Expedia Group Unveils New AI Experiences, Expands Travel Ecosystem and Launches Philanthropy Program at Explore 2026

LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Thirty years after bringing journey on-line — and into attain for hundreds of thousands of individuals — Expedia Group is taking its subsequent visionary steps for the way forward for journey: unveiling new AI-powered traveler experiences, market capabilities and a long-term philanthropic dedication to guard the locations individuals love to go to. At Explore 26, its annual associate convention, the corporate’s founding and defining leaders — Rich Barton, Dara Khosrowshahi, Barry Diller, and present CEO Ariane Gorin — joined almost 2,000 companions in Las Vegas to point out how three many years of first-party knowledge, world-class provide, and deep servicing experience are being re-engineered for the AI period.

From its creation by Barton as a small start-up inside Microsoft on the daybreak of the web, via the cellular shift beneath Khosrowshahi, and to Gorin’s management within the AI period, Expedia Group has reinvented itself throughout three main know-how waves. Today, the corporate operates the world’s most trusted and clever journey market, connecting hundreds of thousands of vacationers with companions throughout lodging, air, automotive, actions and extra.

“At Expedia Group, our purpose is simple: to help travelers explore the world, one journey at a time,” stated Ariane Gorin, CEO, Expedia Group. “As we celebrate 30 years, we’re focused on advancing our intelligent, trusted global marketplace that takes on the complexity of travel, so travelers and partners can focus on what really matters: unforgettable experiences.”

Powering Seamless Travel from inspiration to arrival via strategic partnerships

Through new integrations and partnerships, Expedia Group continues to maneuver past journey reserving to energy extra of the moments earlier than, throughout and after a visit.

• CLEAR: Expedia + CLEAR Partnership
  
  Expedia is partnering with CLEAR to offer Expedia vacationers and One Key members a smoother, extra seamless airport expertise — from quicker safety with CLEAR+ to customized Concierge assist — making all the journey simpler and fewer disturbing.
  
  One Key™ members obtain tier-based pricing and direct entry to the CLEAR platform when signing up via Expedia.

• International Workplace Group (IWG): This summer time, Hotels.com is partnering with IWG, the worldwide chief in versatile workspaces, to offer U.S.-based IWG members complimentary Hotels.com Gold loyalty standing for a restricted time, unlocking richer rewards, higher pricing, and VIP perks designed for at the moment’s hybrid and on‑the‑go professionals.

• Uber: Expedia Group is deepening its partnership with Uber, not solely powering its resort market throughout 250,000 locations worldwide but additionally bringing Uber rides into the Expedia app — giving vacationers new methods to maneuver as soon as they arrive.

• Creator-led Discovery: Expedia can also be increasing how journey demand is formed, working with creators like iShowSpeed to attach inspiration on to bookable journeys for a brand new era of vacationers. iShowSpeed just lately broke the report in his livestream by going to 5 international locations in someday and this marketing campaign has already reached almost 400 million individuals.

“Expedia helps you guide with confidence and CLEAR helps you win the day of journey. Together, we’re connecting the journey so vacationers can go from reserving to boarding with much less friction and extra management,” stated Caryn Seidman Becker, CEO of CLEAR.

Building probably the most clever and trusted market for the AI period

Expedia Group is embedding AI throughout each stage of the journey journey, to turn into an always-on journey companion that helps vacationers determine, guide and navigate journeys with confidence. At Explore 26, Expedia Group unveiled new improvements that deliver that imaginative and prescient to life for vacationers.

• In-feed planning with Meta: Expedia and Meta are taking the following step of their collaboration: testing AI conversations on adverts that lets vacationers begin planning a visit or ask questions with a single faucet. The expertise displays the 2 firms’ shared dedication to advancing customer-facing agentic experiences. This follows final 12 months’s launch of Trip Matching—an revolutionary characteristic that lets vacationers create itineraries impressed by Instagram Reels.

• AI Property Compare and Property Expert from Hotels.com assist vacationers guide with higher pace and confidence. AI Property Compare makes it simpler for vacationers to check properties primarily based on the components that matter most to them, similar to vibe, location, facilities, and trade-offs, to allow them to slim their choices extra rapidly. Property Expert helps vacationers validate their alternative by answering detailed property and neighborhood questions utilizing trusted property data and visitor critiques. Both are coming later this 12 months.

• Package Price Insights on Expedia, coming later this 12 months, helps vacationers guide with higher confidence by signaling when Stay + Flight package deal costs are typical or decrease than ordinary, making it simpler for vacationers to identify standout offers and guide with confidence.

• Natural language AI journey planning instruments: Later this 12 months, Expedia is introducing Activity Planner, a brand new AI functionality that makes use of pure language to assist vacationers describe the journey they need and immediately flip open-ended concepts into a personalised, bookable itinerary. On Vrbo, a brand new pure language search will let vacationers describe their preferrred keep in their very own phrases, going past restricted filters. Travelers can search by vibe and group dynamics, similar to “a pet-friendly lake house with a dock near Austin for a laid-back friends getaway.” Expedia Group will likely be increasing the potential to its different manufacturers.

• Smarter reserving instruments for households: Expedia is constant to boost how households plan and guide journey with expanded Buy Now, Pay Later choices that make checkout easier, extra versatile, and extra acquainted. The model has additionally improved discovery and worth via Family Highlights which surfaces family-friendly properties, and Bundle & Save, which brings collectively choose stays, flights, and automotive leases with clearer financial savings whether or not you guide collectively as a package deal or construct your journey over time.

• Personalized, seamless enterprise journey: Coming this July, Hotels.com will enable vacationers to set work-trip preferences with Business Profiles, making it simpler to match them with the best stays and charges, whereas serving to business-ready motels floor extra related visitor critiques, property highlights, and facilities. For frequent vacationers, a brand new Quick Rebook choice can even streamline repeat stays by turning a previous nice expertise into the default choice when the following enterprise journey is booked.

Announcing Expedia Trails Fund: Protecting the Places that Make Travel Worth It

As Expedia Group seems to the following 30 years, and vacationers head outdoors in report numbers, the corporate is launching Expedia Trails Fund — a multi-year dedication to revive, defend, and future-proof the paths, parks, and coastlines that encourage hundreds of thousands of journeys.

The Expedia Trails Fund will initially launch with initiatives at The Conservation Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and Trust for Public Land, supporting path and park enhancements that assist restore the pure locations vacationers love. Through its first 11 initiatives and $4.3 million in grants, Expedia is bettering security and entry at iconic U.S. locations—from Okefenokee and Yellowstone’s Paradise Valley to Hawaiʻi’s Kealakekua Bay and pure areas close to Seattle and Chicago—benefiting greater than 1 million visits yearly.

In addition, Expedia is partnering with AllTrails to match assist for the 2026 AllTrails Stewards Fund, increasing community-led path improvement and restoration all over the world. Expedia and AllTrails can even associate to present AllTrails premium members entry to reductions on Expedia.com lodging bookings. The firm expects so as to add extra companions and initiatives over time.

The Expedia Trails Fund responds to a rising shift amongst vacationers — notably Gen Z and Millennials — who more and more need journey selections that align with their values. Expedia Group-commissioned analysis discovered that demand for outside journey is powerful, with 86% of Gen Z and Millennial vacationers surveyed saying they took not less than one nationwide park or nature journey within the final 12 months, and almost half (46%) saying they take one to 2 such journeys every year.

“As we help more people explore the world, we also have a responsibility to protect it. The Expedia Trails Fund will support rebuilding trails and improving access across protected landscapes—keeping these destinations accessible so travelers continue to visit and local communities can thrive for years to come,” stated Gorin.

Writing the following chapter of journey, collectively

Explore 26 marks an necessary milestone in Expedia Group’s subsequent chapter — one outlined by AI innovation, deeper connectivity and a broader dedication to the way forward for journey.

“We’ve led through three decades of technology shifts by testing early, learning fast and staying relentlessly focused on travelers,” Gorin stated. “As we enter this next era, we’re excited to build the future of this marketplace together — with travelers and partners around the world.”

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About Expedia Group

Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE) is the worldwide journey market with one goal: to assist vacationers discover the world, one journey at a time. Expedia Group™ connects vacationers, companions, and advertisers via its trusted manufacturers, main know-how, and wealthy first-party knowledge, delivering predictive, customized experiences that form the way forward for journey.

Expedia Group’s ecosystem contains three flagship shopper manufacturers – Expedia®, Hotels.com®, and Vrbo® – the most important B2B journey enterprise, and a premier promoting community. Guided by an skilled and passionate international crew, Expedia Group helps hundreds of thousands of vacationers in additional than 70 international locations discover the world with confidence and ease.

© 2026 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group firm. All rights reserved. Expedia Group and the Expedia Group brand are emblems of Expedia, Inc. CST: 2029030-50.

For extra data, go to www.expediagroup.com.

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