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Help CenterAbout KAYAK

About KAYAK.

What is KAYAK?

Who owns KAYAK?

KAYAK is owned by Booking Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG), which acquired the company in 2013. Booking Holdings is a global leader in online travel.

KAYAK was founded by Steve Hafner and Paul English in 2004. Steve Hafner remains the CEO at KAYAK.

KAYAK’s brand portfolio.

KAYAK manages a portfolio of 7 travel search brands across the globe:

  • KAYAK
  • SWOODOO
  • checkfelix
  • momondo
  • Cheapflights
  • Mundi
  • HotelsCombined

This portfolio allows KAYAK’s organization to operate globally as the world’s leading travel search engine.

For more information.

  • Explore KAYAK's award wins and industry recognition since 2004.

What is KAYAK and how does it work?

KAYAK is a travel search engine that helps you find and compare flights, hotels, rental cars, and vacation packages.

We search hundreds of travel sites at once to show you all your options in one place.

How KAYAK works.

When you search on KAYAK, here’s what happens:

  • We scan hundreds of travel sites simultaneously to find available options for your trip
  • You see results from airlines, hotels, online travel agencies, and car rental companies side by side
  • You compare prices, times, and features all in one place
  • When you're ready to book, you click through to the partner's site (like the airline or hotel) to complete your reservation
  • We don't handle the booking ourselves - we connect you directly to the provider

For more details on how to explore and compare travel options, visit our Search and discovery guide.

What you can search on KAYAK.

  • Flights - Compare airlines and find the best flight options
  • Hotels and stays - Search accommodations across booking sites
  • Rental cars - Find car rental deals from major providers
  • Vacation packages - Bundle flights and hotels together

You can start searching directly on KAYAK’s homepage.

Is KAYAK a reliable travel site?

Yes. KAYAK is part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), a global leader in online travel. We’ve been in business since 2004 and are trusted by millions of travelers who use our platform to process billions of searches each year.

For more information.

  • See KAYAK's award wins for helping travelers make smarter choices.
  • Explore innovative features like KAYAK.ai.

How is KAYAK organized?

KAYAK is an agile, data-driven organization built around empowering travelers to make confident decisions. The company operates as a meta-search engine that brings together hundreds of travel sites, allowing users to compare flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages in one place.

Its structure emphasizes collaboration between product, marketing, and tech teams, ensuring constant innovation and an exceptional user experience. With a culture rooted in experimentation and learning from data, KAYAK continually refines its products to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital travel landscape.

At the organizational level, KAYAK maintains a global presence while fostering a local mindset. Teams across markets work semi-autonomously but stay connected through shared goals, clear communication, and strong cross-functional partnerships.

KAYAK’s values of being bold, owning it and winning as one shape how teams work and how decisions are made. This blend of entrepreneurial energy, data-driven thinking and collaboration keeps the company innovative and efficient, all while staying focused on its mission to make travel easier for everyone.

KAYAK’s Global Footprint.

  • 60+ international sites across the world
  • 25+ site languages for travelers worldwide
  • 15 international offices
  • 800+ team members supporting our platforms

For more information.

Does KAYAK charge commission?

No, KAYAK does not charge you a commission or any extra fees. The prices you see come directly from travel providers, and our service is completely free to use.

How does KAYAK make money?

KAYAK earns revenue from our travel partners and advertisers, not from you:

Commissions from partners:

  • When you click through to a partner (like an airline or online travel agency) and book, KAYAK may earn a commission from that partner.
  • This doesn't cost you extra. The provider pays us for the redirect or booking assist.
  • Commission models include per-click or per-booking.

Advertising:

  • Some partners promote their results on KAYAK through sponsored listings, which are always clearly labeled.
  • KAYAK also displays travel-related ads, and some partners pay when users click on them.

For more information.

Is KAYAK a travel agency?

No, KAYAK is not a travel agency. We’re a travel search engine (also called a metasearch engine) that helps you find and compare options from hundreds of travel sites, then book directly with the provider you choose.

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites to show you flights, hotels, rental cars and vacation packages all in one place. We help you compare your options so you can make the best decision for your trip.

When you find a deal you like and click through to book, you’ll leave KAYAK and complete your reservation directly with that travel provider (whether that’s an airline, hotel, online travel agency, or another partner).

In some cases, you can complete a booking with a third-party travel provider without leaving KAYAK’s website. This is listed as the “Book on KAYAK” option in the search results.

What KAYAK does.

  • Compare 100s of travel sites in seconds
  • Search multiple routes and date options in one search to find the best deal
  • Know the best time to book with real-time Price Alerts
  • Find what actually works for you (like nonstop only flights or bags included) with KAYAK filters
  • Access private flight deals on the KAYAK App

What KAYAK doesn’t do.

  • KAYAK doesn't sell flight tickets or make reservations ourselves
  • KAYAK doesn't handle payments for your bookings
  • KAYAK doesn't act as your travel agent

For more information.

What differentiates KAYAK from other metasearch engines?

KAYAK is a pioneer in travel metasearch. Since its launch in 2004, KAYAK has pushed the boundaries of how travelers search, compare, and plan trips online. Today, KAYAK is the world’s leading travel search engine.

A culture of innovation and experimentation.

KAYAK’s success is built on a culture grounded in innovation, data, and continuous improvement.

  • We continually tests and refine our products to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital travel landscape.
  • KAYAK was the first mainstream travel company to introduce AI-powered conversational search, enabling travelers to plan trips through natural dialogue in KAYAK AI Mode
  • This forward-thinking approach ensures travelers always have access to the most advanced and seamless tools available

Smart tools that empower travelers.

KAYAK sets itself apart through a range of intelligent, easy-to-use features that simplify every stage of the travel journey:

  • Trusted by millions of travelers, the KAYAK app makes travel planning seamless on iOS and Android.
  • KAYAK.ai-powered travel assistant: Gives you personalized travel tips & advice and lets you book with live prices all in one place. Discover more about KAYAK.ai
  • Price Forecast: Predicts the likelihood of flight prices rising or dropping within 30 days, helping travelers decide whether to book now or wait
  • Explore: Inspires spontaneous travel by showing destinations within a chosen budget — with filters for flight length, date, and interests
  • Trips: A personal travel assistant that lets users organize, manage, and share itineraries, track results, and receive real-time flight status alerts
  • Price Alerts: Keeps users updated when prices change for flights, hotels, or car rentals, ensuring they never miss a great deal

Recognition and trust.

KAYAK’s excellence is reflected in the trust of its users and in the many awards it has earned over the years:

  • Frommer’s ranked KAYAK (and momondo) the #1 Best (and Cheapest) Airfare Search Site for 2025 and the #1 best overall airfare search site for 2024
  • World Travel Tech Awards named KAYAK the World’s Best Flight Comparison Website and World’s Best Hotel Comparison Website for three consecutive years (2022–2024).
  • Statista & COMPUTER BILD recognized KAYAK as a Top Online Platform 2025.

Learn more about KAYAK’s awards.

For more information.

How do I apply for a job at KAYAK?

If you’re interested in working at KAYAK, here’s how you can apply and get started:

How to apply.

  • Go to the Careers at KAYAK page.
  • Search for open positions (“open positions,” “jobs,” or “careers”) and filter by location, department or role.
  • Click on a specific role that interests you, read the full job description and requirements, then submit your application (typically via an online form).
  • Make sure your CV/resumé and cover letter reflect your relevant experience, skills and how you align with KAYAK’s mission and values.
  • Once you apply, you may receive updates from the recruitment team if your application moves forward.

What makes KAYAK a unique place to work?

  • KAYAK offers a flexible hybrid model, with team members working from the office three days a week, and the freedom to come in more often if they like.
  • We emphasise career growth, providing opportunities for skill development and supporting individual learning.
  • The company is committed to inclusion, with employee-resource groups for under-represented communities and a global equal-pay policy.
  • You’ll be joining a global network: KAYAK is part of a broader portfolio of brands and is owned by Booking Holdings, Inc.

Watch out for fraudulent job adverts.

KAYAK will never request payment(s) from its candidates for open positions and wouldn’t request Credit Card information by phone, email, WhatsApp or social media. If you receive a suspicious request regarding a career opportunity at KAYAK, please report it using our feedback form.

KAYAK’s services.

What products and services does KAYAK offer?

On KAYAK, you can search and compare results for these different travel products:

Smart tools that empower travelers.

In addition, KAYAK provides a range of easy-to-use features that simplify every stage of the travel journey:

  • Trusted by millions of travelers, the KAYAK app makes travel planning seamless on iOS and Android
  • KAYAK was the first mainstream travel company to introduce AI-powered conversational search, enabling users to plan trips naturally through dialogue in KAYAK AI Mode.
  • KAYAK.ai (beta) is our innovation sandbox / public innovation lab. It is a place to experiment, uncover what resonates with travelers, and roll those best AI discoveries into KAYAK.com and our core travel tools.
  • Price Forecast: Predicts the likelihood of flight prices rising or dropping within 30 days, helping travelers decide whether to book now or wait.
  • Explore: Inspires spontaneous travel by showing destinations within a chosen budget — with filters for flight length, date, and interests.
  • Trips: A personal travel assistant that lets users organize, manage, and share itineraries, track results, and receive real-time flight status alerts.
  • Price Alerts: Keeps users updated when prices change for flights, hotels, or car rentals, ensuring they never miss a great deal.
  • Private Deals: Unlock great rates by signing in to your KAYAK account. View exclusive prices that travel providers previously kept private.
  • Hacker Fares: Combine one-way flights from different airlines to get the best deal. KAYAK shows you two one-way tickets when it can save you money and add flexibility over traditional round-trip tickets.
  • KAYAK for Business: Our corporate travel solution for booking and managing business trips.

For more information.

What is KAYAK ad solutions?

KAYAK ad solutions is our advertising platform that helps travel brands reach travelers while they’re searching and planning trips on KAYAK.

KAYAK ad solutions are bespoke – meaning each campaign is tailored to your specific goals and target audience. The platform combines data-driven targeting, creative strategy, and KAYAK’s travel insights to deliver your message to the right travelers at the right time.

Your campaigns leverage KAYAK’s scale and qualified audience data to drive the actions you need, whether that’s brand awareness, bookings, or engagement.

Who can use KAYAK ad solutions?

  • Airlines looking to reach travelers searching for flights
  • Destinations promoting tourism to potential visitors
  • Financial institutions with travel loyalty programs
  • Other travel-related brands across various verticals

Available ad formats.

  • Native placements: Integrated directly into travelers’ search results, powered by KAYAK’s core pricing API.
  • Display ads: Reach travelers as they search and plan, using advanced targeting for awareness and conversion.
  • Audience extension: Retarget KAYAK’s audience across the web with precise, first-party data targeting.
  • Content solutions: Partner with KAYAK’s creative team to build custom campaigns that inspire discovery and bookings.

For more information.

What is KAYAK’s affiliate program?

KAYAK’s affiliate program is called the KAYAK Affiliate Network. It’s a global metasearch affiliate program that lets you earn money by promoting KAYAK’s travel search tools on your website.

How it works.

When you join the program, you get access to KAYAK and its partner brands (including Momondo, Cheapflights, HotelsCombined, and others) through a single platform.

What you can earn.
  • Earn 50% commission on clicks, bookings, and ad revenue
  • Monetize multiple travel categories in one program
  • Access billions of annual searches and 5M+ hotels and properties to promote
Integration options.

Add KAYAK tools to your site via deep links, widgets, search boxes, white-label solutions, or API integration, with technical support to tailor them to your needs.

Getting started.

Create a KAYAK Affiliate Network account, integrate your chosen tools, and start earning once live. Track performance and revenue in real time through the affiliate portal.

Support.

KAYAK provides dedicated affiliate support and technical teams to help with setup, optimization, and scaling. The program currently works with 15,000+ affiliate partners who collectively earn $76 million+ annually.

For specific details about application requirements, payment methods, or eligibility criteria, you’ll need to contact KAYAK’s affiliate team directly when creating your account.

For more information.

What is KAYAK for Business?

KAYAK for Business is an end-to-end corporate travel management solution that brings KAYAK’s consumer-friendly booking experience to companies. It lets you book, manage, and track all business travel in one place.

Who it’s for.

KAYAK for Business works for companies of all sizes, from startups to global brands. Over 30,000 companies currently use it to manage their corporate travel programs.

Key features:

  • Book fast: Complete a full trip in under 3 minutes with access to thousands of flights, hotels, and car rentals.
  • Comprehensive content: Compare branded fares, enjoy NDC and full GDS access, and view perks like priority boarding or free checked bags.
  • Smart trip management: Make changes or cancellations directly in-platform or via agent support, with a top-rated mobile app for travel on the go.
  • Flexible policy & payments: Create travel policies in minutes, use corporate or individual cards, and skip expense reports with direct billing options.
  • Real-time insights & support: Access detailed spend reporting and rely on 24/7 global support—most calls answered in under 20 seconds.

Getting started.

KAYAK for Business offers standard deployment for most companies, with an Enterprise Solution available for organizations requiring enterprise-grade features. PwC US was the first enterprise client and can help other companies with implementation.

For more information.

How can I partner up with KAYAK?

KAYAK collaborates with a wide range of travel and technology partners to help travelers discover the world.

Partnership opportunities include:

  • Travel suppliers: Airlines, hotels, and car rental companies, looking to list inventory
  • Affiliates: Websites and creators who want to earn through the KAYAK Affiliate Network
  • Media and advertising partners: Brands interested in advertising across KAYAK’s platforms. Learn more about KAYAK Advertising Products
  • Technology partners: Businesses integrating KAYAK tools, APIs, or data into their products

All partners go through our Know Your Partner (KYP) process and agree to KAYAK’s Supplier Code of Conduct to ensure transparency and trust.

To learn more or submit an inquiry, visit our Partners page.

How do I get my hotel to show up on KAYAK?

To get your hotel to show up on KAYAK, show prices and availability in real-time and allow users to book online, your hotel will need to connect to KAYAK via an outside interface, called “booking engines”.

Here are just some of the providers who will be able to sync your data with KAYAK:

For more information, you can also visit the KAYAK Hotel Manager page to learn how to grow your business by showing prices and availability for your accommodation property.

What airlines are not on KAYAK?

As a metasearch engine, KAYAK scans hundreds of travel sites and displays available options, but coverage depends on which airlines and booking sites participate in our platform.

Why you might not see a specific airline.

An airline may not appear in your search results for a few reasons:

  • You've filtered out booking sites with certain airlines' results
  • The airline doesn't operate the route you're searching for
  • The airline doesn't participate in KAYAK's search results for your market or route

How to check if an airline is on KAYAK.

Search the Airlines page:
Visit KAYAK’s Airlines page to see if your airline is listed. This page shows airline names, IATA codes, and contact details for airlines we work with.

Run a route-specific search:
Search for a flight on a route you know the airline operates. Check if the airline appears as a booking option in your results.

Review your filters:
Make sure you haven’t excluded booking sites that might offer tickets for that airline. KAYAK lets you filter results to include or exclude certain providers. Learn more about how to explore and compare travel options on KAYAK.

Privacy, trust and online safety.

Is KAYAK a safe website?

Yes, KAYAK is a legitimate travel search engine owned by Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG) since 2013. We’ve been helping travelers search for flights, hotels, and rental cars since 2004, processing billions of queries across hundreds of travel sites.

Here’s what you need to know about how KAYAK works and stays secure.

How KAYAK actually works.

KAYAK is a search engine not a booking site. You search with us, but you book directly with airlines, hotels, or other travel providers. This means:

  • You never pay KAYAK directly for flights or hotels
  • Your payment goes to the airline, hotel, or travel agency you choose
  • KAYAK earns a commission from partners when you click through and book

KAYAK’s security measures.

We take security seriously and maintain:

  • A 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC) monitoring our systems
  • Regular external audits to ensure protection and compliance
  • The NIST Cybersecurity Framework guiding our security program
  • A vulnerability reporting channel via HackerOne

Read more on KAYAK security systems.

You can also review our Privacy Policy to understand how your data is handled.

How to spot official KAYAK communications.

Legitimate KAYAK URLs:

  • Always contain "KAYAK" followed by the local domain (kayak.com, kayak.co.uk, kayak.fr)
  • Variations like "kayakonline," "kayakworking," or "kayakagent" are scams

Official KAYAK will never:

  • Call, email, or message you via WhatsApp to complete a booking
  • Request payment from you directly
  • Send unsolicited messages via email, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, or Instagram
  • Ask job candidates to pay for positions

Official KAYAK emails:

  • Come from @kayak.com addresses only
  • Never from Gmail, Yahoo, or other free email services

If you suspect a scam.

Take these steps immediately:

  • Contact your bank regarding any fraudulent payments
  • Report to your local law enforcement:
  • US: Visit the US government fraud and scam site
  • Canada: Anti Fraud Center Canada
  • Australia: Australian Cyber Security Centre
  • UK: Action Fraud
  • Europe: Europol
  • Report suspicious activity to KAYAK at www.kayak.com/feedback/form

Bottom line.

KAYAK is safe to use as a search tool. Just remember: you’re booking with the airline or hotel, not with us. Always verify you’re on an official KAYAK domain, and never send payment to anyone claiming to be KAYAK.

For more information.

Are my details safe on KAYAK?

Yes, KAYAK uses industry-standard security measures to protect your information. Here’s what you need to know about how we keep your details safe.

KAYAK’s security measures.

KAYAK protects your data with:

  • 24/7 monitoring through our Security Operations Center
  • NIST Cybersecurity Framework to guide our security program
  • Regular external audits to maintain security standards
  • Encrypted payment data during transmission using cryptographic protocols
  • Limited payment storage (only if you choose to save it in your account)

Read more on KAYAK security systems.

KAYAK’s privacy standards.

KAYAK also follows strict data privacy standards to ensure your information is handled responsibly and in line with global regulations. For full details, please see our Privacy Policy.

How to contact us.

For more information.

How can I spot and avoid KAYAK job scams?

Scammers are impersonating KAYAK to target job seekers and travelers. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself.

What KAYAK will never do.

KAYAK will never:

  • Request payment from job candidates at any point in the hiring process
  • Send unsolicited messages via email, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, or Instagram about job opportunities
  • Call, email, or message you to complete a booking or request payment
  • Ask for fees for application processing, training, equipment, or to "activate" a position

How to verify legitimate KAYAK communications.

Official emails:

  • Genuine KAYAK recruitment emails end with @kayak.com
  • Avoid any messages from Gmail or other non @kayak.com domains claiming to be KAYAK

Official websites:

  • Real KAYAK URLs include "KAYAK" followed by the local domain (kayak.com, kayak.co.uk, kayak.fr)
  • Variations like "kayakonline," "kayakworking," or "kayakagent" are not genuine
  • Verify all job openings at www.kayak.com/careers/all

Why are payment requests always scams?

KAYAK is a travel search engine, not a travel agent. We don’t handle bookings or payments directly. Any direct request for payment in KAYAK’s name is fraudulent.

Common scam tactics to watch for.

  • Lookalike domains or generic email providers (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.)
  • Unsolicited outreach via WhatsApp, Instagram, or LinkedIn offering jobs with commissions
  • Social media ads promising job opportunities with KAYAK
  • Messages claiming you need to pay to complete a booking

If you’ve encountered a scam.

Quick verification checklist.

  • Is the email from @kayak.com?
  • Does the URL include "KAYAK" followed by a local domain?
  • Were you asked to pay for a job or a booking? (This is a scam)
  • Did you receive an unsolicited message? (Be suspicious)

When in doubt, verify job openings at www.kayak.com/careers/all and report concerns at www.kayak.com/feedback/form.

Content recommendation and ranking.

How to edit a review?

To edit a review you’ve left on KAYAK, just send us a message using our feedback form: https://www.kayak.com/feedback/form

All reviews on KAYAK are from verified guests, which helps provide reliable information for other travelers making booking decisions.

Need to change your account information?

If you need to update personal details in your KAYAK account instead, visit your Account page. This is separate from editing reviews.

For more information.

How does KAYAK get reviews and moderate content?

KAYAK publishes reviews from verified guests and uses both automated checks and manual moderation to maintain content quality. Here’s how the review system works.

Where do reviews come from?

KAYAK references around half a billion reviews across the platform. This includes reviews for flights, cars, hotels, and users’ travel tips.

For flights and cars, we display reviews collected directly from our customers who have a confirmed booking. For hotels, we display reviews from both our customers and partner websites.

For reviews collected directly from our customers, only people who have an account with us and agree to receive emails from us are contacted and asked to provide a review. Customers may also leave reviews directly on our Trips platform.

For users’ travel tips, KAYAK may ask you to submit them. These are evaluated automatically and published only if they are deemed useful.

What happens before reviews are published?

Every review undergoes automated checks before appearing on the site, which include a profanity screening. KAYAK may not display or will remove reviews that violate guidelines, whether positive or negative. This includes:

  • Illegal activities
  • Personal or sensitive information
  • Swear words, sexual references, hate speech, discriminatory remarks, or threats
  • Impersonation
  • Off-topic content (like comments about the booking experience instead of the actual hotel stay)
  • Spam and fake content

If you find a review that violates guidelines, submit a notice through KAYAK’s feedback form. The content moderation team will manually review it and remove it if it doesn’t comply with guidelines.

When reviews stop showing.

Reviews may be removed from display when:

  • The review is more than three years old
  • The property has changed ownership
  • The property has undergone a major renovation or significant change

For more information.

How does KAYAK rank cars?

KAYAK aggregates rental car deals from hundreds of travel sites and displays them in one place. Here’s how the ranking works.

Default display.

KAYAK shows you all available rental car deals without applying a specific default ranking like “Recommended” or “Best.” You’ll see results from major rental companies including Thrifty, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, Payless, and more.

Sorting by price.

To rank results by lowest or highest price:

  • Use the price sort option on the results page
  • Select "lowest price" to see the cheapest deals first
  • Select "highest price" to see the most expensive deals first

When multiple providers offer identical deals.

If the same rental car deal appears on multiple provider sites, KAYAK shows all providers but highlights one main provider for that deal. This highlight is based on factors like customer popularity or ratings.

How to narrow your results.

Before sorting by price, use the filters on the results page to focus your search:

  • Apply filters for car type, transmission, and other preferences
  • This helps you organize the list before sorting by price
  • Compare options across all providers shown for each vehicle

KAYAK pulls deals directly from provider sites and displays them without adding extra fees, so you can compare prices accurately and choose the best deal for your needs.

For more information.

How does KAYAK rank flights?

By default, KAYAK’s “Best” or “Recommended” flight results aim to give you the best trade-off between price and convenience.

Factors we consider when ranking flights.

  • Flight duration
  • Price
  • Distance between origin and destination
  • Number of travelers
  • How you started your search

Result diversity:
We apply diversity logic to show you a range of airlines and departure times, so you’re not just seeing one type of option.

Dynamic weighting:
The relative importance of each factor changes per search. For example, if the cheapest flight is only slightly cheaper but significantly longer, we may weigh price less heavily.

Organize your results through filters.

KAYAK’s sorting and filtering tools let you organize results based on what matters most to you. You can refine your search by price, flight duration, travel class, and more. This gives you full control over how hotels are displayed and helps you find the best stay for your trip.

For more information.

How does KAYAK rank hotels?

By default, KAYAK’s “Recommended” results aim to show you the best balance between price, guest experience, and popularity.

Factors we consider when ranking hotels.

  • Price
  • Guest ratings
  • Popularity (measured by clicks)
  • Average revenue potential for KAYAK
  • Additional elements like distance from the city center and hotel class, which are weighted less heavily

Result diversity:We use internal algorithms to display a variety of property types and price points, helping you see a balanced selection of relevant stays rather than repetitive results.

Dynamic weighting:The importance of each factor changes depending on your search. For example, if all prices are similar, guest ratings or popularity may play a bigger role in ranking.

Multiple offers:If the same deal is available on several provider sites, KAYAK highlights one main offer based on price competitiveness and expected revenue. When you’re logged in, private deals may also appear higher in results. You can always sort results manually by price, hotel class, review score, or distance.

Set your own ranking through filters.

KAYAK’s sorting and filtering tools let you organize results based on what matters most to you. You can refine your search by price, star rating, distance, amenities, and more. This gives you full control over how hotels are displayed, helping you find the best stay for your trip.

For more information.

How does KAYAK rank Packages?

The default “Recommended” sort result for packages is based mainly on the price, the hotel’s guest rating and its popularity (measured in clicks). We also factor in the average revenue potential for us from each package result. We believe that these parameters prioritize the most relevant results for the users, while also improving our revenue.

Here’s how KAYAK displays hotel and package results:

Aggregation: KAYAK processes results from 5M+ hotel and properties and hundreds of third-party sites, displaying a variety of hotel prices and options that can help you save up to 35% on hotels. You can search hotels and compare prices on KAYAK.

Filtering and comparison: On the search results page, you can use various filters to compare options for the same hotel and choose the best deal from all the sites we scan. KAYAK doesn’t charge extra fees for this service.

Reviews: KAYAK displays millions of verified reviews so you can see as many available hotel options as possible.

Set your own ranking through filters.

KAYAK’s sorting and filtering tools let you organize results based on what matters most to you. You can refine your search by:

  • Sort by price, star rating, or guest reviews
  • Filter by amenities, location, or property type

For more information.

How does KAYAK get prices?

KAYAK is a travel search engine that scans hundreds of travel sites in seconds to gather prices and deals in one place. Here’s how it works.

Where prices come from.

  • KAYAK searches across hundreds of travel sites at once to find prices and availability
  • For hotels, KAYAK processes results from 5M+ hotels and properties and hundreds of third-party sites
  • When you book, you're booking with the provider (airline, hotel, car agency, or travel site), not with KAYAK

How KAYAK presents prices.

  • Aggregation and comparison: Results from multiple providers are consolidated so you can compare options for the same flight, hotel, or rental car and decide where to book
  • Price Calendar and Price Alerts: Use historical and real-time data to forecast whether prices will rise or fall over the next seven days. KAYAK analyzes over a billion travel information requests each year and monitors prediction accuracy daily
  • KAYAK.ai: Offers real-time pricing in conversational search, backed by KAYAK data

Why prices may differ or change.

  • KAYAK does not set prices. It compiles data from many sites
  • Prices for airline seats, hotel rooms, and car rentals change frequently
  • Multiple people may try to book the same option at once, so some prices may no longer be available when you click through
  • Occasionally, problems in the price and availability data from travel sites can lead to mismatches between a provider's website and KAYAK
  • KAYAK does not guarantee prices for these reasons

What to do if you find an inaccurate price.

Please report it to KAYAK so they can address the issue as soon as possible.

For more information.

How does KAYAK get reviews and moderate content?

KAYAK publishes reviews from verified guests and uses both automated checks and manual moderation to maintain content quality. Here’s how the review system works.

Where do reviews come from?

KAYAK references around half a billion reviews across the platform. This includes reviews for flights, cars, hotels, and users’ travel tips.

For flights and cars, we display reviews collected directly from our customers who have a confirmed booking. For hotels, we display reviews from both our customers and partner websites.

For reviews collected directly from our customers, only people who have an account with us and agree to receive emails from us are contacted and asked to provide a review. Customers may also leave reviews directly on our Trips platform.

For users’ travel tips, KAYAK may ask you to submit them. These are evaluated automatically and published only if they are deemed useful.

What happens before reviews are published?

Every review undergoes automated checks before appearing on the site, which include a profanity screening. KAYAK may not display or will remove reviews that violate guidelines, whether positive or negative. This includes:

  • Illegal activities
  • Personal or sensitive information
  • Swear words, sexual references, hate speech, discriminatory remarks, or threats
  • Impersonation
  • Off-topic content (like comments about the booking experience instead of the actual hotel stay)
  • Spam and fake content

If you find a review that violates guidelines, submit a notice through KAYAK’s feedback form. The content moderation team will manually review it and remove it if it doesn’t comply with guidelines.

When reviews stop showing.

Reviews may be removed from display when:

  • The review is more than three years old
  • The property has changed ownership
  • The property has undergone a major renovation or significant change

For more information.

How does KAYAK recommend or rank travel content and results?

KAYAK uses recommender systems across the site to surface content and search results we think you’ll find most relevant. These systems weigh multiple factors dynamically based on your search context, and in some cases, expected revenue to KAYAK is also considered.

Core factors in our recommendations.

KAYAK considers several key factors when recommending content:

  • Your inferred location (country site, selected currency, IP address, or home airport)
  • Search form details (origin, destination, dates, number of guests/passengers, cabin class)
  • Price of offers
  • Popularity of destinations or offers
  • And sometimes our expected revenue

The importance of each factor varies by case, with the goal of maximizing relevance for you.

When several providers offer the same flight.

When multiple providers offer the same flight, here’s how we order them:

  • The cheapest provider is always highlighted
  • Other booking options with the same price are ordered mainly by click-through rate (CTR) and cost per click (CPC)

Other ranking factors.

  • We highlight provider booking or baggage fees so you can compare total prices
  • Providers that aren't upfront about fees are less likely to be recommended

Data sources and coverage.

KAYAK displays deals from many sources, including airlines, aggregators, global distribution systems, travel management companies, and online travel agencies. Please keep in mind that results may not always reflect all available deals.

Questions & feedback

Got questions or feedback about bookings, trips, pricing, or anything else?

Get in touch

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Found a price that doesn’t match up?

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