Online travel booking systems have become a common choice for tours, and flights. However, with so many options in the market, it can be difficult to choose the right online travel agency.
It doesn’t matter if you want to access niche markets or the billboard effect. This is because listing the top online travel booking platform has many advantages.
According to statistics, the global market size of online travel was US $600 billion in the last year. Guess what? There are chances that it can rise even more in the coming years.
Are you planning a vacation or booking a business trip? Continue reading this comprehensive article ahead. This will help you cut through the noise and make your search easier.
Top Online Travel Booking Platforms To Know About
Are you looking for the best online travel agency to make your next tour phenomenal? Well, it all depends on your crucial needs and specific preferences. Below are the top online travel booking platforms you must know.
- Expedia
- Booking.com
- Airbnb
- Kayak
- Skyscanner
- Trivago
- Trip.com
- Vrbo
- Momondo
- Lastminute.com
- Hotwire
- Google Flights
Expedia
Expedia is a top-notch online travel agency. It is popular for its all-inclusive travel offerings as well as global reach. Are you searching for vacation packages, flights, and accommodations? This one-stop shop caters to all your unique needs. Expedia has a cost-effective booking engine. It allows travellers to not only search but compare and book trips as well. Adding more to this, the agency offers a loyalty program named “Expedia Rewards.” This program allows you to get points on every booking. You can later redeem these points for future discounts.
On top of that, Expedia operates in 70 countries with 35 different languages. Despite such amazing features, some users have complained of its poor customer service. It doesn’t matter what kinds of issues arise. They are directed back to Expedia rather than service providers. Moreover, it also charges over 10% to 30% commission following the region your business is in.
Booking.com
Booking.com has become a well-known name in the market. For instance, it is famous because of its broad selection of travel services and hotel rooms. There are a plethora of listing options. Adding more, the platform provides cheap hostels and lavish hotel options. This makes it much easier for travellers to find the perfect fit for their pivotal needs.
Not only this, but Booking.com LAO offers many travel services. For instance, they include airport taxis, car rentals, and flights. These services make Booking.com a reliable platform. With its easy-to-use interface, customers can search and book their accommodations with ease.
Furthermore, hotels can partner with this online booking platform. This helps them streamline their room management. Some people claim that initial prices don’t match the final booking prices. Besides, the prices oftentimes fluctuate by hundreds of dollars. Booking.com charges no more than 15% of commission to businesses on every booking.
Airbnb
Airbnb is another online travel booking platform. It provides unique accommodations. They range from private apartments and homes to castles, treehouses, and even igloos. Sounds astounding, right? Are you interested in experiences like cooking classes and guided tours? Airbnb is a perfect choice here. By choosing this platform, you will get personalized stays that reflect local culture. From budget to luxury hotels, there is an extensive range of price points to avail of. Adding more to this, Airbnb also offers unforgettable activities hosted by locals.
Though Airbnb facilitates a lot, there are some drawbacks as well. For instance, service charges and cleaning fees can add up. This can make actual prices much higher than before. Also, hosts need to pay up to 3% of the commission and 14% of the service fee to guests. However, this fee applies along with the nightly rate set. Besides, the quality of accommodations varies depending on the host.
Kayak
Kayak is another metasearch platform. It allows you to compare hotel, flight, and car rental prices from various travel websites. Thanks to its “Explore” feature, you can discover wonderful destinations. Aside from this, Kayak has an easy-to-use interface. There are trip-planning tools to make you search with ease. This could be a great option if you want help with planning your trip. Even if you’re seeking deals across car rentals, hotels, and flights, Kayak is ideal. The flexible search options allow you to adjust locations, dates, and budget at the same time.
While Kayak offers unique features, there are some inconsistencies in flight price data. One of the other cons is that this platform redirects users to third-party websites. Furthermore, the limited direct flight-booking options have also badly impacted the reputation.
Skyscanner
Skyscanner allows you to compare prices from various travel agencies and airlines. By using this metasearch engine, you can directly book flights via the provider’s website. Skyscanner redirects customers to third-party websites to complete their transactions. Adding more, it gives information on carbon emissions linked with each flight.
Skyscanner contributes to accredited environmental projects as well. For instance, it allows travellers to counteract their carbon footprint.
On top of that, the “Price Alert” feature helps you book your flights at the best rate. There are hundreds of currency and location options to flexible booking filters. This is what makes Skyscanner a super fit for your next destination. Millions of people trust this platform to find the best deals with 100% efficiency. Unfortunately, Skyscanner has limited car rental options.
Trivago
Like Kayak and Skyscanner, Trivago is also a metasearch engine. It crawls the internet to look for the best hotel options for travellers. It collects hotel prices from several online travel firms and booking sites. This platform offers a user-friendly search tool. It means you can filter results by rating, price, amenities, and more. At Trivago, you will find an extensive database of hotels from all around the world. Owners can avail of Trivago by ensuring their listings are fully optimized on other OTAs.
On top of that, Trivago doesn’t handle flight bookings directly. This means it doesn’t charge business owners any kind of commission. Instead, the platform gets its revenue from other websites that advertise there. However, it comes with some drawbacks as well. For instance, the final prices may vary depending on the site you’re directed to. Besides, there are also limited travel service options.
Trip.com
Trip.com is based in Singapore. It came to the market in 1999. This is a worldwide international online travel agency. Trip.com is available in 24 languages across 39 countries and regions in 35 local currencies. It brings together over 1.1 million flights and hotels from more than 510 airlines around the globe. Anyhow, one amazing fact about Trip.com is that the agency only sells rooms. This platform has made its name in the Asian market by storm. For instance, it gives access to a wide customer base seeking accommodation options.
Furthermore, you can make direct contact with this agency. It also allows to access travellers throughout the world. By listing on Trip.com, you need to pay around 10% to 15% commission. Additionally, it offers a broad range of travel services. They include car rentals, hotels, flights, and vacation packages. At Trip.com, you will also get exclusive promotions and discounts via their app.
Despegar
Despegar is also named Decolar. It is one of the top online travel booking platformsin Latin America. Decolar represents the brand name across the Brazilian market. With Despegar, the company operates as a global brand. It offers a wide range of travel-related services. For example, car rentals, flights, and hotel bookings. It has a strong presence in Portuguese and Spanish-speaking countries. This agency gives travellers a favourable platform to plan and book their trips. Adding more, the marketplace of this OTA functions in more than 20 markets.
Despegar facilitates business owners in many ways. They can access a growing customer base while giving travellers flexible booking options. Moreover, hoteliers need to pay between 10% and 15% commission on bookings from this site. Are you looking for a family or an individual trip? Despegar would be an ideal choice to get a seamless booking experience.
Momondo
Momondo is an ideal choice for budget-conscious travellers. It allows you to compare prices for flights and hotels from a range of travel service providers. This platform has “Trip Planner” tools. It can help you compare alternative flight routes, build custom itineraries, and more. Generally speaking, low-budget travellers must consider Momondo to get the best accommodation options. Adding more to this, Momondo has colourful and intuitive interface options. The“Price Alert” feature makes it an ideal travel booking platform.
Some customers claim that the redirect to other websites causes a lot of confusion. Guess what? The limited customer service for booking issues is a major drawback of this platform.
Lastminute.com
Lastminute.com offers various travel services, such as car rentals, and hotels. Flights, and complete holiday packages. Moreover, these packages cover lodging, meals, entertainment, and many more things. This platform is famous for its last-minute deals, providing huge savings on bookings. The dynamic holiday packages make Lastminute.com a worthwhile choice among travellers. By using this platform, you can customize your trip easily. It allows you to combine accommodations, flights, and extra services in one booking. Besides, there are also “Gifting Cards” for gifting travel.
The main offering of this platform is ATOL protection on flights. You will even get fresh sales for last-minute deals. Despite such features, users have reported some issues with difficulty in getting refunds. Unresponsive customer service is one of its cons. Some customers claim that fights are not properly confirmed. Therefore, it’s best to double-check your reservations.
Hotwire
Hotwire provides exclusive discounts on flights, accommodation options, and car rentals. It has a“Hot Rate” feature. Using this feature, you can book at discounted rates. Its search engine allows you to scan for the best deals in various categories. This has made it easier for travellers to find affordable travel booking options. Are you planning a family trip this year? Hotwire offers reasonable vacation packages for that purpose.
Hotwire operates in the American market. However, it has a growing presence in international markets as well. The main offerings of this OTA are lower prices on the app. It also offers 24/7 support, and last-minute deals for smooth travel. Want to make a last-minute booking for your next destination? Hotwire is an ideal choice. By choosing this online booking platform, you can get a spontaneous travel experience.
Google Flights
This is a robust flight tool by Google. It comes with a user-friendly interface. Adding more to this, the platform offers various filters to help you search with ease. Google Flights has a search option for nearby airports and open dates. There is a ‘Price Alert’ feature that notifies you related to any price changes. Google Flights is perfect for those who are tight on budget. Are you looking for the cheapest flight options with flexible timings? There could be no better choice than Google Flights.
On top of that, Google Flights allows you to compare flight options from OTAs. The main features of this platform are Travel Planner and Destination Guides. With ‘Trip Duration Trend,’ you can check the number of days between the return dates and search departure.
Concluding Remarks
There are many online travel platforms to help you get a smooth booking experience. It doesn’t matter if you need budget-friendly flights or want a luxurious trip. There is a specific platform to suit your needs. In the end, the decision is yours. Hopefully, by reading this article, you have a clear picture of which of the top online travel booking platforms to choose from.
