Travellers increasingly want to book flights, cars, activities and trip protection in one place, and it is widening its Rapid API to let partners sell across all four categories through a single connection, according to new research by Expedia.
For operators and travel brands that still treat bookings as one-off transactions, the finding points to a commercial gap, with most travellers returning to the same platform to add to a trip they have already started. The pull is strongest among younger travellers, who are now setting the expectation for how a trip gets booked.
The survey of more than 2,500 travellers across 10 markets found that 77% are at least somewhat likely to book more than one part of their next trip on the same website or app, and that 76% return to a platform to add further elements after a first booking, Expedia Group said. Among Gen Z travellers, 83% are likely to book several elements in one place.
Stephen Cheng, vice president at Expedia Group B2B, said travellers wanted the flexibility to build and manage a trip over time rather than make isolated bookings, and that partners able to act as full-trip hubs stood to gain growth and repeat custom.
Price is the main lever. Some 81% said they would be at least somewhat likely to book elements together in return for additional savings, and 95% said any extra discount would influence their decision to book multiple elements on the same site. That points to bundled pricing, rather than convenience alone, as the trigger that turns a single booking into several.
The research also recorded a shift towards experience-led travel. More than half of respondents, 55%, said an authentic, immersive trip mattered more to them than it did five years ago, while 92% said local activities made a trip more immersive, rising to 95% among Gen Z. Some 69% said a rental car made it easier to experience a destination as a local would.
Demand across core categories is set to hold over the coming year. Some 90% of travellers plan to book activities or experiences, 88% plan to book flights and 75% plan to hire a car. As trips grow more complex, 67% said they were likely to add trip protection when offered it as a simple add-on during booking.
Expedia Group is positioning its Rapid API ecosystem to capture that demand, building on an expansion announced last year that took the platform beyond lodging. The Rapid Car API covers car rentals from more than 110 brands across 190 countries and 45,000 pickup points. The Rapid Flight API offers access to more than 400 airlines through one connection. A Rapid Activities API handles experiences, and the company offers trip protection including Cancel For Any Reason cover on hotel bookings and car rental insurance.
The single-connection model lowers the barrier for smaller partners, which can offer flights, cars and activities without negotiating supply deals category by category. For Expedia, it deepens reliance on its B2B distribution business, which sells its inventory and technology to other travel brands rather than to consumers directly.
The research was commissioned by Expedia Group and conducted by Harris Poll in February 2026, surveying travellers with decision-making power for their trips across the US, UK, France, Japan, Mexico, Australia, Germany, China, Brazil and India.