At A Glance
- Who Does the Expedia Hotels Lawsuit Affect?
The proposed classes cover people and businesses in the United States who, since October 2, 2022, paid for a stay at a U.S. hotel that lists rooms on an Expedia site. It applies if you booked directly with the hotel or through a rival booking site. Purchases made through Expedia's own sites are not covered.
- What Is Going On with the Expedia Hotels Lawsuit?
Three travelers filed Andrews v. Expedia Group in federal court in Seattle on October 2, 2026. They say Expedia's contracts and ranking tools stop hotels from offering lower prices anywhere else, which pushes room rates up for everyone. Expedia calls the claims meritless.
- What Could I Get From the Expedia Hotels Lawsuit?
Nothing yet. There is no settlement, no claim form and no payout. The plaintiffs ask for three times their damages, interest, attorneys' fees and a court order ending the practices.
- Can I File an Expedia Hotels Lawsuit?
If you fit a proposed class, you are already a potential class member and do not need to file anything now. Keep your hotel booking confirmations, because they may matter if a claims process opens. You can also speak with an antitrust lawyer about your own options.
- How Much Does a Lawyer Cost?
Class action lawyers usually work on contingency, so class members pay nothing up front. If the case wins or settles, the court approves the fee, which is paid from the recovery.
Expedia Faces an Antitrust Class Action Over Hotel Rate Rules That Allegedly Inflate Prices
Expedia Group runs Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Travelocity, Orbitz and CheapTickets. A proposed class action filed on October 2, 2026 claims the company used its size to keep hotel prices high across the whole market, even for travelers who never used an Expedia site. Claim Depot’s case summary lists the case as Andrews, et al. v. Expedia Group, Inc., No. 2:26-cv-03743, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
None of the claims has been proven. The Seattle Times, republished by the Spokesman-Review, reported that an Expedia spokesperson said the allegations “are meritless.” The case is at the complaint stage and no class has been certified.
Important Expedia lawsuit update
As of October 30, 2026, there is no Expedia settlement, no claim form and no payout. Any email or text asking you to “claim” money from this case or pay a fee to join is a scam. Learn the warning signs in our guide to class action settlement scams.
Who Is Being Sued in the Expedia Hotels Lawsuit?
The defendant is Expedia Group, Inc., the Seattle based online travel company. Hotels are not defendants.
The parties include:
- Expedia Group, Inc.: The Seattle based online travel company that runs Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Travelocity, Orbitz and CheapTickets.
- Ronisha Andrews, Pak Seong Hoi and Lorraine Rocci: The three travelers who filed Andrews v. Expedia Group.
- Terrell Marshall Law Group: The Seattle firm representing the plaintiffs.
- U.S. hotels: Not defendants, but their contracts with Expedia are at the center of the case.
Who Could Be Covered by the Expedia Hotels Lawsuit?
The proposed classes include U.S. consumers and businesses that bought a stay at a U.S. hotel listed on Expedia since October 2, 2022, directly or through another site. Expedia’s own customers are excluded. No class has been certified.
What Circumstances Might Be Relevant?
- You paid for a stay at a U.S. hotel that lists rooms on an Expedia site since October 2, 2022.
- You booked directly with the hotel or through a rival booking site.
- You can show the stay with a booking confirmation, receipt or card statement.
- You booked through an Expedia site. Purchases made through Expedia's own sites are not covered.
- You are a business that paid for hotel stays. Businesses are included in the proposed classes.
You do not need to sign up or file anything to stay in a proposed class. If a court certifies a class or a settlement is reached, official notice will explain your options. Our guide on what to do when you get a class action notice explains that step.
What Is the Expedia Hotels Lawsuit About?
The complaint centers on what is often called rate parity. Reports of the filing say Expedia’s standard hotel agreement requires hotels to give Expedia prices at least as good as those on their own booking channels. That means a hotel cannot offer a cheaper room on its own website or on a competing site.
The plaintiffs also describe tools they say enforce the rule: search penalties that push hotels down in Expedia results, an automatic rate matching tool, and a VIP Access program that allegedly requires higher prices on other channels.
According to Hotelier Times, the complaint says Expedia handles almost 80% of U.S. hotel booking value that runs through online travel agencies and takes about 15% of each booking, with some hotels paying 25% to 30% for more visibility. The plaintiffs argue hotels build those commissions into every price, so direct bookings cost more too.
| Case | Filed | Main claim | What it asks for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrews v. Expedia Group, No. 2:26-cv-03743 | October 2, 2026, W.D. Washington (Seattle) | Rate parity rules and search penalties inflate hotel prices | Triple damages, interest, fees and a court order ending the practices |
What Laws Are Involved?
Hotelier Times also reports that the complaint cites the Clayton Act, the other main federal antitrust law. Antitrust law allows damages of three times the loss if the plaintiffs win.
The key laws include:
- Sherman Act Section 1: Bans agreements that unreasonably restrain trade.
- Sherman Act Section 2: Bans illegally keeping monopoly power.
- Clayton Act: The other main federal antitrust law, cited in the complaint according to Hotelier Times.
How Do Other Pricing Cases Compare?
Antitrust cases over prices can take years and often end in settlements that pay small amounts per person. For a similar consumer pricing case, read our coverage of the RealPage rent settlement, and see the Temu class action lawsuit for another active consumer case.
Those results are not a prediction for Expedia. See how class action settlements work for the usual path from complaint to payment. Expedia has faced rate parity claims before: a 2014 federal class action was dismissed, and Hotelier Times reports that Expedia waived certain rate parity clauses for European hotels starting in August 2015.
Booked a U.S. hotel since October 2022?
You can act today without waiting for the court. Search your email for hotel booking confirmations and save them in one folder. Then note whether you booked direct or through a travel site.
What Can Hotel Travelers Do Right Now?
Because there is no settlement, the most useful steps preserve evidence in case a class is certified.
- Search your email for hotel confirmations and receipts since October 2022.
- Save card statements that show the hotel charge and date.
- Note whether you booked on the hotel website, by phone or on a travel site.
- Do not pay anyone who offers to register you for an Expedia settlement.
- Report scam emails to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Attorney
- Do my hotel stays fit one of the proposed classes?
- Would an individual antitrust claim be worth more than staying in the class?
- Do my booking records show whether I booked direct or through a travel site?
- What hotel confirmations and card statements should I save?
What Happens Next in the Expedia Hotels Case?
Expedia will likely ask the court to dismiss the case. If any claims survive, the plaintiffs would then ask the judge to certify the classes before any classwide money is possible. That process usually takes a year or more.
Follow other active cases in our list of open class action lawsuits.
Travelers may wish to:
- Bookmark this page. We update it when the court rules or a settlement is announced.
- Ignore anyone offering to "register" you for an Expedia settlement for a fee.
- Learn what a class action lawsuit is and how class members are notified.
- Check open class action settlements for claims you can file today.
Is There a Filing Deadline for the Expedia Hotels Lawsuit?
No. There is no claim deadline because there is no settlement. These are the dates that matter so far:
Key Dates in the Expedia Hotels Case:
- October 2, 2022: Start of the proposed class period for hotel stays.
- October 2, 2026: Andrews v. Expedia Group filed in federal court in Seattle.
- October 16, 2026: The Seattle Times reports Expedia calls the allegations meritless.
- Next: Expedia's likely motion to dismiss. We found no ruling as of October 30, 2026.
If you want to bring your own case instead of waiting, time limits for antitrust and state consumer claims can be short. A lawyer can tell you which deadline applies. Our guide on how to sue a company covers the basics.
Case: Andrews, et al. v. Expedia Group, Inc., No. 2:26-cv-03743 (W.D. Wash.)
Filed: October 2, 2026
Status: Complaint stage. No settlement or claim form
Summary: Claim Depot case summary
You May Also Want to Know
No. As of October 30, 2026, Expedia has not settled, and there is no claim form or payout.
That is what the lawsuit alleges, even for people who booked outside Expedia. Expedia denies it, and a court has not decided the question.
The proposed classes include U.S. consumers and businesses that bought a stay at a U.S. hotel listed on Expedia since October 2, 2022, directly or through another site. Expedia's own customers are excluded.
No one knows. Any payment depends on a settlement or verdict, and a successful antitrust case can multiply damages by three. See class action settlement payouts.