Priceline Review: Expert Ratings of the Hotel Booking Site

Priceline legitimacy and licensing

Yes. Priceline has been in business since 1998 and is run by priceline.com LLC in Norwalk, Connecticut. Its parent, Booking Holdings, also owns Booking.com, Agoda and KAYAK. The BBB rates it A and it has been accredited since July 1998.

Being legitimate isn’t the same as being easy to deal with. The BBB logged 6,152 complaints in three years, and Trustpilot rates Priceline 2.3 out of 5 from about 97,000 reviews. In Booking Holdings’ August 2026 quarterly filing, the company disclosed that in July 2026 FTC staff told Priceline they intend to recommend that the FTC file a complaint against Priceline and a business-to-business partner, alleging unfair or deceptive practices around disclosures, fees, customer support and billing. Priceline says it disagrees and is in talks to resolve it. A staff recommendation is not a finding; the Commission must approve any case, and we found none filed as of October 13, 2026.

Book through priceline.com or the official app and check the web address before you pay. Priceline’s terms ban third-party tools that claim to reveal Express Deal hotels and say using them can get your account suspended.

How Express Deals and Pricebreakers work

Express Deals show you a hotel’s area, star rating, review score and amenities but not its name. You learn the hotel after you pay. Pricebreakers show three named hotels at one price, and Priceline picks which one you get after you book. Priceline also offers Express Deals on some flights and rental cars.

Both are part of what Priceline’s terms call Deal Programs. Unless checkout says otherwise, these bookings are non-cancelable, nonrefundable, non-changeable and non-transferable. Your card is charged whether or not you use the room, and no credit is issued for unused bookings. Priceline or the hotel may waive the rules in rare cases, sometimes for a fee.

Name Your Own Price, the bidding system Priceline was once known for, is not among the deal programs in its current terms.

Priceline fees and what you pay

Searching is free. When Priceline is the merchant of record, the amount you’re charged includes the room, Priceline’s compensation for its service, and Taxes and Fees, which can cover taxes, mandatory supplier charges such as resort fees, and amounts Priceline keeps. When the hotel is the merchant of record, the hotel charges you directly under its own terms. Hotels can still charge for optional extras like parking, pets and room service, and may hold a deposit at check-in.

Since May 12, 2025, the FTC’s fee rule requires hotel and lodging prices to include mandatory fees such as resort fees in the total shown. Compare the final total, not the nightly rate, and screenshot the checkout page.

Priceline complaints and how to avoid them

Reviews on Trustpilot and the BBB repeat the same problems: trouble reaching a live agent, refunds that are slow or denied, fees customers didn’t expect, hotels or rental counters that couldn’t find a reservation, and bookings made on hacked accounts. Most refund disputes involve nonrefundable or opaque bookings.

To avoid them, use a standard rate with free cancellation if your plans could change. Before an Express Deal, read the area map and amenities carefully, since you can’t swap hotels later. Call the hotel a few days before arrival to confirm the reservation. Use a unique password for your account and watch for booking emails you didn’t expect. If a charge is wrong, ask Priceline in writing first, then dispute it with your card issuer and file with the BBB.

Cancellations, changes and refunds

For standard hotel bookings, the hotel’s cancellation and no-show policy applies, and it’s shown before you pay. Some flexible rates sold through third-party providers let you cancel a nonrefundable booking up to 24 hours before check-in for a partial refund, such as 50%, paid by that provider within about 14 days. If you’ll arrive late, contact the hotel directly or you may be treated as a no-show.

Refunds go back to the original card in the original amount, and your bank’s currency or card fees are not refunded. Some refunds are paid through Hyperwallet. Deal Program bookings are not refundable unless checkout says otherwise.

Your rights and the rules that apply

Priceline’s terms require you to try an informal dispute process for 60 days and then use binding arbitration or small claims court, with a class action and jury trial waiver. You can opt out of arbitration only by following its procedure within 30 days. The terms are governed by Connecticut law.

Credit card protections still apply. If you’re charged for something you didn’t receive, dispute it with your card issuer promptly. For hotel fee problems you can report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and for flights you can file with the U.S. Department of Transportation.