Is KAYAK owned by booking com?

Kayak (styled as KAYAK) is a metasearch engine owned and operated by Booking Holdings.



KAYAK is not owned by Booking.com directly, but both companies are sibling brands owned and operated by the same parent corporation: Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG). Booking Holdings is the global travel giant that manages a portfolio of major brands, including Booking.com, KAYAK, Priceline, Agoda, and OpenTable. Within this ecosystem, KAYAK operates as a metasearch engine, meaning it aggregates data from across the web to help users compare prices, whereas Booking.com is an Online Travel Agency (OTA) that facilitates the actual reservation. While they operate independently and often "compete" for the same users, they share resources and technology under the Booking Holdings umbrella. So, while they aren't the same company, they are "part of the same family," which is why you will often see Kayak search results prominently featuring deals and listings directly from its sibling, Booking.com.

No, KAYAK is not owned by Booking.com.

However, they are part of the same corporate family. Here’s the clear breakdown:

  • Parent Company: Both KAYAK and Booking.com are owned by Booking Holdings Inc., a large publicly-traded U.S.-based travel conglomerate (NASDAQ: BKNG).
  • The Relationship: Booking Holdings is the umbrella corporation. It acquired KAYAK in 2013 for approximately $1.8 billion.
  • Sister Companies: Under Booking Holdings, KAYAK and Booking.com operate as separate brands and platforms, often with different strategies. Other major sister brands include:
    • Priceline
    • Agoda
    • OpenTable
    • Rentalcars.com

Key Distinction:

  • KAYAK is primarily a meta-search engine. It searches and compares prices from hundreds of travel sites (including Booking.com, Expedia, airline websites, etc.) and then sends you to the provider’s site to book.
  • Booking.com is primarily an online travel agency (OTA). It holds inventory (like hotel rooms) and you book directly on its platform.

So, while they are not directly owned by one another, they share the same corporate parent. This is why you’ll often see Booking.com listings prominently featured in KAYAK’s search results.

People Also Ask

Kayak is part of Booking Holdings, which also owns OpenTable and other travel, activity and restaurant brands. In 2019, Kayak began a cross-platform integration with OpenTable, allowing consumers to use their OpenTable points for hotel discounts.

MORE DETAILS

Kayak (styled as KAYAK) is a metasearch engine owned and operated by Booking Holdings.

MORE DETAILS

Kayak is an online travel agency and search engine founded in 2004 by Steve Hafner and Paul M. English as a Travel Search Company and acquired by Booking Holdings in 2013 for $2.1 billion. The company makes money via an advertising model based on cost per click, cost per acquisition, and advertising placements.

MORE DETAILS

Ownership: Expedia is a public company traded on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange. USA Networks Inc. owns approximately 65 percent of the company's outstanding shares. Principal Subsidiary Companies: Expedia and its subsidiaries operate travel Web sites in the United States, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

MORE DETAILS

KAYAK searches for hotel deals on hundreds of hotel comparison sites to help you find cheap hotels, holiday lettings, bed and breakfasts, motels, inns, resorts and more. Whether you are looking for a last minute hotel or a cheap hotel room at a later date, you can find the best deals faster at KAYAK.

MORE DETAILS

Kayaks are known for their superior design as a small watercraft. The combination of the light hull, covered top, and shallow base makes a speedy, sturdy, and easy to turn boat that can be adapted for calm lakes, rapid filled rivers, and choppy seas. Thank the Arctic natives for this brilliant design.

MORE DETAILS

Average domestic airfare price by day
  • Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly domestically.
  • Saturday and Monday flights can help you avoid the Sunday rush.
  • Wednesdays and Thursdays are the cheapest day to fly internationally.
  • Book one to three months in advance.
  • Set a price alert.


MORE DETAILS

Expedia is legit While booking travel via an OTA can save you money, you'll always want to double check your reservations with the travel provider and only book reservations that you are fairly confident that you'll keep. Canceling can be a huge headache.

MORE DETAILS

Booking.com will always take the side of the hotel. Booking.com reviews are not as real as we thought. Reviews with pay at property bookings can easily be manipulated. Booking.com uses pressure tactics to get you to book.

MORE DETAILS