on a pay phone.

>> Next: How to Get the Best Last-Minute Travel Deals

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What Are OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) and Should You Book With One?

Scott Keyes

Scott Keyes

August 7, 2023

There are two ways to buy flights online: directly with the airline, or via an online travel agency.

Though buying directly with the airline is self-explanatory, online travel agencies (also known as OTAs) are a bit more complicated. When Going sends our members cheap flights , we typically recommend you book directly with the airline, as there are some clear benefits of doing so, but sometimes we'll point you to an OTA if the fare is significantly cheaper there.

And since one of the top questions travelers have is whether a given OTA is reliable, it’s helpful to understand more about what OTAs are before deciding for yourself if the potential savings are worth it.

What are online travel agencies?

Online travel agencies are companies that sell you flights, online. They act as a middleman between airlines and consumers, though their prices can often be cheaper than booking direct.

Most people are familiar with top OTAs like Expedia , Orbitz , Travelocity , Hopper, and Priceline . There are hundreds, if not thousands, of smaller OTAs as well, and more pop up all the time. Some smaller ones include OneTravel, Kiwi, GotoGate, JustFly, Vayama, Tripsta, TravelMerry, ExploreTrip, Kiss&Fly, Webjet, Travelgenio, Bookairfare, Fareboom, Skybooker, Travel2be, OneTwoTrip!, and eBookers.

How do online travel agencies work?

Online travel agencies work by plugging into a “ global distribution system ,” which is a fancy name for the market where airlines tell distributors what they’re charging for their flights.

When you book directly on an airline’s website, your ticket typically gets issued almost immediately. That’s because the airline is both the seller and provider of the ticket, so it’s rare that their system allows them to sell something they don’t actually have in stock.

With OTAs, especially smaller ones, there’s a delay between when you purchase the ticket and when you’re issued the ticket. That’s because, unlike the airlines, OTAs don’t actually have the tickets they sell. Instead, the OTA is the middleman, connecting customers with airlines and taking a small commission from the airline in the process.

When you click to buy a roundtrip Delta flight from New York to London for $400, what happens is the OTA charges your credit card $400, then turns around and checks with Delta to make sure that ticket is available at that price. This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours; each OTA is different and there are a ton of variables impacting transaction time.

But unlike most middlemen, OTAs don’t typically jack up the price. In fact, they usually offer the same price—and often times a lower price—than you’ll find directly with an airline.

Why are fares sometimes cheaper on online travel agencies?

There are a few reasons why OTAs can sometimes offer cheaper fares than booking directly with an airline. They might:

  • Sell flights less than cost . OTAs may sell fares for less than they cost, either as a loss leader (in the hopes you’ll book additional add-ons like a hotel or rental car) or in order to accrue market share (hoping you’ll book your next trip with them as well)
  • Pass on the commission . Airlines dole out a commission every time a traveler books their flight through an OTA. The OTA, in turn, may pass some or all of that commission on to consumers
  • Specific discounts . Airlines regularly negotiate with OTAs to allow them to sell certain flights at a discount. The airline may not want the lower fare broadcast too widely, so only one or two OTAs are given the discounted rate.
  • Less customer support . Many smaller OTAs save money and offer lower fares by skimping on customer support.
  • Big change/cancellation fees . Many smaller OTAs charge inflated change or cancellation fees in order to offer lower prices initially.

What benefit can online travel agencies have?

It can be cheaper.  The main benefit of OTAs is they are often cheaper than booking directly with an airline. The same flight selling on United.com for $600 may cost $500 on an OTA, for example.

You can combine airlines for the perfect itinerary. Some OTAs like Kiwi let you purchase multi-airline itineraries. Airlines will only sell you their own flights (or partner airlines’ flights). Some OTAs, on the other hand, will let you buy a single itinerary that crosses the ocean on Delta, say, but then take your final leg on Ryanair.

What drawbacks can online travel agencies have?

The 24-hour rule may not apply. One of the best tools to have in your back pocket when buying flights is the 24-hour rule , which lets you cancel a ticket you booked without any penalty as long as you do so within 24 hours of purchase. This protection is guaranteed by the federal government, but only when you book directly with an airline . Some OTAs like Priceline offer their own 24-hour guarantee, but it’s not required by law and most OTAs make all sales final.

Customer service can be lacking. OTAs, especially smaller ones, often skimp on customer support. This can range from outsourced and minimally-staffed call centers to exorbitant fees if you need to change or cancel your ticket. Of course, this lack of support is part of how OTAs offer lower fares to begin with.

If things go wrong, it gets complicated. In addition, having a middleman can complicate any mishaps because airlines will tell you to coordinate any issues through the OTA rather than directly with the airline. And the OTA may turn around and push things back on the airline, leaving you stuck in the middle.

Mistake Fares are less likely to be honored. Finally, when there’s a Mistake Fare , booking through an OTA carries some risks. Think back to how OTAs operate. Unlike booking directly with an airline, booking through an OTA means going through a middleman, which can delay how quickly you receive your ticket after clicking purchase. For normal fares this rarely makes a difference because the fare is far less likely to imminently change. But for Mistake Fares, which can disappear any minute, that delay in receiving your ticket can be the difference between your purchase being honored and it being politely refunded with the quoted fare no longer being available.

This delay between purchasing and ticketing is one of the reasons why we recommend people wait a week or two before making any non-refundable travel plans. But once you’ve got an e-ticket number with the airline and can see your itinerary on the airline’s website, you should be all set.

How do OTAs make money? 

Online travel agencies make money by taking a commission from the airline, hotel, car rental agency, or cruise line when you book.

(At Going, we don't take any commissions from the airlines when we send our members deals. We make money when members pay for our services, which means our number one priority is making members happy, not getting them to book specific flights that line our pockets.)

Am I going to get scammed by online travel agencies?

If you’re worried that a smaller OTA will take your money and not give you a ticket, don’t be.

The worst you can expect is that, on occasion, you purchased a fare that no longer existed when you bought it. If that happens, they will reach out to you (almost always within 48 hours or less) to tell you your ticket can’t be sold at that price. At that point, you’re given the option to either purchase at a higher price or have the entire transaction voided and your money refunded.

Why do some online travel agencies have terrible reviews?

It's true that some online travel agencies have bad reviews. Does that mean you shouldn't use them? There are two schools of thought here.

The first is that these reviews are worthwhile because other people’s experiences can be instructive.

The second is that the nature of internet reviews tends to skew towards negative experiences. How many people whose flight was uneventful are then motivated to go back and write a review for the OTA they purchased it from?

Another other reason it can be worthwhile to take a nuanced approach to negative reviews is that they tend to come from folks who didn’t understand how smaller OTAs operate. They may have been unaware of the higher change/cancellation fees, outsourced customer service representatives, or the delay between purchasing and ticketing. Obviously those aspects of smaller OTAs aren’t ideal, but its those factors that also allow for often-substantial price savings.

Are all airlines listed on OTAs? 

No, unfortunately not all airlines are listed on all search sites. Notably in the US, Southwest fares aren't listed on Google Flights. Often, smaller regional carriers don't work with the large OTAs so you'll need to search those directly.

Should I book through an OTA or directly with an airline?

This is the million-dollar question. On the one hand, an OTA fare may be hundreds of dollars cheaper than booking directly. On the other hand, it’s completely understandable to be hesitant about booking a flight through an OTA you’ve never heard of before.

There are a few cut-and-dry situations. If the price is the same booking directly with the airline versus booking through an OTA, there’s almost never a reason to book through the OTA.

Conversely, if the OTA price is over $500 off the direct price, of course an OTA is the way to go.

But for more gray-area situations, it mostly comes down to a personal comfort level.

Questions to consider:

  • How certain are you to take that specific flight? If there’s more than a 10% chance you’ll want to change or cancel your flights, the initial cost savings may not be worth the potential fees for altering your plans.
  • Are the potential savings worth it? If the OTA savings is $5, most people would be wise just to book direct. If the savings start to become substantial, it starts to become a matter of individual comfort. Is paying an extra $50 worth the extra peace of mind of booking directly? $100? $200?
  • Is it a Mistake Fare? Because booking through an OTA can lessen the chance a mistake fare is honored, the potential savings should be higher to make it worth it. Someone may prefer to book through an OTA if the savings exceed $50, but might increase that savings threshold to $100 if it’s a mistake fare, for instance.

Join Going and save up to 90% on your next flight. We're not an OTA—we just let you know when fares drop to amazing prices that can save you hundreds.

Scott Keyes

Founder & Chief Flight Expert

Published August 7, 2023

Last updated January 9, 2024

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Best online travel sites 2022

Use the best online travel sites to plan your trip ahead of time so you can enjoy your time away.

Best Online Travel Sites

  • Buying advice
  • Testing process

The best online travel sites are wonderful not only plan your next trip for peace of mind, they're also a fun way to get excited ahead of your next adventure. You can simply go to one site and plan most of your trip's main parts from flights and hotels to rental cars and excursions. If what you're after is just hotel bookings, check out our list of the best hotel booking sites .

While what many of these sites offer is similar, it's the way in which they do it which is important. The last thing you need is a stress-inducing website when planning to go away to relax and unwind. So we've reviewed the best sites based on their price, of course, but also on the way they work, with the ease of use and clarity as important features. We also checked to make sure you won't suffer any extra charges added on top at the last minute. Plus, we took rewards schemes into account, which could help you save money upfront or in the longer term if you use some sites more than once.

With all that in mind, these are the very best online travel sites out there right now.

The best online travel sites

1. expedia.com: best online travel site overall .

Why you can trust Top Ten Reviews Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

Best Online Travel Sites: Expedia

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Expedia is a big name in online travel sites and hotel booking services and owns many popular sites like Hotels.com and Hotwire.com. We're fans of the original, though, thanks to its clean and straightforward to use interface. Hit the packages section of the site, and you can add up to five connecting flights, choose to add accommodation for all of or only part of your trip, and tag on car rentals too. 

It's all suitably well laid out, and it only takes a few seconds to start putting together your itinerary. However, we do wish there were a few more options for filtering out accessibility issues. Still, for most people, Expedia.com has everything they'll need, and there's even the option of a cruise too if you fancy it. It's as aspirational to look at as it is useful to, well, use and there are extra discounts for booking multiple parts of your vacation with the site. A Things To Do section rounds off the site's bid to help you plan your entire trip in one place.

2. Booking.com: Best for ease of use

Booking.com

Booking.com

Booking.com is a giant in the world of holiday bookings and not only offers over half a million properties in more than 207 countries but also offers flights and car rental services too. As such you can do it all from this one spot which makes it a very easy-to-use option. That said, there is a lot going on, and the user interface can be a little overwhelming at times. 

But with a superb rewards program, it is a great option that encourages you to keep coming back, making it easier to use as you become accustomed. You can even sort your taxi hire from this site meaning there is very little to think about when you get traveling as it's all been planned ahead of time. You also don't have to pay a booking fee on lots of hotels, allowing you to remain flexible – ideal if you're traveling about a lot on your journey.

3. CheapTickets.com: Best for finding things to do 

Best Online Travel Sites: CheapTickets

CheapTickets.com

CheapTickets is another site acquired by Expedia, but it does things a little differently. You can easily add on flight, hotel, and car or any combination of the three for package deals, although multiple flights are under a different option. So far, so Expedia (if less intuitive), but you can also clearly purchase event tickets from the site, which is far more useful if you want a one-stop-shop place to buy your trip. It's something other sites provide, but CheapTickets is that bit keener to entice you into the process, even if the site itself is a little cheesier looking than others. 

There's also the site's Vacation Value Finder, which lets you tweak how much you're willing to spend and what you're looking for from a vacation before making some fun suggestions. It's perfect for finding a last-minute deal if you don't have your heart set on one place. Students will also appreciate a section dedicated to them with extra discounts once you verify you're a student. All in all, it's a great varied site for numerous different needs. 

4. Priceline.com: Best for user reviews 

Best Online Travel Sites: PriceLine

Priceline.com

Priceline is a big deal in the online travel site world for a good reason. It's effortless to use with options available for flights, cars, hotels, or any combination of the three. It's mildly annoying that Priceline's super cheap Pricebreaker deals don't extend to bundles, so you won't get an incredible bargain like you would if you booked separately. However, combining the set is still a worthwhile deal with discounts offered for the more you bundle together. 

One thing we really appreciated is that every hotel we looked at had dozens of reviews, and they're all from verified customers. It takes seconds to gain a reasonably accurate picture of what to expect from wherever you're considering booking. That's the perfect peace of mind when you're booking online, and you can't be sure of what you're getting without user reviews backing hotel statements up. Clearly laid out, you can focus on enjoying rather than worrying. Finally, Priceline is keen to make its VIP scheme easily accessible with straightforward discounts offered to you over time -- something that not all sites so clearly highlight. 

5. Kayak.com: Best for aggregated results 

Best Online Travel Sites: Kayak

If you're short on time, Kayak is pretty useful. That's because you simply enter where you want to go, and it aggregates results from multiple different sources. While it means you never book directly with Kayak, it does mean you get results quickly and without having to search around yourself, even if you will feel a bit overwhelmed with adverts while you search. 

The site itself looks a little basic, but under the hood is a surprising number of different filters (although no accessibility ones to speak of) and all the critical information you could require, although obviously you'll be sent to another site for the full details. The site also has a deals section, which has some great bargains for things you can do once you reach your destination, along with cheap car rental deals. It might not be pretty, but if you simply don't want to do the groundwork yourself, Kayak has you covered. It can be a real time-saver, and we reckon it's particularly useful if you're mostly researching possible trips in the future and want rough price estimates. Just watch out for the fact you can’t bundle in car rental deals. 

6. Hotwire.com: Best for renting properties 

Best Online Travel Sites: Hotwire

Hotwire keeps things straightforward. All you need to do is enter what you're looking for, and a somewhat dated interface tells you what's available. It's not as pretty as some sites, but we really liked the extensive property type filters available. Want to stay on a houseboat or in a chalet at your destination? Hit the relevant filter, and you can find out if that's an option in the locale. That might not matter if your heart is set on a hotel, but it's a nice bonus even amongst the awkward site layout. 

Elsewhere, it's mostly business as usual, but that's no bad thing. Well laid out discounts are available to compare reasonably quickly, and most locations have plenty of reviews. If you feel like tracking down specific deals, you can do that too, with the site keen to offer up discounts to central locations if you're not quite sure where you'd like to visit next. It feels like the site needs updating when you compare it to its rivals, but it works well and speedily enough.

7. Agoda: Best for private home rental in Asia 

Agoda

Agoda is a great option if you want to look for accommodation that isn't a hotel as this specializes in offering apartments and private rentals. In fact, there are dedicated market managers that work on finding properties, especially in Asia. As such you can find unique destination rentals at decent rates and should you change your mind there is a helpful 24-hour free cancellation policy in place. 

Everything is very easy to use and if you want to make more than one booking you can make great savings. Customer support is also a plus, as there is a 24-hour multilingual customer support service available when booking. With millions of reviews, Agoda makes finding a property very easy with a feeling of trust that can offer great peace of mind.

What to look for in an online travel site

Booking Travel Packages Travel packages can let you combine flights, hotel reservations and car rentals together for a better deal than booking separately. Some companies, like Priceline, pick hotels and flights for you, to get you to your destination for the lowest price. Other companies let you mix and match flights, hotels and car rentals to fit your schedule.

Booking Airfare One of the biggest reasons for searching on a travel site is to find cheap airfare. While there are dozens of airfare-specific websites, travel sites also give you the option to add hotel stays and car rentals. The best travel sites combine flight information from over nine different airlines and let you sort flights by price, number of stops, duration and flight class.

Booking International Travel Finding airfare for international travel is the easiest part of booking an overseas trip. AirGorilla helps you find accommodations and rent GPS units with your rental car, so you can find your way around. Often, sites will recommend hotels that are far from your actual destination or event. Searching for reservations on a site that gives accommodation recommendations will help you schedule an international trip with less stress.

How we tested the best online travel sites

We looked at how easy each site is to use during our testing, such as how quickly the site loaded and how easy it was to find what we were looking for. We considered whether the site felt cluttered with adverts or seemed like a dated interface. We also looked at how easy it was to find Contact Us pages, price guarantee information, and any kind of special deals section. 

We also considered how easily bundle deals could be arranged and how extensive they were and any potential discounts tied to them. We checked filter options to see how flexible and easy it was to look up different needs along the way.

We looked at trips between Los Angeles and Miami, Paris to Lisbon, and New York City to Los Angeles during testing. We also looked at lesser-known routes to see if they were also catered for appropriately.

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Jennifer Allen

Jennifer has been freelancing for over 10 years. In the past, she's written about all things tech and gaming wise for outlets as varied as The Independent, Playboy, Eurogamer, and TechRadar. In her spare time, she spends far too much time watching films, attempting to train her pet guinea pigs, and mastering making the perfect burrito.  She's a full time freelancer, but a regular tech news contributor to Top Ten Reviews.

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Booking.com, Expedia, TripAdvisor - A Look at the Best Online Travel Agencies of 2023

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With travel restrictions slowly being lifted, tons of people are turning to online travel sites to plan out their next getaway. I love these travel sites because they make planning your entire vacation seamless, taking care of everything from the minute you leave your home until the second you come back (they book airport transfers now!). In fact, I can’t remember the last time I used a travel agent to book a trip. Travel agents have become a thing of the past like Walkmans and 25¢ bottles of Coke. Online hotel booking sites have changed the travel industry forever, bridging the gap between the consumer and airlines, hotels, and much more. They’ve made it easier by merging all aspects of your vacation, from booking a cheap flight ticket and hotel room to renting cars and buying excursion tickets. You could do it all with the click of a few buttons, often saving you time and money with any combination of tailor-made vacation packages. And that’s important because a vacation can be so expensive; when making a significant purchase as such, it’s good to have the best travel booking site on your side.

We’re going to take an in-depth look at the best online travel agencies of 2022: Booking.com, Expedia, and TripAdvisor, to see how they’re the same, how they differ, and which one you should go with for your next getaway.

What is Booking.com?

If you haven’t heard of Booking.com, what rock have you been living under? The small Dutch startup hit the online travel scene in 1996 and took the world by storm. What was once a complicated transaction between consumer, middle man travel agent, airlines, hotels, and car rental companies have been seamlessly integrated to directly connect the consumer with a range of companies all on one platform.

For more details look at our review of Booking.com .

What is Expedia?

Using state-of-the-art technology, Expedia reaches customers all over the world with one of the broadest offerings in the travel industry. They are one of the most trusted brands out there and rightfully so; Expedia aims to provide consumers with the best deals on hotel bookings, flights, car rentals, vacation packages, excursion tickets, and even cruises. You can mix and match any variation of what you need from the ever-expanding conglomerate.

For more details look at our review of Expedia .

What is TripAdvisor?

TripAdvisor is an online travel company that started in 2000 as somewhat of a guidebook – an online version of what you would expect from the print editions of Lonely Planet, etc. The basis of it was for readers to have quick and easy access to the information they would need, but the feature that really shot them to fame was the user-generated reviews. This way people could know what to look for and what to expect based on the experience of other actual travelers who have been there. TripAdvisor is now much more than just travel forums and has become a platform for hotel bookings, vacation rentals, attraction tickets, flight tickets, cruise tickets, and more.

For more details look at our review of TripAdvisor .

Is Booking.com better than Expedia? Or is TripAdvisor the best travel booking site? What is the best booking site?

At a glance, it seems that TripAdvisor has more features than Expedia and Booking.com. They offer services in all categories except airport taxis. Booking.com is the only one that does let you book airport taxis, though they do not have restaurant suggestions/ online ordering nor do they sell cruise tickets. Expedia may not have restaurant suggestions/ online ordering and airport taxis but they do have everything else that is commonly booked through an online travel website. Let’s take a look at each of the features and which booking website is the easiest to use for it.

Which website is the best to book hotels? How do you book a hotel on Booking.com? How do I book a hotel room online?

Which website is the best to book hotels How do you book a hotel on Booking.com How do I book a hotel room online

Which website is the best to book hotels How do you book a hotel on Booking.com How do I book a hotel room online

Expedia, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor all have the facilities to book a hotel room. I found Expedia and Booking.com the easiest to use when searching for a hotel room because they had the search engines prominently displayed right on the home page. You input your destination, check-in/ check-out dates, and the number of travelers directly on the homepage search engine. On the TripAdvisor website, you have to choose ‘Hotels’ and then put in your location; it’s not much of a difference, but it is an extra step.

Once you get to the page of results, you’ll find your search requirements as well as additional filters you can apply. The layout is basically the same for all three websites but the filters do differ slightly. After you pick a hotel room that best suits your needs, the payment and confirmation process is pretty much the same across the board.

Filter breakdown:

While no one hotel booking site has all the filters available, TripAdvisor seems to be lacking the most.

Are hotels on Booking.com cheaper than Expedia? Is TripAdvisor the cheapest website to book a hotel room?

Before we dive into finding the online travel site with the best hotel deals, it’s important to note that TripAdvisor does not have its own hotel booking system and instead redirects customers to either Booking.com or Expedia. Because of this, I’m not even going to include them in this category since it’s irrelevant.

I decided to test out the remaining two online travel sites to see if any one of them would be cheaper than the other. Using the same criteria and no additional filters (Baltimore, July 1st – July 2nd, two adults in one room), I found that Booking.com had 66 properties while Expedia listed more properties but didn’t say exactly how many results there were. Most of the hotels remained almost the same in price per night; for example, the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore came to a total of $198.58 with taxes on Expedia and was $198.57 with taxes on Booking.com.

I did find that Booking.com had some room options that weren’t always available on Expedia – and sometimes they were cheaper. For example, when looking at Tru by Hilton Baltimore Harbor East for the same dates, the cheapest room Expedia had was $106.66 while Booking.com had a room for a total of $94.12. They both had the same check-in/ check-out times and they were both listed as a room with two queen beds so I’m not really sure why Expedia’s was $12.54 more.

Looking at it, whether it’s saving you one cent or twelve dollars and fifty-four cents, Booking.com seems to be the cheapest website to book a hotel room. Both companies do have a price match guarantee and will refund you the difference if you find the same room at a lower cost – but why go through the trouble if you’re getting it at a lower cost on Booking.com anyway?

Which website is the best to buy flight tickets? How do you buy plane tickets on Expedia?

Which website is the best to buy flight tickets How do you buy plane tickets on Expedia

Which website is the best to buy flight tickets How do you buy plane tickets on Expedia

Expedia, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor all have the facilities to buy flight tickets through their website. While Expedia and Booking.com have technology built into their website, TripAdvisor scans prices on partner sites such as JustFly.com, FlightHub, Priceline, and more.

The actual website is very easy to use; you just plug in the details under the relevant tab and a list of results pop up for you to filter through and choose from.

Expedia has a majority of the filters you may need when searching for a flight, while TripAdvisor ranks second and Booking.com comes in last. All three have basics such as filtering results by an airline, number of stops, departure time, and arrival time. Those last two are especially helpful if you’re like me and try to avoid an early morning flight at all costs.

I think the filter for nearby airports offered only by TripAdvisor deserves a special shout out. A lot of people don’t realize that you could save hundreds of dollars by just flying to a less popular airport twenty minutes away. It’s a great option to have if you’re not very picky about where you land as long as it’s in the general vicinity of your destination.

Are flights on Expedia cheaper than TripAdvisor? Is Booking.com the cheapest website to buy a plane ticket?

To get a better idea of their pricing, I did a search from Baltimore (BWI) to Las Vegas (LAS) from July 1st to July 8th. I didn’t add any additional filters but did toggle it so that the cheapest options were at the very top. The cheapest flight was on Expedia which showed a flight from Frontier Airlines for $314.78 including taxes and all applicable fees. There were layovers each way but my main focus was the price point.

The second cheapest flight for the same departure and destination on the same dates was from TripAdvisor. They scanned several partner sites and found me a ticket on JustFly.com for $339 including all taxes and fees. That happens to be the same exact Frontier Airlines flight that Expedia found with the same layovers and everything so I’m not sure why the flight was $24 more.

Surprisingly, Booking.com happened to have the most expensive option when looking for the cheapest flight between Baltimore and Las Vegas for the same dates. That flight cost $533.36 and is a Spirit Airlines flight with layovers both ways; that makes it almost $220 higher than the cheapest ticket I found.

In the end, Expedia seems to be the cheapest website to buy a plane ticket but TripAdvisor is a close second.

Which website is the best to book a cruise? How can I book a cruise on TripAdvisor?

Booking a cruise through an online travel service is fairly new compared to hotels and flights but I’m glad that they introduced the option. Why shouldn’t we be able to compare cruise prices and track itineraries in the palm of our hand as we do with other aspects of our travel?

Booking.com is already out of the running because they do not have the facilities to compare and book cruises. Both Expedia and TripAdvisor are very easy to use to find a cruise; you just choose the destination and the time frame right on the home page. A page full of results comes up with the filters on the side.

Based on the extensive filters available, TripAdvisor might be the best option when booking a cruise – especially if getting a good deal or sticking to a budget is important to you.

Are cruises on TripAdvisor cheaper than Expedia? What is the cheapest website to book a cruise?

To identify whether TripAdvisor or Expedia had the cheapest cruises available, I did a search for a cruise to the Bahamas during the month of September for two people sharing one room. TripAdvisor had nearly 20 results while Expedia had over 30. When I sorted the results by the cheapest price, the exact same cruise (MSC Cruises) from Port Canaveral to Nassau and back for the same dates came up. After choosing the most basic of plans and staterooms, the total came to $538 including taxes and fees on both Expedia and TripAdvisor.

While I liked that Expedia had more cruises to choose from, I appreciate that TripAdvisor lets me have more flexibility by using the filters for special deals. I also like that you don’t book the cruise directly through TripAdvisor (they don’t have the software built into their website) but instead they scan partner sites and redirect you there; this way, you can also get reward points if you’re already a member on cruise lines such as the Royal Caribbean or Carnival.

Both online booking sites, TripAdvisor and Expedia, offer equal pricing for cruises. You can pick either or based on what filters you need or whether reward points are important to you.

Which website is the best to rent a car? How can I rent a car on Booking.com?

Which website is the best to book a cruise How can I book a cruise on TripAdvisor

Which website is the best to book a cruise How can I book a cruise on TripAdvisor

Finding a car to rent isn’t usually a difficult process, especially if you’re looking for something in your local area and are already familiar with most of the major companies. Enterprise, Hertz, and Avis are some of the largest car rental companies in the United States, and though I’m familiar with them, I usually book through Booking.com, Expedia, or TripAdvisor because they make the process easy. They automatically scan for all the best deals and apply them for me when I make the reservation; they’ll even match the price if I find the exact same rental from someplace else for cheaper.

I especially use one of these sites if I’m looking to rent a car internationally. I don’t know what rental car companies are popular in Venezuela and I don’t need to know the details when using one of these three. You can search over 60,000 locations worldwide and find the perfect car for you at a price you’re happy with. Even better, most of these offer free cancelations and no hidden booking charges just in case your plans change.

Based on the extensive filters available, Expedia might be the best option when renting a car through a travel booking site.

Are car rentals on TripAdvisor cheaper than Expedia? What is the cheapest website to rent a car?

I searched for a car to rent on all three travel booking sites using the same pick-up location, number of days, etc. to get an idea if one was cheaper than the other (BWI Airport, July 1st to July 2nd). I then filtered the results by price (lowest to highest). The first result for all three websites had the same exact price ($93 total including all taxes and fees).

For that price, TripAdvisor offered a Hyundai Accent or similar. Booking.com offered a Nissan Sentra or similar. And Expedia offered a Toyota Corolla or similar. There’s no guarantee to exactly which vehicle you’ll get with any of the companies but I like to pick one based on availability and my needs in that particular instance. For example, I use Expedia when traveling with a group because they’re the only one that will let me filter my results by the number of passengers. When I feel like splurging, I use TripAdvisor because they can filter results by ‘luxury’ vehicles and they have better options in the luxury category than Expedia.

Which travel booking site has the most unique features? What makes Expedia, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor really stand out?

Which website is the best to rent a car How can I rent a car on Booking.com

Which website is the best to rent a car How can I rent a car on Booking.com

In writing this article, I had to really look into the nitty gritty details of Expedia, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor. Each of them stands out in their own way and here’s what I found most unique about each:

Expedia: Expedia is a wonderful option when looking for domestic and international flights. They have partnered with several airlines to get the best deals and pricing available, and have proven to be cheaper than their competitors. By using Expedia, I can find the best plane ticket for me based on my combination of needs such as seat choice or a specific departure time, which isn’t possible with Booking.com or TripAdvisor.

Expedia has another section devoted to travel guides for popular tourist destinations. This Las Vegas one, for example, includes a guide video and suggestions on where to stay, top hotels, the best places to visit, the best things to do, how to get around, a look into the weather throughout the year, and so much more. It’s very helpful if you’re just starting to put your trip together and can give you some great ideas on which hotel is most family-friendly, etc.

Booking.com: Booking.com is renowned internationally, and while Expedia and TripAdvisor are getting there, the company has established relationships with all sorts of properties all over the world. Do you want to stay in a beachside villa in Portugal? Booking.com has you covered. What about a treehouse in South Africa? They got you covered there too. The sheer expanse of rental properties across the globe that can be found on Booking.com is immense and I love that you can find whatever you need.

Booking.com is also the only travel site out of the three to offer ‘ Airport Taxis ’. This service makes airport transfers easy, letting you book and confirm your taxi before your trip. Your driver will be waiting for you upon arrival to take you to your destination. You don’t have to try and book an Uber in a crowded airport or wait in line for public transport. It’s just a hassle-free way to get to where you need to go. I found this especially useful when traveling to countries where English isn’t the first language. I don’t have to worry about using a translator app to communicate with a cab driver as soon as I land and I can rest easy knowing that a vehicle is waiting to take me to my hotel.

TripAdvisor: TripAdvisor really took me by surprise with all of their filters and facilities available when booking a cruise, especially since they had more options than their competition. But what still stands out about TripAdvisor is what shot them to fame in the first place: their user-generated reviews of everything from restaurants to destinations. It gives people such an in-depth look at what they could expect from the experiences of real people who have been there already.

TripAdvisor also has a fun tab called ‘ Road Trips ’ which highlights some of the most popular road trips in the US. It takes you through the most scenic driving routes and points out hotels and attractions along the way. It’s a great tool and includes tons of tips and tricks to planning the perfect road trip.

Another unique feature that I only found on TripAdvisor was their ‘ Restaurants ’ tab. This awesome feature gives you a list of restaurants in any particular location you choose. I use it for multiple things; one, I have dietary restrictions so this lets me see what restaurants are in the area I’m visiting so I have a general idea of where to eat. Two, they have reviews that other TripAdvisor users (real travelers like me) have left so I can get a good idea of what to expect instead of restaurant-promoted hype. Third, I can browse the menu, get an idea of the approximate cost, and get any contact details (address, phone, etc.) that I may need right off of the TripAdvisor page. And lastly, it’ll link me to one of their delivery options (if it’s available). So, I can browse a restaurant’s page and immediately connect to GrubHub or UberEats to place my order within minutes.

Does Booking.com have the best customer service? How do I reach customer service at Expedia? What about TripAdvisor’s customer service?

From personal experience, I’ve found customer service at Booking.com , Expedia , and TripAdvisor to all be outstanding. I’ve never had a problem reaching them and if you read all the fare rules before purchasing, you shouldn’t have any problems with changes or cancelations to your hotel booking, flight, etc. Since most of what you find on TripAdvisor redirects you directly to their partner, you usually contact the hotel or airline directly for any changes you need to make.

Which travel booking site has the most unique features What makes Expedia, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor really stand out

Which travel booking site has the most unique features What makes Expedia, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor really stand out

Which travel booking site has the best reviews? Do customers prefer Expedia, Booking.com, or TripAdvisor?

Sites like ConsumerAffairs, Trustpilot, and the Better Business Bureau are systems that have been established to protect consumers from fraud and to give them a platform to voice their experiences and concerns. A majority of the time people post on these websites because they’ve had a problem and want to share their experiences with others, so reading the reviews could help you make a decision.

ConsumerAffairs – 3.7/5

Trustpilot – 1.2/5

Better Business Bureau – 1.05/5

While being one of the more popular online travel sites, Expedia ranked last compared to TripAdvisor and Booking.com. There are tons of great reviews on how wonderful people’s experiences were booking hotel rooms, buying plane tickets, renting cars, and more. Some of the more common complaints were long wait times to talk to an agent and difficulty using previously issued credits. Another odd complaint made on several reviews was that Expedia changes the dates you book your hotel for in the middle of the reservation process – so always double check before adding your payment details and confirming.

Booking.com

ConsumerAffairs – 3.8/5

Trustpilot – 1.5/5

Better Business Bureau – 1.03/5

Booking.com ranked second best compared to the other two travel booking sites. They also had tons of positive feedback from people who used the site or app for their travel needs but there were some not-so-great ones as well. A lot of their complaints are relative to car rentals; either the car rental service wasn’t where they said it would be (in the city versus in the airport upon landing) or that the car they reserved wasn’t available and they had to get a different model or style. People also had difficulty changing or canceling their reservations so they suggest being very sure about your plans before using Booking.com.

TripAdvisor

ConsumerAffairs – 4/5

Trustpilot – 3.4/5

TripAdvisor ranked best on ConsumerAffairs, Trustpilot, and the Better Business Bureau compared to Expedia and Booking.com. I think one of the reasons that they do so well in terms of ratings and reviews is because they don’t process a lot of the bookings on their own platform. Instead, they scan the internet and find the best deals and then redirect customers to the actual website of the airline, hotel, cruise line, etc. So any changes or cancelations you have to make would be directly with the company. There are many complaints of hotel bookings not being confirmed but there are even more complaints about excursion tickets; for example, one customer made a jet skiing reservation and showed up at the location to find that the company had closed over a year ago. I think this particular instance is a one off event but buying excursion tickets on TripAdvisor does have a range of other complaints as well.

Expedia, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor have made it simple to plan your next vacation with one of the best online travel sites – whether you’re going abroad or staying in the US. Each travel booking site has its share of ups and downs and to be fair each person’s experience is different. We’ve identified the pros and cons of using each of these services. If you’ve used any of them yourself, share your experiences with us in the comments below.

Also, read our very interesting travel blog post about Turkey and Greece travel comparison .

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Booking.com, Expedia, TripAdvisor – A Look at the Best Online Travel Agencies of 2022

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Orbitz was awful. I got their Orbitz Visa so I could get 10% back on hotels by using their Visa phone app, and 6% back on flights by using Orbitz.com. T’hey owed me $532 from a few trips and I called customer service and after two hours on the phone, and multiple transfers, they said my money was credited and would appear in my Orbucks acct but never arrived.

So I called back and they hung up on me! In short their customer service sucks and they can’t deliver. I’ll never use their website, phone app or their Visa again.

Ranking the best online travel agency rewards programs

Katie Genter

When I was in graduate school, I would book conference lodging for other students. In doing so, I collected thousands of dollars of rewards through online travel agency (OTA) programs. But, even if you're only booking for yourself, you may find value in booking through OTAs .

Many travelers use OTAs to compare prices and book travel and although OTAs are easy to use, you won't always get the best price. You may not even get elite night credits and perks at hotels when you book through OTAs. So, it's best to compare what you find through an OTA against booking directly with the travel provider.

However, not all OTAs offer rewards programs and some programs provide only minimal value. So, today I'll describe and rank the best OTA rewards programs.

Get the latest points, miles and travel news by signing up for TPG's free daily newsletter .

What to know before booking through an OTA

St. Regis Langkawi (Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

First off, know that booking through an OTA may not be the best option. You won't find some travel providers, such as Southwest Airlines , on most OTAs. And, you may find a lower price when you book directly.

Besides, you usually won't earn hotel points and perks when you book through an OTA . Instead, you usually must book directly with the hotel loyalty program to get elite earnings and perks. On the other hand, you'll usually earn airline miles when you buy your ticket through an OTA . But, the airline might classify your ticket as bulk or consolidated. And, this may yield fewer miles.

Finally, if things go wrong, you might find yourself caught in the middle of a finger-pointing match. Specifically, the OTA and travel provider may blame each other if your flight is canceled or your hotel is overbooked . So, both parties may claim the other needs to rebook you or provide compensation. Unfortunately, some travelers have learned this the hard way when trying to cancel travel during the coronavirus pandemic .

So, it's important to realize the potential pitfalls and consider the benefits of booking directly with the airline or hotel . But, if you decide to book through an OTA, you might as well choose one that earns plenty of rewards.

Related: Online travel agency vs. booking direct: Your guide to the best way to book your next hotel

Ranking the top OTA rewards programs

  • Hotels.com Rewards : Best return on hotel bookings
  • Orbitz Rewards : Best perks for frequent users
  • Booking.com Genius : Best for easy to earn status that can provide confirmed upgrades and breakfast
  • Expedia Rewards : Best for redeeming for a wide variety of travel
  • Trip.com Rewards : Best for onsite perks when you need them

Now, let's take a closer look at each of the programs and options for maximizing your bookings.

Hotels.com Rewards

online travel agents sites

Hotels.com's loyalty program is called Hotels.com Rewards . And, in addition to being one of the most straightforward OTA rewards programs, it offers substantial value. Plus, you can book many top hotels through Hotels.com , including hotels perfect for a summer vacation or family vacation .

Earning and redeeming

The Hotels.com Rewards program offers you a reward night for every ten nights you stay. The value of your reward night is equal to the average rate you paid across the ten nights. However, this calculation doesn't include any taxes and fees. So, let's assume you:

  • Stay seven nights in a hotel with a nightly rate of $100 before taxes and fees
  • Stay three nights in a different hotel with a nightly rate of $200 before taxes and fees

In this case, you'd earn a reward night worth $130. However, you'll still need to pay taxes, fees and other incidental costs on your reward night. And, there's a $5 redemption fee if you redeem your reward night using the desktop or mobile web site. But, you can avoid paying the $5 redemption fee if you use the mobile app when you redeem.

Some strategy is helpful when using your reward night. If you use your reward night for a stay that costs more than the value of the reward night, you must pay the difference. But, if you use the reward night for a stay that costs less than the reward night, you'll forfeit the difference. So, you'll want to use your reward night on a stay with a nightly rate just slightly higher than the reward night. When you do, you'll get an almost 10% return on hotel spending through this program.

Related: 7 of the most interesting Hotels.com properties

Elite status

Hotels.com Rewards offers basic status and two tiers of elite status. Specifically, the base level status is called Rewards. And, Rewards status provides the following perks:

  • Secret prices
  • Earn and redeem as described in the previous section

You can earn Silver status by staying ten or more nights within a membership year, which is based on the date you created your account. Silver perks include the following:

  • Priority customer service
  • Hassle-free guarantee: Hotels.com will help minimize property charges or cancellation fees if you need to change or cancel a reservation.
  • Price Guarantee Plus : If you find a better price on exactly the same stay, Hotels.com will match it and refund the difference.
  • Guaranteed Wi-Fi at VIP access properties
  • Extra perks at select properties

Once you reach 30 nights in a membership year, you'll earn Gold status in the Hotels.com Rewards program . Gold elites enjoy all the same perks as Silver elites, along with complimentary room upgrade, early check-in and late checkout subject to availability at VIP Access properties.

As you can see, Hotels.com Rewards elite status has few tangible benefits. So, the main reason to use this program is earning and redeeming. After all, getting a reward night after every ten nights is pretty sweet.

Related: Can you earn elite status and benefits when booking through Hotels.com?

Orbitz Rewards

online travel agents sites

Orbitz launched its Orbitz Rewards loyalty program in October 2013. And, like Hotels.com Rewards , Orbitz Rewards aims to be simpler than the average OTA rewards program.

Whenever you book travel through Orbitz, you'll earn Orbucks based on the kind of purchase you make:

  • 1x on flights and packages (1% return)
  • 3x on hotels, vacation rentals and activities (3% return)
  • 5x on hotels and vacation rentals booked on the Orbitz app (5% return)

Orbitz deposits Orbucks into your account when you book. Then, you can cash in Orbucks toward hotel stays at more than 385,000 hotels worldwide. When you do, one Orbuck equals $1 off your hotel stay.

You can use Orbucks to pay for part or all of a stay. If you use Orbucks, the Orbucks you redeem will be subtracted from the total amount due. Unfortunately, you can't redeem Orbucks for anything besides hotel stays and vacation rentals.

Related: How do you cancel airline tickets issued by a travel agency?

Orbitz Rewards offers elite status to frequent bookers. You'll get Silver status just for signing up, which gets you the following perks:

  • Access member-only prices
  • Earn Orbucks when you book flights, hotels and packages
  • Access to Rewards customer service line

You'll earn Gold status by staying four nights in a calendar year. On top of the perks provided to Silver elites, Gold elites also get unique amenities at VIP Access properties.

And, you'll get Platinum status after staying 12 nights in a calendar year. In addition to the perks available to Gold elites, Platinum status unlocks the following perks:

  • Up to $50 Orbucks in reimbursement for travel expenses each calendar year
  • Seat assignments and upgrades, bag fees , in-cabin pet fees and inflight Wi-Fi all count
  • Apply for TSA PreCheck for free every five years
  • Get free room upgrades and early check-in when available at VIP Access properties

Earning Platinum status could be worth it if you can use the $50 Orbucks credit for eligible travel expenses. This is especially true if you don't already have one of the top credit cards for TSA PreCheck .

Related: 5 reasons to get TSA PreCheck now

Credit card

If you're looking to boost your earnings with Orbitz, you could open the Orbitz Rewards Visa Credit Card. This no annual fee card earns Orbucks at the following rates:

  • 10x on Pay Now properties booked on the Orbitz app (10% return)
  • 8x on Pay Now properties booked on Orbitz.com (8% return)
  • 6x on all flights booked on Orbitz.com (6% return)
  • 5x on all other Orbitz.com purchases (5% return)
  • 2x on all other purchases (2% return)

However, remember that you can only redeem Orbucks for hotel stays and vacation rentals booked through Orbitz. But, if you use Orbitz frequently, this card may be a good choice. The card also comes with lost and stolen baggage coverage . Plus, as a cardholder, you'll get a 6-month CLEAR trial membership and $60 off automatic renewal.

Related: Should you get TSA PreCheck or CLEAR — or both?

Booking.com Genius

online travel agents sites

The Booking.com Genius loyalty program is a bit different than most of the other programs described in this guide. Specifically, there aren't any chances to earn or redeem rewards within this program. And, there's no cobranded credit card for this program. But, you can earn elite status. And, best of all, it's easy to do so and lasts for life.

The Booking.com Genius loyalty program has two elevated Genius levels. And, once you earn these levels, you'll keep your status for life.

To earn the first level, Genius Level 1, you must stay twice within two years. But, this level only provides one perk: a 10% discount at select hotels.

But, Genius Level 2 isn't much more difficult to earn. To earn Genius Level 2, you must stay five times within two years. And, Genius Level 2 provides the following perks:

  • 10% and 15% discounts at select hotels
  • Free breakfast at select hotels
  • Complimentary room upgrade at select hotels

You can see which hotels offer discounts, free breakfast and room upgrades when you search.

online travel agents sites

So, as a Genius Level 2, you can ensure an upgrade. After all, you can book into an upgraded room at select hotels for no extra cost. And, this gives much more value than a space-available upgrade.

You won't earn any rewards within the Booking.com Genius program . But, if you're looking for a deal or upgraded room , you may find it sorting by hotels with Genius perks.

Related: Booking.com makes a big move against resort fees

Expedia Rewards

online travel agents sites

Expedia's rewards program, named Expedia Rewards , provides a loyalty program that's similar to Orbitz Rewards . However, with the Expedia Rewards program, you can redeem for a wider variety of travel.

When you make travel purchases through Expedia, you'll earn points based on the kind of travel purchased:

  • 2 points per $1 spent on hotels, cars, packages, things to do and cruises (1.4% return)
  • 1 point per $5 spent on full-service airlines (0.14% return)

Also, you'll earn double points on all bookings made through the Expedia app. Plus, as we'll discuss in the next section, elite members can earn points faster.

When you're ready to redeem, simply sign in to your account and start the booking process. Once you get to the checkout page, select "Use my points" under the payment section. If you don't want to use all your points on this booking, enter the amount you wish to use.

However, if you are booking a hotel, you'll need to "Pay now" if you're using points. And, if you're booking airfare, you'll need enough points to cover the entire cost. For every 140 Expedia Rewards points you redeem, you'll save $1. So, each point is worth about 0.7 cents. But, points are worth double when you book a VIP Access hotel.

Related: The complete guide to the Expedia Rewards loyalty program

There are three membership tiers in the Expedia Rewards program . You'll earn Blue tier status simply for joining Expedia Rewards. And, at the Blue tier, you'll get the following perks:

  • Save an extra 10% or more on select hotels with member prices
  • Earn Expedia points
  • Hotel price guarantee (Expedia will match any lower price you find until midnight before your stay)
  • Early access to sales and other exclusive member offers

You'll move to Silver status if you spend $5,000 on eligible bookings or stay seven nights within a calendar year. In addition to the perks available at the Blue tier, Silver elites get the following perks:

  • 10% more points when you book
  • Extra perks at VIP Access hotels , including 250 bonus points just for booking
  • 24/7 expedited customer service via the Silver member number

And, you'll earn Gold status if you spend $10,000 on eligible bookings or stay 15 nights within a calendar year. On top of the perks available at the Silver tier, Gold elites get the following perks:

  • 30% more points when you book
  • Free room upgrades when available at VIP Access hotels
  • 24/7 expedited customer service with specialized Gold agents via the Gold member number

The perks provided by the Expedia Rewards program aren't all that impressive, nor is the earning. I'd recommend giving this program a pass unless you have a compelling reason to book through Expedia.

Related: Why points and miles are a terrible long-term investment

Credit cards

If you are all-in on the Expedia Rewards program, you may want to consider one of the following cards:

Expedia® Rewards Card from Citi

  • 3x points on eligible Expedia purchases and 1x points on everything else
  • Automatic Silver status
  • Earn one elite-qualifying hotel night toward Gold status for every $2,500 in purchases on your card each calendar year
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • No annual fee

Expedia® Rewards Voyager Card from Citi

  • 4x points on eligible Expedia purchases, 2x points at restaurants and on entertainment and 1x points on everything else
  • Automatic Gold status
  • $100 annual air travel fee credit
  • 5,000 bonus points if you spent $10,000 in the prior cardmember year
  • $95 annual fee

The information for the Expedia Rewards Voyager and Expedia Rewards Card from Citi has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: Battle of the mid-tier hotel cards: Which card outshines the others?

Trip.com Rewards

online travel agents sites

Trip.com's rewards program, named Trip.com Rewards, is similar to Expedia Rewards and Orbitz Rewards . In particular, you can earn and redeem rewards on flights and hotels. And, you can earn elite status based on your activity within the program.

When you make travel purchases through Trip.com, you can earn points in three ways:

  • 25 Trip Coins per $100 spent on flights
  • 80 Trip Coins per $100 spent on hotels
  • Up to 140 Trip Coins per hotel review

But, as I'll discuss in the next section, members with elite status can earn 10% or 30% bonus Trip Coins.

When you're ready to redeem your Trip Coins, you have options. You can exchange Trip Coins for flight and hotel promo codes, instant savings on hotels and hotel perks. But, if you redeem for instant savings, 100 Trip Coins are worth $1. To use Trip Coins for instant savings, simply select "Save with Trip Coins" during the booking process. However, some bookings may not have this option.

It's unclear how much value can be obtained from Trip Coins when you redeem for promo codes and hotel perks. But, based on the instant savings redemption rate, I wouldn't place too much value in Trip Coins.

Related: Why you might not get housekeeping service during your next hotel stay

There are four membership tiers in the Trip.com Rewards program. And, to advance to higher levels, you must earn tier points by booking flights and hotels. Specifically, you'll earn tier points as follows:

  • Flights : Earn 25 tier points for every $100 spent
  • Hotels : Earn 80 tier points for every $100 spent

Now, here's what you need to know each membership tier.

Interestingly, membership tiers are adjusted each month based on the tier points you've earned in the last 12 months. As such, it requires a fair bit of spending to reach the Platinum and Diamond tiers in this program.

Additionally, members at higher tiers in the program get additional perks. You can exchange zero Trip Coins for these perks when booking hotels marked with "Trip Coin Benefits":

  • Gold members : One free breakfast, room upgrade, late checkout and free cancellation
  • Platinum members : Two free breakfasts, room upgrades, late checkouts and free cancellations
  • Diamond members : Four free breakfasts, room upgrades, late checkouts and free cancellations

However, you must select perks at the time of booking. Perks are provided on a limited, first-come-first-served basis depending on hotel availability. Especially since the high membership tiers require a lot of spending to reach, I wouldn't put too much value in these perks.

Related: The best credit cards to jumpstart elite status

Earn airline miles with OTAs

Finally, some OTAs allow you to earn airline miles for hotel bookings. Three of these OTAs are Agoda (through its PointsMAX program), Points Hound and RocketMiles .

Some of these programs advertise up to 10,000 airline miles per night in earnings. But, in practice, I've yet to find a good enough value to use any of these programs. However, these OTAs can be a good option if you want to earn more miles in a program you already use. Likewise, you may be able to use these OTAs to generate account activity in little-used programs. And, this activity may allow you to keep your points and miles from expiring .

Related: Using Rocketmiles to earn points and miles on hotel stays

Maximize your OTA booking

When booking through an OTA , you may be able to quadruple-dip on rewards. Specifically, you may be able to earn all of the following:

  • OTA rewards
  • Online shopping portal rewards
  • Credit card rewards on the purchase amount
  • Travel provider rewards

However, there are some caveats. You can still earn airline miles when you book through an OTA . But, most hotel loyalty programs won't offer elite earning or benefits on OTA bookings . And, some OTA rewards programs may not provide rewards when you click through an online shopping portal. So, be sure to read the fine print for your OTA and travel provider.

Related: TPG reader question: Which credit card should I use in shopping portals?

Bottom line

Although I regularly used OTAs when I traveled less frequently, now I usually book directly with major airlines and hotels . After all, elite earning and perks matter at hotels now that I live on the road as a digital nomad . And, it's often easier to deal with flight cancellations or changes when you book directly with the airline.

But, I do still use OTAs in some cases. I'll book through an OTA when I stay at a hotel that isn't part of a major hotel loyalty program . And, I'll book flights through an OTA if it offers a much lower price. Plus, I often book through Priceline when I use AutoSlash for cheap car rentals .

Several OTAs offer strong rewards programs. Hotels.com Rewards earns the top spot on my list, but Orbitz Rewards and Booking.com Genius also offer solid value propositions. So, if you decide to book through an OTA, it may be worth using one that provides rewards and perks.

Additional reporting by Nick Ewen.

  • KAYAK for Business NEW

Compare flights from 100s of sites.

  • Hi New York City Hostel $56+
  • Central Park West Hostel $87+
  • West Side Ymca $108+
  • Radio Hotel $169+
  • Pod 51 $175+
  • Pod Times Square $187+
  • Pod 39 $197+
  • The Manhattan at Times Square Hotel $201+
  • YOTEL New York $208+
  • Paramount Times Square $209+
  • OYO Times Square $209+
  • DoubleTree by Hilton New York Downtown $211+
  • The Gallivant Times Square $213+
  • The Washington by LuxUrban, Trademark Collection by Wyndham $214+
  • The New Yorker A Wyndham Hotel $219+
  • Flight Chicago - New York (ORD - LGA) $45+
  • Flight Fort Lauderdale - New York (FLL - LGA) $52+
  • Flight Miami - New York (MIA - LGA) $52+
  • Flight Miami - Newark (MIA - EWR) $55+
  • Flight Fort Lauderdale - Newark (FLL - EWR) $60+
  • Flight Orlando - Newark (MCO - EWR) $70+
  • Flight Orlando - New York (MCO - LGA) $72+
  • Flight Atlanta - Newark (ATL - EWR) $74+
  • Flight Dallas - New York (DFW - LGA) $77+
  • Flight Dallas - Newark (DFW - EWR) $94+
  • Flight Chicago - New York (ORD - JFK) $99+
  • Flight Chicago - Newark (ORD - EWR) $114+
  • Flight Los Angeles - New York (LAX - LGA) $120+
  • Flight Miami - New York (MIA - JFK) $135+
  • Flight Los Angeles - Newark (LAX - EWR) $157+
  • Monumental Movieland Hotel $47+
  • Grand Hotel Kissimmee At Celebration $58+
  • Avanti Palms Resort And Conference Center $66+
  • Flight Atlanta - Orlando (ATL - MCO) $50+
  • Flight Dallas - Orlando (DFW - MCO) $52+
  • Flight Baltimore - Orlando (BWI - MCO) $54+
  • Safestay London Kensington Holland Park $24+
  • Book A Bed Hostels $26+
  • Generator London $32+
  • Corbigoe Hotel $51+
  • Flight New York - London (JFK - LGW) $365+
  • Flight Boston - London (BOS - LHR) $369+
  • Flight New Windsor - London (SWF - STN) $386+
  • Flight Boston - London (BOS - LGW) $396+

Fort Lauderdale

  • Days Inn by Wyndham Fort Lauderdale Airport Cruise Port $66+
  • Red Carpet Inn Airport Fort Lauderdale $67+
  • HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof Fort Lauderdale $69+
  • Flight Atlanta - Fort Lauderdale (ATL - FLL) $35+
  • Flight Charlotte - Fort Lauderdale (CLT - FLL) $42+
  • Flight Philadelphia - Fort Lauderdale (PHL - FLL) $46+
  • Green Tortoise Hostel Seattle $59+
  • Travelodge by Wyndham Seattle By The Space Needle $117+
  • Executive Hotel Pacific $123+
  • Flight Denver - Seattle (DEN - SEA) $77+
  • Flight Phoenix - Seattle (PHX - SEA) $85+
  • Flight Ontario - Seattle (ONT - SEA) $88+
  • Hotel Kanha Grand $19+
  • Fabhotel Royal Residency Lakdikapul $22+
  • Katriya Hotel & Towers $28+
  • Flight New York - Mumbai (JFK - BOM) $557+
  • Flight New York - New Delhi (JFK - DEL) $579+
  • Flight San Francisco - New Delhi (SFO - DEL) $598+
  • Smile Hotel Premium Sapporo Susukino $32+
  • Nest Hotel Sapporo Ekimae $34+
  • Tenza Hotel & Skyspa At Sapporo Central $35+
  • Flight Los Angeles - Tokyo (LAX - NRT) $606+
  • Flight San Francisco - Tokyo (SFO - NRT) $644+
  • Flight Dallas - Tokyo (DFW - NRT) $708+
  • Royal Grove Waikiki $116+
  • Kuhio Banyan Club $122+
  • Aqua Aloha Surf Waikiki $127+
  • Flight Los Angeles - Honolulu (LAX - HNL) $206+
  • Flight San Francisco - Honolulu (SFO - HNL) $243+
  • Flight San Jose - Honolulu (SJC - HNL) $253+
  • Dallas Love Field Inn $52+
  • Super 8 by Wyndham Dallas Love Field Airport $58+
  • Comfort Inn Dallas North Love Field Airport $69+
  • Flight Miami - Dallas (MIA - DFW) $55+
  • Flight Atlanta - Dallas (ATL - DFW) $58+
  • Flight Minneapolis - Dallas (MSP - DFW) $62+
  • OYO Hotel And Casino Las Vegas $32+
  • The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower $36+
  • Circus Circus Hotel, Casino & Theme Park $37+
  • the D Las Vegas $40+
  • Flight Los Angeles - Las Vegas (LAX - LAS) $23+
  • Flight Burbank - Las Vegas (BUR - LAS) $37+
  • Flight Dallas - Las Vegas (DFW - LAS) $52+
  • Flight San Francisco - Las Vegas (SFO - LAS) $58+
  • Freehand Chicago $34+
  • Chicago Getaway Hostel $49+
  • Travelodge by Wyndham Downtown Chicago $92+
  • Flight New York - Chicago (LGA - ORD) $45+
  • Flight Fort Lauderdale - Chicago (FLL - ORD) $58+
  • Flight Orlando - Chicago (MCO - ORD) $59+

San Francisco

  • Hi San Francisco Downtown Hostel $43+
  • The Mosser $75+
  • Chancellor Hotel On Union Square $117+
  • Flight Ontario - San Francisco (ONT - SFO) $48+
  • Flight Los Angeles - San Francisco (LAX - SFO) $65+
  • Flight San Diego - San Francisco (SAN - SFO) $70+

Washington, D.C.

  • Generator Hotel Washington DC $78+
  • Days Inn by Wyndham Washington DC/Connecticut Avenue $119+
  • Hotel Harrington $164+
  • Georgetown Residences by LuxUrban, Trademark Coll by Wyndham $167+
  • Beacon Hotel & Corporate Quarters $197+
  • Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center $198+
  • Glover Park Hotel Georgetown $199+
  • Hyatt Place Washington DC/US Capitol $200+
  • Citizenm Washington DC Noma $202+
  • Arc Hotel Washington DC, Georgetown $205+
  • Henley Park Hotel $208+
  • Washington Plaza Hotel $208+
  • Flight Atlanta - Baltimore (ATL - BWI) $36+
  • Flight Fort Lauderdale - Baltimore (FLL - BWI) $55+
  • Flight Boston - Baltimore (BOS - BWI) $79+
  • Flight Dallas - Baltimore (DFW - BWI) $80+
  • Flight Chicago - Baltimore (ORD - BWI) $89+
  • Flight Boston - Washington, D.C. (BOS - DCA) $98+
  • Flight Boston - Washington, D.C. (BOS - IAD) $99+
  • Flight Minneapolis - Washington, D.C. (MSP - DCA) $107+
  • Flight Los Angeles - Baltimore (LAX - BWI) $112+
  • Flight San Francisco - Washington, D.C. (SFO - DCA) $127+
  • Flight San Francisco - Baltimore (SFO - BWI) $145+
  • Flight Seattle - Washington, D.C. (SEA - DCA) $147+
  • Hotel Boutique Casa Mallorca $69+
  • Suites Malecon Cancun $80+
  • Avani Cancún Airport Hotel $82+
  • Flight Dallas - Cancún (DFW - CUN) $164+
  • Flight Fort Lauderdale - Cancún (FLL - CUN) $178+
  • Flight Houston - Cancún (HOU - CUN) $178+

United States

  • Flight New York - Miami (LGA - MIA) $47+
  • Kauai Palms Hotel $189+
  • Tip Top Motel Cafe & Bakery $194+
  • The Kauai Inn $227+
  • Flight Los Angeles - Hawaii (LAX - USHI) $197+
  • Flight San Francisco - Hawaii (SFO - USHI) $199+
  • Flight San Diego - Hawaii (SAN - USHI) $250+
  • California Suites Hotel $90+
  • Super 8 by Wyndham San Diego Hotel Circle $93+
  • Best Western Seven Seas $105+
  • Flight San Jose - San Diego (SJC - SAN) $51+
  • Flight Phoenix - San Diego (PHX - SAN) $58+
  • Flight Oakland - San Diego (OAK - SAN) $66+
  • Shared Living Not A Hotel $34+
  • Extend-a-Suites Phoenix $61+
  • Hometowne Studios by Red Roof Phoenix - Dunlap Ave. $62+
  • Flight Ontario - Phoenix (ONT - PHX) $48+
  • Flight Salt Lake City - Phoenix (SLC - PHX) $48+
  • Flight Dallas - Phoenix (DFW - PHX) $50+

Los Angeles

  • Boutique Hostel $34+
  • Freehand Los Angeles $39+
  • City Center Hotel $92+
  • Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles International Airport $106+
  • Rotex Western Inn $109+
  • La Quinta Inn & Suites LAX $124+
  • H by H Hospitality $125+
  • Flight Salt Lake City - Los Angeles (SLC - LAX) $50+
  • Flight Oakland - Los Angeles (OAK - LAX) $53+
  • Flight San Francisco - Los Angeles (SFO - LAX) $68+
  • Flight Houston - Los Angeles (HOU - LAX) $74+
  • Flight Houston - Los Angeles (IAH - LAX) $74+
  • Flight Dallas - Los Angeles (DFW - LAX) $78+
  • Flight Denver - Los Angeles (DEN - LAX) $78+
  • Selina Gold Dust $50+
  • Motel 6 Miami. Fl $78+
  • Miami Gardens Inn & Suites $91+
  • Days Inn by Wyndham Miami International Airport $93+
  • La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Miami Airport North $96+
  • La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Miami Airport East $106+
  • Travelodge by Wyndham Miami Biscayne Bay $108+
  • Radisson Red Miami Airport $113+
  • The Palms Inn & Suites Miami, Kendall, Fl $114+
  • Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami-Kendall $114+
  • Holiday Inn Miami West - Airport Area $125+
  • Flight Atlanta - Miami (ATL - MIA) $40+
  • Flight Philadelphia - Miami (PHL - MIA) $46+
  • Flight Raleigh - Miami (RDU - MIA) $48+
  • Flight Chicago - Miami (ORD - MIA) $50+
  • Flight Houston - Miami (HOU - MIA) $53+
  • Flight Houston - Miami (IAH - MIA) $53+
  • Flight Baltimore - Miami (BWI - MIA) $54+
  • Flight Charlotte - Miami (CLT - MIA) $54+
  • Flight Newark - Miami (EWR - MIA) $55+
  • Flight Chicago - Miami (MDW - MIA) $56+
  • Hometowne Studios by Red Roof Denver - Glendale/Cherry Creek $64+
  • Super 8 by Wyndham Denver Stapleton $77+
  • Baymont by Wyndham Denver International Airport $93+
  • Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Denver Airport $96+
  • Quality Inn & Suites Denver International Airport $97+
  • Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Denver International Airport $100+
  • Radisson Hotel Denver Central $104+
  • Flight Minneapolis - Denver (MSP - DEN) $57+
  • Flight Ontario - Denver (ONT - DEN) $58+
  • Flight Los Angeles - Denver (LAX - DEN) $73+
  • Flight Austin - Denver (AUS - DEN) $78+
  • Flight Baltimore - Denver (BWI - DEN) $78+
  • Flight Houston - Denver (IAH - DEN) $78+
  • Flight Seattle - Denver (SEA - DEN) $79+
  • Hi Boston Hostel $61+
  • Found Hotel Boston Common $101+
  • 182 Bedrooms near Fenway & Dowtown $121+
  • Flight Charlotte - Boston (CLT - BOS) $44+
  • Flight Philadelphia - Boston (PHL - BOS) $57+
  • Flight Miami - Boston (MIA - BOS) $63+
  • Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Atlanta Airport $66+
  • Sonesta Select Atlanta Cumberland Galleria $105+
  • La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Atlanta Airport North $105+
  • Flight Miami - Atlanta (MIA - ATL) $32+
  • Flight Baltimore - Atlanta (BWI - ATL) $36+
  • Flight Fort Lauderdale - Atlanta (FLL - ATL) $36+
  • Generator Madrid $34+
  • C&h Aravaca Garden $39+
  • Toc Hostel Madrid $44+
  • Flight Newark - Paris (EWR - ORY) $353+
  • Flight New York - Dublin (JFK - DUB) $355+
  • Econo Lodge Airport at RJ Stadium $66+
  • Tampa Inn - Near Busch Gardens $70+
  • Valuelodge Busch Gardens - Tampa $81+
  • Flight Philadelphia - Florida (PHL - USFL) $46+
  • Flight New York - Florida (LGA - USFL) $47+
  • Flight Chicago - Florida (ORD - USFL) $50+
  • Flight Atlanta - Tampa (ATL - TPA) $38+
  • Flight Baltimore - Tampa (BWI - TPA) $46+
  • Flight Philadelphia - Tampa (PHL - TPA) $57+

New Orleans

  • Ramada by Wyndham New Orleans $83+
  • Wyndham Garden Hotel Baronne Plaza $93+
  • Maison Saint Charles by Hotel RL $104+
  • Flight Atlanta - New Orleans (ATL - MSY) $43+
  • Flight Dallas - New Orleans (DFW - MSY) $53+
  • Flight Fort Lauderdale - New Orleans (FLL - MSY) $55+

Frequently asked questions about KAYAK

Best Travel Sites

CheapOair logo

Read our guide to research and choose the best travel site for you. Travel sites offer discounts, price guarantees and guides that help travelers book with confidence. You may find that you can get a great deal by visiting multiple sites, or you might find one that has all the options you need.

  • Our recommendations are based on what reviewers say.
  • 4,410,481 reviews on ConsumerAffairs are verified.
  • We require contact information to ensure our reviewers are real.
  • We use intelligent software that helps us maintain the integrity of reviews.
  • Our moderators read all reviews to verify quality and helpfulness.

What features should you look for in a travel site?

Travel discounts.

Travel sites often offer discounts to attract more customers. Investigate these common options to make travel services affordable.

  • Bundled discounts: Take advantage of bundled discounts if you need flight, car rental and hotel reservation services.
  • Mobile app discounts: Using a travel site's mobile app may give you access to exclusive discounts on hotels, air travel, car rentals and other services.
  • Membership discounts: Use membership discounts to save money on travel services and reservations.
  • Loyalty rewards: Look for loyalty programs that will reward you when you book travel services through that website.

Booking services

Many travel sites partner with airlines, hotels, rental car agencies and other companies so customers can book all the services they need in one place.

  • Flights: Search flights from hundreds of domestic and international airlines.
  • Accommodations: Find accommodations at hotels and resorts or even private short-term rentals.
  • Rental cars: Compare rental car options to get the car you want at a reasonable price.
  • Vacation packages: Vacation packages bundle several services together to make booking a trip convenient and affordable.

Travel guides

Guides published by travel sites can help you choose destinations and activities that will make your trip more enjoyable. Some travel guides may match your needs more than others.

  • City guides: With city guides, you can get an overview of destination cities. They usually focus on urban areas like New York City, London and Paris, but some include smaller places, too.
  • Hotel reviews: Use hotel reviews to learn about what other people encountered during their travels. Some reviews are written by experts, but others are written by travelers who want to share their experiences.
  • Restaurant reviews: Restaurant reviews will help you choose eateries that offer good services as well as excellent foods.
  • Activities and events: Reading about activities and events can help you decide when you want to visit a city and what you will do once you reach your destination.

Price guarantees

It can be hard to commit to one website when you know how many deals are out there and how often they change. That's why many travel sites offer price guarantees.

  • Price matches: Price match guarantees ensure that you will get the lowest possible price even if another company has a cheaper offer. For instance, a site may lower its price if members find cheaper options from other companies.
  • Refunds: If you have already paid for your travel services, then many sites will issue refunds to match another company's price.
  • Rebates: Some travel websites will give you rebates that you can use on future services.
  • Payments: When you find a lower offer, some travel sites will pay you a small fee in addition to matching the competitor's price.

Convenience

Convenience is one of the most important features that a travel site can offer. The specific features that you get, however, will vary among companies.

  • Travel planning: Planning a trip is often easier when travel sites give you tools to review multiple offers and coordinate travel times.
  • Hotel comparisons: Tools to help you compare your options will make it easier for you to choose accommodations that are right for you.
  • Payments: Some sites provide travel information and offers, but you have to visit another company's website to pay for services. Others will let you make payments directly through their site.
  • Meta searches: By offering meta searches, a website can show you offers from a wider range of companies. That makes it more convenient for you to compare offers to get the best possible price.
  • Convenience fees: Some travel sites earn money by charging convenience fees when visitors book or pay for services online. Others collect money from service providers like airlines, hotels and rental agencies.

Mobile apps

Many travel sites have developed mobile apps that give travelers secure access to their online accounts. Look for companies that offer these and download the apps before going on your trip.

  • Planning: Mobile apps make it easy for travelers to make new plans even while they are on their trips.
  • Itineraries: Using a mobile app to review your travel itinerary will help ensure that you experience everything you wanted during your trip.
  • Payments: Mobile apps are often the most secure way to pay for services while traveling.
  • Guides: When you have spare time, use mobile travel guides to find interesting destinations near you.

What are the different types of travel sites?

Discount travel sites.

Discount travel sites gather deals from other companies to help travelers find lower prices on flights, car rentals, hotel rooms and other travel necessities. In many cases, customers cannot make reservations through the travel site.

Booking travel sites

Booking travel sites do more than just help people find travel services online. They also let them book services directly through the websites.

Vacation package sites

Vacation package sites let customers bundle travel services so they can qualify for bigger discounts.

Travel sites FAQ

Travel sites pull information from a variety of companies to create a comprehensive look at prices and options for travel. You can book flights, hotel rooms, rental cars and activities on travel sites and save money.

  • Book your trip dates for the offseason or the middle of the week.
  • Be flexible with your hotel's location. Often, a downtown hotel is more expensive than a location farther from the city center.
  • When using a travel site, consider bundling your airfare, hotel and car rental to get discounts.
  • Join hotel rewards programs.
  • Book using special rates (e.g., AAA, AARP, senior, government)

Not sure how to choose?

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Author reviews for travel sites

BookIt.com

BookIt.com is an online travel agency based in Panama City Beach, Florida. The company focuses on helping travelers find deals in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.

CheapOair

CheapOair was founded in New York City in 2005 to help travelers book flights, hotel rooms and rental cars. About 20 million people visit the website each month.

  • Exclusive deals : CheapOair can offer exclusive deals because it has agreements with over 450 airlines around the world.
  • Customer services : CheapOair has strong customer services and an extensive FAQ section to help users find the services they need.
  • Vacation packages : CheapOair bundles flights, hotels and car rentals to help travelers save money.
  • Price guarantee : The company offers a best price guarantee that will match lower prices offered by other travel sites.
  • Customer care : CheapOair's 24/7 customer service won the 2014 International Service Excellence Award.
  • IATAN and ASTA certified : Industry certifications tell consumers that CheapOair has met industry standards for quality and customer service.

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor is one of the world's largest travel websites. It primarily relies on user-generated content to help travelers choose destinations and activities that interest them.

Booking.com

Booking.com is an Amsterdam-based company founded in 1996. Unlike most travel companies, it focuses exclusively on helping travelers reserve rooms.

Orbitz

Orbitz is an online travel website owned by Expedia Inc. It was founded in 2001 and acquired by Expedia in 2015.

Hotwire

Hotwire is a San Francisco-based company that helps travelers find discounted rates on a wide range of services, including flights, car rentals and hotel rooms.

Travelocity

Travelocity is a Dallas-based travel company owned by Sabre Corporation, a travel technology company that has been in business since 1960.

Hotels.com

Hotels.com is a website dedicated to helping travelers find lodging at hotels, motels and resorts. It lists deals from over 325,000 hotels around the world.

Priceline

Priceline is a Connecticut-based company that helps travelers find discounted rates offered by a wide range of travel businesses, including hotels and airlines.

OneTravel

OneTravel is a Pennsylvania-based travel website that was started in the mid-1990s.

  • Newsletter : OneTravel uses a daily newsletter to keep its members updated on the latest deals.
  • Hotels : Travelers can find discounts at over 84,000 hotels.
  • International travel : OneTravel books hotels in and flights to countries all over the world.
  • Business class flights : Travelers can specify that they want business class flights so they can focus on options that match their needs.
  • Rewards : OneTravel members earn points that they can use to lower the prices of flights, hotel rooms and rental cars.

CheapTickets

CheapTickets is an online travel company owned by Orbitz Worldwide Inc. Its focus is helping leisure travelers find rental cars, cruises, accommodations and airline tickets.

Expedia

Founded in 1996, Expedia is one of the oldest online travel companies. It was created by a team at Microsoft.

KAYAK

KAYAK is a search engine that connects travelers to services offered by travel agencies all over the world. It was founded in 2004 and acquired by the Priceline Group in 2013.

Jetsetter

Jetsetter is a members-only travel community that offers exclusive deals and insider guides to destinations all over the world. It was purchased by TripAdvisor in 2013.

trivago

trivago is a metasearch engine that helps people browse deals from over 900,000 hotels around the world.

Travelzoo

Travelzoo has connections to more than 2,000 travel and entertainment companies to give tourists access to fun activities as well as travel services.

Airbnb

Airbnb is a marketplace for people to list or find accommodations around the world. People list their homes or apartment online, and people rent them for a listed rate and time. The company was founded in 2008 in San Francisco, California, and now Airbnb has users and listings in over 65,000 cities in more than 190 countries.

Information in this guide is general in nature and is intended for informational purposes only; it is not legal, health, investment or tax advice. ConsumerAffairs.com makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from its use.

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ABOUT JACKSFLIGHT CLUB

ABOUT JACKS FLIGHT CLUB

Reviewing the most popular online travel agencies

Reviewing the most popular online travel agencies

  • Flight Hacking

Katy

Here at Jack’s Flight Club, we’re always on the lookout for awesome flight deals. Airline sales and Black Friday promos are great, but sometimes, it’s the discounts you get through online travel agencies (OTAs) on Skyscanner or Momondo that really get us excited. 

The thing is, JFC members often tell us that they’d rather pay more to book directly with an airline and avoid the risk of getting scammed. After all, how do we know that Skyscanner is legit ? Our article on OTA safety explains how these flight aggregators work and what you need to keep in mind when using them.

In short - Skyscanner and Momondo are genuine companies, and using them to find cheap fares won’t put you at risk. It’s actually the OTAs they redirect you to that you need to be savvy about. That’s where this article comes in. So, now we’re going to take a deep dive into how individual online travel agents stack up against each other. 

The OTAs listed here are a selection of the best-known names and the ones that appear most frequently in our deals. We’ll weigh in with stories from experienced JFC members and colleagues (watch out, eDreams), as well as taking a good look at consumer reviews and ratings on popular platforms like Trustpilot and TripAdvisor. 

But firstly, we’re going to examine how the OTA aggregators we use every day - Skyscanner and Momondo - rate the companies they advertise. So, is there actually any quality control, or do we have to rely on articles like this to tell us what’s up?

Quick reference

Do skyscanner and momondo rate their otas, how do other websites rate otas.

  • Lastminute.com / Bravofly

CrystalTravel

Final thoughts.

In short - yes. Skyscanner reviews seem more transparent than Momondo’s, but both have a quality control system in place.

When someone makes a booking through Skyscanner, they’re invited to leave feedback and rate their booking. When you’re redirected to the OTA on Skyscanner, a short survey will appear asking you to give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down on your experience.

The data collected here all goes towards the star ratings Skyscanner gives its OTAs - you’ll see them when you click on a Skyscanner search result. 

online travel agents sites

Skyscanner reviews the feedback weekly and only takes into account feedback from the last three months. On one hand, it’s good to know you’re seeing up-to-date information reflecting recent experiences. On the other, a load of complaints 4 months ago might still put you off if you knew about them.

Their rating is based on:

  • accuracy of the prices you see in search results, 
  • clarity about extra fees (for bags, insurance, etc.),
  • how good the OTA’s customer service is, 
  • how easy the booking process is,
  • and any other feedback they receive.

One of the main issues we find with the Skyscanner rating system is that you can’t read the feedback or reviews left for individual OTAs. There’s also no way of searching through all the OTAs they work with to check for the Skyscanner rating, so it all depends on which ones show up for the route you search.

Momondo are even less up front with their ratings - in fact, they don’t really rate them at all. Well-reviewed OTAs get a little medal symbol next to their names on the results page, with a pop-up box showing the areas they’re particularly good in. 

Unfortunately, even that doesn’t happen across all domains - momondo.com displays very few approval medals for OTAs in comparison to the European domains. For the purposes of this article, we’ll use the approvals on momondo.co.uk.

online travel agents sites

Both Skyscanner and Momondo let you sort results by cheapest, fastest, and best. While Skyscanner’s “best” category is decided by a combination of price and flight time, Momondo reviews sometimes factor into what shows up under “Best”- and apparently, so might the commission they receive from sales via that OTA.

As part of a wider umbrella of companies that includes familiar names like booking.com, kayak and cheapflights.com, Momondo also uses ratings and reviews gathered from its partner sites. While that’s no biggie on the face of it, their little medal symbols may have been awarded based on a completely different booking experience.

Consumer review sites like Trustpilot let anyone leave a review of their experience with a company. All you have to do is give the business a star rating out of 5 and leave a comment in the box below. Trustpilot balances its ratings to ensure the fairest score possible, giving priority to the most recent experiences.

The downside of these sites is that it’s hard to know if reviews are genuine, plus people are far more likely to leave a review if they are unhappy. The best way to get an overall picture is to check sites similar to Trustpilot, like sitejabber, or consumer review sites like Which?. Otherwise, you may find yourself spending hours trawling travel forums on TripAdvisor or Quora. Good news is, we’ve done it for you!

And that brings us to the juicy bit - our online travel agency reviews.

What we’ve heard: Our members have a LOT to say about eDreams, and we keep hearing the same complaint over and over again - hidden fees.

One member told us that after making his booking, he noticed an extra charge from eDreams on his bank statement. After some back and forth with eDreams’ customer service, he discovered they’d subscribed him to their prime membership without his permission. As compensation, he was offered a €20 discount off his next booking with them, but they completely ignored his refund requests until he threatened to open a fraud case via his bank.

Another member had a similar situation, where eDreams claimed the extra cash they charged her was for luggage fees, and she too was refused a refund. Someone else had an even weirder issue, when the company booked them on the wrong flight with the airline and refused to fix it. They claimed that his booking was for the flight he’d selected, and he’d have to pay again to change to the flight he originally wanted.

These stories are no exception - TripAdvisor is full of threads dedicated to slating eDreams for poor customer service, extra fees, and unexplained cancellations. As one unsatisfied customer put it on Yelp, “One could get more service out of a bunch of penguin juggling monkeys than eDreams”.

What Skyscanner says: Skyscanner rates eDreams at 2/5 stars based on over 10.5k reviews. Since two of their main criteria are customer service and fees, we think we can work out why.

online travel agents sites

What Momondo says: Unexpectedly, Momondo gives eDreams the seal of approval . Either Momondo customers have been really lucky, or the search engine is just a bit out of touch, since they mention eDreams’ reliable pricing and good customer service.

online travel agents sites

What Trustpilot says: eDreams.com currently has a Trustpilot rating of 3.6/5 stars , though it’s worth noting that the majority of reviews there either leave a 5-star or 1-star rating. Another important point here is that many regional websites have a different rating, for example the Spanish website (where they’re based) only gets 2.1 stars, while Germany gets 3.5.

A common theme among the Trustpilot reviews is eDreams not refunding customers after their flight has been cancelled. Several people mention struggling to get through to customer service and waiting for months without any sign of getting their cash back. 

On the other hand, it is worth mentioning that there are more positive eDreams reviews on Trustpilot than negative. Several 5-star reviews say they got great customer service and had their problems resolved quickly.

online travel agents sites

Our verdict: Honestly, they wouldn’t be our first choice. Even when eDreams comes up cheapest, we’d hesitate due to the risk of being booked on the wrong flights or being hit with hidden fees like our members.

What we’ve heard: One Quora thread describes Kiwi.com as “legal scammers”, using loopholes and fine print to take advantage of customers. Multiple posters mention that they’ve been denied a refund for cancelled flights purchased through Kiwi, then being told by their customer service that buying a new flight is the only option.

We also came across stories of being issued fake tickets for cheap connecting flights. When the unsuspecting passenger arrived at the airport, they were told their name wasn’t even on the flight. Even if you put this down to human error on Kiwi’s side, you’d expect the passenger to have received a full refund instead of the 60% they actually got.

With that in mind, you can’t blame us for being a little sceptical when we read about Kiwi’s recent dispute with Ryanair, who accused them of issuing fake boarding passes . Kiwi claimed that there’s “no such thing as a fake boarding pass”, stating that Ryanair were just grumpy with them for selling their tickets for less than they cost on the Ryanair website. Either way, it’s not a good look.

Those are just the highlights. We found a lot more like that, including countless articles about families losing out on thousands of dollars due to Kiwi bookings falling through.

What Skyscanner says: With over 23.5k reviews on Skyscanner, the surprising 3.5/5-star rating is pretty decent. 

That means most people leaving a Kiwi.com review on Skyscanner find that the fares they’re quoted match what they end up paying, and any extra fees are clear. Customer service experiences may have been alright as well, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been problems - it just means that they’ve been resolved.

online travel agents sites

What Momondo says: Once again, we can’t really get more from Momondo than what you see in the image below. They’ve awarded Kiwi a medal , and state that their customers have confirmed reliable pricing and good customer service.

online travel agents sites

What Trustpilot says: At just 1.7 stars out of 5 , Kiwi reviews on Trustpilot look a lot more like what you’d expect after the horror stories we’ve seen.

The most common complaints are problems getting through to customer service agents (and not just a bot), and refunds taking ages - sometimes years - or not being honoured in full. 

You’ll also find more stories about the cancellation of a single flight in a multi-leg journey that ruined a whole trip. Because Kiwi is the airline’s customer, the airline contacts Kiwi to notify them of the change, rather than letting the passenger themselves know directly. 

Several people report that this information wasn’t passed on to them, and are then forced to pay excessive prices for a last-minute alternative. In the situations where they were notified about the cancellation, Kiwi had already requested a refund for that leg from the airline, instead of giving the customer the option to reschedule directly with the airline. That leaves the customer having no choice but to book a replacement flight (again, for crazy money) through Kiwi. 

On the other hand, like with eDreams, there are a few really positive reviews on there too. People who have genuinely had no problems and say they’re glad they didn’t read all the negative reviews before booking.

online travel agents sites

Our verdict: Generally speaking, people are much more likely to leave reviews when they’re angry than when things go well, which could explain the difference in rating between Trustpilot and Skyscanner. 

That said, you could be taking a chance by going with Kiwi - especially if you’re booking an expensive multi-leg trip for the whole family. This seems like a prime example of why paying more to book directly with the airline is worth it for security alone. 

What we’ve heard: Back in 2011, Opodo was bought out by eDreams, which kind of sets the tone for us. On top of that, Which? rates Opodo among the worst flight booking sites out there. 

News websites are full of headlines complaining about Opodo ignoring customers following flight cancellations, passengers being booked on the wrong flights, and huge fees to make changes or cancellations.

Like eDreams, we’ve heard of customers automatically being signed up for a Prime subscription without consent. Given that we rarely see Opodo coming up as the cheapest OTA, we can’t imagine choosing to tie yourself to their services would ever be worth it.

TripAdvisor’s forums are not so full of brutal Opodo reviews, though there are still enough to make you think twice. These mostly relate to long waiting periods for refunds after flights that were cancelled due to the pandemic, which shouldn’t be so surprising, really.

What Skyscanner says: Skyscanner gives Opodo a very average 3/5 stars . That figures, given that most complaints we’ve seen relate to airline cancellation issues and fees for reimbursement. What else can we really expect from a third-party company who makes money by doing the legwork for us (or not)? 

Based on many Opodo reviews that we found on Trustpilot (more on that below), we can actually believe that their customer service isn’t all bad. It seems likely that customer ratings here were either really positive or really negative, landing them firmly in the middle.

online travel agents sites

What Momondo says: Surprise, surprise, Momondo think Opodo are alright too, with another award for reliable pricing and good customer service. We kind of believe it this time, though!

online travel agents sites

There are very few average Opodo reviews, with most either leaving a damning one star or a congratulatory five stars. The most common complaints include charging customers for flights without sending confirmation emails, and applying large service fees when issuing refunds.

On the other hand, the numerous 5-star reviews sing the praises of customer service staff, saying problems were solved efficiently, and the agents were very friendly. It seems like once Opodo customers manage to reach a human instead of a bot, things often go okay.

Our verdict: In the unlikely event that Opodo comes up cheapest on Skyscanner or Momondo, we wouldn’t automatically discount them. Just know that if your flight is cancelled, it’ll take at least six months to get a refund - and that you will not be refunded the full amount. Reading the Ts & Cs of your booking will be well worth the time and effort, so you can make an informed decision.

We’d also suggest that when you’re going through the booking process, double check that no boxes are automatically checked to sign you up for their Prime membership. Uncheck everything and start again from the top, just to be sure!

What we’ve heard: This one is kinda fun for us, since our team has personal experience of a fairly common scam we’ve heard going around. Head Flight Finder Tristan booked a cheap flight from Mexico City to Orlando via trip.com. Luckily, he was still sitting by his computer when he got a message saying that the initial payment hadn’t gone through, and he had to call up to confirm his details within 15 minutes, otherwise the fare would increase.

This tale made us question whether trip.com is legit , but we couldn’t find other reports of this happening with trip.com. In fact, the greatest issue most people report with their bookings is confirmation emails containing incorrect dates or missing information. But since trip.com is a Chinese company, they have no obligation to offer 24-hour free cancellation like in the US and Europe. You’re then faced with no other choice but to pay a hefty change or cancellation fee.

A more unusual story that kept popping up actually happened once people had successfully received their ticket confirmation and airline booking reference. Upon logging into the airline portal to check all the flight details were in order, customers were able to see the names and credit card details of the people who booked the ticket on their behalf. 

In one instance, the trip.com agent had booked a passenger’s plane ticket using the name of a famous German tennis star (we just want to know which one!), a credit card with a name that didn’t match, and a fake email address. Thankfully, this didn’t cause any problems for the passenger, but had the card been reported as stolen, for example, they’d have been out of luck.

We also found out that trip.com and Skyscanner are actually owned by the same parent company. It would be naive to think that won’t have some impact on their ranking or position in the results.

What Skyscanner says: Trip.com gets lots of reviews on Skyscanner, despite being a fairly young company based in China - perhaps that’s down to their relationship with Skyscanner, perhaps they just know how to offer a good deal.

It’s another solidly average 3.5 stars , which reinforces the mixed bag of experiences out there. From what we’ve read, they don’t seem to go in for hidden fees, and the booking process seems easy enough (at first, at least). We reckon those lower ratings are probably down to weird experiences like Tristan’s, as well as unorthodox booking practices and unhelpful customer service.

online travel agents sites

What Momondo says: In the words of Ronan Keating, “You say it best when you say nothing at all”. Not only does Momondo not give trip.com a medal, it doesn’t even show up in any of the results we’ve seen - and that applies across all the domains we checked.

What’s the beef here? We need to know… Could it be that whole parent company/Skyscanner thing again?

What Trustpilot says: Trip.com does okay on Trustpilot, with 3.5/5 stars . Sifting through the reviews reveals a pleasant mixture of positive 5-star ratings and angry 1-star ratings, stating that they would have given it 0 stars if that were even possible.

The common thread in most one-star trip.com reviews is poor customer service. But when you look a little closer, that’s often coupled with customer errors - forgetting to include middle names during booking, choosing trips with layovers that are really short - and there’s very little the customer service agents can do other than charge fees to change them.

There are still plenty of mentions of familiar complaints as well, though, like trip.com issuing tickets for the incorrect flights, delayed email responses, and genuine surprise that OTAs don’t offer the flexibility you might get from an airline.

We also found one review with a similar story to Tristan’s. This person didn’t receive a booking confirmation within 24 hours, so when they followed up, trip.com denied that the booking existed and requested an extra $165 from them. When the customer checked the airline website, fares had increased by $100 since they tried booking, so they knew trip.com had messed up and wanted someone else to pay for it.

online travel agents sites

Our verdict: We don’t love the tricks they try to pull - they don’t seem to happen frequently, but once is enough to leave a sour taste. Otherwise, trip.com seems okay around 50% of the time. It’s a gamble, but if the price is right...

What we’ve heard: GotoGate frequently show up with nice OTA discounts, so we’re quite relieved to say we haven’t heard too much on the negative side. In fact, we’ve had way more positive GotoGate reviews from JFCers booking deals than we have negative.

The most common complaint we’ve had from our members involves delayed refunds on tickets affected by COVID cancellations, and this seems to be the case across travel forums like TripAdvisor as well. 

Understandably, nobody wants to wait 6+ months for a refund, or argue that they’re due their money back. This is definitely a situation where you need to be up to speed with the Ts & Cs of your booking.

Their customer service team does take a beating online, with several posts questioning whether they even exist. Customers who do manage to get through have apparently had waiting times of upwards of one hour - that definitely doesn’t sound appealing.

What Skyscanner says: Oh dear, it seems like most passengers booking via Skyscanner haven’t been so lucky, since GotoGate are rated at a measly 2.5/5 stars .

We’re confident this comes down to poor customer service and the issues many people have faced when trying to get a refund. There’s nothing to suggest that GotoGate fail on Skyscanner’s other criteria, like hidden fees and ease of booking, at least.

online travel agents sites

What Momondo says: As we’ve seen with other OTAs, it doesn’t take much to get a slice of the Momondo medal pie. That’s maybe why GotoGate get Momondo approval , along with a little highlight for reliable pricing and good customer service.

Maybe customers booking through Momondo have just been really lucky?

online travel agents sites

What Trustpilot says: GotoGate is another one with multiple Trustpilot listings depending on your domain, but most of them seem to agree that it’s not a winner. Gotogate.com gets 2/5 stars , while gotogate.co.uk gets 2.4/5 stars . Looks like you’ll have to book via gotogate.pt if you want a decent experience.

The comments say exactly what we’d expect after reading other forums - refunds haven’t been paid out to customers, despite the airlines refunding the OTA. You’ll also find several people slating them for charging lots for changes and extras, but this is fairly standard for OTAs. 

A little more worryingly, there are a few reports of people buying their COVID insurance package to cover flight cancellations and still having these issues. One customer had to pay extra for the refund to be processed and then waited 6 months to receive their cash.

online travel agents sites

Our verdict: Don’t rule them out, despite the negative reviews. If they’re offering a great discount off the airline price, it’s worth booking your flights with them. Just do yourself a favour and check that all your information (names, birthdays, etc.) is entered correctly, and choose a route with feasible layovers. 

What we’ve heard: Somehow, Expedia seem to have avoided major scandal when it comes to flight sales (though they might have made a few mistakes on their hotel side…). They are the biggest travel agency in the world and also own a few other familiar names, including Trivago, Hotels.com, CheapTickets and Vrbo, so they probably know what they’re doing by this point.

Where we have seen complaints, they’re all surrounding cancelled flights and problems contacting customer service. A familiar story at this point. Many people on forums said they used to use Expedia religiously but never would again, so things may be going downhill here. 

What Skyscanner says: Skyscanner reviews of Expedia clearly reflect the recent trend, leaving them with only 2/5 stars . This rating seems very poor to only be the result of customer service issues and old COVID-related cancellation problems, so there must be some lasting issues.

online travel agents sites

What Momondo says: Expedia does show up on Momondo, however they don’t get any medal of approval. This could be down to the poor customer reviews, or it could be down to Momondo being owned by Expedia’s biggest rival, Booking.com. 

We love a bit of drama, so we’ll assume it’s the latter.

online travel agents sites

What Trustpilot says: Wow, we didn’t quite expect it to be this bad - Expedia scores just 1.1/5 stars in the US and 1.2 in the UK on Trustpilot.

Every recent review we saw gave them one star and said to avoid due to cancellation problems. These were likely down to the post-pandemic flight chaos and not Expedia's fault, but most flight-related complaints make it seem impossible to get a refund from them. Or where people managed to change their itinerary, they generally had to pay a big fee. 

One passenger mentioned that they were told they’d be charged £250 (approx. $290) to adjust their flights. Instead, they were charged the full fare again and had to wait 8 weeks for the difference to be refunded. Not exactly ideal if you don’t have the spare cash just lying around in your account. 

It’s worth mentioning that since Expedia are also one of the largest hotel booking sites, there are several complaints relating to problems with accommodation reservations too. Usually we’d say this could skew the results, but we’ve not seen much evidence to back that up.

online travel agents sites

Our verdict: It just goes to show that digging a bit deeper is always worth it - Expedia may not have the bad headlines, but they sure know how to anger their customers. In short, we’d be cautious about booking with Expedia wherever possible unless you have some back-up cash. 

Lastminute.com/Bravofly

What we’ve heard: Latminute.com has been on the scene for a long time, and in some ways we thought of them less like an OTA and more like TUI or another travel agent. But recently we’ve heard some complaints that make us see them in a different light. We also learned that another OTA, Bravofly, acquired the lastminute brand in 2015, so if you’re buying from one, you’re buying from them both - sneaky.

In 2021, Which? Travel published an article saying lastminute.com should be your last resort. The major complaints they cited were failing to refund customers within the legal timeframe, as well as charging a £25 fee for carrying out said refunds.

Pandemic cancellations definitely caused flight chaos, so we checked to see how reviews were looking these days - spoiler alert: it ain’t great. Continued cancellation chaos and un-refunded flights get frequent mentions like other OTAs, but there was also one particularly weird story we found.

A customer made her booking through lastminute.com, but when she looked at the payment on her bank statement, it said lastminute.kiwi.com. It turns out that at some point during the payment process, she’d been redirected to a domain giving away the fact that lastminute and kiwi are in cahoots. 

To be fair, they don’t try to keep it secret - if you go to lastminute.kiwi.com, it’s there in plain sight. It’s pretty unclear whether they’re lastminute or kiwi or both, or if this is some weird scam, but it all makes us want to avoid them even more.

online travel agents sites

What Skyscanner says: Skyscanner reviews make lastminute.com seem much less scary. There are a lot of them, and with 3.5 stars , it feels like there’s a good chance you won’t lose all your money. The same goes for Bravofly, who get 3/5 stars .

According to Skyscanner’s rating process, you’d expect most people found the fees and booking process fairly clear. And if we had to guess what let them down, we’d assume it’s the curse of the OTA customer service. What we read on Trustpilot only backed that up…

online travel agents sites

What Momondo says: Momondo gives lastminute.com one of their medals and the standard reliable pricing and good customer service shout-outs. Strangely, Bravofly doesn’t get the same recognition despite them being one and the same.

online travel agents sites

What Trustpilot says: It’s not great for lastminute over on Trustpilot, at 2/5 stars . There are several complaints calling their customer service unprofessional, while others say they just never receive a reply to their emails. On top of that, many are finding it virtually impossible to get a refund for their cancelled flights.

If that doesn’t put you off, these stories will. One customer says that they bought their luggage upgrade along with their flights through lastminute, who then cancelled the bags but not the flight. The customer was then left with flights they couldn’t take because they needed their luggage too.

Another person reports paying extra for priority boarding and seat selection, only to discover when their boarding passes arrived that their group had been given randomly allocated seats anyway. Of course, they then had to pay extra to the airline at the check-in desk to make sure they could sit together.

Unfortunately for Bravofly , the story is much the same, with 2.3/5 stars . We found more reports of customers buying extras that didn’t pay off, like one who purchased the “flex package” so they could change their flights without a fee. Despite requesting a change, they never got any confirmation until Bravofly said they’d tried calling about the change and couldn’t reach them. The customer then called up and was told it would cost more than double what they’d originally paid to change their booking.

There are some positive reviews there to balance things up, though. Easy booking experiences, timely check-in info and boarding card delivery, and smooth transfers are all mentioned, so perhaps they’re not all bad?

online travel agents sites

Our verdict: We’ll pass on lastminute.com and Bravofly. From the weird kiwi payment story to ignoring the overpriced extras people have purchased from them, they just don’t feel like the good guys. 

What we’ve heard: We’ve only heard suspiciously good things about TravelUp. We say suspicious because at this point, we just can’t believe there’s an OTA that doesn’t have at least some complaints. Everything we found on the TripAdvisor forum was pretty dated and always regarding cancellations or change fees. No surprises there.

We checked out consumer review page sitejabber to see what the angry mob had to say there, and instead we found people singing the praises of customer service agents and complimenting the website’s ease of use and “calming background colors”. It all sounds pretty great, to be honest.

That is, until we stumbled upon some (unfortunately private) Facebook groups with names along the lines of ‘TravelUp Unfair Fees’ and ‘Travelup ripoff’. One of the groups has 1.4k members and has been active for the last two years, so it’s clearly not all sunshine and roses. 

And the Yelp reviews agree. There aren’t many, but they all say to steer clear of TravelUp. As well as the expected complaints about change and cancellation fees, there were some reports of the company changing flight itineraries without passengers’ permission, which had a knock-on effect for entry visas into certain countries. Not cool, TravelUp.

What Skyscanner says: Travelup reviews on Skyscanner echo the more positive vibes with 3.5/5 stars . It’s not all singing and dancing, so there clearly are some less-than-happy customers out there. But when the rating is based on nearly 22k pieces of feedback, we’d say that’s pretty good going.

online travel agents sites

What Momondo says: We’re not shocked to see Momondo giving the seal of approval , either. It would be more surprising if they didn’t, honestly. We kind of believe the reliable pricing and good customer service shout-outs this time, mostly because we don’t think they have a “good colour scheme” option.

online travel agents sites

What Trustpilot says: It’s really something to see a company rated ‘Great’ with 4/5 stars on Trustpilot. There are lots of reviews posted there to back this up, too, saying how fast and efficient the booking process is and how helpful the customer service agents were. 

Many of those posts included the words “so far”, or mentioned that they’d not yet taken their flights. We only hope that there actually is one for them to take when they arrive at the airport, unlike one incredibly unimpressed customer reported in her one-star rating.

Scrolling down, we found some more negative reviews. There were familiar stories, including changing itineraries and huge cancellation fees, as well as complaints about long waiting times to reach their call centre. That said, the percentage of 1-star and 2-star reviews they receive is still much lower than the number of 5-star reviews. 

online travel agents sites

Our verdict: Weighing everything up, it really seems like TravelUp are fairly reliable. The vast majority of reviews are positive, and where there are complaints, it’s often to do with change fees. There are a few causes for concern, but that certainly doesn’t seem to be the norm here. We’d use them - but only after reading the cancellation policy thoroughly, and we’d make sure to check for any itinerary changes regularly.

What we’ve heard: CrystalTravel seems kind of like a tale of two extremes. We’ve seen them offer really nice prices and read positive comments about booking experiences, but we’ve also seen the wrath of angry customers plastered all over forums and review sites.

There are multiple posts on TripAdvisor and sitejabber that report “ghost fare” tactics - that’s when you’re offered a price that doesn’t really exist. It might go up when you click through to the booking page, or they might contact you once you think the deal is done and dusted to let you know that the price is no longer available. That’s usually when they’ll try and up-sell whatever more expensive fares are still going.

Lots of people also complain that they’ve not received any booking confirmation, even months after booking. The question is, have CrystalTravel even booked the flights with the airline, or are they playing roulette and waiting to make a bit of extra cash when fares go down?

And to add insult to injury, it seems that they don’t answer their phones or emails either.   

What Skyscanner says: We couldn’t actually find CrystalTravel on any Skyscanner results, which seemed pretty unusual. So we contacted CrystalTravel through their website chat to ask them if they advertise through Skyscanner.

The customer service agent got back to us very quickly (nice work) to say that they were sorry, Skyscanner is not one of their business partners. They then very quickly followed up with, “If you want to make a booking cheaper, I can do that for you”. 

5/5 stars from us on that offer, but unfortunately we weren’t in the market for any holidays at the time of writing.

What Momondo says: Good news, Momondo likes them ! We don’t feel like it means much, though, especially when we see so many reviews elsewhere reporting shady behaviour.

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What Trustpilot says: Unbelievable to the point of real suspicion, CrystalTravel score 4.8/5 stars on Trustpilot. We’re not sure how they did it, but the reviews are glowing. Everyone says how quick and easy the website is and how great the communication was with the customer service agent. 

Interestingly, lots of the reviewers seem to know the full name of the person they spoke to in customer service, and most of them have the surname Smith. We’re not sure whether we’ve ever had a customer service agent give us their full name before, but it does make the following point seem more plausible.

When you sift through to find the negative reviews, there are lots of accusations claiming the positive reviews are fake and that they are scammers. Most complaints again include ghost fares and itinerary changes that were apparently not initiated by the airlines.

online travel agents sites

Our verdict: The shiny reviews make it look good, but we have a couple of big questions. Why aren’t they on Skyscanner? And why are they changing customer bookings when the airlines haven’t changed anything? 

We wouldn’t want to entertain the idea of fake reviews on Trustpilot, but we’re just not sure what the truth is here… One thing we would say in their defence is that their webchat communication was really fast, so if you’re just looking for a chat and potential holiday discounts, go for it. 

After diving deep into the world of OTAs, it’s fair to say that we’ve been left a little jaded. You can never have full confidence in any third-party booking site, especially when even the highest-rated online travel agencies still manage to get slated so hard.

Seeing all the details Skyscanner considers when awarding a rating, we find their star ratings much more believable than Momondo's medals. As we've seen here, there's no customisation to tell you what the individual OTA is great at, and you can't actually see how positive or negative customer feedback has been.

However, there are a few OTAs in there that we think are worth giving a go, no matter whether you get there via Skyscanner or Momondo. TravelUp and Gotogate in particular have a fair balance of good and bad reviews, which we find much more realistic than ratings that seem too good to be true. 

Most of the negative feedback for all the OTAs we've looked here at comes as a result of human error - typos in names, wrong dates of birth, incorrect flight dates - or cancellation issues. So long as you actually read the Ts & Cs and cancellation policy (and can stomach the amount you’ll have to pay if you do need to make a change), you should be alright.

Just don’t get lured in by any of their extras, and make sure to uncheck every box and recheck only the things you need before paying - especially if you find yourself on eDreams.

Katy is a seasoned budget traveller living in Scotland with her husband and two cats. She has already been to every country in the EU and is now working on grand plans to conquer the rest of the world. When she’s not writing up travel inspo for The Detour, she’s usually researching her next trip.

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OTA directory (list of 90+ OTAs)

You’re now ready to use the following section to build your ideal channel mix! Make sure to incorporate top, regional, and niche OTAs to reach the most travelers, and benefit from the billboard effect. 

Remember, commission rates vary depending on the OTA’s business model: 

  • Agency model commissions typically range from 5-15%. 
  • Merchant models typically require a discounted rate of 15-25% off Best Available Rate (BAR). 
  • Wholesale channels typically require further discounted rates from BAR, and are often opaque and packaged with flights and cars into a holiday package. Wholesale rates are typically made available to other distributors, like travel agents, and are not sold directly to the end travel consumer. 
  • GDS supports all business models

As a reminder, here is the channel mix recipe you should use: 

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What Is An Online Travel Agency And How Do They Work?

  • Category: Marketing Strategy for Tour Operators
  • Date: November 4, 2020

online travel agents sites

Wondering what an online travel agency is? Arival defines an OTA in its “Sales & Distribution Trends & Outlook 2020” report: “Contract tour and attraction products from operators, market them online, and resell them on their websites for commission.” Below, we’ll provide additional definitions and examples of online travel agencies.

We’ll also cover how an online travel agency earns money, their roles in the travel industry, and the disadvantages of online travel agencies.

What Is An Online Travel Agency?

An Online Travel Agency (OTA) is an online or app-based marketplace where consumers can browse, book, and pay for hotel rooms, transportation, lodging, airfare, restaurants, and experiences. Customers book directly with the OTA and the OTA confirms with the service provider. Therefore, the OTA has a relationship with the customer, not the service provider. OTAs differ. While some target a specific audience, others may be broader.

This is a straightforward way for travelers to find activities in the area they’re visiting without having to do a ton of research. While it makes it easier for travelers to find an activity in the area they’re staying in, going through an OTA is more of an impersonal experience.

The allure of OTAs is that they have millions of monthly visitors and offer a depth of travel inventory that covers a wide variety of experiences, geography, and groups of travelers.

OTAs – One-Stop-Shop

OTAs have become a one-stop-shop for travelers. From bookings airfare to hotels to experiences, consumers no longer have to spend hours researching or calling to plan their adventures. OTAs also provide reviews that have become increasingly popular and more important in this technological age.

Online Travel Agency Examples

Notable examples of OTAs are Expedia, TripAdvisor/Viator, GetYourGuide, and Klook. Consumers visit websites like these to book their guided tours, hotels, and airfare because of its ease of use. OTAs are the intermediary between tour operators and the customer. Because they operate not just as an agent for outfitters but as a marketing arm, guiding companies pay them a commission. 

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How An Online Travel Agency Works

Getting started.

  • Some online travel agencies require tour operators to apply to be a supplier on their site, while others only request guides to make an account and they’re automatically approved.
  • When the OTA approves the tour operator, they can create a listing. Usually, the OTA prompts for answers to help the operator complete fields relating to their listings.
  • Once a tour operator finalizes their listing, it goes live immediately, soon thereafter, or following the OTAs review.
  • There is a possibility of finding new customers through the OTA because they can reach and advertise to places a small or new operator cannot.

The Marketplace

  • Consumers visit the marketplace and browse for their next adventure, hotel, or airline ticket. Not only are tour operators competing with other tour operators but they’re also competing with OTAs that offer their own options, like GetYourGuide.
  • Some OTAs offer “curated marketplaces” instead of “open marketplaces.” This means they choose what providers to show on their platform. Some operators fear that OTA’s will curate towards ‘best-selling, high-capacity’ companies (i.e. large companies preferenced over smaller operators). Let’s remember that the best-selling does not always equate to the best quality or best guest experience.
  • When a consumer signs up on the OTA platform, their contact information and review stay on the OTA platform and are not pushed to the operator’s website.
  • Depending on an OTA’s cancellation policy, if the consumer cancels their reservation, your business could lose money.

How An Online Travel Agency Earns Money

Whenever a customer books an activity through an OTA, the tour operator must pay the OTA a commission, which can range anywhere from 15 to 30% of a booking . OTAs and tour operators negotiate the commission rate.

Bigger companies can negotiate a lower rate because of their size. According to Arival, this is one of the primary reasons operators won’t work with OTAs. As a small operator, their commission fees could be too costly and you could end up losing money.

Disadvantages Of Online Travel Agencies

Not necessarily the best deal through an ota.

Many consumers visit online travel agencies for deals, but what ends up happening is that they end up paying the same, if not more than if they booked directly with the tour provider. 

OTAs Keep Customer Contact Information

For tour operators, most, if not all, OTAs own the customer data and do not share it with tour operators. This means there is no relationship between tour outfitters and the people who go on your excursions.

Lack of Inventory Tracking

In order to keep track of inventory, tour operators will likely have to have a connectivity channel provider. A connectivity provider is a communication line between the tour operator’s website and the OTAs website. This keeps inventory numbers accurate and prevents outfitters from having to track inventory manually.

If a tour outfitter does not use a connectivity channel provider, it is up to them to track their inventory by hand. Manually tracking inventory often leads to overbooking or double booking reservations.

Tour Operators Become Overreliant On OTAS

It might make sense for a new tour operator to use an OTA to reach a new market they wouldn’t otherwise. The extensive database of customers on an OTA platform provides the possibility of more bookings an operator could receive as opposed to marketing to a new audience on their own.

What we’ve heard happen is that these operators become too reliant on OTAs for new customers. Should this happen, an operator is at the mercy of any changes made by the OTA, like commission fees, for example.

Alternatively, Origin offers freedom and growth for tour operators. We’ve developed simple booking software to keep you organized and to grow your business.

Get Started with Origin​

Sign up and get started on Origin today. Start using a scheduling and booking platform built for your business.

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Travel Advisers: When to Let a Professional Plan Your Trip

An illustration of a person sitting on a folded-out map with books, papers and coffee laid out around the area. That person is inside the head of a beige-colored person wearing a teal telephone headset, and drawings of the Eiffel Tower, a compass, a signpost, a jet plane, mountains and other travel imagery are all around the head.

By Julie Weed

Decades ago, your vacation most likely began with a visit to a travel agent, who relied on a combination of expertise and connections to find the best deals on plane tickets, hotels, tours and more. Since then, the internet has turned most of us into our own travel agents, and artificial intelligence software is making research and self-booking even easier. But for some trips, that special insider knowledge can still make a big difference.

So when should you hire a professional, and how does it all work? Here are some tips.

Why should I consider a travel adviser?

It’s easy for a traveler to do the research for a standard trip, said Chris Anderson, a professor at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, “so they should look for a specialist for the type of tour they are looking for, say a bike trip in Ireland, who can really add value.”

The insider knowledge offered by a travel adviser can add the most value to trips that have multicity itineraries, involve a wide age range of travelers , are very significant (like an anniversary vacation) or are to destinations you are unfamiliar with, said Gary R. Johnson, who has run the travel agency Woodside Travel in Seattle for nearly 30 years. An adviser could help you decide, for instance, in which order to visit European cities based on local events and transportation options.

What can an adviser give me that a booking site can’t?

Travel advisers can help you research the best destinations, lodging, or activities for your particular group and travel goals, offering up specific advice that might be hard or time-consuming to find yourself. Those specializing in cruises might know which cabin to choose if you are prone to seasickness, while a safari planner could help you decide which park would be best for bird-watching or seeing specific animals, like rhinos.

Travel advisers typically have relationships with tour companies, hotels and cruise lines, sometimes through networks. Those connections can allow advisers to offer extra perks such as late checkout, free breakfast, airport transfers, a welcome basket or a credit to spend on a cruise ship.

“A good travel agent will be a better steward of your travel budget than you are,” said Guy Rubin, managing director of Imperial Tours , which arranges travel in China.

When bad weather or other circumstances disrupt your itinerary, travel advisers often have direct lines of communication with providers and can do the work of rebooking and changing plans, saving you time and stress.

OK, let’s say I need help. How do I find an adviser?

Networks like the American Society of Travel Advisors and Travel Leaders have websites that can help you start your search for a travel adviser by answering a few questions about your desired trip. Once you have a handful to choose from, get on the phone with them to talk about what they might do for you, how they charge and the level of service you can expect. Special trips can cost thousands of dollars, so it’s worth investing time up front, Mr. Rubin said.

Make sure to read over the travel agent’s reviews and any user-generated social content that mentions them, Dr. Anderson said. “If there is no external validation, that’s a red flag.”

How do advisers get paid, and how much will it cost me?

Advisers receive commission from suppliers, typically 10 to 15 percent of the price, when selling cruises, lodging and tours. They also sometimes charge travelers a planning fee, from a few hundred dollars, which may be credited to the final bill if the booking is completed, all the way up to tens of thousands of dollars annually for a luxury concierge travel planner they can call on all year. Mr. Johnson said that he charges a planning fee the first time he works with customers. If they return for other trips, he waives the fee.

Advisers may be tempted to sell you something that will earn them a higher commission, Dr. Anderson said. But, he points out, the same is true for the large online services, which promote hotels that pay them larger commissions. Travelers can ask advisers about specific commissions they receive or how they are affiliated with the products they are recommending, he said.

Sometimes a local tour company will package transportation, lodging and experiences for an adviser, who tacks on a percentage before passing it along to a client. But a bill that is not itemized can make it harder to make trade-offs — between a more expensive hotel and a special experience, for example. If pricing transparency is important to you, discuss it with the adviser up front.

How are A.I. and other technologies affecting travel advisers?

While new technologies are allowing do-it-yourselfers to create their own itineraries online based on individual preferences, and to type questions directly into travel websites, advisers are also taking advantage of those technologies to improve their services. Joan Roca, chief executive of the upscale travel planning company Essentialist said his team “uses technology to enhance the human touch,” employing artificial intelligence to choose options from a database of travel offerings selected by a human team. If a couple wants to take an after-dinner stroll, for example, Essentialist’s app will offer up ideas of where to go, based on what part of the city the travelers are in and conversations they’ve had with their travel adviser.

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

Italy :  Spend 36 hours in Florence , seeking out its lesser-known pockets.

Southern California :  Skip the freeways to explore the back roads between Los Angeles and Los Olivos , a 100-mile route that meanders through mountains, canyons and star-studded enclaves.

Mongolia : Some young people, searching for less curated travel experiences, are flocking to the open spaces of this East Asian nation .

Romania :  Timisoara  may be the most noteworthy city you’ve probably never heard of , offering just enough for visitors to fill two or three days.

India: A writer fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting Darjeeling, in the Himalayan foothills , taking in the tea gardens and riding a train through the hills.

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

COMMENTS

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    Best online travel agencies for flights. 1. Skyscanner. Skyscanner is an aggregator site—it uses a metasearch engine to compare prices from all OTAs, airlines, hotels, and car rental companies. Skyscanner often finds the best prices and helps travelers make big savings on flights and accommodation.

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    Find deals on airfare, hotels, and car rentals with an aggregator site like Skyscanner, which uses a metasearch engine to compare prices from all online travel agencies and the airline, hotel, or car rental company in question.Run searches with fixed dates, opt to compare airfare prices month to month, or click "Cheapest Month."

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    Expedia. Kayak. Priceline. Orbitz. You know them, and maybe you even swear by them to book your flights or hotels. These names and many more are online travel agencies, or OTAs. From the big names to the small, these are some of the most popular flight search engines to hunt for a bargain. And while we tell readers that there's no search engine ...

  4. The 20 Best Online Travel Agencies in 2024

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    Highest revenue-generating OTAs. 1. Booking.com. Booking.com is one of the largest and most popular travel websites in the world, with over 1.5 million nights booked every day. Its website and mobile apps are accessible in 43 languages and feature over 50 million verified guest reviews of properties in 200+ countries.

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    Some card issuers will go so far as to give your points more value when redeeming through their online travel agencies. This is true with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. When redeeming points ...

  7. The Complete Guide to Online Travel Agencies

    An online travel agency, or OTA, is a website or mobile app that allows users to search for and book travel services such as flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and activities. The booking is made directly with the online travel agency but confirmed by the service provider, such as an airline or a hotel. As a customer, your relationship is ...

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  9. What Are OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) and Should You Book With ...

    What are online travel agencies? Online travel agencies are companies that sell you flights, online. They act as a middleman between airlines and consumers, though their prices can often be cheaper than booking direct. Most people are familiar with top OTAs like Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, Hopper, and Priceline.

  10. Best Online Travel Sites 2022

    The best online travel sites. 1. Expedia.com: Best online travel site overall. Why you can trust Top Ten Reviews Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test. (Image credit: expedia)

  11. 12 Online Travel Agents (OTAs) to Increase Your Hotel Bookings

    12 Online Travel Agents (OTAs) to Increase Your Hotel Bookings. Online travel agents, or OTAs, are websites or online agencies, which sell hotels, flights, travel packages, activities, and car rentals.

  12. Online Travel Agencies (OTAs): Complete Guide for Hotels

    Here's a list of some of the most popular online travel agencies with travellers: Booking.com - Booking.com is recognised as the global leader of OTAs, proving to be one of the most popular booking channels for travellers across all segments and parts of the world. Expedia - Another big player but Expedia is also known for being ...

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  14. Booking.com, Expedia, TripAdvisor

    Trustpilot - 1.2/5. Better Business Bureau - 1.05/5. While being one of the more popular online travel sites, Expedia ranked last compared to TripAdvisor and Booking.com. There are tons of great reviews on how wonderful people's experiences were booking hotel rooms, buying plane tickets, renting cars, and more.

  15. Ranking the best online travel agency rewards programs

    Ranking the top OTA rewards programs. Hotels.com Rewards: Best return on hotel bookings. Orbitz Rewards: Best perks for frequent users. Booking.com Genius: Best for easy to earn status that can provide confirmed upgrades and breakfast. Expedia Rewards: Best for redeeming for a wide variety of travel.

  16. Search Flights, Hotels & Rental Cars

    KAYAK Trips creates a travel itinerary for you that will give you flight status alerts, can be shared with friends and more. Simply forward your booking confirmations to [email protected] or use the KAYAK app and sync your email account to keep all your travel plans organized in one app, even if you didn't book with KAYAK.

  17. 10 Best Travel Sites Compared Side by Side

    Read 566 Reviews. Cheaptickets.com is a travel service website founded in 1986. The site offers members discounts on car rentals, flights, cruises, hotels and other travel-related services. As of ...

  18. Most popular online travel agency ratings and Skyscanner reviews

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