Leading Brands in US Travel Booking Services: Q1 2025 Analysis

Introduction

In the dynamic world of travel booking services, a few key players continue to dominate the US market. This article delves into the performance of Expedia, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor, focusing on their digital presence and advertising strategies from Q4 2024 to Q1 2025. Sensor Tower’s comprehensive data offerings allow us to cross-reference web, app, and advertising trends, providing unique insights into these leading brands.

Expedia

Expedia is renowned for its comprehensive travel services, offering everything from flights to accommodations through its website, expedia.com, and the Expedia: Hotels, Flights, Cars app.

• Audience Trends: From Q4 2024 to Q1 2025, expedia.com saw a consistent increase in unique visits, starting at 23M in October and reaching approximately 27M by March. The monthly deduplicated audience remained stable above 32M for the whole quarter.

• App Engagement: The app maintained a steady monthly active user base, with active users hovering around 5.6M to 5.7M.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Expedia’s monthly ad spend was significant, peaking in December with over $25M. YouTube and Facebook were major channels, delivering billions of impressions. Notably, OTT (Over-the-top media service) channels saw increased investment in March.

Booking.com

Booking.com, a leader in online travel reservations, operates through its website, booking.com, and the Booking.com: Hotels & Travel app.

• Audience Trends: The website maintained a steady rise in unique visits, with a notable increase from 18M in December to over 21M in March. The monthly deduplicated audience peaked at about 31M in March.

• App Engagement: The app’s monthly active users remained strong, increasing slightly from 7.5M in November to over 8.1M by March.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Booking.com’s monthly ad spend surged, particularly in February, reaching nearly $20M. Instagram and YouTube were key platforms, with impressions exceeding hundreds of millions.

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor is known for its extensive user reviews and travel planning services, marked by its website, tripadvisor.com, and the Tripadvisor: Plan & Book Trips app.

• Audience Trends: The website experienced fluctuations, with visits peaking at 17M in March. The monthly deduplicated audience remained above 16M throughout the period.

• App Engagement: The app saw stable monthly active users, around 260K.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Although smaller in scale, TripAdvisor increased its monthly ad spend in March to over $1.2M, focusing on Facebook and Instagram, which delivered significant impressions.

Conclusion

These leading travel booking brands showcase strong digital strategies, leveraging both web and app platforms to maintain robust user engagement. Sensor Tower’s unparalleled data insights reveal the critical role of cross-platform analysis in understanding market dynamics. As the travel industry continues to evolve, these brands demonstrate adaptability and strategic advertising investments, ensuring their continued dominance in the US market. Sensor Tower’s data provides decision-makers with the tools needed to navigate this competitive landscape effectively.