On this page13 sections
- Ratings and complaints
- Expedia vs. competitors
- Pricing
- Step by step
- Expedia legitimacy and licensing
- Expedia One Key rewards after the July 2026 changes
- Is Expedia cheaper than booking direct?
- Expedia complaints and how to avoid problems
- Cancellations and refunds on Expedia
- Who should book somewhere else
- What customers say
- Alternatives
- FAQ
Expedia suits travelers who want one company to book and manage a whole trip and who will use One Key rewards, which now pay 1% to 3% back on eligible hotel and rental bookings but nothing on flights. It is a legitimate online travel agency run by Expedia Group, a Nasdaq-listed company in Seattle, and it sells flights, hotels, vacation rentals, cars, packages and activities with 24/7 support. The main risk is service when plans change: 58% of its 24,375 Trustpilot reviews are one star and the BBB lists 7,524 complaints in three years, though it keeps an A+ rating. Compare the final total against the airline or hotel's own site, and book direct when flexibility or hotel loyalty perks matter.
- Owner
- Expedia Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE), Seattle, Washington; also owns Hotels.com, Vrbo and a majority of trivago1
- Inventory
- About 3.6 million lodging properties across Expedia Group at the end of 2025, including about 2.4 million Vrbo rentals, plus 500+ airlines, cars, cruises and activities1
- Rewards
- One Key: 1% (Blue), 2% (Silver and Gold) or 3% (Platinum) back in OneKeyCash on eligible hotel and rental bookings since July 28, 2026; flights no longer earn OneKeyCash2
- Price guarantee
- Hotel Price Guarantee ended for new bookings on July 28, 20263
- Support
- 24 hours a day by virtual agent, phone, chat or email1
- Size
- $119.6 billion in total gross bookings in 2025, $83.9 billion of it through consumer brands1
- BBB
- A+, accredited since 2000; 7,524 complaints in the last 3 years5
Pros
- Flights, hotels, rentals, cars and packages in one place
- 24/7 support by virtual agent, phone, chat or email
- One Key rewards shared with Hotels.com and Vrbo
- Package bundles can cost less than booking separately
- A+ BBB rating and 4.8 app ratings
Cons
- Flights stopped earning OneKeyCash on July 28, 2026
- Hotel Price Guarantee ended for new bookings
- You usually don't earn hotel chain points or elite perks
- 7,524 BBB complaints in three years and 58% one-star Trustpilot reviews
- Changes go through Expedia and the airline or hotel, which can slow fixes
Best for: Travelers who want to book a flight, hotel and car together and manage it all with one company.
Skip it if: You're loyal to one hotel chain or airline, or you expect to change plans and want to deal with the provider directly.
Expedia vs. competitors
| Company | What it is | Who holds your booking | Trustpilot | App Store |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expedia | Online travel agency | Expedia | 3.5 (24,375 reviews) | 4.8 (5.96M ratings) |
| Booking.com | Online travel agency | Booking.com and the property | 1.4 (128,561 reviews) | 4.8 (2.19M ratings) |
| KAYAK | Metasearch; you book elsewhere | The site you click through to | 4.1 (4,909 reviews) | 4.8 (497,700 ratings) |
| trivago | Hotel metasearch, majority owned by Expedia Group | The site you click through to | 3.8 (2,370 reviews) | 4.8 (295,000 ratings) |
Expedia pricing at a glance
Expedia One Key earn rates under terms effective July 28, 20262
| One Key tier | OneKeyCash on eligible hotels and rentals | OneKeyCash on flights |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | 1% back | None |
| Silver | 2% back | None |
| Gold | 2% back | None |
| Platinum | 3% back | None |
Flights, hotel nights and car days still count toward tier status. OneKeyCash is worth $1 per $1 on eligible bookings and stays active if you make an eligible booking at least once every 18 months. Searching and booking on Expedia is free; you pay the price shown at checkout, and since May 12, 2025 the FTC requires U.S. hotel prices to include mandatory fees such as resort fees.
Expedia, step by step
Search and compare
Search flights, hotels, rentals, cars or a package. Sign in to see One Key Member Prices on select hotels.
Read the rate rules
Check whether the room is refundable, the cancellation deadline, and whether you pay now or at the property. Flight fare rules come from the airline.
Book and pay
Expedia takes the booking and sends a confirmation with your itinerary number. Compare the final total, with taxes, against the hotel or airline's own site.
Manage changes in the app
Change or cancel through your Expedia trip or contact Expedia support 24/7. Use only the contact details in your confirmation or on Expedia's site.
Earn and use OneKeyCash
Eligible hotel and rental stays earn 1% to 3% back, and you can spend it on later Expedia, Hotels.com or Vrbo bookings.
Expedia legitimacy and licensing
Yes. Expedia is run by Expedia Group, Inc., a public company listed on Nasdaq as EXPE with headquarters in Seattle. The group also owns Hotels.com, Vrbo and a majority stake in trivago. It reported $119.6 billion in gross bookings in 2025 and about 3.6 million lodging properties, plus more than 500 airlines, rental cars, cruises and activities.
Expedia.com holds an A+ BBB rating and has been BBB accredited since 2000, but the BBB lists 7,524 complaints in the last three years. On Trustpilot it scores 3.5 out of 5 from 24,375 reviews, split between 32% five star and 58% one star.
The biggest scam risk is not Expedia itself but fake support numbers. Contact Expedia only through your confirmation email, the app or expedia.com, never through phone numbers found in search ads or forums.
Expedia One Key rewards after the July 2026 changes
One Key is the shared loyalty program for Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo. Under terms effective July 28, 2026, members earn OneKeyCash on eligible hotel and rental bookings at a rate set by tier: 1% for Blue, 2% for Silver and Gold, and 3% for Platinum. OneKeyCash is worth $1 for $1 on eligible bookings and stays active as long as you make an eligible booking at least once every 18 months.
Two changes took effect the same day. Flights no longer earn OneKeyCash, although flights still count toward tier status. And Expedia’s Hotel Price Guarantee ended for new bookings, so you can no longer claim the difference if you find the same room cheaper after booking. The Points Guy reports that Gold and Platinum members get airport lounge access through LoungeKey when a flight is delayed 90 minutes or more.
Booking a hotel through Expedia usually means you don’t earn the hotel chain’s points or elite benefits. If you hold status with a chain, compare the value of booking direct.
Is Expedia cheaper than booking direct?
Sometimes. Expedia sets its own prices and offers Member Prices on select hotels and discounts on flight plus hotel packages, which can price lower than booking each part separately. It does not guarantee the lowest price, and its price guarantee is gone for new hotel bookings.
Since May 12, 2025 the FTC’s fee rule requires U.S. hotel and short-term rental prices to include mandatory fees, such as resort fees, in the total shown. Taxes can still be added at checkout. Compare the final checkout total for the same room, bed type and cancellation terms on Expedia, a comparison site such as KAYAK or trivago, and the hotel’s own site. If the gap is small, the option with better cancellation terms or loyalty perks is usually worth it.
What customers say about Expedia
Recurring themes across the review sites and complaint records listed above, not individual quotes.
Common praise
- Easy-to-use site and app
- Competitive prices and package discounts
- Flights, hotels and cars in one itinerary
- Quick bookings when nothing goes wrong
Common complaints
- Long waits and unhelpful support when a trip goes wrong
- Unexpected fees or prices at the property that differ from what Expedia showed
- Hard to reach a human representative
- Booking details not reaching the hotel correctly
- Slow refunds after cancellations
Expedia complaints and how to avoid problems
Low reviews on Trustpilot and the BBB mostly describe the same few problems:
- Support when a trip goes wrong. Long waits, virtual agents and difficulty reaching a person.
- Price differences. Extra fees at the property or prices that don’t match what Expedia showed.
- Booking details lost. Hotels that can’t find the reservation or have different room details.
- Refund delays. Waiting on refunds that depend on the airline or hotel.
To avoid these, book refundable rates when plans may change, call or email the hotel a few days before arrival to confirm the reservation, screenshot the price and rate rules at checkout, and keep your itinerary number handy. If a refund stalls, file a complaint with the BBB, dispute the charge with your card issuer, or for flights file with the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Cancellations and refunds on Expedia
Your refund depends on the rate you booked. Hotel rates are either refundable until a stated deadline or nonrefundable, and the rule shown before you pay is the one that applies. Flight changes and refunds follow the airline’s fare rules, and Expedia handles them as the ticket agent.
For flights, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s refund rule, in effect since October 28, 2024, requires airlines and ticket agents such as Expedia to refund you automatically if a flight is canceled or significantly changed and you don’t accept an alternative. A significant change includes a departure or arrival more than 3 hours off for domestic flights or 6 hours for international flights. Refunds are due within 7 business days for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods, and ticket agents may keep service fees they disclosed at purchase.
Who should book somewhere else
If you hold elite status with a hotel chain or airline, booking direct usually earns more and gives you better help during disruptions. If you only want to compare prices, a metasearch site such as KAYAK or trivago shows Expedia’s rates alongside others for free. And if you mainly booked flights on Expedia for rewards, note that flights stopped earning OneKeyCash on July 28, 2026.
Alternatives to Expedia
- KAYAK Free price alerts and comparisons across hundreds of sites, including Expedia, before you decide where to book. Read review
- Booking.com A larger hotel and rental marketplace outside Expedia Group if you want to compare a different set of rates. Read review
- Priceline Another agency for hotel, car and flight deals, owned by Booking Holdings. Read review
- Book directly with the airline or hotel Free to do, and you keep the chain's points and elite perks and deal with one company if plans change.
Expedia reviews
Written by readers, read by our moderators, never edited by the company.
No reader reviews yet. If you have used Expedia, yours will be the first.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Expedia legit and safe to book with?
Yes. Expedia is owned by Expedia Group, a Nasdaq-listed company in Seattle, and holds an A+ BBB rating. Use only the contact details in your confirmation or on expedia.com to avoid fake support numbers.
Is Expedia cheaper than booking directly?
Sometimes, especially for flight plus hotel packages and Member Prices. It doesn't guarantee the lowest price, so compare the final checkout total with the hotel or airline's own site.
Does Expedia still have a price match guarantee?
No. Expedia's Hotel Price Guarantee ended for new bookings on July 28, 2026.
Do flights earn Expedia rewards?
Not since July 28, 2026. Flights still count toward One Key tier status, but only eligible hotel and rental bookings earn OneKeyCash, at 1% to 3% by tier.
How do I get a refund from Expedia?
Cancel in your Expedia trip or contact support. Refundable rates are refunded under the terms shown at booking. For flights the airline canceled or significantly changed, DOT rules require an automatic refund if you decline alternatives.
Who owns Expedia?
Expedia Group, Inc., which also owns Hotels.com, Vrbo and a majority stake in trivago. It is not related to Booking Holdings, which owns Booking.com, Priceline and KAYAK.
Can I contact Expedia 24/7?
Yes. Expedia says it offers support 24 hours a day by virtual agent, phone, chat or email. Start from the app or your trip page so you reach the real company.
Do I earn hotel points when I book through Expedia?
Usually not. Bookings through an agency typically don't earn the hotel chain's points or elite perks. Book direct if those matter to you.
Are Expedia hotel prices the full price?
Since May 12, 2025 the FTC requires U.S. hotel prices to include mandatory fees such as resort fees. Taxes can still be added, so check the total on the final checkout page.
What is Expedia One Key?
The shared rewards program for Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo. You earn OneKeyCash on eligible hotel and rental bookings, worth $1 per $1 on later bookings, and it stays active if you book at least once every 18 months.
Sources (13)
Facts on this page come from company websites, government agencies and regulators, checked on the dates shown. Editorial standards
- SEC EDGAR: Expedia Group Form 10-K for 2025 (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Expedia: One Key Terms and Conditions (accessed October 12, 2026)
- The Points Guy: Expedia One Key changes effective July 28, 2026 (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Trustpilot: Expedia reviews (accessed October 12, 2026)
- BBB: Expedia.com business profile (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Apple App Store: Expedia (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Google Play: Expedia (accessed October 12, 2026)
- FTC: Rule banning junk ticket and hotel fees (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Baker Donelson: DOT final rule requiring refunds for tickets and ancillary services (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Trustpilot: Booking.com reviews (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Apple App Store: Booking.com (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Trustpilot: KAYAK reviews (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Trustpilot: trivago reviews (accessed October 12, 2026)
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