Expedia Group has unveiled new AI-powered traveller experiences, marketplace capabilities and a long-term philanthropic commitment to protect the places people love to visit.
At Explore 26, its annual partner conference, the company’s founding and defining leaders — Rich Barton, Dara Khosrowshahi, Barry Diller, and current CEO Ariane Gorin — joined nearly 2,000 partners in Las Vegas to show how three decades of first-party data, global supply, and deep servicing expertise are being re-engineered for the AI era.
Expedia leaders through the years – from right, Rich Barton, Dara Khosrowshahi, Barry Diller, and current CEO Ariane Gorin
Here are some key takeaways:
- Expedia announced partnership with CLEAR, adding to recent Uber announcement, making Expedia a one-stop-shop for travel beyond booking
- Company advanced its AI-powered travel marketplace with new in-feed planning on Meta, natural language trip planning, and smarter booking tools that help travellers decide, book, and manage trips
- New philanthropic fund, Expedia Trails Fund, launches to restore trails and protect iconic landscapes for the next generation of travellers
From its creation by Barton as a small start-up inside Microsoft at the dawn of the internet, through the mobile shift under Khosrowshahi, and to Gorin’s leadership in the AI era, Expedia Group has reinvented itself across three major technology waves. Today, the company connects millions of travellers with partners across lodging, air, car, activities and more.
“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,” said Ariane Gorin, CEO, Expedia Group.
Through new integrations and partnerships, Expedia Group plans to move beyond travel booking to power more of the stages before, during and after a trip.
- CLEAR: Expedia + CLEAR Partnership
Expedia is partnering with CLEAR to provide Expedia travellers and One Key members a more seamless airport experience, ranging from faster security with CLEAR+ to personalized Concierge support.
- International Workplace Group (IWG): This summer, Hotels.com is partnering with IWG, the global leader in flexible workspaces, to provide U.S.-based IWG members complimentary Hotels.com Gold loyalty status for a limited time, unlocking more rewards, better pricing, and VIP perks designed for hybrid and on‑the‑go professionals.
- Uber: Expedia Group is deepening its partnership with Uber by powering its hotel marketplace across 250,000 destinations worldwide and also bringing Uber rides into the Expedia app.
- Creator-led Discovery: Expedia is also working with creators like iShowSpeed to connect inspiration directly to bookable trips for a new generation of travellers. iShowSpeed recently broke the record in his livestream by going to five countries in one day and this campaign has already reached nearly 400 million people.
Expedia Group is also embedding AI across every stage of the travel journey, to become an always-on travel companion that helps travellers navigate trips. At Explore 26, Expedia Group unveiled a few new innovations:
- In-feed planning with Meta: Expedia and Meta are testing AI conversations on ads that lets travellers start planning a trip or ask questions with a single tap. The experience reflects the two companies’ shared commitment to advancing customer-facing agentic experiences. This follows last year’s launch of Trip Matching—a feature that lets travellers create itineraries inspired by Instagram Reels.
- AI Property Compare and Property Expert from Hotels.com plan to help travellers compare properties based on the factors that matter most to them, such as vibe, location, amenities, and trade-offs, so they can narrow their options more quickly. Property Expert helps travellers validate their choice by answering detailed property and neighborhood questions using trusted property information and guest reviews. Both are coming later this year.
- Natural language AI trip planning tools: Later this year, Expedia is introducing Activity Planner, a new AI capability that uses natural language to help travellers describe the trip they want and instantly turn open-ended ideas into a personalized, bookable itinerary. On Vrbo, a new natural language search will let travellers describe their ideal stay in their own words, going beyond limited filters. Travellers can search by vibe and group dynamics, such as “a pet-friendly lake house with a dock near Austin for a laid-back friends getaway.” Expedia Group will be expanding the capability to its other brands.
- Smarter booking tools for families: Expedia has expanded its Buy Now, Pay Later options. The brand has also improved discovery and value through Family Highlights which surfaces family-friendly properties, and Bundle & Save, which brings together select stays, flights, and car rentals with clearer savings whether you book together as a package or build your trip over time.
- Personalized, seamless business travel: Coming this July, Hotels.com will allow travellers to set work-trip preferences with Business Profiles, making it easier to match them with the right stays and rates, while helping business-ready hotels surface more relevant guest reviews, property highlights, and amenities. For frequent travellers, a new Quick Rebook option will also streamline repeat stays by turning a past great experience into the default option when the next business trip is booked.
Announcing Expedia Trails Fund
Expedia Group is launching Expedia Trails Fund — a multi-year commitment to restore, protect, and future-proof the trails, parks, and coastlines.
The Expedia Trails Fund will initially launch with projects at The Conservation Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and Trust for Public Land, supporting trail and park improvements that help restore these natural places. Through its first 11 projects and $4.3 million in grants, Expedia is improving safety and access at iconic U.S. destinations—from Okefenokee and Yellowstone’s Paradise Valley to Hawaiʻi’s Kealakekua Bay and natural areas near Seattle and Chicago—benefiting more than 1 million visits annually.
In addition, Expedia is partnering with AllTrails to match support for the 2026 AllTrails Stewards Fund, expanding community-led trail development and restoration around the world. Expedia and AllTrails will also partner to give AllTrails premium members access to discounts on Expedia.com lodging bookings. The company expects to add more partners and projects over time.
The Expedia Trails Fund responds to a growing shift among travelers — particularly Gen Z and Millennials — who increasingly want travel choices that align with their values. Expedia Group-commissioned research found that demand for outdoor travel is strong, with 86% of Gen Z and Millennial travellers surveyed saying they took at least one national park or nature trip in the last 12 months, and nearly half (46%) saying they take one to two such trips each 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,” said Gorin.
