EXPEDIA GROUP UNVEILS NEW GLOBAL RESEARCH SHOWING TRAVELER DEMAND FOR FULL TRIP PLANNING
Demand For Full-Trip Bookings is Up, and Expedia Group is Expanding its Rapid API Ecosystem to Help Partners Unlock Demand on One Platform for Cars, Flights, Activities, and Trip Protection
Expedia Group released new global research revealing a significant opportunity for travel brands and partners to drive growth and loyalty by enabling travelers to book multiple trip elements together. The study shows that travelers increasingly prefer to plan and manage their full trip, including car rentals, flights, activities, and trip protection, on a single, trusted platform, with the flexibility to build across multiple booking moments.
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Demand for full-trip bookings is up, and Expedia Group is expanding its Rapid API ecosystem to help partners unlock demand on one platform for cars, flights, activities, and trip protection.
The research, which surveyed 2,500 travelers across 10 global markets, highlights strong demand for full trip planning and underscores the importance of surfacing relevant offers throughout the traveler journey, beyond the initial booking moment.
"Travelers want more than isolated bookings—they want the flexibility to build and manage a full trip over time," said Stephen Cheng, vice president, Expedia Group B2B. "With evolving expectations, partners have a major opportunity to serve that demand by becoming true full‑trip hubs, powered by technology that supports end‑to‑end planning at scale. This approach drives higher growth, differentiation, and long‑term loyalty."
Travelers prefer to book and manage the full trip in one place
Most travelers want the ability to book multiple parts of one trip on the same website or app and are likely to return to the same platform to complete their plans.
- 77% are at least somewhat likely to book more than one part of their next trip on the same platform, with 35% saying they are very likely.
- 76% say that after booking one trip element on a website or app, they are likely to return to book additional elements.
- 83% of Gen Z travelers are likely to book multiple trip elements on the same platform.
Travelers prioritize additional savings when choosing offers
Cost remains a powerful motivator for booking multiple trip elements together, with travelers responding strongly to additional discounts and bundled value.
- 81% would be at least somewhat likely to book trip elements together if they got additional savings; 40% would be very likely.
- 95% say any additional discount would meaningfully influence their decision to book multiple elements on the same site or app.
Travelers are increasingly shifting toward more immersive, experience‑led travel
Beyond savings and convenience, demand is shifting toward more authentic, experience‑driven trips, especially for younger travelers.
- 55% say having an authentic, immersive trip is more important today than five years ago.
- 92% report local activities contribute to more immersive trips, rising to 95% for Gen Z.
- 69% say having a rental car makes it easier to experience destinations like a local.
Looking ahead: strong demand across core travel categories and growing focus on protection
The outlook for the next year remains strong across core categories, with travelers planning complex, higher‑value trips and showing heightened interest in flexibility and protection.
Most travelers (90%) plan to book activities or experiences in the next year, while 88% plan to book flights and 75% plan to book a rental car. As trips become more complex and higher‑value, travelers are also increasingly focused on confidence and flexibility. In fact, two-thirds (67%) say they are likely to add trip protection when it is presented as a simple add‑on during booking.
Expedia Group expands Rapid API ecosystem to meet growing traveler demand for full trip planning.
Last year, the company announced the expansion of its Rapid API ecosystem to support full trip planning beyond lodging:
- Rapid Car API: Enabling travelers worldwide to book car rentals from more than 110 brands across 190 countries and 45,000 pickup locations.
- Rapid Flight API: Enabling seamless booking experiences with access to over 400 airlines through one single connection to enable travelers to search, compare and book flights with confidence.
- Rapid Activities API: Powering personalized discovery and seamless booking of iconic and emerging experiences worldwide.
- Trip protection and CFAR solutions: Providing a range of protection options across the travel journey, including ‘Cancel For Any Reason' for hotel bookings and car rental insurance.
As demand for full trip planning grows, Rapid API gives partners a faster path to unlocking the full trip opportunity for travelers.
To explore additional findings, visit the Expedia Group partner blog.
Methodology
The Expedia Group, Full Trip Planning Research, 2026 research, which was commissioned by Expedia Group and conducted by Harris Poll in February 2026, surveyed more than 2,500 travelers who have decision making power for their trips across 10 markets (US, UK, France, Japan, Mexico, Australia, Germany, China, Brazil, India).
About Expedia Group
Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) is the global travel marketplace with one purpose: to help travelers explore the world, one journey at a time. Expedia Group™ connects travelers, partners, and advertisers through its trusted brands, leading technology, and rich first-party data, delivering predictive, personalized experiences that shape the future of travel.
Expedia Group's ecosystem includes three flagship consumer brands – Expedia®, Hotels.com®, and Vrbo® – the largest B2B travel business, and a premier advertising network. Guided by an experienced and passionate global team, Expedia Group helps millions of travelers in more than 70 countries explore the world with confidence and ease.
© 2026 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group company. All rights reserved. Expedia Group and the Expedia Group logo are trademarks of Expedia, Inc. CST: 2029030-50.
For more information, visit www.expediagroup.com.
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