Travel booking sites: Expedia.com vs. Airbnb

Quick Verdict

Both Expedia and Airbnb are strong options for booking travel accommodations. Expedia offers a traditional loyalty program and includes taxes and fees in its pricing display. Airbnb focuses on a wide variety of unique accommodations and emphasizes transparent pricing with upfront fee disclosure. The best choice depends on individual preferences and travel needs.

Both Expedia and Airbnb offer a wide range of travel options and have a global presence.
Expedia has a traditional loyalty program, while Airbnb relies on credit card and airline partnerships for rewards.
Both platforms provide 24/7 customer support and accept various payment methods.
Airbnb emphasizes total price display upfront, while Expedia includes taxes and airline-imposed fees in the total fare.
Airbnb uses algorithms and human moderators to ensure review authenticity, while Expedia simply displays user reviews.
Both platforms offer mobile apps with user-friendly interfaces.

Key features – Side-by-Side

Attribute	Expedia.com	Airbnb
Price Transparency	Displays total fare, including base fare, taxes, and airline-imposed fees.	Total price display includes all fees (cleaning, service, etc.) upfront, excluding taxes initially.
Booking Fees	May charge booking fees for airline tickets. Service fees may apply for complex itineraries.	Split-fee model (hosts ~3%, guests up to 14.2%) or host-only fee (~15%).
Cancellation Policy Flexibility	Offers flexible cancellation policies on select bookings.	Flexible, Moderate, Firm, Strict, and Super Strict policies available.
Accommodation Variety	Provides a wide range of lodging options from budget to luxury.	Entire places, private rooms, hotel rooms, unique stays (tiny houses, treehouses, castles, etc.).
Geographic Coverage	Global platform with accommodations and travel options in numerous destinations worldwide.	Listings in over 220 countries and regions, 100,000+ cities worldwide.
Search Filter Granularity	Offers a variety of search filters to narrow down accommodation results.	Filters for price, location, amenities, pet-friendliness, and category-based searches.
User Interface and Experience	User-friendly mobile app interface.	Simple, intuitive design with streamlined tasks and consistent design elements. User-friendly, intuitive navigation, fast load times, and push notifications.
Customer Support Responsiveness	24/7 customer support access.	24/7 customer support.
Payment Options	Accepts major credit cards, debit cards, and PayPal.	Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, debit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal, and others depending on the region.
Loyalty Program Benefits	Offers a loyalty program (One Key) with rewards and benefits.	No traditional loyalty program; rewards through credit cards and airline partnerships.
Review Authenticity	Displays user reviews.	Algorithms and human moderators to detect and prevent fake reviews.

Overall Comparison

Expedia: Global online travel agency with a loyalty program. Airbnb: Listings in over 220 countries and regions, 100,000+ cities worldwide, focusing on unique stays.

Pros and Cons

Expedia.com

Pros:

Displays total fare, including base fare, taxes, and airline-imposed fees.
Offers flexible cancellation policies on select bookings.
Provides a wide range of lodging options from budget to luxury.
Global platform with accommodations and travel options in numerous destinations worldwide.
Offers a variety of search filters to narrow down accommodation results.
User-friendly mobile app interface.
24/7 customer support access.
Accepts major credit cards, debit cards, and PayPal.
Offers a loyalty program (One Key) with rewards and benefits.
Displays user reviews.
Mobile app offers exclusive deals and features.

Cons:

May charge booking fees for airline tickets.
May charge fees for manual changes made through an agent.
Service fees may apply for complex itineraries.

Airbnb

Pros:

Wide array of accommodations
Global presence
Transparent pricing with total price display
Flexible cancellation policies
User-friendly interface
24/7 customer support
Multiple payment options
Mobile app functionality
Review authenticity measures

Cons:

No major disadvantages reported.

User Experiences and Feedback

Expedia.com

What Users Love

Transparent pricing with inclusion of taxes and fees.
Flexible cancellation options available.
Diverse selection of accommodations and travel options.
User-friendly website and mobile app interface.
Responsive customer support team.
Secure payment methods.
Rewarding loyalty program.
Authentic user reviews.
Comprehensive and accurate listing information.
Helpful customer service support.

Common Complaints

No major complaints reported.

Value Perception

No value feedback reported.

User Recommendations

Expedia displays the total fare, including base fare, taxes, and airline-imposed fees, during checkout.
Expedia may charge booking fees for airline tickets.
Many member travel deals on Expedia offer flexible booking options including cancellation of your stay if your circumstances change.
The Expedia app has a simple interface.
Expedia offers 24/7 access to support through the service page.
Expedia accepts major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover) and debit cards.
Expedia's loyalty program, One Key, allows members to earn and redeem rewards across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo.
Expedia displays user reviews.

Airbnb

What Users Love

Users appreciate the total price display for increased transparency.
The variety of accommodations caters to different travel needs.
The mobile app is user-friendly and convenient for booking.

Common Complaints

No major complaints reported.

Value Perception

No value feedback reported.

User Recommendations

Airbnb has moved to a default 'total price display' showing the full cost, including all fees.
Airbnb offers various cancellation policies, ranging from flexible to super strict.
Airbnb offers a wide array of accommodations, including entire places, private rooms, hotel rooms, and shared rooms.