CheapTickets
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Online travel services |
| Founded | 1986 in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States |
| Founder | Michael Hartley, Sandra Hartley |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
| Products | Airline tickets, hotel accommodations, vacation rentals, car rentals, holiday packages, cruises |
| Parent | Expedia Group |
CheapTickets operates as an online travel service provider focused on the leisure segment, delivering offerings such as airline tickets, hotel accommodations, vacation rentals, car rentals, tailored holiday packages, and cruise bookings. Initially functioning as a division of Orbitz Worldwide, Inc., it was integrated into the Expedia Group following Expedia’s acquisition of Orbitz.
History
Established in 1986 in Honolulu, Hawaii by Michael and Sandra Hartley, CheapTickets originated when Mid Pacific Air, an inter-island airline, compensated the founders' employer with 3,000 tickets. These tickets were marketed through classified advertisements, which catalyzed the company’s evolution into an airline ticket consolidator that acquired seats at reduced prices to resell at rates below standard published fares.
The company launched its inaugural call center in Honolulu in 1987 and subsequently expanded operations to cities such as Colorado Springs, Lakeport, Los Angeles, and Tampa. With the introduction of its website in 1997, CheapTickets positioned itself among the pioneers in online travel sales. It maintained physical storefronts in Hawaii, California, New York, and Washington until their closure by 2003, at which point in-person transactions accounted for merely 2% of total sales.
In 2000, Cendant acquired CheapTickets, after which it became part of Travelport’s Travel Distribution Services Division. Following Travelport’s divestiture to Blackstone Group in 2006, CheapTickets was incorporated into Orbitz Worldwide.
In 2009, Orbitz confronted legal action from New Jersey alleging consumer fraud related to ticket transactions on CheapTickets Exchange. However, Orbitz successfully claimed protection under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, resulting in dismissal of the lawsuit.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Expedia Group
- Orbitz brands
- American travel websites
- American companies established in 1986
- Transport companies established in 1986
- Internet properties established in 1997
- 2000 mergers and acquisitions
- Online travel agencies
- Companies based in Chicago
- 1986 establishments in Hawaii