American Justice Department will not challenge Expedia-Orbitz merger

2 min reading time

Published on 17/09/15 - Updated on 29/06/23

Expedia

The two online tour operators will be able to consummate their union legally, as the US Justice Department's Antitrust Division has decreed after a six-month investigation.

The couple announced their forthcoming union last February, but were not yet able to go ahead with it. American authorities have only now given the go ahead for the marriage of Expedia and Orbitz, the two online distribution giants. The Justice Department made its decision after a six month investigation in response to concerns expressed by consumer rights associations and sector representatives about the emergence of a duopoly. 

"The Antitrust Division investigated the concerns that have been expressed about this transaction. We took those concerns seriously and factored into our analysis all of the information provided by third parties. At the end of this process, however, we concluded that the acquisition is unlikely to harm competition and consumers," expressed the Justice Department's Antitrust Division in a press release on September 16.

Expedia will thus take possession of all its competitor's websites, which are Orbitz.com, ebookers.com, CheapTickets.com, HotelClub.com, and Ratestogo.com. This transaction, amounting to 1.38 billion dollars according to the announcement in February 2015, would strengthen global division of the online sales sector between Expedia in North America, Priceline (via Booking) in Europe and Agoda in Asia.

Also read:



  • Hoteliers fighting Expedia's planned takeover of Orbitz
  • Expedia buys Orbitz
  • Expedia takes over an online travel company in Asia-Pacific
  • Expedia grows its presence in the USA with Travelocity
  • Expedia relaxes its price parity clauses




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