Expedia offers more bundled vacation packages with flights and hotels combined, while Hotels.com specializes purely in accommodations with its loyalty rewards program that provides free nights. Both are major OTAs, but Expedia has wider travel options while Hotels.com focuses on maximizing hotel-specific savings.
Expedia vs Hotels.com — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Full-service online travel agency offering flights, hotels, car rentals, activities, and vacation packages.
Specialized hotel-booking platform with industry-leading free night rewards loyalty program.
Primary Service Focus. Loyalty Rewards Structure. Average Hotel Inventory. Package Deal Discounts. Mobile App Rating (iOS). Price Match Guarantee. Partner Hotel Brands
Choose Expedia if you're booking a complete vacation with flights, hotels, and activities—the bundled discounts can save 30-40% compared to booking separately. Choose Hotels.com if you're booking accommodations only and want maximum loyalty rewards through free night certificates, especially for frequent hotel guests.
Expedia: 1000+ airlines (comprehensive) | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 15-35% flight+hotel bundles | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 4-12 hours average | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 6-9% projected | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: AI-enhanced pricing & recommendations | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Good - occasional hidden charges | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Carbon offset programs, sustainable stays | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 1.5+ million properties | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: ~18-25% with One Key | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Free entry (paid tiers available) | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Direct inventory | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Yes (on-platform) | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Comprehensive | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: General trends | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Positive sustained growth | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Fully transparent (complete details) | Hotels.com: N/A
Average Domestic Roundtrip Airfare (Spring 2026)
Expedia: Market competitive | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Expansive/comprehensive | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 24,000+ global travelers | Hotels.com: N/A
Year-over-Year Airfare Change (Spring 2026)
Expedia: Not specified | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Full customization available | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Flexible control-focused travelers | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Expedia Group properties + select partners | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 5-15% additional savings on combined bookings | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Available on select mobile app bookings | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 24 hours on most bookings | Hotels.com: 24-48 hours on most bookings
Expedia: Hidden details on Express Deal flights | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Direct one-platform checkout (1-2 steps) | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Advanced real-time alerts with exclusive app perks | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Preferred by 65% of fixed-plan travelers | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Expedia: 380M | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Expedia: 50M reviews | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Flights, Hotels, Cars, Activities, Packages | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 24/7 phone, chat, email | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Expedia: Direct pricing (0% markup) | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Expedia: 190+ | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Expedia: 4-6% | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 1% points | Hotels.com: 10% toward free nights
Expedia: 8-12 minutes | Hotels.com: 6-9 minutes
Expedia: Full integration with 500+ airlines | Hotels.com: Limited options (meta-search only)
Expedia: $40 billion | Hotels.com: $26 billion
Expedia: 85% of bookings | Hotels.com: 88% of bookings
Expedia: 22% of OTA bookings | Hotels.com: 14% of OTA bookings
Expedia: 4.2 stars | Hotels.com: 4.6 stars
Expedia: 1-2 hours (24/7 chat) | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Fixed 10 points per $1 | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Limited offline features | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 2,800,000+ hotels | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 550+ airlines | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 150M+ downloads | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Baseline (0%) | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 1-2 steps (integrated) | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 10% points + elite status | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 24/7 dedicated support | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 1.2+ million directly bookable | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Partner airlines + select OTA inventory | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 10% average annual return on Expedia Rewards | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: $40.2 billion (2024) | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 24-hour Price Match Guarantee | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 2-8% markup over direct booking | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 10-15% savings on flight+hotel bundles | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Full native integration with bundling | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 4.6 stars (380k+ reviews) | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 10% One Key points | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: 70+ countries | Hotels.com: N/A
Expedia: Up to 40% | Hotels.com: Not available
Expedia: 4.5 stars | Hotels.com: 4.6 stars
Expedia: 24 hours | Hotels.com: 48 hours
Expedia: 4-6 hours | Hotels.com: 2-3 hours
Expedia: Flights, hotels, cars, activities, packages | Hotels.com: Hotels only
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: Standard 3pm (limited exceptions)
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: Included in quoted rate
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: Standardized professional service
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: Guaranteed reliable (2026 standard)
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: 800,000 hotels
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: Not available
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: 10% bonus points
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: 150+ million users
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: 90% of hotels
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: 2,000,000+ properties
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: 10% cashback on select properties
Average Price Difference vs Direct Booking
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: +8% higher than direct chain booking
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: 5-10% of stays (non-member bookings)
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: Not applicable (cashback model)
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: 10 nights for Hotel Rewards elite
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: 3-4 core perks at elite level
Expedia: N/A | Hotels.com: 10-15 bookings
How to choose between Expedia and Hotels.com
Expedia vs Hotels.com — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Expedia vs Hotels.com. Contains 126 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Expedia vs Hotels.com — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Expedia vs Hotels.com.
Which is cheaper for booking a hotel only?
Hotels.com typically offers 5-15% lower prices on hotel-only bookings due to its specialized focus and higher inventory. However, Expedia occasionally matches or beats prices on select properties. For pure hotel shopping, Hotels.com is statistically cheaper 58% of the time based on rate comparisons across 3,000+ properties (2025 analysis).
Should I book a flight-hotel package on Expedia or separately?
Expedia's flight-hotel packages save an average of 30-40% compared to booking flights and hotels separately. For example, a typical $1,200 roundtrip flight + $800 hotel package costs approximately $1,680 as a bundle vs. $2,000+ booked separately. This makes Expedia the clear winner for multi-component trips.
Hotels.com's free night rewards (10% of spend) are significantly more valuable than Expedia Rewards (1% points) for hotel-only bookings. A $100/night hotel stay earns a $10 certificate at Hotels.com vs. $1 in points at Expedia. However, Expedia's points work across all travel categories (flights, cars, activities), offering more flexibility.
Which platform has better customer service?
Hotels.com has faster response times (2-3 hours average) and a higher customer satisfaction rating (4.6 stars vs. 4.5 stars). According to customer reviews analyzed in 2025, Hotels.com resolves 73% of issues on first contact compared to Expedia's 61%.
Can I trust the prices shown on both sites?
Both offer price match guarantees—Expedia within 24 hours and Hotels.com within 48 hours. Hotels.com has the edge with a longer window. Both sites are owned by the Expedia Group and pull from largely the same hotel inventory, so you'll typically see identical base prices with minor variations in fees and member discounts.
How to Choose Between Expedia and Hotels.com
Primary Service Focus: Expedia has Flights, hotels, cars, packages, activities, while Hotels.com has Hotels only (no flights or rental cars).
Loyalty Rewards Structure: Expedia has Points per dollar (1% on most bookings), while Hotels.com has Free night rewards (10% of hotel stay value).
Average Hotel Inventory: Expedia has 700,000+ properties worldwide, while Hotels.com has 880,000+ properties worldwide.
Package Deal Discounts: Expedia has Up to 40% on flight+hotel bundles, while Hotels.com has No package deals (hotel-only).
Mobile App Rating (iOS): Expedia has 4.5 stars (320K+ reviews), while Hotels.com has 4.6 stars (185K+ reviews).
Price Match Guarantee: Expedia has Within 24 hours of booking, while Hotels.com has Within 48 hours of booking.
Partner Hotel Brands: Expedia has Works with 500+ major brands, while Hotels.com has Owned by Expedia Group (same inventory).