Expedia
| Type of business | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
Type of site | |
| Owner | Expedia Group |
| URL | expedia.com |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | Yes |
| Launched | October 22, 1996 |
| Current status | Active |
Expedia Inc. is an American online travel agency owned by Expedia Group and headquartered in Seattle, Washington. When Microsoft Corporation launched Expedia on the Microsoft Network in October 1996, it was the first online travel service to be offered by a major technology company, allowing consumers to make air, car, and hotel reservations online and to browse a library of multimedia travel guides. Expedia was founded on October 22, 1996, inside Microsoft in Redmond, Washington, led by Richard (Rich) Barton and a small team who saw an opportunity to bring transparent airfare, hotel, and car booking directly to consumers without travel agents. The name "Expedia" is a portmanteau of the words "exploration" and "speed."
Through its website and mobile app, customers can book airline tickets, hotel reservations, car rentals, cruise ships, activities, and vacation rentals. Once operating solely as Expedia.com, the group gradually acquired a wide range of travel brands, including Vrbo, Hotels.com, and Trivago, becoming the second-largest online travel agency worldwide, just behind Booking Holdings. Expedia is the lead travel app in the US market, with 19.3% market share, and operates over 200 travel websites.