If you’re looking to book flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises or vacation packages online, you’ve probably come across Priceline and Travelocity. These two travel booking giants have been battling it out for customers’ business for over 20 years. But which one should you choose for your next trip?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll compare the pros, cons, features and user experience of Priceline and Travelocity to help you decide which is better for booking affordable travel.
A Brief Comparison Table
| Feature | Priceline | Travelocity |
| Pricing Model | Name your own price bids, published prices, Express Deals | Published prices only |
| Flexible Dates Search | No | Yes |
| Price Guarantee | Yes | Yes |
| Loyalty Program Value | Better | Weak |
| Cancellation Policies | Hotel bids are nonrefundable | Varies by supplier |
| Customer Service | Limited hours | 24/7 support |
| Vacation Package Deals | Basic | More options |
| User Interface | Simple design | More visuals/content |
| Hotel Reviews | Minimal | Questionable reliability |
| Payment Options | Wide range | More limited |
Overview of Priceline and Travelocity
Priceline was founded in 1997 as a “name your own price” travel site where users bid on airline tickets, hotel rooms and rental cars. The company expanded over the years to offer published price hotel, flight and package deals.
Priceline is best known for its “Express Deals” on hotels that allow you to pick your general area and star rating for deep discounts without knowing the exact hotel name until after booking.
Travelocity launched in 1996 as an online travel agency. It provides booking services for flights, hotels, vacation packages, cars, cruises and more.
Travelocity is owned by Expedia Group, one of the largest online travel companies. It’s known for the entertaining Roaming Gnome mascot featured in its commercials for over 15 years.
Also Read: Comparison Between Travelocity and KAYAK
Key Differences Between Travelocity And Priceline
Both sites provide travelers with the ability to easily compare prices and book airfare, hotels, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages all in one place. But they have some key differences when it comes to their models and features.
Priceline Pros
- Name Your Own Price – Priceline allows you to place a bid for travel services like flights and hotel rooms. If your offer is accepted, you can score significant savings.
- Express Deals – Get deep discounts (up to 60% off) on hotels by selecting your preferred area and star-rating. You don’t know the exact hotel until after booking.
- Reward Program – Earn points towards free hotels stays and other perks through Priceline VIP Loyalty Program.
- Price Match Guarantee – Priceline will refund the difference if you find a lower publicly available price on a hotel within 24 hours of booking.
- Cancellation Options – Name Your Own Price & Express Deal hotel bookings can be canceled for a voucher.
Travelocity Pros
- Price Guarantee – If Travelocity’s price on a hotel or flight drops after you book, they’ll refund you the difference.
- Flexible Date Search – See price graphs when searching flights to find the cheapest dates for your trip.
- Vacation Packages – Bundles flight, hotel, car rentals and activities into complete vacations. Good for cruises too.
- 24/7 Customer Support – Around the clock assistance via web chat, social media or by phone.
- Travel Blog – Features useful trip planning tips and inspiration. Makes the site more engaging.
Priceline Cons
- Limited Customer Service – No 24/7 phone support and some users report frustrating experiences trying to contact Priceline.
- Confusing Bidding Process – Name Your Own Price bidding can be complicated for first timers and takes trial and error.
- Hidden Brand Names – Not knowing exact hotel name when booking Express Deals is a risk for some travelers.
- No Trip Cancellation Insurance – Must purchase separate travel insurance policy if you want cancellation protection.
- Website Not as Robust – The interface isn’t as slick and visually appealing as some competitors.
Travelocity Cons
- No Bidding or Mystery Deals – Lacks Priceline’s Name Your Own Price and Express Deals for scoring super low rates.
- Change & Cancellation Fees – Travelocity doesn’t offer free cancellation on hotels. Fees apply based on policies.
- Limited Payment Options – Currently only accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Amex and PayPal.
- High Service Fees – Adds on a higher service fee for booking activities, airport transfers and vacation packages.
- Unreliable Reviews – User generated hotel reviews are minimal and potentially fake or paid reviews.
- Booking Experience Comparison
The booking process and user experience can also significantly impact which site travelers choose to make their reservations. Here’s how Priceline and Travelocity stack up.
Priceline’s booking process is simple and straightforward. The Express Deals for hotels offer amazing rates in seconds with an intuitive layout. The bidding option for flights and cars adds an extra layer that some find confusing or risky. But it can pay off hugely if your bid is accepted.
Travelocity aims to provide more hand holding guidance throughout the booking process with its interactive guides and articles. The site is colorful and visually appealing. But the actual booking forms and flows aren’t necessarily easier or faster than competitors.
Both sites include the standard fare compare calendars, filters by stops, departure times, etc when searching flights. Priceline has a clean design that loads quickly. Travelocity tries to incorporate more graphics and contextual help content.
For hotels, Travelocity lets you easily sort results by star rating, distance from landmarks, price, guest ratings and more filters. Priceline’s list layout is more bare bones, prioritizing loading speed.
Also Read: Comparison Between Travelex And Travel Guard
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- Loyalty Programs Comparison
Priceline Rewards beats out Travelocity’s Rewards loyalty program in terms of value.
Priceline VIP members earn points with each booking that can be redeemed for exclusive discounts of 5-10% off express deals, or even free hotel nights. There are additional member-only deals and perks.
Travelocity Rewards basically just gives you a small $5 travel credit for every $500 spent on eligible bookings. Not very enticing or valuable for frequent travelers on a budget.
Also Read: Comparison Between Viator And Klook
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Travelocity and Expedia are both great options. Expedia tends to offer more flexibility around changes and cancellations. But Travelocity provides better bundled vacation package deals. For basic hotel and airfare booking, the rates are generally comparable. Check both to find any discrepancies.
Priceline is an online travel booking site founded in 1997. It enables travelers to name their own price via bidding for flights, hotel rooms and rental cars. Priceline is best known today for its published price Express hotel Deals with deep discounts in exchange for a non-refundable prepayment.
Priceline is best known for its Name Your Own Price service that lets users bid on travel services and for its Express Deals that offer significant savings on hotels in popular destinations if customers are flexible. Priceline does not disclose the specific hotel name before booking an Express Deal.
Travelocity gained popularity as an online travel agency with advertising featuring their Roaming Gnome mascot. They provide a one stop shop to book flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages. Travelocity is popular for its transparent pricing, flexible date search tools and breadth of travel content.
Also Read: Comparison Between KAYAK And Hopper
The Verdict
Priceline comes out ahead for budget-focused travelers thanks to its flexible bidding system and guaranteed discounted mystery hotel deals. Travelocity does better at providing an inspirational travel planning experience, but falls short on competitive pricing.
For planning complex itineraries or cruises, Travelocity’s bundled vacation packages and helpful tools may have an advantage. But for basic hotel and airfare booking, Priceline offers greater savings potential and value.
The best approach may be to compare both sites when booking to take advantage of Priceline’s deals and Travelocity’s price match guarantee as a backup if rates drop. Each have their merits, so the right choice depends on the specifics of your travel needs and preferences.