Expedia Acquires CarTrawler to Expand B2B Travel Platform
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 20 2026
0mins
Source: seekingalpha
- Acquisition Strategy: Expedia Group announced its acquisition of Ireland-based CarTrawler, aiming to enhance its B2B travel platform by integrating car rental and ground transport solutions, thereby expanding its market share.
- Supply Chain Integration: CarTrawler connects over 550 car rental suppliers and 500 mobility suppliers to more than 300 travel brands, including over 70 airlines, which will significantly bolster Expedia's competitiveness in the travel industry.
- Technology and Innovation: This acquisition will enhance Expedia's offerings in mobility and Insurtech, leveraging CarTrawler's technological advantages to improve customer experience and drive business growth.
- Transaction Timeline: While the financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed, it is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, providing a strategic timeframe for Expedia's long-term planning.
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Analyst Views on EXPE
Wall Street analysts forecast EXPE stock price to rise
28 Analyst Rating
9 Buy
19 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 227.550
Low
220.00
Averages
284.79
High
360.00
Current: 227.550
Low
220.00
Averages
284.79
High
360.00
About EXPE
Expedia Group, Inc. is an online travel company. The Company’s segments include B2C, B2B, and trivago. The B2C segment provides a full range of travel and advertising services to its worldwide customers through a variety of consumer brands including: Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Vrbo, Orbitz, Travelocity, Wotif Group, ebookers, CheapTickets, Hotwire.com and CarRentals.com. The B2B segment fuels a wide range of travel and non-travel companies, including airlines, offline travel agents, online retailers, corporate travel management and financial institutions, who leverage travel technology and tap into its diverse supply to augment their offerings and market Expedia Group rates and availabilities to their travelers. Its trivago segment generates advertising revenue primarily from sending referrals to online travel companies and travel service providers from its hotel metasearch Websites. The trivago is its majority-owned hotel metasearch company, based in Dusseldorf, Germany.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Expedia Releases First-Ever Summer Travel Trends Report
- Domestic Travel Trend: Expedia's report reveals a 77% year-over-year increase in global social conversations about domestic travel, with 53% of Canadian travelers planning domestic trips this summer, indicating a significant shift towards local destinations that could drive growth in related markets.
- Popular Destination Searches: Searches for Jasper, Alberta have surged by 55%, while interest in Ontario's Niagara-on-the-Lake and Blue Mountains has risen by 25%, reflecting travelers' preference for nearby vacation spots, which may influence hotel and tourism industry strategies.
- Hotel Hopping Trend: The demand for hotel hopping is increasing this summer as travelers plan multiple hotel stays around events, showcasing a consumer desire for diverse travel experiences that could stimulate innovation and service enhancements in the hospitality sector.
- Reading and Travel Integration: Social discussions related to reading have surged by 213%, indicating that more travelers are incorporating books into their summer vacations, a trend that may drive the development of related travel products and services.
See More
Summer Travel Trends: Hotel Hopping and Domestic Travel
- Domestic Travel Surge: Global social conversations about domestic holidays have increased by 77% year-over-year, with 45% of Britons showing greater interest in UK breaks, indicating a shift towards closer getaways in response to rising travel costs.
- Hotel Hopping Trend: The demand for hotel hopping has surged this summer, as travelers book accommodations near events to maximize their experiences, particularly during concerts and sports events, enhancing the appeal of various destinations.
- Sports Event Impact: With major football events approaching in North America, accommodation searches in cities like Kansas City and Philadelphia have skyrocketed, with Kansas City seeing a staggering 700% increase, showcasing the powerful influence of sports on travel plans.
- Screen-Inspired Travel: Following the release of popular films and series, interest in destinations like Yorkshire has surged by 60%, highlighting how screen-inspired travel trends are shaping summer demand.
See More
Expedia Acquires CarTrawler to Expand B2B Travel Platform
- Acquisition Strategy: Expedia Group announced its acquisition of Ireland-based CarTrawler, aiming to enhance its B2B travel platform by integrating car rental and ground transport solutions, thereby expanding its market share.
- Supply Chain Integration: CarTrawler connects over 550 car rental suppliers and 500 mobility suppliers to more than 300 travel brands, including over 70 airlines, which will significantly bolster Expedia's competitiveness in the travel industry.
- Technology and Innovation: This acquisition will enhance Expedia's offerings in mobility and Insurtech, leveraging CarTrawler's technological advantages to improve customer experience and drive business growth.
- Transaction Timeline: While the financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed, it is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, providing a strategic timeframe for Expedia's long-term planning.
See More
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- Acquisition Agreement: Expedia Group announced its acquisition of Ireland-based B2B platform CarTrawler, which provides car rental, ground transport, and Insurtech solutions for the global travel industry, with the transaction expected to close in the second half of 2026, enhancing the company's market competitiveness.
- Platform Advantages: CarTrawler connects over 550 car rental suppliers and 500 mobility suppliers to more than 300 leading travel brands, including over 70 airlines, significantly enhancing Expedia's product offerings and service depth.
- Growth Opportunities: By integrating CarTrawler's capabilities, Expedia will provide suppliers with a larger distribution base to increase demand while offering B2B partners more comprehensive access to car rental and ground transport solutions, helping the company stand out in a competitive market.
- Enhanced Customer Value: This acquisition will provide travelers with unrivaled choice and superior value, whether booking through Expedia brands or B2B partners, further solidifying Expedia's leadership position in the global travel market.
See More
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- AI Toolkit Launch: At the Explore 26 conference, Expedia B2B unveiled its new AI toolkit designed to simplify how partners connect Expedia capabilities through APIs and interfaces, which is expected to significantly enhance partners' competitive edge in the market.
- Acquisition of CarTrawler: Expedia Group announced the acquisition of Ireland-based B2B platform CarTrawler, which will further expand its car rental and ground transport solutions, anticipated to provide partners with more growth opportunities while enhancing choice and value for travelers.
- Enhanced Marketing Capabilities: Expedia B2B introduced new marketing and media network enhancements that help partners reach more travelers across various channels, with new B2B Partner Portal and Merchandising API expected to drive demand and improve conversion rates, thereby increasing brand impact.
- Service Support Assurance: Expedia B2B emphasized the governance and infrastructure behind its platform, establishing a Responsible AI Council for high-risk deployments and providing 24/7 native voice support in multiple languages, ensuring that partners can pursue growth while safeguarding their brands and customers.
See More
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- AI Integration: At the Explore 2026 conference in Las Vegas, Expedia unveiled a new suite of AI-powered travel tools designed to embed AI throughout the travel journey, helping consumers plan, book, and navigate trips more easily and confidently, thereby enhancing user experience.
- Smart Planning Features: The newly launched AI-driven planning capabilities include in-feed trip planning on Meta platforms, natural language trip planning, and smarter booking tools aimed at reducing friction in decision-making, unifying inspiration, comparison, booking, and trip management for a seamless cross-device experience.
- Ecosystem Expansion: Expedia is expanding its travel ecosystem through a partnership with Clear and integration with Uber, aiming to provide a one-stop shop for travelers to manage airport security, ground transportation, and other trip components in one place, enhancing user convenience.
- Collaboration with Google: Expedia's AI travel collaboration with Google further drives its technological innovation, enhancing the intelligence of travel services, which is expected to positively impact future market competition.
See More
Expedia Releases First-Ever Summer Travel Trends Report
- Domestic Travel Trend: Expedia's report reveals a 77% year-over-year increase in global social conversations about domestic travel, with 53% of Canadian travelers planning domestic trips this summer, indicating a significant shift towards local destinations that could drive growth in related markets.
- Popular Destination Searches: Searches for Jasper, Alberta have surged by 55%, while interest in Ontario's Niagara-on-the-Lake and Blue Mountains has risen by 25%, reflecting travelers' preference for nearby vacation spots, which may influence hotel and tourism industry strategies.
- Hotel Hopping Trend: The demand for hotel hopping is increasing this summer as travelers plan multiple hotel stays around events, showcasing a consumer desire for diverse travel experiences that could stimulate innovation and service enhancements in the hospitality sector.
- Reading and Travel Integration: Social discussions related to reading have surged by 213%, indicating that more travelers are incorporating books into their summer vacations, a trend that may drive the development of related travel products and services.
See More
Summer Travel Trends: Hotel Hopping and Domestic Travel
- Domestic Travel Surge: Global social conversations about domestic holidays have increased by 77% year-over-year, with 45% of Britons showing greater interest in UK breaks, indicating a shift towards closer getaways in response to rising travel costs.
- Hotel Hopping Trend: The demand for hotel hopping has surged this summer, as travelers book accommodations near events to maximize their experiences, particularly during concerts and sports events, enhancing the appeal of various destinations.
- Sports Event Impact: With major football events approaching in North America, accommodation searches in cities like Kansas City and Philadelphia have skyrocketed, with Kansas City seeing a staggering 700% increase, showcasing the powerful influence of sports on travel plans.
- Screen-Inspired Travel: Following the release of popular films and series, interest in destinations like Yorkshire has surged by 60%, highlighting how screen-inspired travel trends are shaping summer demand.
See More
Expedia Acquires CarTrawler to Expand B2B Travel Platform
- Acquisition Strategy: Expedia Group announced its acquisition of Ireland-based CarTrawler, aiming to enhance its B2B travel platform by integrating car rental and ground transport solutions, thereby expanding its market share.
- Supply Chain Integration: CarTrawler connects over 550 car rental suppliers and 500 mobility suppliers to more than 300 travel brands, including over 70 airlines, which will significantly bolster Expedia's competitiveness in the travel industry.
- Technology and Innovation: This acquisition will enhance Expedia's offerings in mobility and Insurtech, leveraging CarTrawler's technological advantages to improve customer experience and drive business growth.
- Transaction Timeline: While the financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed, it is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, providing a strategic timeframe for Expedia's long-term planning.
See More
Expedia Group Acquires CarTrawler to Enhance Travel Solutions
- Acquisition Agreement: Expedia Group announced its acquisition of Ireland-based B2B platform CarTrawler, which provides car rental, ground transport, and Insurtech solutions for the global travel industry, with the transaction expected to close in the second half of 2026, enhancing the company's market competitiveness.
- Platform Advantages: CarTrawler connects over 550 car rental suppliers and 500 mobility suppliers to more than 300 leading travel brands, including over 70 airlines, significantly enhancing Expedia's product offerings and service depth.
- Growth Opportunities: By integrating CarTrawler's capabilities, Expedia will provide suppliers with a larger distribution base to increase demand while offering B2B partners more comprehensive access to car rental and ground transport solutions, helping the company stand out in a competitive market.
- Enhanced Customer Value: This acquisition will provide travelers with unrivaled choice and superior value, whether booking through Expedia brands or B2B partners, further solidifying Expedia's leadership position in the global travel market.
See More
Expedia Unveils New AI Products to Enhance Travel Experiences
- AI Toolkit Launch: At the Explore 26 conference, Expedia B2B unveiled its new AI toolkit designed to simplify how partners connect Expedia capabilities through APIs and interfaces, which is expected to significantly enhance partners' competitive edge in the market.
- Acquisition of CarTrawler: Expedia Group announced the acquisition of Ireland-based B2B platform CarTrawler, which will further expand its car rental and ground transport solutions, anticipated to provide partners with more growth opportunities while enhancing choice and value for travelers.
- Enhanced Marketing Capabilities: Expedia B2B introduced new marketing and media network enhancements that help partners reach more travelers across various channels, with new B2B Partner Portal and Merchandising API expected to drive demand and improve conversion rates, thereby increasing brand impact.
- Service Support Assurance: Expedia B2B emphasized the governance and infrastructure behind its platform, establishing a Responsible AI Council for high-risk deployments and providing 24/7 native voice support in multiple languages, ensuring that partners can pursue growth while safeguarding their brands and customers.
See More
Expedia Unveils AI-Powered Travel Tools at Explore 2026 Conference
- AI Integration: At the Explore 2026 conference in Las Vegas, Expedia unveiled a new suite of AI-powered travel tools designed to embed AI throughout the travel journey, helping consumers plan, book, and navigate trips more easily and confidently, thereby enhancing user experience.
- Smart Planning Features: The newly launched AI-driven planning capabilities include in-feed trip planning on Meta platforms, natural language trip planning, and smarter booking tools aimed at reducing friction in decision-making, unifying inspiration, comparison, booking, and trip management for a seamless cross-device experience.
- Ecosystem Expansion: Expedia is expanding its travel ecosystem through a partnership with Clear and integration with Uber, aiming to provide a one-stop shop for travelers to manage airport security, ground transportation, and other trip components in one place, enhancing user convenience.
- Collaboration with Google: Expedia's AI travel collaboration with Google further drives its technological innovation, enhancing the intelligence of travel services, which is expected to positively impact future market competition.
See More
