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Online travel market - statistics & facts

How big is the online travel market, what are the leading online travel agencies (otas), what travel products do consumers book online, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Online travel market size worldwide 2017-2028

Distribution of sales channels in the travel and tourism market worldwide 2018-2028

Most popular travel and tourism websites worldwide 2024

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Online Travel Market

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023

Further recommended statistics

Industry overview.

• Premium Statistic Market size of the tourism sector worldwide 2011-2024
• Premium Statistic Travel and tourism revenue worldwide 2019-2028, by segment
• Premium Statistic Distribution of sales channels in the travel and tourism market worldwide 2018-2028
• Premium Statistic Online travel market size worldwide 2017-2028
• Premium Statistic Revenue of the travel apps industry worldwide 2017-2027
• Premium Statistic Estimated EV/Revenue ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment
• Premium Statistic Estimated EV/EBITDA ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment

Market size of the tourism sector worldwide 2011-2024

Market size of the tourism sector worldwide from 2011 to 2023, with a forecast for 2024 (in trillion U.S. dollars)

Travel and tourism revenue worldwide 2019-2028, by segment

Revenue of the global travel and tourism market from 2019 to 2028, by segment (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue share of sales channels of the travel and tourism market worldwide from 2018 to 2028

Online travel market size worldwide from 2017 to 2023, with a forecast until 2028 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue of the travel apps industry worldwide 2017-2027

Revenue of the travel apps market worldwide from 2017 to 2027 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Estimated EV/Revenue ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment

Estimated enterprise value to revenue (EV/Revenue) ratio in the online travel market worldwide as of April 2024, by segment

Estimated EV/EBITDA ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment

Estimated enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio in the online travel market worldwide as of April 2024, by segment

Online bookings

• Premium Statistic Travel product online bookings in the U.S. 2024
• Premium Statistic Travel product online bookings in Canada 2024
• Premium Statistic Travel product online bookings in the UK 2024
• Premium Statistic Travel product online bookings in China 2024
• Premium Statistic Travel product online bookings in India 2024
• Premium Statistic Importance to book a trip fully online among travelers worldwide 2023, by generation

Travel product online bookings in the U.S. 2024

Travel product online bookings in the U.S. as of March 2024

Travel product online bookings in Canada 2024

Travel product online bookings in Canada as of March 2024

Travel product online bookings in the UK 2024

Travel product online bookings in the UK as of March 2024

Travel product online bookings in China 2024

Travel product online bookings in China as of March 2024

Travel product online bookings in India 2024

Travel product online bookings in India as of March 2024

Importance to book a trip fully online among travelers worldwide 2023, by generation

Share of travelers who think it is important to be able to book their trip entirely online worldwide as of July 2023, by generation

Market leaders

• Premium Statistic Revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Marketing expenses of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Marketing/revenue ratio of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of employees at leading travel companies worldwide 2022
• Basic Statistic Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Most popular travel and tourism websites worldwide 2024

Revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023

Leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide from 2019 to 2023, by revenue (in million U.S. dollars)

Marketing expenses of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023

Marketing expenses of leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide from 2019 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Marketing/revenue ratio of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023

Marketing to revenue ratio of leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide from 2019 to 2023

Number of employees at leading travel companies worldwide 2022

Number of employees at selected leading travel companies worldwide in 2022

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide as of September 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps worldwide 2023

Number of aggregated downloads of selected leading online travel agency apps worldwide in 2023 (in millions)

Most visited travel and tourism websites worldwide as of April 2024 (in million visits)

Booking Holdings

• Basic Statistic Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of bookings through Booking Holdings worldwide 2010-2023, by segment
• Premium Statistic Operating income of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023
• Premium Statistic Net income of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023

Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023

Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Number of bookings through Booking Holdings worldwide 2010-2023, by segment

Number of bookings through Booking Holdings worldwide from 2010 to 2023, by business segment (in millions)

Operating income of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023

Operating income of Booking Holdings worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Net income of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023

Net income of Booking Holdings worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Expedia Group

• Premium Statistic Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2017-2023, by business model
• Premium Statistic Operating income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023
• Premium Statistic Net income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2017-2023, by business model

Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2017 to 2023, by business model (in million U.S. dollars)

Operating income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Operating income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Net income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Net income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

• Premium Statistic Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023
• Premium Statistic Airbnb revenue worldwide 2019-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Airbnb operations income worldwide 2017-2023
• Premium Statistic Airbnb net income worldwide 2017-2023

Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023

Revenue of Airbnb worldwide from 2017 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Airbnb revenue worldwide 2019-2023, by region

Revenue of Airbnb worldwide from 2019 to 2023, by region (in billion U.S. dollars)

Airbnb operations income worldwide 2017-2023

Income from operations of Airbnb worldwide from 2017 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Airbnb net income worldwide 2017-2023

Net income of Airbnb worldwide from 2017 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Trip.com Group

• Premium Statistic Total revenue of Trip.com Group 2013-2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Trip.com 2013-2023, by product
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Trip.com 2017-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Net income of Trip.com 2013-2023

Total revenue of Trip.com Group 2013-2023

Total revenue of Trip.com Group Ltd. in China from 2013 to 2023 (in billion yuan)

Revenue of Trip.com 2013-2023, by product

Revenue of Trip.com Group Ltd. from 2013 to 2023, by product (in million yuan)

Revenue of Trip.com 2017-2023, by region

Revenue of Trip.com Group Ltd. from 2017 to 2023, by region (in million yuan)

Net income of Trip.com 2013-2023

Net profit of Trip.com Group Ltd. from 2013 to 2023 (in million yuan)

Tripadvisor

• Premium Statistic Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2017-2023, by business segment
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2012-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Operating income of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023
• Premium Statistic Net income of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Revenue of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2017-2023, by business segment

Revenue of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2017 to 2023, by business segment (in million U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2012-2023, by region

Revenue of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2012 to 2023, by region (in million U.S. dollars)

Operating income of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Operating income of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Net income of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Net income of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

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Top 9 Online Travel Agents (OTAs) in 2024

What is an OTA? OTA stands for Online Travel Agency or Online Travel Agent. OTAs are one of the key distribution channels that hotels have at their disposal in order to market and sell their room nights.

For most hotels, online travel agents (OTAs) have become the most important distribution channel. In many ways, they’re a natural evolution of the traditional travel agency model, as platforms like Expedia and Hotels.com offer consumers easy comparisons and booking processes to most hotels listed in any given region.

What are the benefits of OTAs?

A typical OTA charges between 10% and 30% in commission for every room booking passing through it, leading to a dollar-for-dollar seemingly less profitable margin than direct bookings. However, for that investment, hotels benefit in a few crucial ways they would almost certainly otherwise be missing out on:

• Hotels listed on OTAs are able to increase awareness and even unlock new markets, relying on the OTAs popularity and marketing-focus, instead of their own marketing spend.
• OTAs help hotels to meet their audience where they are online, with the leading travel websites in the U.S. serving more than 30 million visitors every month.
• Hotels can benefit from the so-called billboard effect: Listings on OTAs provide initial awareness for potential travelers, who could ultimately book directly, via a booking engine , on the hotel’s site, minus the OTA’s commission costs.
• OTAs make revenue management far less complicated. Hotels can capitalize on seasonal demand by simply adjusting room rates according to recommendations made by the OTAs.

Combining these benefits, and the revenue benefits of listing your hotel on popular OTAs becomes clear. They actually provide a lot of heavy lifting for their fee, but of course, you still need to know just where to place these listings strategically. 

What are the most important OTAs in 2024?

There are several dozen OTAs available today, with each one offering a very specialised set of services.

A success story of the gig economy over the past few years, Airbnb is unique in that it acts largely as a marketplace for non-conventional travel accommodations and consumer-to-consumer rentals. It has begun to expand into commercial listings after acquiring HotelTonight in 2019, earning it a spot on this list.

Hotels looking to be listed on Airbnb need to prove their unique design characteristics. At acceptance, they become one of seven million listings in more than 200 countries, with access to more than 150 million active users. Commission ranges between 14% and 20% for hotels.

Advantages of Listings on Airbnb

• Thanks to the service’s marketplace vibe, hotels listed on Airbnb can benefit from more authentic, word-of-mouth-type marketing compared to other OTAs on this list.
• Airbnb’s emphasis on local influences and unique designs make the platform a perfect fit for boutique hotels competing against larger, less personal chains.
• Airbnb expands into areas outside the typical tourism hotspots, offering the ability to stand out and go beyond the norm.

2. TripAdvisor

Founded in 2000, TripAdvisor has become one of the largest travel websites in the world. It is largely known for its user reviews, approaching 500 million in total for hotels and restaurants.

That said, the platform’s Instant Booking platform enables its visitors to read reviews and make the call to book a room right on the platform. It charges its 7+ million listings of attractions, hotels, and restaurants an average of 15% commission.

Advantages of Listings on TripAdvisor

• A potentially massive audience, with 450+ million monthly active users around the globe.
• A strong reputation for and volume of user reviews. If your listing ranks well, the audience will trust its quality.
• The connections between hotels, attractions, and restaurants allow potential visitors to think about your lodging opportunity in a broader context.
• An advertising partnership with Expedia and Priceline allows for connections with other high-visibility OTAs.

3. Expedia.com

The U.S.-based Expedia group, founded in 1996, actually includes more than 200 travel booking sites that total more than 600 million monthly visits, including some others on its list. Its flagship OTA is Expedia.com, which focuses on hotels, flights, and rental cars.

Expedia.com is home to listings of more than 500,000 properties, spanning more than 60 countries. Commission for rooms booked through the site ranges between 5% and 30% based on property type and dynamic pricing, but averages around 16%.

Advantages of Listings on Expedia

• An emphasis on low prices and affordability means Expedia.com attracts an audience that might not otherwise seek out your individual hotel’s website on their own.
• The close connection with other OTAs pays off for hotels. Placing a listing on Expedia, for instance, automatically links it to Hotels.com.
• Customers can book hotels in connection with flights and rental cars, placing your hotel listing into a more comprehensive experience.
• The global recognition of the platform makes it easy to unlock new markets, especially when expanding internationally.

4. Booking.com

Founded in 1996, Booking.com was among the first OTAs to emerge in the dotcom boom. As an international company by design, its bookings (accessible in 43 languages) cover more than 200 different countries on every continent.

In total, the platform processes more than 1.5 million hotel nights every day, with decisions driven by its 50 million verified reviews by guests. Fees average about 15% but fluctuate depending on the market segment and property type listed.

Advantages of Listings on Booking.com

• As part of a larger company umbrella that also includes brands like Priceline and Agoda, listings on Booking.com tend to have a magnified impact.
• The platform focuses not just on hotels. Instead, it offers options for motels, vacation homes and apartments, hostels, B&Bs, and other types of properties as well.
• An easy setup process, including the ability to import information from other OTA platforms, allows hotels to set up their listing in as little as 15 minutes.

As mentioned above, Agoda is part of the Booking Holding that encompasses several other major OTAs. Originally founded in 1998, its largest pool of property listings is in Asia. However, the company has expanded into Europe and America as well, with its website and 2 million listings available in 38 languages.

Much like Expedia in the European and American market, Agoda focuses on low-priced listings and affordability. Commissions for listings average around 16%, with variations depending on the size and type of property.

Advantages of Listings on Agoda

• A strong focus on the Asian market is beneficial for hotels and brands looking to branch out specifically to this audience.
• Close connections with other OTAs like Booking.com and Priceline under the same corporate umbrella allow for cross-listings and increased convenience.
• Commission discounts for multi-property hotel brands can lead to sizable discounts and higher profit margins.

6. Hotels.com

An American company, Hotels.com has been headquartered in Dallas, Texas since its founding in 1991 as the Hotel Reservations Network. It has been part of the Expedia network of OTAs for almost two decades, benefiting from significant economies of scale on listings as a result.

In total, the platform hosts more than 360,000 listings in more than 19,000 locations, most of them in the Western Hemisphere. Average commission is just above 17%.

Advantages of Listings on Hotels.com

• The close connection with Expedia mentioned above also works in reverse, meaning listings on Hotels.com receive increased audience attention.
• The platform’s Hotels.com Rewards program attracts higher than usual return customers, leading to increased repeat business for listed properties.
• A focus on the Western Hemisphere makes the service beneficial for hotels and other properties looking to improve their awareness in this market.

7. LateRooms

In a clear distinction from services like Airbnb, LateRooms focuses only on hotels. Founded in 1999, the company is headquartered in the United Kingdom. It emphasizes last-minute deals for single-night stays, catering to more spontaneous and urgent audiences.

With its more niche focus, LateRooms leads to fewer but faster transactions. More than 200,000 daily users book more than 50,000 rooms every month, including some same-day bookings. Its listings are limited to the U.K.

Advantages of Listings on LateRooms

• A laser focus on the United Kingdom is perfect for properties situated in that market.
• The flexibility offered by LateRooms makes sense for hotels who have some rooms to fill in order to minimize losses even when offering discounts.
• Unique search categories, like secret rooms and quirky hotels, make this platform a good fit for niche properties with a specific target audience.

Based in Cologne, Germany, HRS was actually founded as a standard travel agency in 1972. It pivoted to become an OTA in the early years of the world wide web, and now offers more than 300,000 listings to about one million active users.

HRS offers listings around the globe, but most of its inventory is in Europe. Similarly, while it offers listings for both consumers and business travelers, its emphasis on business (including discounts for professional travel) is clear throughout the website. Expect an average commission of 16% for bookings through HRS.

Advantages of Listings on HRS

• A focus on business customers makes HRS a great fit for hotels who are prioritizing this audience.
• The company’s history in the offline travel agency field shines through in its user experience and service, offering a more bespoke experience than many others in this article.
• Inventory and experience in the European market is a key advantage for hotels in this area looking to attract a global audience.

9. Google Hotel Ads

A relative newcomer to the market Google started showing hotel information in a more useful way with sponsored hotel prices back in 2010. According to Google, their hotel ad partners (participating hotels) received 65% more leads year over year and Google Hotel Ads has now emerged as the most profitable metasearch platform for accommodation providers globally.

Google has an unrivalled advantage when it comes to traffic: an estimated 4.5 billion searches are made per day on Google, accounting for 77% of the world’s total search traffic. Couple that with the fact that Google Hotel Ads has expanded to over 150 countries and you can understand why Google Hotels Ads is such a popular choice for hoteliers.

Advantages of Listing on Google Hotel Ads

• Attracts travellers searching for accommodation in your hotel’s specific area.
• Increases the number of direct bookings your hotel’s website generates. According to Google, 60% of leisure travellers and 55% of business travellers use its search engine to plan their trips.
• Google Hotel Ads makes it possible for you to access some of the guests data, and does not keep it all hidden like most OTA’s. This means that you can get useful analytics and insights from the guest’s trip-planning process.
• When the potential guest clicks on your hotel’s advert, they have already been filtered according to specific details like price range, availability, amenities, location, rating, etc. This means that they are mostly sales-qualified leads who are about to place a booking.

OTA’s will never be a replacement for your hotel’s own website, which remains a crucial revenue stream. But when approached strategically, OTAs offer a vital part of the distribution chain to increase your bookings, increase awareness, and improve your revenue.

At the same time, not every OTA is created equal. The list above offers a great start to help you find the right homes for your listings, but it’s important to dig deeper again. By finding the platforms that work best for your hotel and audience, you can effectively diversify your marketing and sales efforts, fine-tuning for better business as you go.

Another great idea is to run a fully customisable and integrated online booking engine in parallel with your OTA strategy. Having your own online booking engine is a simple way to convert your website visitors into hotel guests, simultaneously saving you money on commission fees and providing you with a branded opportunity to upsell to guests before they check-in.

Discover more Planet´s Hotel Booking Engine

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• Flight Raleigh - Miami (RDU - MIA) $69+
• Flight Houston - Miami (HOU - MIA) $80+
• Flight Houston - Miami (IAH - MIA) $80+
• Hometowne Studios by Red Roof Denver - Glendale/Cherry Creek $68+
• Super 8 by Wyndham Denver Stapleton $75+
• Baymont by Wyndham Denver International Airport $87+
• La Quinta Inn & Suites By Wyndham Denver Airport Dia $98+
• Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Denver Airport $113+
• Renu On Wazee $122+
• Quality Inn & Suites Denver International Airport $126+
• Flight Ontario - Denver (ONT - DEN) $53+
• Flight Los Angeles - Denver (LAX - DEN) $57+
• Flight Chicago - Denver (ORD - DEN) $58+
• Flight Dallas - Denver (DFW - DEN) $59+
• Flight Baltimore - Denver (BWI - DEN) $68+
• Flight Minneapolis - Denver (MSP - DEN) $69+
• Flight Phoenix - Denver (PHX - DEN) $72+
• Hi Boston Hostel $65+
• Ramada by Wyndham Boston $145+
• Found Hotel Boston Common $160+
• Flight Chicago - Boston (ORD - BOS) $50+
• Flight Philadelphia - Boston (PHL - BOS) $60+
• Flight Baltimore - Boston (BWI - BOS) $61+
• Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Atlanta Airport $64+
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Atlanta Airport North $94+
• Sonesta Atlanta Airport North $97+
• Flight Chicago - Atlanta (MDW - ATL) $37+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Atlanta (FLL - ATL) $39+
• Flight Philadelphia - Atlanta (PHL - ATL) $41+
• Generator Madrid $25+
• Toc Hostel Madrid $32+
• C&h Aravaca Garden $40+
• Flight Miami - Madrid (MIA - MAD) $269+
• Flight New York - Athens (JFK - ATH) $282+
• Flight New York - Rome (JFK - FCO) $289+
• Rodeway Inn Fairgrounds-Casino $62+
• Econo Lodge Airport at RJ Stadium $69+
• Tampa Inn Near Busch Gardens $70+
• Flight Newark - Florida (EWR - USFL) $40+
• Flight Atlanta - Florida (ATL - USFL) $50+
• Flight Chicago - Florida (ORD - USFL) $50+
• Flight Atlanta - Tampa (ATL - TPA) $42+
• Flight Cincinnati - Tampa (CVG - TPA) $48+
• Flight Baltimore - Tampa (BWI - TPA) $56+

New Orleans

• Super 8 by Wyndham New Orleans $53+
• Maison Saint Charles by Hotel RL $84+
• Hampton Inn and Suites New Orleans Convention Center $94+
• Flight Houston - New Orleans (HOU - MSY) $41+
• Flight Houston - New Orleans (IAH - MSY) $41+
• Flight Atlanta - New Orleans (ATL - MSY) $49+

Frequently asked questions about KAYAK

How do i find travel deals on kayak.

Simply use one of our travel search engines to scan for prices gathered from hundreds of travel sites. KAYAK’s search results pages have loads of filter options to help you find deals, discover exactly what you’re looking for and make booking seamless. Plus, there’s no extra fee from KAYAK.

What makes KAYAK a great travel app?

On the KAYAK app for iOS and Android you’ll find all the great travel offers found on the website and much more. There are special mobile rates and app only deals that allow you to save even more money. Plus, you can get notifications straight to your phone letting you know when prices for your next trip have dropped. But the KAYAK app is much more than just a travel app. Use the Trips function to manage your travel itinerary and get up to date status alerts on flights, check-in changes and to store your boarding pass. Even if you’re in the middle of nowhere on your travels, you can still access your travel notes via Trips, as no internet connection is required.

How can I use KAYAK to manage my travel bookings?

KAYAK Trips creates a travel itinerary for you that will give you flight status alerts, can be shared with friends and more. Simply forward your booking confirmations to [email protected] or use the KAYAK app and sync your email account to keep all your travel plans organized in one app, even if you didn’t book with KAYAK. You can share your holiday plans with friends and family and also check out your travel stats for past vacations, like how far you’ve traveled, your most popular cities and how many times you’ve traveled around the world. Even if you don’t have signal, don’t worry, as you can access Trips to check out your itineraries whilst on the road. Your data is safe and secure with us and you won’t have to re-enter credit card info when booking future trips. If you want to make changes or cancel bookings, then you should contact the travel provider, which is provided on the booking confirmation.

What are KAYAK Price Alerts?

Instead of manually checking back in on the price of your next flight or stay, let KAYAK do the hard work for you with KAYAK Price Alerts. Once you’ve saved your search, our data will determine how the price will rise or fluctuate over the coming days. You’ll then get a push notification letting you know when’s the perfect time to book.

Search flights , hotels , rental cars , travel guides and more with KAYAK. KAYAK searches hundreds of other travel sites at once to get you the information you need to make the right decisions.

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.

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

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.

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60+ online travel booking statistics & trends

A look at how the online travel booking industry has fared so far.

• The online travel industry generated revenue worth $667.55 billion in 2023. The travel industry is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.99% between 2023 and 2030—when it’s expected to hit $1569.25 billion.
• China has the highest growth potential in the online travel booking industry. This growth can be attributed to the growth of the middle-class income group, an increase in disposable income, and wider access to the Internet.
• Flight demand in 2023 was roughly 95% of what it was before the coronavirus pandemic.
• In the six surveyed countries, 50% of travelers planned to travel more in March and May 2023, compared to the same period the previous year.
• 31% of those who changed their travel plans in 2023 planned to reduce travel or take shorter trips due to increasing cost-of-living prices, while 27% opted for booking closer-to-home trips.

How people book—researching and buying behaviors

• According to the Trends Global Survey, 80% of global travelers surveyed feel it’s important to be able to book their trips entirely online, with 86% of Millennials and 83% of Gen Zers leading the charge.
• 76% of global travelers said they look for travel apps that reduce the friction and stress of travel.
• Last year, the top five online resources used by most travelers were: OTAs (80%), search engines (61%), social media (58%), airline websites (54%), and meta-travel websites (51%).
• Travelers spent over 5 hours consuming online travel content to seek inspiration and plan their trip in the 45 days before finally booking their journey.
• Social media had the greatest influence on leisure travelers’ travel destinations, with 75% of travelers saying social media posts inspired their trips to a specific destination in 2023. 
• Most American travelers (92%) in 2023 said that they wanted to save on travel by focusing on accommodation prices instead of amenities (39%) and driving instead of flying (35%). 
• Reviews from other travelers (29%) 
• Free WiFi (24%)
• Accommodation facilities (23%)
• Room photos (22%)
• In the consideration stage of planning and booking corporate travel , videos, and photos are the two most critical factors that affected global travelers’ decisions in 2022. They also looked at a hotel’s ability to showcase its amenities and guest experience while deciding on a place to stay.
• Three of the most impactful deal breakers for most travelers were bland and unappealing hotel rooms, non-aesthetic food photos, and boring content presentation.
• 17% of people in the United States have bought some form of travel app subscription to help them plan their travels in 2022.
• By June 2023, travel app log-ins were 87% higher than by the end of 2019.

Online booking statistics indicate a renewed outlook of travelers worldwide

• In 2023, a large majority of travelers (72%) said they preferred to book their trips online, compared to only 12% that preferred using a travel agency.
• Of those that book travel online, 53% cited it’s because of the speed at which they can plan their trip (perfect for last-minute trips), 47% said it’s easier to compare prices and 42% said it’s better to find cheaper deals.
• It’s forecasted that 76% of total revenue in the tourism and travel sector will be generated through online sales by 2028.
• Monday was the most popular day for booking travel, and Saturday was the quietest day.
• 63% of travelers believed technology plays a key role in controlling health risks during trips and reduces travel anxiety in a post-pandemic world.
• The percentage of shoppers that abandoned their travel purchase was 85% for desktop users and 91% for those buying on a mobile device.
• In 2023, 48% used their mobile device for destination research, 47% to compare transport and accommodation prices, and 40% to book flights and hotels.
• 97.8% of travel executives stated that AI would have an impact over the next 1-5 years in the industry.
• Over a fifth (22%) of global travelers have used ChatGPT or similar AI chatbots to plan travel.
• Four out of five travelers who booked online visited an OTA "at some point" before booking, "even if travelers booked on another website."

Biggest blockers and frustrations in online travel booking

• 45.1% of travelers said they were concerned about how much data companies hold on them in 2023 and only 23.1% felt in control of their data.
• In a study of 15,000 Tripadvisor reviews, it was found that flight irregularities emerged as the most discussed topic (36%) for travelers, compared to 20% in 2019.
• 43% of Americans didn’t like booking travel, including 23% of GenZ travelers. The experience gap between booking travel and actually traveling is notably high.
• One in three travelers prioritized flexibility over all other factors when making reservations.
• 74% of travel agents surveyed believed buying and selling travel plans could be simplified. 86% of agents were in favor of modernizing the user experience to boost online travel sales.
• One of the biggest factors hampering travel bookings was the lack of transparency. Comparing too many options is challenging and becomes a roadblock.
• A third of families considered the process of searching for the best flights and making online hotel bookings extremely time-consuming—23% of them didn’t enjoy booking trips.
• 43% of business travelers felt frustrated that the search function of travel sites was limited to the budget or the date.
• 60% of surveyed travelers believed travel options were filled with hidden costs and were not upfront enough.
• 45% of travelers preferred booking a trip from start to finish from a single website that presents options for flights, accommodations, car rentals, and extras.
• Millennials booked their travel needs via travel agencies. They’d book their hotel via travel agencies, however, 52% would look at the hotel’s website for more information.
• Users spent, on average, 40% more via desktop than mobile devices when booking online. SaleCycle said that “perhaps users feel more comfortable booking high-ticket holidays on a bigger screen.”

Travel booking is going mobile

• People used mobiles to browse more than purchase since 60% of all online traffic came from mobile, however, desktop accounted for 62.5% of online sales.
• The mobile users’ average online order value has grown by 29% since 2020. 
• The mobile travel booking market is projected to grow at an anticipated value of $612.5 billion by 2031.
• In 2020, the gap between desktop and mobile booking sales was 75% compared to 2022 where the gap was reduced to 40%.
• Almost one-third (32%) of travelers used a website through a mobile device to book travel and 23% used a mobile app directly in 2023.

How is online business travel booking evolving

• 87% of business travelers and corporate travel managers wanted more simplified booking services and processes. 42% of them thought booking a trip was actually more challenging than traveling itself.
• 82% of travel agents reported a need for digital retailing for both leisure and business travel. A better customer experience is a priority for both types of travel.
• Travel booking fell short of the top three easiest buying experiences behind booking a restaurant online, buying clothes online, and browsing and buying electronic/physical goods online.
• For 38% of respondents, the average frequency of business trips was once every 2-3 months. 32% traveled once or twice every month for business purposes.
• Business travelers spent 52 days getting inspired and planning their trip, and 43 days between booking and starting their trip.
• 87% of employees think that in-person meetings and business travel are important to company growth.
• However, despite there being more interest in business travel, companies were worried about their carbon footprint. In fact, four in 10 European companies and a third of American companies said they needed to reduce travel per employee by more than 20% to meet their 2030 sustainability targets.
• In 2024, 63% of companies are investing more in sustainable travel and 80% of business travelers want more sustainable options when booking.
• 88% of corporate travelers want full transparency into what they are buying when buying online.

Role of online travel agents in a post-pandemic world

• 41% of those surveyed preferred booking via online travel agencies (OTAs) while 29% booked via travel agents or operators. Around 20% of them booked via travel agents.
• Demographical data from North America showed that people under 35 years of age were more inclined to use OTAs for booking hotel rooms.
• The average browser abandonment rate for OTAs was approximately 81.54%, indicating how travelers frequently used online travel booking websites to find and compare options.
• In a scenario where prices are identical on hotel websites and OTAs, 70% of respondents said they would book via an OTA.
• Some of the biggest reasons why people preferred OTAs were the security, convenience, loyalty discounts, and credible online reviews that they offered.
• Booking trends indicate that 12% of travelers thought booking websites should provide a much faster and more frictionless experience than booking directly on hotel websites.
• Out of the 141 pages that travelers looked at 45 days before traveling, OTAs were the most viewed (67), followed by airline websites (33).
• OTA’s are used by 80% of travelers before making any purchase.
• 61% of travelers visited an OTA before making a booking on a hotel site.

Modernize the way you book business travel

Travelers take a stand for sustainability.

• 74% of travelers thought people needed to make more sustainable choices to save the planet for future generations.
• 64 % of American travelers said in 2023 that they were looking for accommodation establishments with high sustainability innovation and practices.
• In 2023, 49% of travelers believed more sustainable travel options were too expensive, however, 43% said they were willing to pay extra for travel options with a sustainable certification.
• In 2022, 66% of travelers wanted travel companies to offer more sustainable travel choices. However, in 2023, that number increased to 74%.
• 76% of global travelers wanted to travel more sustainably in 2023.
• More than half (51%) of travelers said there weren’t enough sustainable travel options and 43% could recall seeing at least one product or service on a travel website that had to do with sustainable travel.
• Almost two-thirds of travelers (61%) said they wanted to use more environmentally-friendly modes of transport like trains.
• Almost 80% of travelers said they were willing to spend at least 10% more for eco-tourism and adventure travel in 2023.
• Global travelers were increasingly attentive to how far they traveled and what means they would take to make their journeys. 23% of them chose to minimize their carbon footprint by picking a destination closer to home.

Put sustainability at the core of your business travel policy

Online travel booking is here to stay.

Maximize your travel budget. Save time and money on your next trip.

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.
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The Pros and Cons of Booking Through Online Travel Agencies

After spending seven years in the U.S. Air Force as an Arabic linguist, Carissa is now a freelance writer using points and miles to fund a four-year (and counting!) adventure. She previously worked as a reporter for The Points Guy. Her writing has since been featured in numerous publications, including Forbes, Business Insider, and The Balance. When she's not flying, you'll usually find her in a Priority Pass lounge somewhere, sipping tea and cursing slow Wi-Fi.

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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 some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

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%-5% 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.

Up to $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.

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How to build a hotel sales team (+12 strategies to boost sales)

Stay up to date with the latest trends, insights and technology for hoteliers.

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By Isis Darios

Let’s face it, hotel sales can be complicated. Depending on the size of your property, sales teams will vary significantly, and with lingering labor shortage issues, hotel sales managers are often left with the challenge of hitting their sales goals and ensuring consistent occupancy with limited resources.

Finding the right people to be part of your sales team is critical so you can achieve more with fewer resources. Sales jobs require diverse skills, from engaging with in-house hotel guests to cold-calling corporate clients. Sales teams need to be able to collaborate with other hotel team members, such as general managers and revenue managers, to develop and reach realistic revenue and sales goals.

Read on to learn more about what hotel sales teams do and strategies to help boost your hotel sales .

What do hotel sales teams do?

The number one goal for hotel sales teams is to sell more rooms and secure business throughout the month, quarter, and year. Most sales teams can be split into three market segments:

Leisure/corporate business.

This market often has the highest success rate of all three sources and includes relationship-building with corporations to host its business travelers. For this market, sales teams will benefit from having a strong business relationship with their local online travel agency (OTA) market managers to get information about market trends and other hotels’ promotions to be more competitive. Corporate biz can yield a decent ADR and usually offers a steady stream of occupancy during the shoulder nights.

Contract business.

This market involves establishing contracts for a minimum amount of room nights per month at an agreed-upon contracted rate. Airline and construction crews are great groups to target for new business. Contract business usually has the lowest ADR but the longest LOS.

These groups aren’t ideal for urban markets that already have high demand, but are perfect for suburban and highway hotels because they guarantee a minimum occupancy for a long period of time, sometimes a year or more! This is why extended-stay hotels often yield a higher RevPar and save on hotel operation costs.

Group business.

This market includes booking hotel business for large groups like weddings, family reunions, bachelorette parties, and more. Typically, group sales are one-off events and do not ensure consistent revenue; however, they can be pretty profitable depending on the type of hotel group. Group bookings commonly yield the highest ADR and can help build a solid base business during shoulder periods.

Hotel sales members are responsible for finding prospects through cold-calling, referrals, email, and social media, as well as attending conferences , tradeshows, and other events to promote their brand and network with those in the hospitality industry.

The work doesn’t end for your hotel sales team once the sale is made. Relationship nurturing is another crucial aspect of the job to ensure account retention. Following up regularly with clients can help your property stay top-of-mind when booking again.

The director of sales should prioritize the reviewing of results from the most recent period (monthly or quarterly) with their team to determine areas of success and opportunities for growth. Having measurable goals for your team to hit each period can help them to stay on track.

How to build a hotel sales team

Due to the effects of the pandemic, as of September 2023, there were 238,000 fewer workers in the hotel industry than just a few years prior. Hotel sales teams were among the first groups to be laid off during the pandemic, and management is still struggling to find qualified talent to fill these roles.

While sales teams will differ based on property size and type, when building a sales team, no matter the size, you must take time to hire the right people for your business. Here are some best practices for building your hotel sales team.

• Ensure you have a well-defined target market . This will help you when interviewing candidates to ensure they have the right experience and proven results.
• Hire salespeople who can fulfill multiple functions in the sales process. Your team should consist of individuals who are proficient at different sales efforts. For example, they can prospect and form connections with different groups of people and nurture long-lasting relationships.
• Your team should be hospitable, friendly, and, most importantly, consist of great listeners. The key to a successful sales organization is delivering value to your customers by understanding what’s important to them.
• Make sure your team members work well with others. Your team will work cross-functionally across the hotel with catering managers, general managers, front desk staff, and more to ensure a customer’s experience meets expectations once they arrive.
• Invest in training . During initial training, your sales staff should be educated on your specific room types, room rates, services, upsell opportunities , local offerings, and more. Remember, customers today have access to tons of online information, so your staff should be well-versed in your competitors‘ strengths and weaknesses to successfully handle objections and questions from prospects.

What is the difference between hotel sales and marketing?

Hotel sales and marketing teams work in tandem with one another to deliver on hotel revenue goals. Marketing teams create brand awareness and share relevant content through social media, search engine optimization (SEO), paid ads, press releases, and more (take a look at our hotel marketing strategies ). Sales teams foster relationships, negotiate contracts, search for new business through outbound prospecting, and nurture inbound leads to close deals.

Together, these groups play a pivotal role in the hospitality sales process.

12 essential strategies to boost your hotel sales

While hotel sales can be challenging, it’s gratifying to form new business relationships that can last years. Here are a few strategies for your hotel sales team to use:

1. Implement a sales commission structure.

Incentivize your team with a well-thought-out commission program. Usually, these consist of a percentage of sales paid on top of an annual base salary.

2. Have your sales team be active on social media.

Social channels like LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and even TikTok can be a great way to network and connect with prospects. Promote last-minute deals, packages, contests, and property updates to your network, and consider tagging prospects in the comments for ultimate visibility.

3. List your property on venue marketplaces.

Marketplaces can help you promote your property to planners from across the world. These sites often feature hotel workspaces, meeting rooms, group accommodations, and event spaces.

4. Ensure your sales and marketing efforts are aligned.

If your property separates sales and marketing functions, ensure they are in frequent communication to align on strategy, messaging, and target audiences.

5. Set clear expectations for your sales teams.

Set weekly or monthly goals for your sales team and consistently track their efforts. Make sure to offer your team incentives, celebrate wins, and reward your salespeople for a job well done to keep morale and retention rates high.

6. Spend time hiring the right team.

In the hospitality industry, it can be challenging to find qualified talent. Don‘t cut corners to hire; spend time interviewing candidates to ensure their values and strengths align with your property.

7. Work closely with your revenue manager.

Sales and the hotel revenue management person or team should be closely aligned to ensure proper pricing is communicated to potential guests.

8. Form partnerships with local convention and visitor bureaus (CVB).

CVBs will often recommend hotels and venues to event planners. These RFPs are generally more qualified than regular leads.

9. Attend local tradeshows for tourism and travel.

At local tradeshows, you can make valuable connections across the industry with travel agents and other hoteliers. You can also see what’s new in the industry and ensure that your hotel’s services and amenities are competitive.

10. Track local events that draw large groups to your city.

Stay on top of important events throughout the calendar year, and focus your outreach on event organizers to see if you can bundle your hotel rooms with the event.

11. Offer special group rates.

Incentivize groups to stay at your hotel with special rate plans . Incorporate these rates into your website and booking engine to encourage direct bookings.

12. Create package rates for different groups.

Develop package rates for your different target groups as part of your sales strategy. For example, your corporate group rate could include complimentary dry cleaning and airport shuttle service.

Final thoughts

Hotel sales is tough, but it’s also one of the most rewarding lines of work. Working to deliver a guest experience that exceeds expectations and provides life-long memories is invaluable.

To keep your team happy and motivated, ensure that they have realistic and measurable sales goals and are being recognized for their work. Make ongoing training a priority and invest in repeatable strategies that deliver results.

See how Cloudbeds can help you sell more rooms in 2024. Book a demo

About Isis Darios

As Content Marketing Manager, Isis combines her writing expertise, hospitality experience, and passion for travel to produce engaging, on-brand content for Cloudbeds. Since graduating from NSU with a master’s in Writing, Isis has accumulated over 10 years of experience in professional copywriting, editing, and digital marketing. Brazilian born, South Florida raised, she now lives in sunny San Diego, home to Cloudbeds headquarters. When she’s not busy researching and writing everything travel and hospitality tech, you can find her plotting her next trip or frolicking at the dog beach with her pug, 2 kids, and husband.

The ultimate guide to hotel revenue management

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Why you don’t earn hotel points when booking through online travel agencies

O nline travel agencies like Expedia, Kayak and Hotels.com are prevalent in the travel industry. While you might not be familiar with the term OTA, you have likely used one to make a reservation. These websites have user-friendly websites, offer competitive prices and allow you to compare multiple flight, hotel and rental car options in one place.

However, a significant difference exists between booking a flight and reserving a hotel room through an OTA. When you book flights via these third-party sites, you typically earn points or miles with the airline loyalty program. But when you book a hotel through an OTA, you usually won't earn points or enjoy elite perks with the hotel loyalty program.

Many TPG readers have discovered this the hard way. They booked a hotel from a chain like Marriott or Hilton through an OTA only to find out upon arrival that they cannot earn points or use their elite status benefits.

This discrepancy has raised the question: Why don't you earn hotel points when booking through an OTA?

I consulted Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group, a strategic market research and advisory firm. He provided insights into the history of OTAs, their current relationship with hotels and the reason behind the lack of point accrual when booking a hotel stay through them.

History of OTAs

OTAs originated from the need to improve the efficiency of flight reservations in the late 1950s. As air travel became more popular with the advent of jet engines, the existing card-based booking systems became inadequate to handle the increased number of passengers and routes. These systems were slow and required manual processing, resulting in flight reservations taking over an hour to complete.

To address this issue, American Airlines collaborated with IBM in 1961 to develop a groundbreaking software called SABRE (Semi-Automatic Business Research Environment). SABRE revolutionized the booking process by automating flight reservations. It enabled approximately 7,000 flight bookings per hour and allowed American Airlines' reservation agents to check flight availability in seconds. This innovation significantly improved the efficiency and speed of travel bookings.

In the following years, after the introduction of SABRE, American Airlines continued to use it while other airlines developed their own computer reservations systems. These systems allowed travel agents to book flights directly from their computers.

During the next two decades, global distribution systems were developed, which enabled people booking travel to check availability across various computer reservation system platforms. This technology became the foundation for OTAs, with SABRE launching the first OTA called Travelocity in 1996.

Microsoft introduced Expedia later in 1996, and investments from American, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines and United Airlines led to the creation of Hotwire in 2000. In 2005, Hotwire, Hotels.com and Tripadvisor — three popular OTAs — merged with Expedia.

Related: What hotel loyalty program is best for business travelers?

How OTAs make money

OTAs, like traditional travel agencies, earn a commission from travel bookings. Flights generally offer low or no commission, but the large volume of flight reservations provides significant revenue potential for OTAs.

For hotels, commission rates are often higher, ranging from 5% to 25%. This means an OTA could earn a substantial amount, sometimes hundreds of dollars, for a customer's $1,500 hotel reservation. Additionally, OTAs enable customers to make travel arrangements online for various properties (including some you can't book directly online), reducing labor costs and allowing quick room bookings.

The competition among hotels and the need to fill rooms has led to higher commission percentages. Hotels are willing to work with travel agencies despite the cost because an unsold room represents a missed revenue opportunity.

Related: The best hotel rewards programs in the world

Why hotels fought back

During the early 2000s, the rise of online travel agencies led to a significant increase in third-party bookings for hotels, as opposed to direct bookings. Hotels needed to pay commissions to OTAs on these bookings while still reimbursing affiliated loyalty programs for points earned by their members during stays. As a result, hotels experienced a noticeable decrease in their profit earnings.

Hotels implemented various measures to control the reservation process to address this issue and reduce overhead expenses. They started by gradually reducing OTA commissions and introduced exclusive member rates and perks to incentivize travelers to book directly. Marketing campaigns were launched to promote the benefits of direct bookings, and hotel loyalty programs stopped awarding points for bookings made through OTAs.

The reason behind these changes was that while points and elite perks have a cost, they are often less expensive to award than paying a large commission to an OTA. Because of this, you won't earn hotel points or obtain elite status benefits when booking a hotel through an OTA.

Related: Comparing the best hotel elite status tiers and how to earn them

Does it make sense to book hotels through an OTA?

While booking through an OTA may not allow you to earn hotel points or elite status benefits, there are still a few reasons why you might consider booking your next stay through an OTA .

Some OTAs have rewards programs like Expedia One Key that allow you to earn reward nights, points and sometimes even perks similar to elite status benefits for stays at listed properties.

Certain online travel agency loyalty programs also provide benefits for booking vacation rentals, flights, rental cars and more. If you aren't loyal to any particular hotel program, focusing on an OTA rewards program can be advantageous.

Whether you book through an OTA or directly, you'll earn points and miles through the credit card you use to pay for the reservation. You can enhance these earnings even further by booking through a credit card travel portal , which functions similarly to an OTA.

For instance, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card awards 10 miles per dollar spent on hotel and car rental bookings made via the Capital One travel portal . That's an 18.5% return in Capital One miles at TPG's valuations . Similarly, Chase Sapphire Preferred Card holders earn 5 points per dollar when booking through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal . American Express , Bilt and Citi offer similar programs for their cardholders.

However, it's important to note that the value of the points you earn and the benefits offered at higher elite status levels through hotel loyalty programs may outweigh what you receive from an OTA. Therefore, it's always recommended to compare nightly rates and the benefits you'll receive before deciding whether to book a hotel room through an OTA or directly.

Related: How and why you should maximize your hotel stays by using multiple loyalty programs

Bottom line

OTAs have transformed the travel industry and enabled the convenience of online booking. However, it's important to recognize that hotels incur costs when bookings are made through these platforms.

When you book a hotel through an OTA, the hotel typically pays a substantial commission. To offset this expense, hotels often choose not to award points or provide elite status benefits for stays booked through OTAs.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Hard Rock Hotels RKON Travel Advisors Program

Welcome to RKon, Hard Rock Hotels’ curated Travel Advisors program. 

With resort and urban locations in unique destinations around the globe, Hard Rock Hotels are internationally recognized as a leader in the hospitality industry with J D Power recognizing our iconic brand for 3 consecutive years as number one among Upper Upscale Hotels in North America.  Hard Rock Hotels cater to the modern traveler who seeks a reprieve from traditional, predictable hotel experiences. From inspiring music to authentic memorabilia, innovative signature restaurants to electrifying public spaces and one-of-a-kind brand programs, Hard Rock is redefining globally what a lifestyle destination experience can be.

PROGRAM DETAILS

At Hard Rock Hotels, we value our relationship with Travel Advisors around the globe. Enjoy special rates, personalized service, and more when you choose Hard Rock Hotels.

• Enjoy special rates just for you, including up to 40% off the daily rate for eligible stays
• Earn up to 10% commission on eligible rates
• Discover  our Unity TM by Hard Rock global loyalty program where you can book commissionable rates for your clients while they earn and redeem incredible rewards doing what they love

Have questions? We’re happy to help with general reservations, commission inquiries, and more. Contact  [email protected] and we’ll get back to you within 48 hours.

We partner with Michelin-starred chefs to talented up and comers to create a concert for your taste buds.

From our in-room music amenities program to the best in live entertainment, we make musical memories daily. 

At Hard Rock, we believe wellness has a rhythm, a melody and a beat.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do i make a booking online for a client, how many rooms can i book online, what travel accreditations are accepted.

You can book Hard Rock Hotels with an IATA/TIDS/CLIA/TRUE industry code. Your code gives you access to the best available rates.

Is there a Travel Agent Help Desk?

Do travel agents earn commissions, do you pay commission on taxes and resorts fees.

No, commission is calculated based on accommodation costs net of any fees and taxes to the hotel country.

Do you offer a Travel Agent rate?

Is there a booking limit for travel agent personal stays.

Yes, 2 rooms max per booking per Travel Agent. No max usage per year.

Do Travel Agents earn commission on special agent rates?

Special discounted rates for travel agents are non-commissionable. 

Will I earn Unity Points or Tier Credits on my Travel Agent Rate?

No, the exclusive Travel Agent Rate is a non-qualified rate. Unity Points and Tier Credits will not be earned on this rate. Unity Points and Tier Credits will be earned on qualified incidental spend during the stay.

Will I receive my Unity hotel benefits on my Travel Agent Rate?

Yes, Travel Agents will receive their Unity hotel benefits when staying on the Travel Agent Rate.

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Everything you need to know about the Capital One travel portal

Editor's Note

Capital One's new travel portal, launched in 2021, has significantly improved since its beta release. It now allows Capital One credit cardholders , including those with the issuer's cash-back cards , to directly use their rewards for travel purchases. The portal also features updated flight search capabilities and the issuer's hotel programs: the Premier Collection and the Lifestyle Collection .

In this guide, we will explain what you need to know about the Capital One portal.

What is the Capital One travel portal?

Credit card issuers often provide bonus rewards when using their travel portals, but they can be frustrating due to poor customer service and user interfaces. However, Capital One differentiates itself by integrating technology from Hopper, a trusted app for predicting the lowest prices for flights and hotels. With access to vast amounts of data, Capital One claims a 95% accuracy rate in price predictions.

The portal also offers customer-friendly features like price drop protection, best price guarantee and price match with competitors. Suppose the portal advises you to book a flight. In that case, you will receive automatic price drop protection, ensuring a partial refund as a travel credit if the ticket price decreases within a specified time frame (generally up to $50 after booking).

Capital One has also addressed customer concerns by adding more support staff to reduce phone hold times. Three paid add-on features are available for users: cancel-for-any-reason (CFAR) coverage, price freeze protection and rapid rebooking .

CFAR coverage allows you to cancel your flight up to three hours before travel and receive back 70-90% of the ticket price. On the other hand, price freeze protection lets you pay a fee to lock in a price, protecting against sudden price increases. Rapid rebooking lets you select a same-day or next-day flight for up to $5,000 on any airline if your flight is delayed more than two hours or you risk not making your connection.

Here's a list of some top Capital One cards that offer access to Capital One Travel:

• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Spark Cash Plus
• Capital One Spark Miles for Business

You can access the portal through this link .

Related: Best Capital One credit cards

How to book flights through the Capital One travel portal

To book airfare using the Capital One travel portal, log into your account and hover over the "Flights" tab to search for one-way or round-trip flights. Enter your desired departure and arrival cities.

When selecting departure and return dates, it's not just a matter of merely selecting the convenient dates for you. Capital One brings in Hopper's familiar, color-coded interface, allowing you to see which dates offer the lowest prices in economy class.

You'll see Capital One's booking recommendation and flight options on the next screen.

From the results page, you can narrow the parameters by:

• Fare class (cabin)

Then, you can sort your results by:

• Recommended
• Price (low to high)
• Departure time (earliest to latest)
• Arrival time (earliest to latest)
• Stops (least to most)
• Duration (shortest to longest)

There are a few other interesting features worth mentioning. Above all the options, you can see the price prediction tool come into effect with clear messaging on whether or not it's a good time to book.

If the site's algorithms advise you to book, that will trigger free price drop protection. You'll get back up to $50 of the difference as a future travel credit if you book now and the price drops in the specified time period (10 days in the above example).

If you're not ready, you can press "Watch This Trip" to receive emails about the best time to book whenever better prices become available. Unfortunately, this feature applies to the route and date, not the specific flight(s) you want to watch — though you can exclude basic economy and connecting flights.

Pay attention to the fare class when booking flights. Basic economy differs between airlines. For example, United Airlines does not allow full-size carry-on bags, but Delta Air Lines does. Additionally, cancellation policies vary across fare classes.

Capital One has tried to standardize fare classes across all airlines on its platform, making it easier for users. When searching through Capital One Travel, you'll see the following labels:

• Basic : The best-priced options are often basic fares with restrictive policies and few amenities.
• Standard : Typically, main and economy fares include amenities like carry-on bags and seat selection.
• Enhanced : These fares include more legroom, priority boarding, and free beverages and snacks.
• Premium : These fares include cradled or reclined seats, priority boarding, and premium snacks and beverages.
• Luxury : These fares feature reclined seats with personalized services and premium meals. Priority boarding is also included.

After selecting your desired flight, Capital One Travel provides an extensive overview of what to expect during your journey. This includes detailed information on seat measurements, aircraft layout and onboard amenities like power outlets, fresh food options and whether lounge access is included. These comprehensive details surpass what you typically find on other travel portals or even when booking directly with airlines.

The payment side is quick and easy too. Enter the traveler information, with fields for frequent flyer numbers and Known Traveler Numbers (for instance, your TSA PreCheck number).

As a holder of the Capital One Venture card , I can apply my miles at a rate of 1 cent each toward the purchase. However, if you want to save your miles for later, press "Do not apply my rewards." You can use your credit card to pay for your reservation instead.

Note that the Capital One Venture X card offers 5 miles per dollar spent on flights booked through Capital One Travel.

Other options available in the booking process include purchasing the abovementioned add-ons: CFAR and price freeze. The price for these features will vary, depending on factors like your trip cost, how far in advance you're booking, whether the price is rated as "low" or "high," and other elements.

Related: Everything you need to know about Capital One's new rapid rebooking feature

How to book hotels through the Capital One travel portal

There are fewer distinctive features when booking your hotels through the Capital One travel portal, but the process is similar to the above.

To find a hotel, hover over the "Hotels" tab on the landing page and enter your destination, dates and number of travelers. Unlike flight bookings, there is no color-coded calendar for prices.

You'll then see a list and map format with various options. Filter your search by rating and price per night. Sort the listings by recommended, price (low to high) or star rating (high to low).

If your city has Premier Collection hotels, those options will appear toward the top. These hotels include benefits like an on-property "experience credit" of up to $100, daily breakfast for two people and complimentary Wi-Fi. Access is limited to those with premium credit cards from Capital One: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Business (a business credit card formerly known as the Spark Travel Elite card).

If you click "All filters," you can sort by the amenities that matter to you or even look up specific properties.

While the search features are more limited than booking flights, you'll get a detailed description of each hotel and can find out about amenities, rates, location and cancellation policy.

The payment process for booking hotels is the same as for flights. You can redeem your Capital One miles for the trip or pay with your card.

Paying with your card may be the better option here, as multiple cards offer bonuses on hotels booked through Capital One Travel:

• Venture X: 10 miles per dollar spent
• Venture, VentureOne and Spark Miles: 5 miles per dollar spent
• SavorOne, Quicksilver and Spark Cash Plus: 5% cash back

However, if you book hotels in a major loyalty program — like Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors — through Capital One Travel, you likely won't receive points. You also won't enjoy any elite status perks.

Related: The best hotels in San Francisco for a golden getaway

How to book rental cars through the Capital One travel portal

The process for rental cars is straightforward. Click "Car Rentals" at the top and enter your search criteria. You'll receive a list of options that can be filtered by car type, price per day, rental car company and specifications.

You can then reserve the car in a few clicks, with clear information about pick-up and drop-off.

With some rental car agencies — Hertz, Thrifty and Dollar — you can add your rewards number to the booking and likely enjoy the associated benefits. The option to add your loyalty number generally won't appear for other companies.

This is particularly appealing for Venture X cardholders , as you can earn 10 miles per dollar spent on rental car bookings and still enjoy the complimentary Hertz President's Circle status* that's included on the card.

Note that these car rentals earn rewards at the same rate as hotels booked through Capital One Travel:

*Upon enrollment eligible cardholders will maintain Hertz President's Circle status through Dec. 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g., at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.

Related: Stacking rental car perks with Hertz and the Venture X

Further things to consider about the Capital One travel portal

Capital One Travel packs a punch for cardholders, but there are a few additional things to remember.

First, consider checking alternative platforms like Google Flights for better prices or alternate routings before booking with Capital One. Credit card portals sometimes have higher prices and don't always show all available flight options. Be sure you're not paying more for the same itinerary.

Additionally, if you're planning on using your Venture miles or Spark miles at a rate of 1 cent apiece , you should always book directly with the travel provider (whether it's an airline, hotel or car rental company). Then, use the miles to cover that purchase. This ensures you get all of the benefits of booking directly while using your rewards at exactly the same redemption value.

Also, with 18 transfer partners , Capital One offers a range of options for transferring your miles at a 1:1 ratio. Before booking through the portal, compare prices against Capital One transfer programs. For instance, a $150 United flight can cost 15,000 Capital One miles through the portal or just 7,500 Avianca LifeMiles (plus minimal taxes and fees). In this instance, it makes more sense to transfer your Capital One miles to Avianca LifeMiles.

As noted, hotel and car rental reservations through Capital One Travel likely won't be eligible for perks in a given loyalty program. If your elite status is important, it's advisable to book directly with major chain hotels and most car rentals. However, if you're booking independently owned hotels or elite status isn't a concern, the Capital One travel portal may be a better option.

Finally, remember that Venture X cardholders enjoy $300 in annual credits for bookings made via Capital One Travel. Unlike the $300 credit on the Chase Sapphire Reserve , this only applies to purchases made through the portal. As a result, even if you'd rather book flights, hotels or car rentals directly with travel providers, you should still spend at least $300 on your Venture X through Capital One travel each year.

Related: 7 tips to help keep an airline from losing your luggage

Bottom line

Capital One has made significant advancements in the travel space, including improved transfer partners, the introduction of a premium card and the opening of its flagship lounge in Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

The Capital One travel portal offers a user-friendly interface. With its detailed pricing and fare class information, you might consider especially using it for flight bookings. Additional features like CFAR coverage, price drop protection, rapid rebooking and price freeze add value for cardholders.

You can also earn bonus rewards for many Capital One Travel purchases across most of the issuer's card portfolio, making it a great option as you plan upcoming trips.

Additional reporting by Stella Shon.

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