History of Expedia Group
Expedia Group was founded in 1996 as a small division within Microsoft, created to test the potential
of online travel booking. Initially, it served as an experiment to help consumers compare flight
prices and book trips directly online, something revolutionary at the time. Its early success
demonstrated the growing potential of e-commerce in the travel industry, and by 1999, Microsoft spun
it off as a separate publicly traded company.
In the 2000s, Expedia rapidly expanded through
acquisitions, buying several major travel websites such as Hotels.com, Hotwire, and TripAdvisor.
These moves helped it become a global leader in online travel services, offering flights, hotels,
car rentals, and vacation packages. The company also launched Expedia Partner Solutions to provide
booking technology to other businesses, solidifying its influence across the digital travel
ecosystem.
In 2015, the company officially rebranded as Expedia Group to reflect its growing
portfolio of brands, including Orbitz, Travelocity, and Vrbo. Today, Expedia Group operates in more
than 70 countries and manages dozens of travel platforms under its umbrella. It continues to
innovate with AI-driven personalization and sustainable travel initiatives, maintaining its position
as one of the world’s largest and most influential online travel companies.