In comparing Expedia vs. Travelocity, you will find two powerhouse names leading the digital revolution for the travel industry. We compare the unique features, strengths, and weaknesses of each website to help you decide which is best for you.
This world seems to get crazier by the day, but traveling offers an excellent opportunity to escape your daily routine and reset. Still, your life might be so crazy that it’s hard to know where to start, and more and more travel booking websites pop up all of the time.
So pack your bags, fasten your seatbelts, and let’s hit the road to compare whether you should book your next getaway through Expedia or Travelocity.
Expedia vs. Travelocity Detailed Comparison
We will compare Expedia vs. Travelocity by category so that we can clearly highlight how the two booking sites stack up. Spoiler Alert: In some ways, the websites are VERY similar. Still, one platform stands tall above the rest.
Background Information: Should You Choose Travelocity or Expedia?
It’s always helpful to start a brand comparison by providing a little context to set the stage. And in this instance, and you compare Expedia to Travelocity, there is an interesting piece of information you should know.
Expedia vs. Travelocity: The Surprising Revelation
So, what’s the surprising revelation? In comparing Expedia vs. Travelocity, you will find that these websites are almost exactly the same. The same company owns them, the sites have almost exactly the same layout and user interface, and the data comes from the same place (the Expedia Group).
As a result, based on our experience and testing, the pricing is almost exactly the same too. There are some nuanced differences here and there, but some are anomalies, and it takes a microscopic view to identify the others.
The platform that stands above the rest is the Expedia Group platform that underpins both websites.
More about Expedia
The Expedia Group owns Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Orbitz, and VRBO. In total, the group includes more than 200 travel sites. It’s a big company, but the most surprising fact is that the larger company also owns Travelocity.
So in comparing Expedia vs. Travelocity, we are comparing two arms of the same company. Still, the two brands represent different platforms, and each still has its strengths and weaknesses.
The benefit of Expedia.com is that it is backed by industry-leading technology and all of the best data to help you pick the best travel arrangements.
More about Travelocity
Travelocity was founded in 1996 by a company called Sabre Holdings. In the early days, Travelocity grew quickly after partnering with AOL (there’s a blast from the past). In fact, Travelocity was the first website where you could book a ticket for flying without talking to a travel agent.
Expedia acquired Travelocity in 2015 but powered the underpinnings of Travelocity’s platform even before that. While the two brands maintain separate branding, there are a lot of similarities at this point. You will notice that the top of the home pages looks distinctly similar.
User Interface and Experience: Is Expedia or Travelocity Better?
Normally we would look to compare the user interface and experience to determine whether Expedia or Travelocity is better. In this case, the user interface and experience are nearly identical, so we will highlight the strengths and weaknesses.
In the plus column, Expedia and Travelocity have the most visually appealing websites, in our opinion, and they are easy to use. For example, when you book a package that includes a hotel, flight, and car, the platform seamlessly carries you from one step to the next. It also highlights how your choices impact the overall trip pricing along the way.
Compared to a site like Kayak.com, this is much easier to use because Kayak.com kicks you to partner websites (including Expedia, in some instances).
On the other hand, we really like that Kayak.com highlights the cheapest days to travel vs. the most expensive before you make selections. You don’t have to poke around and try different things on the Kayak.com platform. Instead, Kayak shows you on the front end which days are the cheapest.
So, in all, Expedia and Travelocity offer a beautiful design and an easy-to-use interface; however, they could do more to help users identify whether they are getting a good deal.
Available Services and Features: Strengths and Weaknesses
While the Expedia Group has long been a dominant player in travel booking, it is worth comparing the services and features against the major competitors.
Like any platform, the two sites have strengths and weaknesses, which we highlight in further detail below.
Service and Feature Strengths:
- Comprehensive Offerings: Expedia and Travelocity offer a wide range of services, including the mainstays like flights, hotels, and rental cars. They also offer cruises and vacation packages. In short, this makes the Expedia Group websites a one-stop shop for all travel needs, whether you are targeting vacation or staycation options.
- Competitive Pricing: The Expedia Group has an extensive network of partners and some of the best pricing you will find online. You will likely save money compared to what you would pay by hunting and pecking through airline and hotel websites. Instead, Expedia places the best pricing at your feet.
- Bundle Deals: The other reason that Expedia and Travelocity are so competitive on pricing is that they offer bundle deals. We’ve seen this first hand, and it saved us hundreds of dollars when booking travel. In other words, when you book your flight, hotel, and rental car at the same time, the Expedia Group shows bundle pricing.
- Expedia Rewards Program: Lastly, the Expedia Group also has a comprehensive travel rewards program called One Key. Since the Expedia Group owns the likes of VRBO and Hotels.com, in addition to Expedia, and Travelocity, this makes too much sense to ignore. It’s the best way to earn rewards and exercise flexibility as you travel. Why not earn points that will you enable you to travel even more?
Service and Feature Weaknesses:
- Limited Personalization: As much as we love Expedia and Travelocity, they are built for the masses. The search results feel like they lack personalization. That’s one thing regarding finding flights; it’s another regarding hotels and accommodations. You see the same promoted listings and higher-end offerings as everyone else. Sure, you can search for a specific brand. Still, it would be nice to toggle on price range or amenities in a more natural fashion.
- Market Saturation: In the same way, Expedia and Travelocity aren’t very differentiated from each other. They also aren’t very differentiated from the competition. While the Expedia Group is a major player in the industry, they face stiff competition from other travel booking platforms. The Expedia Group’s advantage is its network and data, which aren’t evident when comparing services and features.
Hotel Price Guarantee
If you’ve done much traveling, you probably know that Expedia and Travelocity offer price match guarantees. And fortunately, the process is pretty straightforward. If you find a lower price online for a hotel you already booked with Expedia Group, they will refund you the difference if you are an Expedia Rewards member.
It is worth noting that this is one reason to consider the Expedia Rewards program. To receive the refund, you will need screenshots or other evidence for the lower price. You upload the support to their price guarantee claim portal, and they will refund the difference.
Mobile App Experience: Differences Comparing Expedia vs. Travelocity
Interestingly, the mobile app is the one area where there appear to be clear differences between Expedia and Travelocity. The number of app reviews alone is a clear difference that these two are not equals.
While both apps are well-rated (around 4.8 stars out of 5), the Expedia app boasts ten times as many reviews as the Travelocity app. In deciding whether to use Travelocity or Expedia in the future, that stat is telling.
You can tell that the basic building blocks for the two mobile apps are the same, but the Expedia app is more refined and modern. And there were two other differences we noticed while using the apps.
The first difference is that the Expedia app does a much clearer job of promoting the Expedia Rewards program. There are pop-up-type notifications and the like. The second is that the Expedia app quickly integrated ChatGPT to help with trip planning.
Both of these small differences are small indications that the Expedia brand (and the Expedia app) are the way of the future for the Expedia Group. The Travelocity website may effectively serve to reroute potential customers to the Expedia system.
Pricing and Discounts – The Two Sites Share a Platform
The Expedia Group has access to massive amounts of data and leverage to build one of the strongest partner networks in the travel industry. And their goal is to help each traveler find the right trip at the best value.
It’s the sort of thing you can only accomplish at scale, and Expedia has that scale.
The Expedia Group is a huge platform. Just how big? Well, let’s list all of the sites under the Expedia umbrella. The Expedia Group family includes:
- Expedia
- Travelocity
- Hotels.com
- VRBO
- Hotwire
- Orbitz
- Ebookers
- CheapTickets
- CarRentals
- ExpediaCruises
- Wotif
- Trivago
Based on our experience, you will get the best value through bundle pricing. When you book some combination of flights, hotels, and rental cars together, you have the opportunity to save hundreds of dollars.
Plus, keep in mind that that platform inherently compares travel options to lead you in the right direction. For instance, you can choose the cheapest airfare or that direct flight on your favorite airline that costs a little more money.
This might be even more evident with hotels and cruises. Some Expedia partners might offer a free night when you stay for a certain number of days. Or they might offer a discount during their non-peak season.
Expedia pulls in the best pricing, makes recommendations, and gives you choices to decide what is the best value for you.
In comparing Expedia vs. Travelocity, we found the pricing is very similar, often within a few dollars. This makes sense, given the two websites are built on the same platform. Still, whether because of timing, flights filling up, or other variables, we did notice a few differences here and there.
Customer Support and Satisfaction
Not surprisingly, the Help Centers are exactly the same on the Expedia and Travelocity websites. And it’s much better organized and straightforward than competitor sites.
There are clear options to change a booking, cancel a booking, track refund status, or use an airline credit. You can also chat with their virtual agent for help. Personally, we find that virtual agents are quite as advanced and helpful as a human, but we understand Expedia is providing support and service at scale.
There are a few hurdles to jump through if you want to speak directly with a human agent. Even so, the chatbot asks for some of your basic travel details before connecting you to an agent. While this is a little annoying at first, it is designed to speed up the overall customer service process. And we can appreciate that.
Expedia’s customer satisfaction scores took a big hit during the pandemic, although that is probably to be expected. Still, it was in line with travel website industry standards, even if a little lower in recent years.
Since Travelocity and Expedia are the same company, you might also take the time to look at Priceline as an additional option. In comparing Expedia vs. Priceline, you will likely find better customer service with Priceline.
Is Expedia or Travelocity Better?
In considering whether Expedia or Travelocity are better, you have to consider they are both owned by the Expedia Group. The mobile app interface is one of the few small indications that the brand favors the Expedia brand going forward.
Our interpretation is that they will ride out the goodwill on the Travelocity brand for as long as it exists, but the future focus may be on Expedia. And this makes sense, knowing the ownership group is known as the Expedia Group.
Traveling is something that many of us look forward to as a way to escape our daily routines and find freedom. Still, there dealing with the process of booking travel can be intimidating and even frustrating.
Whether you are planning your next flight or considering the benefits of family road trips, Expedia is a great place to start.
Are Travelocity and Expedia The Same?
The Travelocity and Expedia websites look nearly identical because the same company owns them, and they run on the same Expedia Group platform. The two websites still exist as separate brands, but you will find similar deals, services, and functionality. For practical purposes, they are essentially the same.
Final Verdict Expedia vs. Travelocity
In comparing Expedia vs. Travelocity, you won’t find many differences since the same company owns both brands. Still, Expedia is the parent company’s namesake, so it makes sense to build your rewards and experience with this brand. The Expedia mobile app is also more advanced than the Travelocity app.
If you deciding between Expedia and Travelocity, we recommend you use Expedia. Whether you are planning a cruise, a long road trip, or flying cross-country to do some exploring, we hope you have a great time and make lasting memories!
