online travel agencies access

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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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 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.

• 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

• 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.

• 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

• 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

• 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 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

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

6. Bookmundi

Best online travel agencies for flights

1. skyscanner.

• 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

• 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.

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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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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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

Are Online Travel Agencies Safe To Use? 👨🏻‍💻 17 Best Online Travel Agencies For Seamless Journeys: Travel Like A Pro ✈️

Are Online Travel Agencies Safe To Use? Online travel agencies are generally safe to use, but it’s essential to choose reputable and well-established platforms with positive customer reviews.

The rise of online travel agencies (OTAs) has made travel planning and booking extremely easy in today’s world.

By providing passengers from all over the world with a variety of services, offers, and packages, these platforms have changed the travel business.

Online travel agents can help you with your search for flights, hotels, holiday packages, or tours.

🤔 What are online travel agencies?

4. travelocity, 5. skyscanner, 6. lastminute.com, 8. trip.com, 10. booking.com, 11. expedia, 12. tripadvisor, 14. priceline, 15. cheapoair.

• 🧐 Things To Consider While Making Reservation Through OTA's

⭐ Advantages & Disadvantages of Online Travel Agencies

Q. is it cheaper to book online or through a travel agent, q. do online travel agencies offer better deals than airlines and hotels directly, q. can i trust user-generated reviews on online travel agency platforms, q. do online travel agencies provide customer support, q. are there any hidden fees when booking through online travel agencies.

• Q. Are the Online Travel Agencies Reliable?

Q. Do Online Travel Agencies offer personalized itineraries?

Q. are online travel agencies more expensive than booking directly, q. can i book international trips through online travel agencies, 😇 conclusion, 🗨️ tell us in the comments as per you which one is the best online travel agencies.

Online Travel Agency (OTA) is the name for a website that sells travel services. It lets customers book flights, hotels, and other trips all from one place. They are like a travel agent in the digital world.

📃 List of 17 Best Online Travel Agencies at Your Fingertips

After a lot of research and considering travelers’ reviews we have shortlisted some of the best online travel companies that are operational nowadays.

• Travelocity
• Lastminute.com
• Booking.com
• TripAdvisor

A US-based internet travel company called VRBO focuses on vacation rentals. Landlords and managers can directly register their houses on VRBO, similar to Airbnb.

When booking through Vrbo, visitors may also get travel insurance. In addition to being a part of one of the largest travel companies in the world, VRBO has a reputation for being a trustworthy lodging option.

A website called Parkos.com makes airport parking stress-free. Thanks to the company’s new online platform, potential consumers can now compare various airport parking and facilities, make a reservation, and pay for it in advance of their trip day.

Both locals and visitors have provided overwhelmingly good feedback since Parkos entered the parking sector in 2014.

All technologically aided services revolve around giving automobile owners confidence that their vehicles are safe when they are away from them.

The majority of people may gain more from this comparison, but those who drive pricey high-end cars may find it interesting.

Also Read: 10 Best Places For New Year Celebration

Hotel reservations are the focus of Agoda , a multinational online travel firm located in Singapore.

Along with many other comparable OTAs on this list, it is owned by Booking Holdings, the parent company of Booking.com.

The Agoda network, which offers more than a million hotels and vacation rentals, is primarily focused on the Asian economy but has now grown into Europe and the United States.

The company’s marketing strategy is centered on giving customers affordable or reduced housing.

In 1996, Travelocity was established as an online travel agency with several services for customers. It is owned and operated by the international travel service provider The Expedia Group.

You can check for airfare and hotel bundles, choices for a rental vehicle, cruises, and more using Travelocity’s website.

Additionally, you can read travel-related articles, order tickets for well-liked attractions, and communicate your journey arrangements with loved ones.

A well-known company with a big customer base is Travelocity. They provide a huge selection of vacation packages, many of which are aimed at families.

Skyscanner is a metasearch aggregator that gathers prices for flights, hotels, and rental cars from all online travel agents (OTAs) in one location. Booking flights and hotels with Skyscanner typically results in the most affordable options.

After making your choice, you will be sent to a third-party booking form on the Skyscanner website where you can complete the transaction and reserve your flight.

Skyscanner is used by millions of people to compare rates and options for their travel arrangements. Simply said, it compiles and presents to customers all of the offers from all online travel agencies (OTAs).

Also Read: 15 Best Countries For Solo Travel 

City hopping is a popular pastime in Europe because of how close together the cities are. Among the top three booking sites is lastminute.com .

In this OTA, flight bookings are made through an aggregator website, and hotel reservations are made through an OTA, both of which we have seen before.

Finding last-minute discounts on hotels, flights, and all-inclusive holiday packages is the specialty of the website lastminute.com.

If you’re brave enough to play the chicken, Last Minute has the best travel deals. For tourists looking for a dealer who isn’t scared to wait until the last minute, there are a couple of better OTAs. We’re certain to have the flight or hotel bargain you’re looking for.

Members of Airbnb are allowed to advertise their available lodging and accept overnight reservations. However, the business has added hotels and homestays to its list of offerings.

However, Air b nb is extremely particular about the standards it must uphold when it comes to hotels that can be offered on its platform.

The majority of hotels must demonstrate their distinctive design, how the neighborhood affects their rooms, and how guests can access communal areas.

The most economical choice may be an Airbnb vacation rental. Additionally, compared to hotels, you are more likely to locate more beds in the same property on Airbnb.

Many Airbnbs provide sofas or futons to accommodate larger groups. For longer visits, many of these hotels provide kitchens and washing machines, enabling visitors to save money by preparing their meals.

The largest OTA in China, Trip.com , a Chinese firm, created Trip.com, an international OTA. Trip.com’s marketing initiatives are primarily aimed at domestic and international travelers to China.

Contrarily, Trip.com has a partnership with Booking.com that enables it to broaden its global reach.

Today, Trip.com has hundreds of millions of users worldwide. The organization wants to give both domestic and foreign travelers the best travel experiences possible.

Wotif also owns LastMinute, a website that offers last-minute discounts on lodging, transportation, and other travel essentials to Australians and New Zealanders.

This local internet travel business mostly caters to travelers from the UK and Europe. On this website, tourists can search for and buy flights, lodging, auto rentals, excursions, and package deals.

Also Read: 11 Best Ways To Become A Travel Enthusiast

The biggest hotel booking website in the world, Booking.com , also lets you book travel and a rental car. It can be used by travelers to learn about different types of lodging, locations, and offers.

However, making reservations for different types of lodging is where its true power lies. For the typical person, it serves as an all-inclusive travel agency.

Hotels and other accommodation facilities are only billed by Booking.com after a reservation is made.

There isn’t a monthly cost that must be paid. An all-inclusive internet travel firm called Bookin.com provides lodging and travel options all around the world.

Online travel agencies (OTAs) are a business model used by many E x pedia Group businesses, notably Expedia, the largest OTA.

The company was founded in 2001 and was based in Bellevue, Washington, in the US.

It is one of the most prosperous travel companies in the world, having localized websites in more than 40 nations.

Expedia has provided access to flights, hotels, and rental cars for more than ten years. They are the largest travel company in the world.

Its marketing plan places a strong emphasis on the value of providing affordable lodging options.

Expedia is an excellent option if you want to pay for your airfare, hotel, and car hire all at once.

One of the most well-known travel platforms, TripAdvisor provides a variety of user-generated information in addition to booking services.

Travelers get access to reviews, images, and ratings posted by other travelers, allowing them to plan their trips with greater knowledge.

The website also offers the ability to compare flights and book excursions and other activities, making it a complete online travel agency (OTA).

A meta-search engine called Kayak searches the internet for the finest travel offers on several platforms.

It provides full results on a single page by comparing costs for airfare, accommodation, rental cars, and other services.

Users of its “Explore” feature can find new places to go and the most cost-effective times to travel.

Budget-conscious travelers choose Kayak because of its simple UI and time-saving features.

The “Name Your Own Price” option on Priceline is known for allowing customers to place bids on hotel rooms and rental vehicles at the prices they like.

Priceline provides regular booking choices like flights, hotels, and rental cars in addition to the bidding system, which may not appeal to everyone.

Travelers who are flexible with their travel plans can take advantage of their Express Deals feature, which offers big reductions on unpublished rates.

Travelers seeking low-cost airline options without sacrificing quality are catered to by CheapOair .

The network appeals to people who are concerned about their spending because it offers exclusive deals and discounts on hotels, flights, and car rentals.

CheapOair makes arranging travel reservations simple with its user-friendly interface and round-the-clock customer service.

Flights, hotels, holiday packages, and activities are just a few of the travel options that Orbitz provides.

Orbitz Rewards, the platform’s loyalty program, enables customers to earn rewards and take advantage of special member advantages.

If customers discover lower rates elsewhere, Orbitz guarantees they will be refunded the difference with its price guarantee promise.

Hotwire is known for providing significantly lower rates for accommodation, travel, and transportation.

Partner hotels can offer lower rates without publicly undercutting their usual pricing because the platform hides the identity of specific hotels until after booking.

For tourists eager to take advantage of this method of surprise booking, Hotwire’s “Hot Rates” provide huge savings.

🧐 Things To Consider While Making Reservation Through OTA’s

When making reservations through an Online Travel Agency (OTA), consider the following:

• Price and Deals: Compare prices and look for exclusive deals and discounts offered by the OTA.
• Cancellation Policies: Understand the OTA’s cancellation and refund policies to avoid any inconvenience in case of changes in your plans.
• User Reviews: Check user reviews and ratings to gauge the reliability and quality of the service.
• Customer Support: Ensure the OTA provides accessible and responsive customer support for assistance during and after booking.
• Hidden Fees: Be wary of hidden fees or additional charges that may not be clearly stated upfront.
• Booking Security: Verify the OTA’s security measures to protect your personal and financial information.
• Travel Insurance: Consider purchasing travel insurance for added protection against unexpected events.
• Flexibility: Choose an OTA that offers flexible booking options to accommodate any last-minute changes.
• Available Services: Confirm that the OTA offers the services you need, such as flights, hotels, car rentals, and activities.
• User-Friendly Interface: Opt for an OTA with an intuitive and easy-to-navigate website or app for a seamless booking experience.

Advantages of Online Travel Agencies

• Convenience: Users can book flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements from the comfort of their homes, saving time and effort.
• Wide Selection: Online travel agencies offer a vast inventory of travel options, providing a variety of choices for different budgets and preferences.
• Price Comparison: Users can compare prices across multiple airlines, hotels, and car rental companies to find the best deals.
• User Reviews: Travelers can read reviews and ratings from other users to make informed decisions about their bookings.
• Exclusive Deals: Many online travel agencies offer exclusive discounts and promotions for their customers.
• 24/7 Access: Online travel agencies are available round the clock, allowing users to make bookings at any time.

Disadvantages of Online Travel Agencies

• Hidden Fees : Some online travel agencies may have hidden fees or additional charges that are not disclosed upfront.
• Lack of Personalized Service: Unlike traditional travel agents, online platforms may lack personalized recommendations and support.
• Technical Issues: Technical glitches or website outages can cause inconvenience and delay in making bookings.
• Limited Flexibility: Some online travel agencies have strict cancellation and refund policies, limiting flexibility for travelers.
• Scams and Fraud: There is a risk of encountering fraudulent websites or services when booking through unknown or unverified platforms.
• Overwhelming Options: The abundance of choices on online travel agency websites can sometimes lead to decision paralysis for users.

🙋🏻‍♀️ FAQs For Online Travel Agencies

There are a lot of questions that come to our mind while making reservations through online travel agencies some of the commonly asked questions are answered below.

A. Booking online often offers better deals and discounts compared to traditional travel agents.

A. Yes, online travel agencies often negotiate special deals and discounts with airlines and hotels, which can result in more cost-effective options for travelers.

A. While most user-generated reviews are genuine and helpful, it’s essential to consider multiple sources and exercise discernment when making decisions based on reviews.

A. Yes, reputable online travel agencies offer customer support via phone, email, or live chat to assist with booking inquiries and travel-related issues.

A. While some online travel agencies may charge service fees or have specific booking terms, reputable platforms are transparent about any additional costs during the booking process.

Q. Are the Online Travel Agencies Reliable ?

A. Absolutely! Online Travel Agencies are reputable and reliable. They work with established partners and have a track record of excellent customer service.

A. Yes, they do! Online Travel Agencies take your preferences and interests into account to craft personalized itineraries tailored to your needs.

A. Not necessarily. Online Travel Agencies often secure exclusive deals and discounts, making them competitive with direct bookings.

A. Yes, you can! Best Online Travel Agencies offer a wide range of international travel options and guide visa requirements.

In conclusion, online travel companies have completely changed how we organize and book our journeys.

These OTAs have evolved into crucial tools for modern travelers thanks to their user-friendly interfaces, vast inventory, and affordable prices.

The top online travel agencies included in this article can assist you in organizing an enjoyable trip, regardless of whether you are an experienced traveler or preparing for your first excursion.

Also, don’t forget to book your personalized holiday package with  Fiery Trippers . Let us make your vacation a romantic as well as a dreamy getaway.

Unlock Your Adventure: 💡 Mastering the 23+ Best International Travel Tips for Seamless Journeys! 🌍✈️ Exclusive Offer Inside!

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Rahul Siddharth

He is a dedicated travel writer with a wealth of 10 Years + experience that enriches his narratives. He holds a degree in Hospitality and Hotel Administration from IHM Dehradun, which he couples with hands-on expertise in the field. Drawing from his diverse experiences, Rahul's writings offer readers a captivating glimpse into the world of travel. Embark on a journey of exploration and inspiration with Rahul as your guide. Read More

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The 10 Best Online Travel Agencies: The Top OTAs to Connect to in 2023

Lexi DeMers

Updated: 17 Apr 2024

Online travel agencies don’t just make life easier for travelers. The best online travel agencies also offer a variety of benefits to business owners. From accessing niche markets to benefiting from the billboard effect, listing your hospitality business on popular travel sites has many perks. 

These sites can help you cover low-season lulls or ensure you maximize your bookings year round. Discover how online travel agencies can help you capture your share of the $521 billion online travel market . In this article, we’ll cover the best online travel agencies for hoteliers and other accommodation providers, detail the benefits they offer, and discuss how you can easily manage multiple channels. 

The 10 Online Travel Agencies with the Highest Revenue 

Before you take the time and effort to list your business on a new channel, you’ll want to make sure that it will actually help you gain new guests. Below are the 10 best online travel agencies worldwide by annual revenue , as reported by Statista. 

Booking.com

Edreams odigeo, tripadvisor, manage all your channels with one centralized booking system, a closer look at the best online travel agencies.

All online travel agencies are not created equal. In fact, many channels cater best to specific businesses. Though listing your property on the highest earning online travel agencies is a great strategy, it is even better to understand the markets that each OTA serves. Below, we will take a closer look at the best online travel agencies.

Booking.com is a global powerhouse in the online travel agency sector. Its expansive platform includes a diverse array of property types, ranging from hotels and resorts to apartments and hostels. So it is a great OTA option for a variety of business models. Renowned for its user-friendly interface and extensive property listings, Booking.com attracts travelers from around the world. 

Hotels can seamlessly integrate with this booking engine, streamlining their reservations and room management. On average, Booking.com charges businesses a 15% commission on every booking, though this rate can vary from region to region. 

Expedia is a leading online travel agency known for its global reach and comprehensive travel offerings. This one-stop shop caters to travelers searching for accommodations, flights, car rentals, and vacation packages across the globe. 

Business owners benefit from Expedia's tools like the Partner Central platform, which aids in managing bookings, optimizing rates, and enhancing visibility. Expedia's loyalty program, Expedia Rewards, encourages repeat bookings which is why it is one of the best online travel agencies for hoteliers. However, depending on the region your business is in, Expedia charges 10% to 30% commission. 

Airbnb is a unique online travel agency that connects travelers with a wide range of accommodations, from cozy private rooms to entire homes. While it initially gained fame for its home-sharing platform, it has expanded to include boutique hotels and traditional accommodations. As such, it ranks toward the top of our list of the best online travel agencies. 

Accommodation providers can tap into Airbnb's extensive network, reaching guests from around the world. While there are a few different options, most hosts on Airbnb are charged a 3% commission. Meanwhile, Airbnb charges a 14% service fee to guests on top of the nightly rate you set. 

Trivago is one of the best online travel agencies, but getting your property on the site isn’t as straightforward as the other options on this list. Trivago is a metasearch engine that scours the Internet to find the best hotel deals for travelers. It collects hotel listings and prices from various online travel agencies, hotel chains, and booking sites. 

Owners can leverage Trivago by ensuring their listings are well-optimized on other OTAs. Since it doesn't handle bookings directly, Trivago doesn’t charge business owners any commission and instead gets its revenue from other sites that advertise there. 

Despegar is one of the best online travel agencies, primarily serving the Latin American market. It offers a wide range of travel-related services, including hotel bookings, flights, and car rentals. With a strong presence in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries, Despegar provides travelers with a convenient platform to plan and book their trips.

Business owners looking to tap into the Latin American market can benefit from listing their properties on Despegar. It allows them to access a diverse and growing customer base while also providing travelers with options tailored to their preferences and language. Hoteliers can expect to pay 10% to 15% in commission on bookings from this site. 

Save hours each week by automating the booking process

• Accept bookings 24/7
• No commission charges
• Real human support

As one of the largest online travel agencies globally, Trip.com offers a variety of services to travelers. Formerly known as Ctrip, it has a strong presence in the Asian market but has expanded its reach to cater to a diverse international audience. Travelers can use Trip.com to book hotels, flights, trains, car rentals, and other travel-related services. 

Accommodation providers aiming to attract travelers from Asia and beyond can benefit from partnering with Trip.com. As one of the best online travel agencies, it provides access to a vast customer base seeking a variety of accommodation options. By listing on Trip.com, you can expect to pay anywhere between 10% to 25% in commission. 

eDreams Odigeo is a leading European online travel agency that serves as an umbrella for several well-known brands, including eDreams, Opodo, GO Voyages, and Travellink. It caters to travelers seeking a wide range of travel products and services. By partnering with eDreams Odigeo, accommodation providers can tap into the European market and beyond. 

Whether you run a boutique hotel or manage a large resort, listing your property on one of the  eDreams Odigeo sites allows you to reach travelers from various European countries. Depending on the exact site you list your business on, you may pay commission or your guests may pay service fees. 

As a prominent online travel agency in India, MakeMyTrip has a strong foothold in the South Asian market. It offers a range of travel services, including flights, hotels, and holiday packages. By listing your property on MakeMyTrip, you can tap into the growing Indian travel market and attract travelers looking for both domestic and international accommodation options. 

MakeMyTrip's user-friendly interface and extensive marketing efforts make it a valuable platform for reaching travelers across India and the Indian diaspora. After some controversy over excessive rates in 2019, MakeMyTrip pledged to cap its commission at 22% . However, your guests will also be charged a booking fee when making reservations on this site. 

If you're targeting spontaneous travelers or those seeking last-minute deals, Lastminute.com is the best online travel agency to consider. As the name suggests, it specializes in providing travelers with a wide array of last-minute options, from flights and hotels to car rentals and activities. 

By partnering with Lastminute.com, you can attract travelers looking for instant bookings, making it an excellent choice for filling last-minute vacancies. This is great for offering discounts during off-peak periods or showcasing special promotions. To learn more about the commission rates Lastminute charges, it's best to reach out to the company directly. 

Tripadvisor is renowned for its comprehensive database of traveler reviews. But it's also a powerful online travel agency, offering an extensive platform for accommodations, restaurants, and attractions. 

By delivering exceptional experiences to your guests, you can earn positive reviews that attract more travelers to your property. Tripadvisor offers various tools for property owners to manage their listings, showcase their amenities, and respond to reviews, ensuring your property's reputation remains stellar. Plus, Tripadvisor only charges owners a 3% commission fee. 

Other Great OTAs for Your Business 

Aside from the top-performing online travel agencies globally, there are still many more OTAs that can help boost your earnings and expand your audience. Depending on the region you’re in and your ideal target market, the other great online travel agencies below may work well for you. 

VRBO, which stands for Vacation Rental By Owner, is a platform specializing in vacation rental properties. It's a part of the Expedia Group and caters to travelers seeking unique and often more private accommodations, such as vacation homes, cabins, cottages, and condos. VRBO charges owners a 5% commission. 

Hostelworld

Hostelword is one of the best online travel agencies for low-cost accommodations like hostels and budget-friendly hotels. Hostelworld connects hostel owners with a global community of backpackers and budget travelers, making it an essential choice for those operating in the hostel industry. When receiving bookings from Hostelworld, business owners typically pay between 10% and 25%. 

Primarily known for its flight booking services, Hopper has expanded into the hotel industry. This innovative OTA offers travelers a unique approach to booking accommodations. Hopper's app leverages data analytics to predict the best times to book hotels at the lowest rates, helping travelers save money. And the best part of this platform is that it doesn’t charge hosts any commission fees on bookings. 

Strongest in the Asian market, Traveloka offers a comprehensive platform for booking flights, hotels, activities, and other travel-related services. It has gained popularity for its user-friendly interface, competitive prices, and extensive coverage across Southeast Asia. Owners will pay between 10% to 15% of booking revenue in commission to Traveloka. 

Your business. Your Bookings. Your way.

What are the benefits of using an online travel agency.

Online travel agencies have revolutionized the way the hospitality industry operates. They offer a wide array of benefits that cater to both travelers and accommodation providers. In this section, we'll explore the key advantages of collaborating with some of the best online travel agencies.

Higher Booking Volume.   Of course, the main goal of listing your property on an online travel agency is getting more bookings. These sites have large audiences, which can lead to a substantial increase in bookings. 

Market insights. The best online travel agencies provide valuable data and market insights that can help you understand traveler preferences, booking patterns, and trends. In turn, this can inform your pricing, marketing, and property management strategies.

Build an Online Reputation. Many OTAs offer a review system that allows previous guests to share their experiences. Positive reviews and ratings can build trust and credibility, encouraging potential guests to choose your property.

Easier international reach. If you have international guests in mind, the top online travel agencies can help you reach travelers worldwide. They also often support various languages and currencies, making it easier for international guests to book.

Billboard effect. The Billboard Effect describes the phenomenon in which accommodation providers gain more direct bookings on their own websites after listing their property on OTAs. It illustrates that these platforms serve as powerful marketing and distribution channels.

How to Find the Best Online Travel Agencies for Your Business 

While listing your business on all of the best online travel agencies is a smart move, you can go a step further with OTAs. If you want to find the absolute best online travel agencies for your business, you’ll need to identify sites that fit your niche. 

Many OTAs cater to specific audiences, such as Thermal for surf trips and Bookatrekking.com for trekking adventures. There are also great online travel agencies for other niches, including luxury accommodations, yoga retreats, family hotels, and more. Take some time to explore various platforms’ user base and commission rates to determine which OTAs would be best for your business. 

How Can I Manage Multiple OTAs?

While having a presence on multiple OTAs can offer big rewards, having to log into and manage several different platforms is extremely time consuming. Not to mention, you risk double-books and other errors. Thankfully, you can use a channel manager to help streamline your bookings across multiple online travel agencies. 

At Bookinglayer, we offer Channels ; a fully integrated, user-friendly channel manager that allows our clients to maximize their revenue without spending extra time on administration. Channels allows business owners to integrate with up to 35 different platforms while conveniently managing everything from one simple dashboard. 

Want to Learn More About How Bookinglayer Helps Business Owners?

Bookinglayer is an all-in-one software suite designed specifically for adventure travel businesses that have complex booking scenarios. If you want to offer accommodation and activities, Bookinglayer is the most comprehensive platform on the market.

Whether is optimizing your booking flow, automating your payment processing, or streamlining your daily reports, we can help you save time, reduce errors, and increase conversions. You can sign up for a free demo to discover if you are the right fit for our software suite. 

Best Online Travel Agencies FAQ

What is an online travel agency.

An online travel agency is a web-based platform that allows users to research and book a range of travel-related services. Also known as OTAs, these marketplaces display services from various providers. They often include accommodation, flights, rental cars, tours and activities, and more. 

How do online travel agencies work?

Online travel agencies are third-party services that offer users a convenient and easy way to plan and book travel experiences. They aggregate travel services, facilitate bookings, collect payments, and publish reviews. In return, they oftentimes earn a commission from the bookings they sell.  

How do OTAs make money?

OTAs typically make money by charging business owners a commission on the bookings they sell. These commission rates can range from 10% to 30%, depending on the platform you choose and the region you operate in. In addition, some OTAs may also charge customers a service fee to help cover the costs of running the platform. 

What is the downside of using OTAs?

The downside of using an OTA is that you will likely need to pay a commission to the platform. As such, many business owners prefer to collect direct bookings. Nonetheless, the best online travel agencies serve as a great way to advertise your property and can help you increase your revenue, despite the commission charges. 

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Ranking the best online travel agency rewards programs

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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The Pros and Cons of Booking Through Online Travel Agencies

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

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 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 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

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!

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.

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

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.

Founder & Chief Flight Expert

Published August 7, 2023

Last updated January 9, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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 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 .

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

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.

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

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How Online Travel Agencies Have Changed The World

Published: November 29, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Vonny Pedersen

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Introduction

Traveling has always been an exhilarating experience, allowing people to explore new destinations, immerse themselves in different cultures, and create memories that last a lifetime. In the past, planning a trip involved tedious tasks such as contacting travel agents, researching accommodations, and arranging transportation. However, with the advent of online travel agencies (OTAs), the way we plan and book our adventures has undergone a dramatic transformation. OTAs have revolutionized the travel industry, providing a convenient digital platform for travelers to browse, compare, and book various travel services all in one place. These platforms offer a wide range of options, from flights and hotels to car rentals and vacation packages, allowing travelers to customize their trips according to their preferences and budget. Gone are the days when travelers had to rely solely on traditional brick-and-mortar agencies. Online travel agencies have made the process of booking travel more accessible, streamlined, and efficient. With just a few clicks, travelers can access a vast array of options, read reviews from fellow travelers, and make informed decisions about their travel plans.

Evolution of Online Travel Agencies

The rise of online travel agencies can be traced back to the late 1990s when the internet became widely accessible to the general public. The first wave of OTAs, such as Expedia and Travelocity, emerged during this time, offering users the ability to search for and book flights, hotels, and other travel services online. These early platforms laid the foundation for the online travel industry we know today. As technology advanced, OTAs evolved to meet the changing needs of travelers. They began offering more comprehensive travel services, including vacation packages, car rentals, and activities. This shift allowed users to plan and book their entire trip from a single online platform, eliminating the need to visit multiple websites or contact various service providers. Furthermore, as mobile devices became increasingly prevalent, OTAs expanded their platforms to include mobile applications, making it even more convenient for travelers to access and book their trips on the go. Today, most leading OTAs have user-friendly mobile apps that offer the same functionalities as their desktop websites, providing a seamless user experience across different devices. In recent years, OTAs have also embraced emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) to enhance the user experience. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are now common features on OTA platforms, providing personalized recommendations, answering queries, and assisting with booking processes. VR technology allows travelers to virtually explore destinations and accommodations before making a decision, further enhancing their confidence and satisfaction with their travel choices. Overall, the evolution of online travel agencies has revolutionized the way we plan and book our trips. The convenience, accessibility, and technological advancements offered by OTAs have made travel more accessible to a wider audience, empowering individuals to embark on new adventures and explore the world in ways that were once unimaginable.

Impact on Travel Industry

The emergence of online travel agencies (OTAs) has had a profound impact on the travel industry, transforming the way people plan, book, and experience their trips. The following are some key ways in which OTAs have influenced the travel industry:

• Increased Accessibility: OTAs have made travel more accessible to a wider audience, breaking down barriers and empowering individuals to explore new destinations. With just a few clicks, travelers can access a vast array of options, compare prices, and make informed decisions about their travel plans.
• Disintermediation: OTAs have disrupted the traditional distribution channels of the travel industry. In the past, travelers relied heavily on travel agents, who acted as intermediaries between travelers and airlines, hotels, and other service providers. With the advent of OTAs, travelers can now directly book their flights, accommodations, and other services, bypassing the need for intermediaries.
• Competitive Pricing: The rise of OTAs has fostered increased competition among service providers, leading to more competitive pricing in the travel industry. OTAs allow travelers to compare prices from various providers, ensuring that they get the best deal possible. This has forced service providers to offer more competitive prices and incentives to attract customers.
• Market Transparency: OTAs have brought transparency to the travel market by providing travelers with access to information and reviews from fellow travelers. This enables travelers to make informed decisions about their travel plans and ensures that service providers maintain high standards to attract positive reviews.
• Global Reach: OTAs have expanded travel options by offering a wide range of destinations and accommodations from around the world. Travelers are no longer limited to popular tourist destinations; they can now explore lesser-known locations and discover unique experiences.

Overall, the impact of online travel agencies on the travel industry has been transformative. They have democratized travel, making it more accessible, competitive, and transparent. Travelers now have the power to plan and customize their trips according to their preferences and budget, while service providers have to adapt and innovate to meet the evolving demands of the market.

Increased Convenience for Travelers

One of the significant advantages of online travel agencies (OTAs) is the increased convenience they offer to travelers. With the click of a button, travelers can access a myriad of options, compare prices, and book their travel arrangements. Here are several ways in which OTAs have enhanced convenience for travelers:

• 24/7 Access: OTAs are available 24/7, allowing travelers to plan and book their trips at any time that is convenient for them. There is no longer a need to adhere to traditional business hours or wait for travel agencies to open.
• One-Stop Shop: OTAs serve as a one-stop-shop for all travel needs. Travelers can search for flights, accommodations, car rentals, and even activities or tours, all on the same platform. This eliminates the need to visit multiple websites or make separate inquiries for each component of the trip.
• Flexible Booking: OTAs offer flexibility in terms of booking. Travelers can easily modify their travel plans, change flight dates, or upgrade hotel rooms online without the hassle of contacting various service providers individually. This convenience makes it easier for travelers to adapt to shifts in their schedules or preferences.
• Mobile Accessibility: Most OTAs provide mobile applications, allowing travelers to access their platforms from smartphones or tablets while on the go. This makes it incredibly convenient for travelers to search for and book travel arrangements, even while in transit.
• Real-Time Updates: OTAs provide real-time updates on flight schedules, hotel availability, and other travel-related information. This ensures that travelers have the most up-to-date information at their fingertips, allowing them to make informed decisions and respond to any changes or disruptions in their travel plans.
• Secure Online Transactions: OTAs prioritize the security of online transactions, providing encrypted payment gateways and secure booking processes. This gives travelers peace of mind, knowing that their personal and financial information is protected.

Overall, the increased convenience offered by online travel agencies has transformed the way travelers plan and book their trips. With the ability to access a wide range of options, make changes on the fly, and have real-time information at their disposal, travelers can now enjoy a smoother and more convenient travel experience.

Comparison Shopping and Competitive Pricing

One of the significant advantages of using online travel agencies (OTAs) is the ability to engage in comparison shopping and take advantage of competitive pricing. OTAs have revolutionized the way travelers search for and book travel arrangements by providing a platform that allows them to compare prices from multiple service providers. Here’s how comparison shopping and competitive pricing benefit travelers:

• Wide Range of Options: OTAs aggregate a vast array of travel options, including flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages, from various providers. This gives travelers access to a wide range of options in terms of destinations, dates, and amenities.
• Transparent Pricing: OTAs provide transparent pricing, allowing travelers to see the costs associated with different travel services upfront. They display the total price, including taxes and fees, making it easier for travelers to compare and evaluate the value they will receive for their money.
• Instant Price Comparison: With just a few clicks, travelers can compare prices from different providers for the same travel service, such as a flight or hotel. This saves time and effort, as they can quickly identify the most competitive options and make informed decisions.
• Bargain Hunting: OTAs often offer exclusive discounts, promotional deals, and special packages that are not available elsewhere. This allows travelers to find the best bargains and secure cost-effective travel arrangements that suit their budget.
• Dynamic Pricing: Many OTAs leverage dynamic pricing algorithms that adjust prices based on supply and demand. This means that travelers can find varying prices for the same service depending on factors such as time of booking, availability, and popularity. Keeping an eye on price fluctuations can lead to significant savings.
• User Reviews and Ratings: OTAs also provide user-generated reviews and ratings for hotels, airlines, and other services. Travelers can read these reviews to gauge the quality and value of different options, helping them make more informed decisions based on the experiences of previous customers.

Overall, the ability to compare prices and take advantage of competitive pricing offered by online travel agencies gives travelers the power to find the best deals and maximize the value of their travel budget. Whether it’s scoring discounted flights, securing affordable accommodations, or finding budget-friendly vacation packages, comparison shopping through OTAs ensures that travelers can make cost-effective choices without compromising on quality or convenience.

Expansion of Travel Options

Online travel agencies (OTAs) have greatly expanded the travel options available to travelers, offering a vast array of destinations, accommodations, and experiences that were previously difficult to access. Here are several ways in which OTAs have expanded travel options:

• Global Reach: OTAs have opened up travel opportunities to destinations all around the world. Travelers can now explore and book flights, accommodations, and activities in lesser-known or remote areas, expanding their travel horizons beyond traditional tourist hotspots.
• Diverse Accommodation Options: OTAs offer a wide range of accommodations to suit various preferences and budgets. Travelers can choose from luxury hotels, boutique bed and breakfasts, vacation rentals, hostels, and more, ensuring that there is an option available for every type of traveler.
• Unique Experiences: OTAs provide access to unique travel experiences that go beyond simply booking flights and hotels. Travelers can now discover and book activities such as guided tours, cooking classes, adventure sports, cultural immersions, and wildlife expeditions, enhancing their travel experiences and creating lasting memories.
• Package Deals: OTAs often offer packaged travel deals that combine flights, accommodations, and activities into one convenient bundle. These packages provide travelers with an all-in-one solution and sometimes include added perks, such as discounted rates, complimentary meals, or guided tours.
• Flexible Travel Planning: OTAs allow travelers to customize their itineraries and create unique travel plans. Travelers can choose the duration of their stay, select specific dates, and even tailor their activities to suit their interests and preferences. This flexibility enables travelers to plan trips that suit their individual needs and desires.
• Specialized Travel: OTAs cater to various niche markets, offering specialized travel options such as eco-tourism, adventure travel, family-friendly vacations, solo travel, and more. This ensures that travelers with specific interests can find relevant options that align with their travel preferences.

Overall, the expansion of travel options provided by online travel agencies has made it easier for travelers to explore diverse destinations, find accommodations that suit their needs, and discover unique experiences that make their trips truly memorable. Whether it’s embarking on a safari in Africa, staying in a traditional ryokan in Japan, or indulging in a culinary tour of Europe, OTAs have made it possible for travelers to create their dream trips and embark on new adventures.

Rise of User Reviews and Ratings

The rise of online travel agencies (OTAs) has coincided with the proliferation of user reviews and ratings, which play a significant role in shaping the travel industry. Travelers now have access to a wealth of information and firsthand experiences shared by fellow travelers, allowing them to make more informed decisions. Here’s how user reviews and ratings have impacted the travel industry:

• Transparency and Trust: User reviews and ratings provide transparency in the travel industry. Travelers can read about the experiences of others, gain insights into the quality of accommodations, airlines, and other services, and make informed decisions based on real-life experiences. This transparency builds trust between travelers and service providers.
• Unbiased Feedback: User-generated reviews are seen as unbiased and trustworthy because they come from real travelers who have experienced the services firsthand. This enables travelers to get a more authentic and balanced perspective on the quality of the services they are considering.
• Quality Assurance: Positive reviews and high ratings act as endorsements for service providers. Accommodations, airlines, and other travel services that consistently receive positive feedback and high ratings are perceived as offering quality experiences, which can attract more customers.
• Improving Service Quality: User reviews and ratings provide valuable feedback for service providers, highlighting areas of improvement and commendation. Service providers can analyze the feedback and make necessary adjustments to enhance the quality of their offerings, ultimately benefiting future travelers.
• Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: User reviews give travelers a platform to express their opinions and share their experiences. Positive reviews can reinforce the satisfaction and happiness experienced by travelers, while negative reviews can help address any issues or concerns and improve the overall customer experience.
• Personalized Recommendations: OTAs can use user reviews and ratings to provide travelers with personalized recommendations based on their preferences. By analyzing past reviews and understanding a traveler’s preferences, OTAs can suggest accommodations, activities, or destinations that align with their interests.

As user reviews and ratings continue to grow in importance, the travel industry is incentivized to consistently deliver exceptional customer experiences, as a negative review can have a significant impact on a service provider’s reputation and business. Travelers, on the other hand, have become more discerning and empowered, relying on user feedback to make decisions that align with their expectations and preferences.

Challenges Faced by Online Travel Agencies

While online travel agencies (OTAs) have brought significant advancements to the travel industry, they also face several challenges. These challenges can impact their operations, customer satisfaction, and overall success. Here are some key challenges faced by OTAs:

• Competition: The online travel industry is highly competitive, with numerous OTAs vying for customers’ attention. Competing with other established players, as well as emerging startups, requires OTAs to constantly innovate, provide unique offerings, and differentiate themselves to attract and retain customers.
• Price Comparison: Price comparison is both a benefit and a challenge for OTAs. While it allows travelers to find the best deals, it also makes it easier for customers to find cheaper options on different platforms. This puts pressure on OTAs to continuously offer competitive pricing and value-added services to stay ahead.
• Dependency on Suppliers: OTAs heavily rely on collaborations with airlines, hotels, car rental companies, and other service providers to offer comprehensive travel options. Changes in terms, contract disputes, or disruptions in the supplier’s operations can impact the availability and reliability of services, and consequently, the OTA’s reputation.
• Technical Challenges: OTAs need to manage complex technical infrastructure to ensure seamless booking processes, real-time inventory updates, and secure payment transactions. Managing website uptime, handling high traffic volumes, and addressing potential cybersecurity threats requires continuous investment in technology and skilled IT resources.
• Customer Service: Providing efficient and prompt customer service can be challenging for OTAs due to the volume of customers and the potential for issues with bookings, cancellations, or refunds. Ensuring customer satisfaction and resolving complaints promptly is vital to maintain a positive brand image and retain customer loyalty.
• Dependency on Online Advertising: OTAs heavily rely on online advertising channels to drive traffic to their platforms. This not only requires significant financial investment but also means competing against other companies for ad space and managing advertising costs to ensure an adequate return on investment.
• Regulatory Compliance: The travel industry is subject to various regulations and licensing requirements, which can differ across different countries and regions. Compliance with local laws, taxes, and regulations can be complex and time-consuming for OTAs operating globally.

Despite the challenges, OTAs have demonstrated their resilience and adaptability in the face of evolving market dynamics. By staying updated with the latest trends, investing in technology, offering exceptional customer service, and fostering strong partnerships with service providers, OTAs can overcome these challenges and continue to shape the travel industry.

Online travel agencies (OTAs) have revolutionized the travel industry, providing unprecedented convenience, access to a wide range of options, and the ability to make informed decisions. The evolution of OTAs has transformed the way we plan, book, and experience our trips, making travel more accessible, transparent, and tailored to individual preferences. By harnessing the power of the internet and digital technology, OTAs have expanded travel options, allowing travelers to explore destinations and accommodations beyond traditional tourist hotspots. They have also facilitated comparison shopping and competitive pricing, empowering travelers to find the best deals and make cost-effective choices. Furthermore, the rise of user reviews and ratings has brought transparency and trust to the travel industry. Travelers can now rely on the unbiased feedback of fellow travelers to make informed decisions, while service providers are incentivized to maintain high standards and continuously improve their offerings to satisfy customers. However, OTAs are not without challenges. They face fierce competition, technical complexities, and the need to ensure reliable partnerships with service providers. Additionally, customer service and regulatory compliance are vital considerations for successful operations. Despite these challenges, OTAs continue to innovate and adapt, leveraging technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality to enhance the customer experience. By staying ahead of market trends and investing in customer satisfaction, OTAs can continue to shape the travel industry and provide travelers with seamless, convenient, and personalized travel solutions. In conclusion, the emergence of online travel agencies has transformed travel planning and booking, offering travelers unprecedented convenience, access to a wide range of options, and the ability to make informed decisions. As the travel industry continues to evolve, OTAs will play a crucial role in shaping the future of travel, meeting the needs and expectations of travelers around the world.

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The Best Travel Agent Incentives in the Caribbean Right Now 

In an effort to motivate its advisor partners, many top-notch Caribbean hotels are offering special perks for travel specialists who show initiative through bookings.

“Incentives are not only great to earn, but once you use them, it helps in business growth,” said Dilworth Daley, a Caribbean travel specialist and owner of Daley Destinations, “which is such a win-win for us as travel advisors.” 

To access this content, subscribe now. Choose from two tailored subscription options: Caribbean Journal Invest for comprehensive investment news or Caribbean Journal Travel Advisor for targeted content for travel agents and advisors. Subscribe today to unlock this article and receive our biweekly newsletter. Categories: Caribbean Travel Advisor , News Recent Articles

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In an effort to motivate its advisor partners, many top-notch Caribbean hotels are offering special perks for travel specialists who show initiative through bookings. To access this content, subscribe now. Choose from two tailored subscription options: Caribbean Journal Invest for comprehensive investment […]

The Winners of the 2024 Caribbean Green Awards 

With almost 20,000 votes, the winners of the Caribbean Green Awards 2024 Presented by E-Finity have been crowned.  From state-of-the-art marine conservation projects to hotels that are redefining sustainability, the Green movement has never been stronger in the Caribbean.  “This […]

Hyatt Just Opened a New All-Inclusive Resort in Mazatlan, Mexico

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Mazatlan has been one of the fastest-growing destinations in Mexico in recent years, with a booming hotel pipeline and continued flight growth, out of the United States and Canada.  Now, it’s the newest home of Hyatt’s quickly-expanding Dreams all-inclusive brand.  […]

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USDA Partners with FarmRaise to Offer Educational Tools and Resources to Promote Financial Access and Equity for Agricultural Producers, Disaster Assistance, and Farm Loan Resources Now Available Online

BOZEMAN, Montana, April 17, 2024 – The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) today unveiled a new, online Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) Decision Tool and farm loan resources available to agricultural producers and cooperators who help producers access USDA disaster assistance, farm loans and other federal farm programs. The new LIP tool and the farm loan informational video resources were developed in partnership with FarmRaise and USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). These tools are now available at www.farmraise.com/usda-fsa.  

“By providing collaborative outreach and technical assistance to the agricultural community, the Farm Service Agency’s partnerships with organizations like FarmRaise, Inc. increase awareness of and broader participation in our extensive suite of farm and farm loan programs,” said FSA State Executive Director Maureen Wicks. “Offering innovative tools and resources with help from our cooperators breaks down program delivery barriers ensuring equitable access to our programs for millions of rural, urban and small-scale to mid-sized producers.” 

Current FarmRaise Tools and Resources  

FarmRaise, Inc. has created an online, educational hub -- called Farm Service Agency 101 – comprised of videos, and resources that enable cooperators and the agricultural producers they serve to learn about and access major FSA programs.  

The newly launched LIP Decision Tool assists livestock producers who suffered losses from eligible adverse weather events and other causes of loss as well as cooperators who are helping disaster-impacted livestock producers navigate available federal disaster assistance programs. The optional decision tool gives producers guidance on what is needed to gather and submit required loss documentation, reducing the amount of time needed to complete applications and enabling FSA county office staff to deliver much-needed assistance faster. Using this tool, however, is not an application for benefits or a determination of eligibility. 

Through use of the LIP tool, livestock producers can provide supporting documentation, inventory numbers, and loss numbers to FSA county offices. Doing so, in advance of the initial county office visit, will help FSA staff serve customers more effectively and efficiently. Producers will also need to complete an application for LIP assistance and, upon request, may be asked to provide additional supporting documentation.  

LIP offers payments to livestock producers for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by qualifying adverse weather events. LIP also covers losses due to eligible diseases and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law. This includes attacks by wolves and predatory birds. 

In addition to the new LIP Decision Tool, the FarmRaise educational hub offers several, easily navigated farm loan programs how-to videos designed to introduce producers to FSA’s many farm loan programs options and guide them through the application process. 

More FSA program resources and tools will soon be added to the FarmRaise educational hub. Cooperators and agricultural producers are encouraged to visit the FarmRaise educational hub often to access all available resources.  

About the Partnership  

USDA cooperators are organizations on the frontlines of access and often are the first point of contact connecting farmers to USDA programs. The partnership between FarmRaise, Inc. and FSA, through a cooperative agreement, aims to improve producer participation and customer experience in USDA programs through education and technical assistance to young, beginning, and small-scale to mid-sized producers, producers with disabilities, and veterans. 

“We’re thrilled to partner with our colleagues in the U.S. Department of Agriculture to drive financial access through digital education,” said Jayce Hafner, the CEO of FarmRaise. “Growing up on an Angus beef cattle farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, my family experienced the positive impact of USDA programs on both our soil health and our balance sheet. This effort will take a team of teams, and we’re eager to collaborate with cooperators to build impactful tools that will most benefit their unique missions and diverse farmer communities in the decades to come. FarmRaise aims to propel our nation’s agricultural community into a transformative era of unprecedented growth, resilience and success.” 

By developing a digital educational hub that delivers free, user-friendly, producer and cooperator-tested resources USDA and FarmRaise, Inc. will help FSA expedite program delivery to agricultural producers. The hub offers how-to videos and visual aids that educate producers about FSA programs and prepares them for submitting applications for program participation. 

More Information  

For more information about FSA farm and farm loan programs, visit fsa.usda.gov or contact your local USDA Service Center - farmers.gov/service-center-locator . To learn more about FarmRaise, visit Farmraise.com . 

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov .     

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

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Putin rounds up illegal migrants to send to the frontline in Ukraine as Vladimir exploits Moscow massacre anti-migrant backlash to find more cannon fodder

• Vladimir Putin yesterday spoke on bringing 'sphere of migration under control'
• Follows multiple arrests of Tajik nationals over Crocus Concert Hall terror attack 

By James Reynolds

Published: 11:48 EDT, 27 March 2024 | Updated: 21:50 EDT, 27 March 2024

View comments

Vladimir Putin is rounding up illegal migrants in Russia  to fuel his bloody invasion of Ukraine, just days after four Tajik nationals were charged over the Crocus terror attack in Moscow, with migrant groups left fearing bloody retaliation.

Paddy wagons sporting the National Guard insignia arrived at a vast online shopping warehouse in Elektrostal, Moscow today, where thousands of migrant workers were reportedly forced to show their documents.

Checks were carried out by armed and masked Russian guards and military enlistment officers, before at least 40 people were hauled away from the Wildberries warehouse.

More operations in kind are said to be planned, as Putin seeks more cannon fodder for his ongoing war in Ukraine.

It comes just days after the Crocus City Hall atrocity, which led to the deaths of at least 140 people after gunmen stormed a packed concert venue in the capital and indiscriminately targeted civilians before setting the building on fire.

A number of men from Tajikistan have since been detained in connection to the attacks, which have been claimed by jihadist group Islamic State. 

Friday's horror attack has been linked to a rise in tensions, with the BBC today reporting an increase in beatings and racism aimed at Central Asian migrants - and the embassy of Tajikistan in Russia warning citizens not to leave their homes unless necessary. 

Vehicles emblazoned with Rosgvardiya (Rosguard, the National Police) were seen outside the warehouse in Moscow as officials rounded up illegal migrants, some destined for Ukraine

Critics fear the atrocity in Moscow last week is already leading to discriminatory behaviour towards migrants living in Russia

Some of the migrants detained today will reportedly face the choice of jail or expulsion - or fighting in Ukraine for Russia.

Migrants who have been granted Russian citizenship also express fears they may be called up.

'They check who is on the side of the military, and who is evading,' one said. 'Those who evade can be taken away against their will.'

'Whoever resists is beaten with sticks by the riot police,' said another worker.

A further 38 employees of the warehouse will undergo additional checks with law enforcement to 'clarify' information gathered already, the Wildberries company told state-owned news agency RIA.

It came a day after Putin spoke on the urgency of bringing the 'migration sphere ... under control' at a meeting with the board of the Prosecutor General's Office, RIA noted.

Putin reportedly ordered that measures be handled 'professionally and competently' to 'facilitate the adoption of legal, informed and fair decisions'.

Still, critics fear the atrocity in Moscow last week is already leading to discriminatory behaviour towards migrants living in Russia.

In Novgorod region, it has been prohibited to hire foreign workers in the transport sector.

State Duma deputy Dmitry Gusev has also called for a complete 'audit' of all labour migrants living in the country - as well as those who have recently received Russian citizenship.

In Moscow, a 29-year-old woman from Yakutia was surrounded by a hostile mob on the metro and subjected to vile racist abuse. 

'Get the **** out of here,' she was told - even though she is a Russian citizen.

'Russia for Russians, Moscow for Muscovites!

'Africa for blacks, cesspit for Caucasians! Hail Tesak!'

Russian President Vladimir Putin grimaces during an annual expanded Prosecutor General's Office meeting, March 26,2024, in Moscow, Russia

Checks were carried out by armed and masked Russian guards and military enlistment officers, before at least 40 people were hauled away from the Wildberries warehouse

The group reportedly ally with neo-Nazi Maxim Martsinkevich, nicknamed Tesak, meaning Machete, who died from 'asphyxia' in a Russian jail in 2020.

The scared woman said: 'It was 6.30 pm. I was waiting for the train… Very young guys…came up to me.

Putin says Moscow concert gunman were 'radical Islamists' but refuses to say they were from ISIS - as he insists the terrorists had been trying to 'flee to Ukraine'  

'One of them, the most active one, took a metal bat out of his jacket and showed me.

'They surrounded me and began to humiliate me… They called me names from the platform based on my nationality and appearance.'

She said no-one came to her aid.

Two of those threatening her were detained today and face questioning.

On Telegram, migrants from Tajikistan have shared messages expressing fears the community in Russia will suffer for the Crocus attack, as reported by the BBC.

Sharing their concern over retributive attacks, one said: 'Please, God, let [the attackers] be Ukrainian instead.'

Russia's Federal Security Service, or the FSB, said it had arrested 11 people the day after the attack, including four suspected gunmen.

Moscow's Basmanny District Court identified the four suspects behind the attack as Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, 32; Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, 30; Shamsidin Fariduni, 25; and Mukhammadsobir Faizov, 19. 

The four men, identified as Tajik nationals, appeared in a Moscow court on Sunday on terrorism charges and showed signs of severe beatings.

One appeared to be barely conscious during the hearing.

The men were charged with committing a group terrorist attack resulting in the death of others. The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

They were all ordered to be held in pre-trial custody until May 22.

Mirzoyev and Rachabalizoda admitted guilt after being charged, according to AP, citing court officials.

A view of the burned Crocus City Hall concert venue following a terrorist attack, March 25

So far, 140 people have died and the death toll is expected to rise

The terrorists who carried out the attack have all been detained and charged with terrorism

All four of them have been beaten and tortured by Russian security forces

While Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, President Vladimir Putin has said the four men were arrested while trying to flee to Ukraine.

Kyiv denies any connection to the attack.

READ MORE:  Blundering Belarus dictator Lukashenko destroys Putin's evidence that Zelensky was behind ISIS attack by revealing the terrorists first tried to flee to HIS country, not Ukraine 

Putin has made no reference to ISIS' claims.

US intelligence also said after the attack it had information confirming ISIS was responsible for the attack.

Yesterday, head of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) Alexander Bortnikov bizarrely pinned blame on the United States, Britain and Ukraine.

Speaking after the meeting with the board of the Prosecutor General's Office, he was asked whether the US, Britain and Ukraine were behind the terrorist attack, according to Russian news agency TASS .

'We believe that this is true. In any case, we are now talking about the factual information we have. This is general information, but they have a long record of this sort.'

'What is [Ukraine] expected to do to demonstrate its capability? It is expected to carry out sabotage and terrorist acts in the rear,' he continued.

'This is what both the chiefs of Ukraine's special services and the British special services are aiming at. US special services have repeatedly mentioned this, too.'

The Crocus Concert Hall was attacked by armed gunmen on March 22, when terrorists opened fire on civilians and set the auditorium on fire in Russia's deadliest attack in 20 years.

According to the latest data, 140 people have been confirmed dead as a result of the attack, the most recent dying in hospital today.

A total of 80 people injured in the attack remain hospitalized, the official added, and 205 others have sought outpatient medical assistance.

The Moscow Times reported today as many as 360 had been injured in the attack.

Three days before the attack, Putin denounced the U.S. Embassy's March 7 notice urging Americans to avoid crowds in Moscow , including concerts, calling it an attempt to frighten Russians and 'blackmail' the Kremlin ahead of the presidential election.

After Britain echoed the notice, Kremlin mouthpieces accused both of 'complicity' if terrorists did hit Moscow.

A view shows the burning Crocus City Hall concert hall following the shooting incident in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, on March 22, 2024

ISIS' news agency Amaq released sickening a 90-second selfie video of the attack that is too graphic for MailOnline to share

The news of a terror warning on March 7 came only hours after the FSB claimed to have thwarted an ISIS plot to slaughter Jews in a Moscow synagogue.

It was unclear whether the events are linked.

According to the FSB, a large cache of weapons and bomb parts were found during a raid on an Islamic State cell in Kaluga, southwest of the capital.

Russian state media reported militants had been gearing up to shoot Jewish worshippers at a synagogue in the capital before security officials stormed the premises and gunned them down.

'While being arrested, the terrorists put up armed resistance to the Russian FSB officers, and as a result were neutralised by return fire,' the Russian state-owned TASS news agency quoted the security service as saying in a statement.

• Moscow attack: Central Asian migrants hit by backlash in Russia - BBC News
• www.gazeta.ru/au...
• Number of Wounded in Crocus City Hall Attack Rises to 360 - The Moscow Times
• tass.com/emergen...

Share or comment on this article: Putin rounds up illegal migrants to send to the frontline in Ukraine as Vladimir exploits Moscow massacre anti-migrant backlash to find more cannon fodder

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NV obtains new photos and videos of the elimination of traitorous ex-MP Ilya Kyva near Moscow

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

Photos and videos of the elimination of pro-Russian ex-MP Ilya Kyva in a Moscow suburb were obtained by NV from sources in Ukraine’s SBU Security Service on Dec. 11.

This special operation was meticulously planned and successfully executed, the SBU informant confirmed.

Read also: “Surrender for your own safety” advises Ukrainian intelligence to traitors

In one imgae, Kyva's lifeless body can be seen in the snow surrounded by bloodstains. The location where “deserved punishment awaited the traitor” is near the place that Kyva filmed many anti-Ukrainian videos, sources say.

Kyva was a high-priority target, SBU said. His daily routines, movements, and habits were extensively studied in the operation. Despite strong security, the SBU managed to eliminate him just outside Moscow.

“This [Kyva’s elimination] serves as a signal to all traitors and military criminals who have sided with the enemy. Remember: Russia will not protect you. Death is the only prospect awaiting enemies of Ukraine,” SBU Chief Vasyl Malyuk said.

Ukraine’s SBU eliminated Kyva in a special operation in Moscow Oblast on Dec. 6, said NV sources in the intelligence service.

Kyva's “bloodied body”, discovered with a shot through the head, was found in the park of an elite club hotel in the Moscow region on Dec.6, Russian propaganda Telegram channels reported.

Read also: Former Ukrainian MP and traitor Illia Kyva found dead in Moscow Oblast – NV sources

Kyva was shot with an unidentified firearm and died from the injuries on the scene, the Russian Investigative Committee claimed.

Kyva had fled to Spain ahead of Russia’s full-scale invasion. He then appeared in Russian propaganda broadcasts in Moscow, actively spreading lies about Ukraine. Kyva also sought “political asylum” and citizenship from the enemy aggressor.

The Ukrainian parliament stripped Kyva of his MP status in March 2022, charging him with treason. He was additionally charged with publicly calling for a violent change in the constitutional order and propaganda on behalf of the aggressor state in Aug. 2023.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine

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