Compared for me

Priceline.com is another travel website that offers comparative pricing from a variety of service companies. Like other popular travel websites, users can book flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages, as well as activities that include tours and attractions. Venture Capitalist Jessie Fink and digital entrepreneur Jay Walker started Priceline.com, hiring William Shatner as the famous spokesperson. Priceline.com acquired Booking.com and Agoda.com—websites targeted to the European market— to widen its international presence in the online travel market. With Priceline.com as the parent company, all three sites follow the same business model, with different branding.

Priceline.com first became well known for its Name Your Own Price system. Travelers could name their price for airline tickets, hotel rooms, and car rentals. That price would then be compared to prices in the Priceline.com database. The purchaser is only given the name and location of the company after the purchase has gone through, with no option to cancel. The reason they do not allow users to cancel is because they offer the price to the hotel, airline, or car rental company with the guarantee that the service will be sold. Recently, Priceline.com has adopted the model where users are presented prices and are also given the name of the establishment. Users still have the option to name their price; however, the number of companies participating in the program has decreased. In November of 2007, Priceline.com permanently eliminated all booking fees on published airlines.

The Priceline.com homepage offers the user many options when booking travel. Their Shop for Discount Travel quick search window allows users to research flights, hotels, cars, vacations, and cruises based on their desired dates. They also feature Priceline City Guides, powered by the well-known Zagat Survey. You simply select a city, and are presented with user ratings and reviews of that city’s hotels, restaurants, attractions, and nightlife. You have access to photos, numerical ratings, and Priceline.com user reviews at no additional cost. Furthermore, with their Never Miss a Deal feature, you simply enter your email address to be notified of the top deals each week. Finally, their PriceBreakers tab gives you access to deals that have been “hand-picked by Priceline’s travel experts for their exceptional value. New deals are added daily…check back often.� It is no surprise that Priceline.com is one of the top travel websites, as it offers no flight booking fees in combination with many interactive tools from which every traveler can benefit.

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