Expedia Group Unveils New AI Experiences, Expands Travel Ecosystem and Launches Philanthropy Program at Explore 2026
Expedia Announces partnership with CLEAR, adding to recent Uber announcement, making Expedia a one-stop-shop for seamless travel beyond booking
Company advances its AI-powered travel marketplace with new in-feed planning on Meta, natural language trip planning, and smarter booking tools that help travelers decide, book, and manage trips with greater confidence and ease
New philanthropic fund, Expedia Trails Fund, launches to restore trails and protect iconic landscapes for the next generation of travelers
Thirty years after bringing travel online — and into reach for millions of people — Expedia Group is taking its next visionary steps for the future of travel: unveiling new AI-powered traveler 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, world-class supply, and deep servicing expertise are being re-engineered for the AI era.
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The company's founding and defining leaders — Barry Diller, current CEO Ariane Gorin, Dara Khosrowshahi, and Rich Barton — joined nearly 2,000 partners in Las Vegas to show how three decades of first-party data, world-class supply, and deep servicing expertise are being re-engineered for the AI era.
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 operates the world's most trusted and intelligent travel marketplace, connecting millions of travelers with partners across lodging, air, car, activities and more.
"At Expedia Group, our purpose is simple: to help travelers explore the world, one journey at a time," said Ariane Gorin, CEO, Expedia Group. "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."
Powering Seamless Travel from inspiration to arrival through strategic partnerships
Through new integrations and partnerships, Expedia Group continues to move beyond travel booking to power more of the moments before, during and after a trip.
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CLEAR: Expedia + CLEAR Partnership
Expedia is partnering with CLEAR to provide Expedia travelers and One Key members a smoother, more seamless airport experience — from faster security with CLEAR+ to personalized Concierge support — making the entire journey easier and less stressful.
One Key™ members receive tier-based pricing and direct access to the CLEAR platform when signing up through Expedia.
- 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 richer rewards, better pricing, and VIP perks designed for today's hybrid and on‑the‑go professionals.
- Uber: Expedia Group is deepening its partnership with Uber, not only powering its hotel marketplace across 250,000 destinations worldwide but also bringing Uber rides into the Expedia app — giving travelers new ways to move once they arrive.
- Creator-led Discovery: Expedia is also expanding how travel demand is shaped, working with creators like iShowSpeed to connect inspiration directly to bookable trips for a new generation of travelers. 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 helps you book with confidence and CLEAR helps you win the day of travel. Together, we're connecting the journey so travelers can go from booking to boarding with less friction and more control," said Caryn Seidman Becker, CEO of CLEAR.
Building the most intelligent and trusted marketplace for the AI era
Expedia Group is embedding AI across every stage of the travel journey, to become an always-on travel companion that helps travelers decide, book and navigate trips with confidence. At Explore 26, Expedia Group unveiled new innovations that bring that vision to life for travelers.
- In-feed planning with Meta: Expedia and Meta are taking the next step in their collaboration: testing AI conversations on ads that lets travelers 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—an innovative feature that lets travelers create itineraries inspired by Instagram Reels.
- AI Property Compare and Property Expert from Hotels.com help travelers book with greater speed and confidence. AI Property Compare makes it easier for travelers to 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 travelers validate their choice by answering detailed property and neighborhood questions using trusted property information and guest reviews. Both are coming later this year.
- Package Price Insights on Expedia, coming later this year, helps travelers book with greater confidence by signaling when Stay + Flight package prices are typical or lower than usual, making it easier for travelers to spot standout deals and book with confidence.
- Natural language AI trip planning tools: Later this year, Expedia is introducing Activity Planner, a new AI capability that uses natural language to help travelers 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 travelers describe their ideal stay in their own words, going beyond limited filters. Travelers 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 is continuing to enhance how families plan and book travel with expanded Buy Now, Pay Later options that make checkout simpler, more flexible, and more familiar. 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 travelers 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 travelers, 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: Protecting the Places that Make Travel Worth It
As Expedia Group looks to the next 30 years, and travelers head outside in record numbers, the company is launching Expedia Trails Fund — a multi-year commitment to restore, protect, and future-proof the trails, parks, and coastlines that inspire millions of trips.
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 the natural places travelers love. 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 travelers 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.
Writing the next chapter of travel, together
Explore 26 marks an important milestone in Expedia Group's next chapter — one defined by AI innovation, deeper connectivity and a broader commitment to the future of travel.
"We've led through three decades of technology shifts by testing early, learning fast and staying relentlessly focused on travelers," Gorin said. "As we enter this next era, we're excited to build the future of this marketplace together — with travelers and partners around the world."
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About Expedia Group
Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) is the global travel marketplace with one purpose: to help travelers explore the world, one journey at a time. Expedia Group™ connects travelers, partners, and advertisers through its trusted brands, leading technology, and rich first-party data, delivering predictive, personalized experiences that shape the future of travel.
Expedia Group's ecosystem includes three flagship consumer brands – Expedia®, Hotels.com®, and Vrbo® – the largest B2B travel business, and a premier advertising network. Guided by an experienced and passionate global team, Expedia Group helps millions of travelers in more than 70 countries explore the world with confidence and ease.
© 2026 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group company. All rights reserved. Expedia Group and the Expedia Group logo are trademarks of Expedia, Inc. CST: 2029030-50.
For more information, visit www.expediagroup.com.
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