Viator vs Expedia: Which Travel Booking Platform is Better?

Viator and Expedia are among the most popular online booking travel agencies as they make your arrangements easy. However, you may be wondering which of the two is the best travel booking platform.

This article provides a detailed comparison of Expedia vs Viator. It analyzes their services, pricing, user experience, and customer satisfaction to help you determine which one is suitable for your travel needs.

Key Insights

• The global online travel market size in 2023 was estimated at $600 billion.
• In Q3 2024, Viator’s gross revenue was $270 million, a 10% increase from the previous year.
• Both Viator and Expedia have a rating and review system to help customers make an informed decision about various destinations.

Platform Overview

Expedia is owned by the Expedia Group. It is a sister company to VRBO and Hotels.com. The three make Expedia Group the second largest online travel company worldwide, coming second after Booking Holdings.

Viator is a travel agency company owned by TripAdvisor. According to TripAdvisor, Viator offers over 350,000 bookable experiences, more than 55,000 operators, and over 4,000 demand partners.

Viator vs Expedia: In-depth Comparison

Let’s compare Viator and Expedia based on their range of offers, prices, ease of usage, customer service, cancellation, and refund policies.

Range of offers

Expedia has a wide range of offers to cater to most travelers’ needs, including booking airline tickets, car rentals, cruise ships, and activities. 

On the other hand, Viator specializes in booking tours and excursions worldwide. Compared to Expedia, Viator offers a much wider range of tours and activities to choose from. You can book city tours, day trips, show tickets, and helicopter tours, among other things. The Viator website indicates that they have over 300,000 travel experiences.

Source: viator.com

Unfortunately, despite their wide range of services, some customers encounter challenges with their bookings. Both Expedia and Viator reviews evidence that customers often receive booking confirmations, but upon arrival at the destination, they cannot access the services paid for, or the itinerary is different.

For example, in an Expedia review, the customer said:

I had reserved the hotel through expedia and had a confirmation sent to me via email from expedia that my stay was confirmed. Upon arrival, the hotel did not get the confirmation from Expedia even though I had proof! So they could not honor my stay because you, Expedia failed to send it!...

In a Viator review, the customer expressed similar frustration, saying:

I have to say that this trip was extremely disappointing and was not what we had paid for, nor what was confirmed or bargained for…

Prices

Since Viator and Expedia cater to different travel planning needs, their pricing models differ. That said, Expedia notably offers more competitive pricing. The website claims that customers can save up to over $1000 in package deals compared to booking the various components separately. Travelers also enjoy up to 25% discounts for specific offerings.

Source: expedia.com

Exceptionally, Expedia offers discounted member prices. Member price is a special discounted rate exclusively available to users who are signed up for the free Expedia rewards program. Other advantages of the membership include a wider selection of deals and exclusive access to certain VIP services.

Comparatively, Viator has fewer and less frequent discounts, with most of them being time-limited deals.

Source: x.com

Both Viator and Expedia reviews reveal that customers complain about price fluctuations, hidden fees, and overcharges.

For example, in Viator review #5812244, the customer complained about being charged double for a booking. When they contacted Expedia customer service, they were told “prices fluctuate” and they could not be refunded.

In Expedia review #6303846, a customer suspected a bait-and-switch strategy by Expedia when looking for a hotel room. They wrote: 

The price was listed as $117 total including taxes, but when I went to check out the total was $154. I have never had this happen before, but they said it's because those rooms are no longer available. This was happening to every hotel I was clicking on.

Ease of usage

Both online travel agencies provide a user-friendly interface on their websites and apps, giving customers a seamless booking experience. The platforms are intuitive making it easy for users to browse and filter options to find their preferred services and destinations. 

However, due to its wider scope of services, Expedia is a more comprehensive platform. To ensure an excellent user experience on the platform, Expedia compensates for its complexity with smart features such as comparison tools, smart search features, and bundled packages.

Cancellation and refund policies

While both Expedia and Viator offer refunds and cancellations, the terms and conditions vary significantly.

Expedia has a “Cancel for Any Reason” cancellation and refund policy if you choose it as an add-on for your booking. The policy allows you to cancel your trip for a partial refund up to 24 hours before the first flight in your booking is initially scheduled to depart. The total refundable amount will be displayed before you proceed to confirm your booking.

The Expedia cancellation policy states that a refund will be issued automatically if you cancel the booking within the stipulated timeline. However, refunds can take up to 7 days to reflect in your account.

Source: expedia.com

Viator has various cancellation policies as indicated for different tours and activities. Viator cancellation policy options include:

• Free cancellation – full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before your experience’s start date or time.
• Non-refundable – cannot be refunded for any reason.
• Moderate – full refund if you cancel at least 4 full days before your experience’s start date or time.
• Strict – full refund if you cancel at least 7 full days before your experience’s start date or time.
• Custom – the terms and conditions of cancellation are indicated on the experience page.

Despite the clearly stipulated policies, customer reviews indicate that the Viator and Expedia refund process is not as straightforward as supposed. Neither Expedia nor Viator reimburses customers even when cancellations are due to the company’s fault. 

Such was the case in the Expedia complaint:

Our flight was canceled by the airline, there wasn't any available flights to our. Destination for the next 2 days, or that day. Expedia, and hotel decline refunding money back for hotel…

Similarly, in Viator review #6202513, the customer said: 

The tour was cancelled due to weather - the tour company notified Viator immediately and after several weeks, Viator finally claimed to have refunded the cost of the tour. The only problem is that they did not refund anything, just sent a bogus looking 'confirmation of refund.'

Customer service

Both Expedia and Viator travel platforms indicate that they offer 24/7 customer support. 

Expedia has an elaborate help center that is the first line of customer support. They also offer customer support via phone, email, and live chat. On social media, Expedia customer service is highly responsive on Twitter @ExpediaHelp.

Similarly, Viator has an elaborate help center and customer representatives on Twitter and Instagram, all with the same page name @ViatorTravel. The option to contact Viator customer service via phone is only available for their travel agents and not for customers who book directly. 

Even though there are many ways to contact customer support, based on trustworthy reviews, both Expedia and Viator have poor customer service. Customers often struggle to reach representatives, and in some cases, the representatives are unhelpful. 

For example, in Viator's complaint, the customer received conflicting information about her trip from Viator and tour agents, which led to them missing one of their booked trips.

I called Viator and explained the situation to them and was told that the problem was that Viator did not receive the corrected information… The customer service rep said she would request a refund. Received an email the next day from Viator stating they would not issue a refund based on information they received from the tour company.

On the other hand, in an Expedia review, upon arriving at their booked hotel, the customer found the room in a filthy state and had to find another place to stay. The Hotel manager accepted the cancellation but asked the reviewer to contact Expedia customer service for a refund. Not only was it difficult to find an Expedia phone number to call, but when they finally got through, the customer service representatives were dismissive and unhelpful.

Should You Book Your Trip with Viator or Expedia?

Consumer insights on PissedConsumer indicate low customer ratings and satisfaction for both companies. According to Expedia and Viator reviews, the top consumer issues on the travel platforms are poor customer service, unfavorable refund policies, and being overcharged.

Expedia outshines Viator with its competitive pricing model that includes package deals, member prices, and discounts. The Viator website stands out for its wide collection of tours, excursions, and activity options. Both platforms offer excellent user interfaces for a seamless booking experience.

Ultimately, your choice based on the travel agencies’ comparison comes down to your needs. Expedia is your go-to one-stop shop for all your travel planning, while Viator focuses on tours and excursions. 

What has been your experience with Expedia or Viator? You are welcome to write a review on PissedConsumer.com.