Booking.com, Agoda, Expedia, Trip.com, Aviasales and Skyscanner: what to check before you book
An editorial guide to six travel sites: what each one is, and what to look at before you book.
Editorial guide, not live prices. We have not compared prices for this page. Rates change daily and differ by trip, so check the current price on each site. By destination.com editorial.
Disclosure: links marked Affiliate · We may earn are affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not change what we write here.
Booking sites
These sell you the room, flight or package and take your payment.
Booking.com and Agoda
Two hotel booking sites. What is different about them?
Booking.com
A hotel and stays booking site with listings worldwide. It runs a loyalty programme (Genius); check the current terms on the site.
Search Booking.com →Agoda
A hotel booking site owned by the same parent company as Booking.com (Booking Holdings), run as a separate brand. It runs its own loyalty and app-only offers; check the current terms on the site.
Search Agoda →- The total price including taxes and fees, for your dates
- Free-cancellation terms on the rate you pick
- Whether the property is listed on both sites
- Any loyalty discount or app-only rate you actually qualify for
Listings and prices can differ between the two. Open both for your dates and compare the final total, not the headline rate.
Expedia and Booking.com
Two large booking sites. What should you check on each?
Booking.com
A booking site focused mainly on hotels and other stays, with filters for cancellation terms and property type.
Search Booking.com →Expedia
A booking site for hotels, flights, cars and activities that also sells flight-plus-hotel packages. It runs a loyalty programme (One Key); check the current terms on the site.
Search Expedia →- The hotel price on its own, and the same trip as a package, for the same dates
- What is refundable and what is not, leg by leg for a package
- The final total with taxes and any resort fee
- Which loyalty programme, if any, you already belong to
If you are buying flights and a hotel together, price the package and the separate bookings side by side. Which is cheaper depends on the trip.
Trip.com and Agoda
Two booking sites with a large Asia presence. What should you check?
Trip.com
A booking site for flights, hotels and trains, part of Trip.com Group. It also sells some rail tickets; check which routes are on offer for your trip.
Search Trip.com →Agoda
A hotel booking site with listings worldwide and a focus on Asia, owned by Booking Holdings. It runs its own loyalty offers; check the current terms on the site.
Search Agoda →- Whether the property or route you want is listed on each site
- The total price in your currency, with taxes and fees
- Cancellation terms and how to reach customer support in your language
- Payment methods accepted for your card
Coverage differs by city and by property. Search the specific place you are going rather than relying on a general view of either site.
Flight search engines
These compare fares from other sellers and send you there to book. They are metasearch, not booking sites.
Aviasales and Skyscanner
Two flight search engines. How do they work?
Aviasales
A flight search engine. It lists fares from airlines and booking sites and sends you to the seller to book; it does not take your payment.
Search Aviasales →Skyscanner
A flight search engine owned by Trip.com Group. It also lists fares from airlines and booking sites and sends you to the seller to book.
- Which seller the fare sends you to, and whether you know them
- Whether bags and seat selection are included in the fare shown
- The price again on the seller's own page before you pay
- The same dates on the airline's own site
A search engine is a starting point. Different engines list different sellers, so a second search can show a different fare. Confirm the price and the rules with whoever you actually pay.
FAQ
Why can the same hotel cost a different amount on different sites?
Each site agrees rates with the hotel separately and adds its own fees and offers, so the same room on the same dates can show a different total. Compare the final price including taxes and fees, and check the cancellation terms, not just the headline rate.
Is it safer to book direct with the hotel?
Booking direct can make changes, upgrades and loyalty points simpler, since you deal with the hotel itself. Prices may or may not match what a booking site shows, so compare before you decide.
Where should I book a flight I found on a search engine?
A flight search engine sends you to a seller. Look at who that seller is, compare the price with the airline's own site for the same flights, and read the change and refund rules before you pay.
Do these sites have extra fees?
Fees vary by site and by property. Some properties charge resort or facility fees that show only at checkout or at the hotel, and package deals can carry service fees. Read the final cart breakdown before you pay.
Looking for ideas instead?
Our Flight Deal Radar lists editor-curated typical low fares by US airport. They are reference prices, not live fares.