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Type of site | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Available in | 18 languages |
| Founded | January 14, 2004; 21 years ago (2004-01-14) |
| Headquarters | Stamford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Area served | Global |
| Founder(s) | Steve Hafner Paul M. English |
| Key people | Steve Hafner (CEO) Ko Baryiames (CTO) Amy Wei (CCO) Peer Bueller (CFO) Tore Pein Jensen (CMO) |
| Industry | Travel Technology |
| Products | Travel agency Metasearch engine |
| Revenue | US$292.7 million (2012)[1] |
| Parent | Booking Holdings |
| Subsidiaries | SWOODOO Checkfelix Mundi Hotels Combined |
| URL | www |
| Launched | February 7, 2005 (2005-02-07) (Public)[2] |
| Native client(s) on | iOS,Android,watchOS,Amazon Alexa,Facebook Messenger |
Kayak (styled asKAYAK) is ametasearch engine for travel services, including airline flights, hotels, rental cars, and vacation packages.[3] It is owned and operated byBooking Holdings.[4]
Kayak's website and mobile apps are currently available in about 20 languages and 30 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, India, China, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia,[5] Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Australia, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Belgium, Korea, Japan, and Singapore.
Kayak was founded in January 2004 by Steve Hafner andPaul M. English.[6][7] Before Kayak, Steve Hafner, Kayak's currentCEO, helped foundOrbitz in November 1999 and led its business development, advertising sales, marketing, and product marketing activities.[8]
The company was originally named Travel Search Company, Inc. and the name was changed to Kayak Software Corporation in August 2004.[9]
The website launched in February 2005.[2]
In December 2007, Kayak raised $196 million in financing from a group of investors includingGeneral Catalyst,Sequoia Capital,Accel Partners, andOak Investment Partners. Using that funding, Kayak acquired SideStep, another online travel agency.[10][11]
On March 5, 2010, Kayak sold certain assets related toTravelPost.[12]
In May 2010, Kayak acquired German travel search platform Swoodoo.[13]
In January 2011, Kayak shut down SideStep and redirected SideStep traffic to Kayak.com.[14]
In April 2011, Kayak acquired all of the outstanding shares of JaBo Vertrieb-und Entwicklung GmbH, or JaBo Software, operator Checkfelix, a travel search engine inAustria.[15]
On July 20, 2012, Kayak became apublic company via aninitial public offering. On its first day of trading on theNASDAQ stock exchange under the symbol KYAK, Kayak opened at $26 per share and closed at $33.18 per share.[16]
On May 21, 2013,Booking Holdings, then known as Priceline.com, acquired the company for $2.1 billion.[17]
In September 2013, Kayak announced an office move to the Harbor Point district of Stamford, aided by a $2.5 million loan from the state ofConnecticut.[18]
In 2017, the company acquired Mundi, a Brazilian flight metasearch company.[19]
In 2018, Kayak assumed leadership of Hotels Combined, which was acquired by parent company, Booking Holdings.[20]
In 2024, Kayak added fares fromSouthwest Airlines to its listings.[21]
In 2013,Travel + Leisure included Kayak's app in its list of the Best Apps for Business Travelers[22] as well as its list for the Best Apps for websites and travelers.[23]
Time named Kayak on its list of the 50 Best Websites of 2009.[24]
Mashable included Kayak in first place for the website's list, "10 Budget Airfare Tools Every Traveler Should Know in 2012".[25]
Kayak won the followingWebby Awards:
The World Travel Awards presented Kayak with the World's Leading Flight Comparison Website award in 2013 and the World's Leading Travel Search Website award in 2011.[33]
In December 2011, Kayak announced that it would not renew a contract to advertise on theTLC reality television showAll-American Muslim. The decision followed a campaign by theFlorida Family Association, a one-manfundamentalist organization focused on “defending American values".[34][35] In a statement posted to the Kayak website, Kayak Chief Marketing Officer, Robert Birge, wrote that TLC “was not upfront with us about the nature of the show”.[36]
