Expedia Buys Travelocity for $280 Million in Cash

Online travel agency Expedia Inc. has purchased competitor Travelocity from Sabre Corp. in a $280 million cash deal, the companies said Friday.

Users of the service should not notice any change as a result of the purchase, because Expedia has powered Travelocity’s websites under a 2013 marketing agreement.

The two offer similar search results because Travelocity has access to Expedia’s online booking platform and databases. Travelocity, meanwhile, is seen as having a more robust brand presence.

“Travelocity is one of the most recognized travel brands in North America, offering thousands of travel destinations to more than 20 million travelers per month,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, Expedia’s chief executive. “Evolving this relationship strengthens the Expedia Inc. family’s ability to continue to innovate and deliver the very best travel experiences to the widest set of travelers, all over the world.”

The move expands the company’s collection of travel websites. Expedia, the world’s fifth-largest corporate travel management company, already owns Expedia.com, Hotels.com and Hotwire.com.

Travelocity topped a J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey in 2014, followed by Expedia.

The sale comes shortly after reports that competitor Orbitz Worldwide Inc. was working with a financial advisor to find potential buyers of the company.

In trading Friday, Expedia shares rose $1.73, or 2 percent, to $87.44.

This article appeared in print in the January 26th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.