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In this article, we will be covering the 20 largest travel companies in the world. If you want to skip our detailed analysis of the travel and tourism industry, you can go directly to 5 Largest Travel Companies In The World .

The travel and tourism sector plays a vital role in global economies. It creates jobs, fosters cultural exchange, and supports local businesses. It promotes understanding between nations while also contributing significantly to GDP growth. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), travel and tourism accounted for 7.6% of global GDP in 2022 while also creating 22 million new jobs around the world.

An Analysis of the Global Travel and Tourism Industry

The travel and tourism sector plays a crucial role in addressing societal and economic challenges. The industry is now thriving after being severely impacted during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis, which led to travel restrictions, cancellations, and a sharp decline in tourism activities. According to a report by Market Research Future, the global travel and tourism market reached a value of $648.03 billion in 2023. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8% from 2023 to 2032 and reach a value of more than $1.01 trillion by the end of the forecasted period. The North American region leads the global travel and tourism market, while Europe follows as the second-largest market. The Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to exhibit the fastest growth in the industry during the forecasted period.

The travel and tourism market is undergoing a digital transformation with online booking platforms, travel agencies, mobile apps, and online travel-related services driving growth by enhancing connectivity and providing convenient and personalized traveler experiences. The trend of cultural and experiential tourism, with travelers seeking authentic, immersive experiences, unique destinations, and local experiences, is also a key factor driving market growth. Moreover, the rise in disposable incomes, especially in emerging markets, is leading to increased tourism. More people have the means to explore domestic and international destinations. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), domestic visitor spending saw an increase of 20.4% in 2022. On the other hand, international visitor spending went up by 81.9% in 2022.

What are Some of the Biggest Companies in the Travel and Tourism Industry Up To?

Prominent companies in the travel and tourism industry are actively pursuing various strategies to expand their global presence and increase their profitability. Some of the most notable names are Marriott International Inc. (NYSE: MAR ), Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HLT ), and Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG ).

Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) is one of the world’s largest providers of online travel and related services. It provides online travel services in more than 220 countries through its brands which include Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, and OpenTable. Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) is also one of the best travel stocks to buy . On February 22, Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) reported strong earnings for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023. The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $32, surpassing EPS estimates by $1.95. The company’s revenue for the quarter grew by 18.15% year-over-year and amounted to $4.78 billion, ahead of market consensus by $73.37 million. Here are some comments from Booking Holdings Inc.’s (NASDAQ:BKNG) Q4 2023 earnings call:

“As we look to the year ahead, we see strong growth on the books for travel that’s scheduled to take place in 2024, which gives early indications of potentially another record summer travel season. As we’ve noted previously, a high percentage of these bookings are capable and what is on the books today for the summer period represents a small percentage of the total bookings that we expect to ultimately receive. David will provide further details on fourth quarter results and on our thoughts about the first quarter and full year 2024. Looking back at the full year of 2023, I am proud of our efforts to drive more benefits to our travelers and supply partners while also delivering record-setting industry-leading financial results. We reached a significant milestone last year with our customers’ booking an all-time high of over 1 billion room nights on our platform, which was an increase of 17% versus 2022.”

As the demand for travel and tourism continues to grow, companies operating in this space are launching new products, engaging in mergers and acquisitions, increasing investments, and forming contracts and collaborations. Marriott International Inc. (NYSE:MAR) is an American multinational hospitality company. It operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts in more than 130 countries around the world. On March 7, Marriott International Inc. (NYSE:MAR) announced that it has entered into an agreement with Victoria Park Hotels Ltd. to launch The Park Lane Hong Kong, Autograph Collection. This new addition is set to become part of Autograph Collection Hotels by early 2025. Autograph Collection Hotels’ portfolio includes more than 300 independent properties in some of the most desirable locations around the world. Situated within a 28-story mixed-use complex featuring retail spaces on the lower floors, the new hotel is projected to have 820 guest rooms, an executive lounge, 3 unique dining venues, extensive event spaces spanning over 1,700 square meters, and various recreational facilities. Some of the guest rooms will boast stunning views of Victoria Harbour, while others will overlook the city or Victoria Park in Hong Kong.

On February 7, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HLT) announced an exclusive strategic partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) that will introduce guests of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HLT) to a wide range of hotels in some of the most popular destinations around the world. This collaboration will significantly enhance Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.’s (NYSE:HLT) luxury offerings as unique SLH properties become part of the esteemed Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, and LXR Hotels & Resorts brands.

Now that we have discussed what’s going on in the global travel and tourism industry, let’s take a look at the 20 largest travel companies in the world.

A line of travellers queuing for a commercial flight, emphasizing the airport management operations.

Methodology

In this article, we have listed the 20 largest travel companies in the world. To find the top travel companies in the world, we sifted through various sources including industry reports, our own rankings in addition to rankings available on various websites, and consulted stock screeners from Yahoo Finance and Finviz. For companies that are publicly traded, we decided to rank them according to their market capitalization as of March 9. We used fiscal year revenues to rank the companies that are not publicly traded. For foreign companies, we converted the market caps and revenues to US dollars according to their respective exchange rates, as of March 9. Finally, we narrowed down our selection to rank the 20 largest travel companies in the world based on their market capitalization and revenues, which are listed below in ascending order.

20. Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. ( NYSE: HST )

Market Capitalization: $14.9 Billion

Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. (NYSE:HST) is a major American lodging real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests in hotels. It owns a diverse portfolio of luxury and upper-upscale hotels. Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. (NYSE:HST) has a market capitalization of $14.9 billion as of March 9, 2024.

19. Hyatt Hotels Corporation ( NYSE: H )

Market Capitalization: $16.12 Billion

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H) is an American multinational hospitality company. As one of the world’s top hospitality companies, it manages and franchises luxury and business hotels, resorts, and vacation properties in more than 70 countries across 6 continents. As of March 9, 2024, Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H) has a market capitalization of $16.12 billion.

18. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC ( NYSE: IHG )

Market Capitalization: $17.4 Billion

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) is a British multinational hospitality company. With more than 6,000 hotels in over 100 countries, it is one of the world’s leading hotel companies. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) has a market capitalization of $17.4 billion as of March 9, 2024. It ranks 18th on our list of the 20 biggest travel companies in the world.

17. Expedia Group Inc. ( NASDAQ: EXPE )

Market Capitalization: $18.5 Billion

Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) is an American travel technology company. As one of the top travel agencies in the world, it owns and operates various brands including Expedia, Hotels.com, CarRentals.com, Vrbo, Travelocity, Trivago, Orbitz, Ebookers, CheapTickets, and Expedia Cruises. As of March 9, 2024, Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) has a market capitalization of $18.5 billion.

16. Southwest Airlines Co. ( NYSE: LUV )

Market Capitalization: $20.44 Billion

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) is an American airline company. It offers low-cost air travel service with frequent flights of mostly short routes. As one of the biggest travel companies in the world, Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) has a market capitalization of $20.44 billion as of March 9, 2024.

15. Qatar Airways Group

Revenue: $21 Billion

Qatar Airways Group is the flag carrier of Qatar. Owned by the Government of Qatar, it is one of the world’s top airlines and it currently flies to over 170 international destinations. Qatar Airways Group generated an annual revenue of $21 billion in the year 2022-2023. It ranks among the top 15 on our list of the 20 largest travel companies in the world.

14. Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE: CCL )

Market Capitalization: $21.38 Billion

Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE:CCL) is a British-American cruise operator. As one of the world's largest leisure travel companies, it owns some of the most well-known cruise line brands in North America, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Australia. Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE:CCL) has a market capitalization of $21.38 billion as of March 9, 2024.

13. Galaxy Entertainment Group Limited (SEHK:0027)

Market Capitalization: $21.83 Billion

Galaxy Entertainment Group Limited (SEHK:0027) is one of Asia’s top developers and operators of integrated entertainment and resort facilities. It owns and operates a broad portfolio of integrated resort, retail, dining, hotel, and gaming facilities in Macau. As one of the top travel companies in the world, Galaxy Entertainment Group Limited (SEHK:0027) has a market capitalization of $21.83 billion as of March 9, 2024.

12. Delta Air Lines Inc. ( NYSE: DAL )

Market Capitalization: $27.17 Billion

Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:DAL) is one of America’s major airlines. It is also one of the world’s largest airlines by number of passengers carried. As one of the top travel companies in the world, Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:DAL) has a market capitalization of $27.17 billion as of March 9, 2024.

11. Amadeus IT Group S.A. (BME:AMS)

Market Capitalization: $27.31 Billion

Amadeus IT Group S.A. (BME:AMS) is a Spanish multinational technology company that develops technology and software for airlines, travel agencies, hotels, payment providers, and other travel-related businesses to enhance their operations and customer experiences. With a presence in more than 190 countries, the company provides software solutions for the global travel and tourism industry. As of March 9, 2024, Amadeus IT Group S.A. (BME:AMS) has a market capitalization of $27.31 billion.

10. Trip.com Group Limited ( NASDAQ: TCOM )

Market Capitalization: $28.27 Billion

Trip.com Group Limited (NASDAQ:TCOM) is a multinational travel service company that ranks among the top 10 on our list of the largest travel companies in the world. It owns and operates several travel agencies and travel fare aggregators including Ctrip, Qunar, Trip.com and Skyscanner. As of March 9, 2024, Trip.com Group Limited (NASDAQ:TCOM) has a market capitalization of $28.27 billion.

9. Ryanair Holdings plc ( NASDAQ: RYAAY )

Market Capitalization: $32.3 Billion

Ryanair Holdings plc (NASDAQ:RYAAY) is an Irish airline company. As one of Europe's largest airline groups, it is the parent company of Ryanair, Ryanair UK, Buzz, Lauda, and Malta Air. With a market capitalization of $32.3 billion as of March 9, 2024, Ryanair Holdings plc (NASDAQ:RYAAY) ranks 9th on our list of the 20 largest travel companies in the world.

8. Emirates Group

Revenue: $32.6 Billion

Emirates Group is Dubai’s state-owned international aviation holding company. It owns Dubai National Air Travel Agency (dnata), an airport and ground services company, and Emirates Airline, one of the largest airlines in the Middle East. Emirates Group generated an annual revenue of $32.6 billion in the year 2022-2023.

7. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. ( NYSE: RCL )

Market Capitalization: $32.71 Billion

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL) is a global cruise holding company that owns and operates cruise brands including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises. As one of the world’s largest cruise line operators, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL) has a global fleet of 65 ships traveling to around 1,000 destinations around the world. The company has a market capitalization of $32.71 billion as of March 9, 2024.

6. Las Vegas Sands Corp. ( NYSE: LVS )

Market Capitalization: $38.81 Billion

Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) is an American casino and resort company that owns and operates integrated resorts in Macao and Singapore. As a driver of valuable leisure and business tourism, it is one of the world’s largest hotel and casino companies. With a market capitalization of $38.81 billion as of March 9, 2024, Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) ranks 6th on our list of the 20 largest travel companies in the world.

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10 Largest Travel Companies In The World

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Travel, while rewarding, can also be stressful. With so many options for flights, hotels, and rental cars, and so many variables that can quickly go wrong, it’s all too easy for a relaxing vacation or a productive business trip to quickly become harrowing and unnecessarily expensive.

Because of this, individual travelers and companies who require their employees to travel have been hiring experts to plan trips and handle unexpected hurdles for them for decades.

Now, thanks to the internet, travel companies have shifted to also providing tools for travelers to book their own trips with the same access, discounts, and assurance they’d receive if they hired an agent to do it all for them.

If you prefer to have someone do it all for you, though, many of these organizations still provide live service via their travel agents as well.

There are a number of these travel companies around the world, and in this article, you’ll find a list of the top ten ranked by sales revenue in 2019.

Expedia Group Jobs ( Overview )

Booking Holdings Jobs ( Overview )

American Express Jobs ( Overview )

BCD Travel Jobs ( Overview )

Carlson Wagonlit Travel Jobs ( Overview )

Flight Centre Jobs ( Overview )

Fareportal Jobs ( Overview )

10 Largest Travel Companies in the World

Expedia Group . Seattle, Washington , U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $107.9 billion

Founded in 1996, Expedia Group is an online travel company that uses its online platforms to help travelers find flights, hotels, and other travel services without having to hire a travel agent . It has three business segments through which it serves individual customers, creates partnerships with businesses, and generates advertising revenue.

Expedia started out as a division of Microsoft. In 1996, Microsoft launched the website that is now Expedia.com as Microsoft Expedia Travel Services, one of the first online travel agencies. In 1999, Expedia was spun off into a public company.

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Booking Holdings . Norwalk, Connecticut , U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $96.4 billion

Formerly The Priceline Group, Booking Holdings was founded in 1997 with the launch of Priceline.com, an online travel website that used a bidding model for pricing. It then began to expand its portfolio by acquiring travel companies and changed its name to Booking Holdings in 2018.

Today, Booking Holdings operates through six brands: Dutch startup Booking.com, the company’s original Priceline platform, Singapore-based accommodation booking program Agoda, car hiring platform Rentalcars.com, travel search engine Kayak, and restaurant reservation provider OpenTable.

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American Express . Jersey City, New Jersey , U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $34.1 billion

American Express Global Business Travel (referred to as GBT) is an organization that works with businesses to help them organize and manage their travel programs.

GBT helps clients easily find the best deals, book flights, hotels, and meeting venues, manage the risk that comes with their travel programs, and support travelers as they go in case their flights get canceled, or they run into other snags.

Even though GBT started as a part of American Express and has kept its name, the company is now a joint venture between American Express and several other investors.

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BCD Travel . Utrecht, Netherlands

2019 Sales Revenue: $27.5 billion

Similar to GBT, BCD Travel offers travel consulting and management services to companies. BCD Travel operates in 109 countries and boasts a global client retention rate of 98%.

Founded in 2006, BCD Travel was born when BCD Group, a privately owned travel company that owns BCD Travel, purchased and combined TQ3 Travel Solutions Management Holding GmbH, The Travel Company, and WorldTravel BTI.

BCD Travel is based in Utrecht, Netherlands, but it also has its headquarter locations in Atlanta, London, and Singapore. It has one subsidiary, global meetings, and events agency called BCD Meetings and Events.

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Carlson Wagonlit Travel . Minneapolis, Minnesota , U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $24.8 billion

Originally called Carlson Wagonlit Travel, CWT is a travel management company that was founded in 1994. It serves businesses by providing business travel, meeting, conference, exhibition, incentives, and event management services.

These services are called CWT Energy, Resources and Marine, CWT Meetings and Events, CWTSatoTravel, CWT Solutions Group, and RoomIt by CWT.

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Flight Centre . Montvale, New Jersey , U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $16 billion

Flight Centre Travel Group is a travel agency that serves both leisure and corporate travelers. It was founded in 1982 in Sydney, Australia, and just 13 years later, the company opened locations in the U.K. and Canada.

FCTG arrived in the Americas in 1995 when it opened up a Flight Centre store in Canada, and it expanded into the U.S. in 2008 when it acquired Liberty Travel and into Mexico in 2015 when it acquired Koch Overseas de Mexico.

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Internova Travel Group. New York City, New York, U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $7.46 billion

Internova Travel Group was founded in 2008 and owns a variety of travel companies and agencies in over 80 countries. Its main markets are the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Mexico.

Internova owns over 6,000 travel agencies and represents over 65,000 travel advisors. Internova’s services include luxury leisure and premium corporate travel products, hosting, franchising, and meetings and incentives advisory.

American Express . New York City, New York, U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $6.93 billion

American Express Travel is an online travel booking platform that allows customers to plan and book their vacations. Unlike the similarly named American Express Global Business Travel, it is a subsidiary of American Express Company.

While you don’t have to have an American Express credit card to use these services, customers who have cards earn points on their purchases, and American Express Platinum cardholders avoid a variety of service fees and access bonuses such as vacation package discounts, dining credits, and room upgrades.

American Express Travel also offers live travel agents available 24/7 to help customers with any travel snafus or questions they may have.

Direct Travel. Centennial, Colorado , U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $5.8 billion

Direct Travel is a travel management company that focuses its efforts on middle-market customers. It offers corporate travel, meeting and event, and leisure travel services.

Founded in 1980, Direct Travel has over 60 locations in the U.S. and Canada. Since its founding, the company has acquired several leisure travel companies, one of which, Satrom Travel and Tour, Inc., became Direct Travel Personalized Experiences in 2016.

Fareportal . New York City, New York, U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $5.34 billion

While its services are travel-related, Fareportal is first and foremost a technology company. It has five travel brands that it powers through its software and flight booking technology.

Fareportal operates in North America, Europe, and Asia, offering online booking platforms for both leisure and corporate travelers, 24/7 trip booking services, and live travel agents available to help customers in a variety of locales and languages.

Fareportal partners with more than 600 airlines, one million hotels, and hundreds of car agencies to provide customers with the best options available.

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Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.

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Largest travel companies by market cap

This is the list of the largest travel companies by market capitalization. Only the top travel companies are shown in this list and travel companies that are not publicly traded are excluded. The ranking and the market cap data shown on this page are updated daily.

What is the market capitalization of a company?

The market capitalization sometimes referred as Marketcap, is the value of a publicly listed company. In most cases it can be easily calculated by multiplying the share price with the amount of outstanding shares.

CompaniesMarketCap is receiving financial compensation for Delta App installs. CompaniesMarketCap is not associated in any way with CoinMarketCap.com Stock prices are delayed, the delay can range from a few minutes to several hours. Company logos are from the CompaniesLogo.com logo database and belong to their respective copyright holders. Companies Marketcap displays them for editorial purposes only.

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Best Online Travel Agencies

Booking.com is our top choice for making your trip arrangements

Ligaya Malones is an editor, blogger, and freelance writer specializing in food and travel. Ligaya's work has appeared in publications including Lonely Planet and BRIDES.

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Planning a trip can be easier through an online travel agency than if you handle each aspect of the planning separately. You can book hotels, air travel, rental cars, and more through a single site, and booking everything together sometimes results in discounts. By inputting a destination, a range of dates, and other preferences, you will see a list of options for each aspect of travel.

The best online travel agencies offer options from the largest number of airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and more. Look for sites that offer discounts for combining reservations for different aspects of your trip. For example, the best sites will have lower rates if you book both plane tickets and a hotel through their services. The best sites also provide reviews from customers who actually have booked through the service. These are our top picks.

• Best Overall: Booking.com
• Best Budget: Skyscanner
• Best Price Predictor: Hopper
• Most Innovative: Kiwi.com
• Best for Eco-Conscious: Kind Traveler
• Best for Social Impact: I Like Local
• Best for Design-Forward Homestays: Plum Guide
• Our Top Picks
• Booking.com

Kind Traveler

I Like Local

• See More (4)

Final Verdict

Frequently asked questions, methodology, best overall : booking.com.

 Booking.com

This industry leader offers one of the most comprehensive trip planning platforms on the Internet.

Lots of options to choose from

Interface is easy to use

Numerous filters to customize your search

Tricky to tell whether changes/cancellations can be made with Booking.com or the vendor directly

Booking.com was founded in 1996 and has grown into an industry leader that stands out for being one of the most comprehensive trip planning platforms out there. From one website, you can compare and book accommodations, flights (including one-way and multi-city flights), sightseeing activities, and even airport taxis. The website lists more than 28 million accommodation options, from hotels, hostels, and B&Bs to vacation homes and luxury resorts—you can browse more choices per destination on Booking.com than other online travel agencies. The website also performs well on cost and typically returns lower-than-average prices for flights and hotels. 

Booking.com's interface is also easy to use. On the home page, search for a hotel by entering your chosen destination and dates. Then, use the extensive list of filters—such as price range and distance from the city center—to narrow the results down and find the best fit. You can also search for a specific hotel, or seek inspiration by clicking through options grouped by destination or property type or by topic such as the country’s best Michelin-starred hotel restaurants or the top cities for vegan travelers. The flights, car rental, and other tabs are just as intuitive. 

Best Budget : Skyscanner

 Skyscanner

You can compare prices across airlines, hotels, and car rentals.

Simple interface

Option to toggle searches between specific dates or by monthly calendars

Search Everywhere button is great for spontaneous planners

Extra clicks are required to make a final purchase

Must read fine print for changes/cancellations—may need to deal directly with the vendor

Ads on the sidebar can be distracting

Find deals on airfare, hotels, and car rentals with an aggregator site like Skyscanner , which uses a metasearch engine to compare prices from all online travel agencies and the airline, hotel, or car rental company in question. Run searches with fixed dates, opt to compare airfare prices month to month, or click “Cheapest Month.” Searches also include options for nearby airports or non-stop flights only. With hotel searches, you can choose to select only from properties with free cancellation, a cleanliness rating of 4.5/5 or higher, or 3- or 4-starred hotels only. Car rental searches include an option to select “return car to different location.”

Once you’ve found the best rate, click on the link to be redirected to the third-party site to make your booking. Feeling spontaneous? The Search Everywhere button on the homepage offers a list of the cheapest flight deals for destinations both locally and across the world—just plug in your departure airport first.

Best Price Predictor : Hopper

The company claims a 95 percent accuracy rate at predicting when flights and hotel rates will be cheapest.

Color-coded system makes it easy to determine cheapest days to buy

App is easy to use

Option to track flights and receive alerts when the best time to buy arises

Some have mentioned the app functions better as a research tool than a booking tool

Unclear whether Hopper will price match if you find a cheaper flight elsewhere

Hopper is a travel app available on iOS and Android that aims to help travelers save on airfare by usng historical data and their own algorithm to predict when flights will be cheapest. Just type in where and when you’d like to fly and Hopper will present you with a color-coded pricing calendar indicating how much tickets are likely to cost. (Green is the least expensive, then yellow, orange, and red for most expensive.) Hopper will also recommend you either buy now or wait, or you can choose to watch a trip and receive notifications on the best time to buy. In addition, the app has expanded to offer hotel and car rental price predictions, too.

Some newer features since the app’s inception in 2009 include an option to freeze a price for a limited time—for an extra fee—as well as exclusive app-only discounts. Hopper is free to download, and you can choose to book directly through the app, though some users mentioned they use Hopper as more of a research tool before booking directly with the airline or hotel. The company claims a 95 percent accuracy rate at predicting flight rates up to a year ahead.

Most Innovative : Kiwi.com

This metasearch engine scours the web to piece together the ideal itinerary using planes, trains, buses, and more.

Creative itineraries get you where you need to go, especially if you’ve got a multi-stop trip

Kiwi Guarantee offers rebooking or cancellation protections

Nomad option appeals to travelers with a lot of flexibility

Creative itineraries mean you may not fly out of the same airport you flew into

Kiwi Guarantee has an additional fee

Charges all-in-one fee for booking flights, trains, buses (though you can always purchase a la carte)

Travelers planning multi-city destinations and seeking a bargain, as well as those looking to take planes, trains, and automobiles to get there, might consider Kiwi . Kiwi is a metasearch engine that scours and pieces together itineraries from various airlines (even if they don’t have a codeshare agreement), considers multiple airports (even if your arrival airport is different from departure), and offers booking options, whether you’re looking at very specific dates or more general ones (up to 60 nights).

Some will find the ability to make multiple bookings for a particular trip more convenient than going at it manually several different times, though note that you must opt into the Kiwi Guarantee program to access rebooking and refund protections should your reservation change or be canceled. Kiwi’s Nomad option allows you to plug in a bunch of destinations you’d like to visit and the length of your intended stay, and the website will churn out the most affordable itineraries for review.

Best for Eco-Conscious : Kind Traveler

A give-and-get business model means booking accommodations with exclusive perks, a donation to environmental organizations, and more.

All participating hotels include a local give-back component

Exclusive savings and perks

Participating hotels are located in some of the most beautiful places in the world

Inventory is much smaller compared to other booking platforms

Some of the amenities mentioned are based on availability only

In 2022, Kind Traveler (an online trave agency focused on hotel bookings) announced an increase in environmentally and socially conscious hotels, charity donations, voluntourism opportunities, and additional perks like waived resort fees or a welcome amenity.

Unlock exclusive hotel rates and perks from participating Kind Traveler hotels with a minimum $10/night minimum donation to a local charity. For example, stay at the Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives and receive up to $33 off the nightly rate and perks such as a food and beverage credit and an Earth Lab or Alchemy Bar workshop when you make a donation to Manta Trust. The organization funds coastal research to protect the island nation’s large yet fragile population of reef mantas.

Select from more than 140 participating hotels from the Hawaiian Islands to Bozeman, Montana, and the Maldives. Charities include wildlife, human rights, arts, education, and environmental preservation organizations.

Best for Social Impact : I Like Local

Choose from a host of travel experiences with the peace of mind that 100 percent of the cost goes directly to local partners.

Social impact mission woven into organization’s business model

Immersive experiences led by local guides

Range of experiences offered

May not be best fit for those seeking upscale, luxury experiences and stays

Can’t sort experiences by a list of countries (though an interactive map is available)

No experiences outside of Africa and Asia

For an online travel agency with a booking platform designed to route dollars spent directly to the communities travelers intend to visit, consider I Like Local . Visit the website to browse a host of travel experiences in countries including Indonesia, Kenya, and Cambodia. Experiences include homestays and farmstays as well as wellness and culturally oriented experiences—from cooking and cycling tours to weaving classes.

To search for an experience, select from drop-down items like travel dates and experience categories, or view a global map and click on a country to view experiences that way.

The platform got its start in 2014 and has grown to 4,000 local hosts across nearly 20 countries. As a social impact organization, 100 percent of each booking fee goes to local hosts. To date, 16,000 travelers have booked with I Like Local.

Best for Design-Forward Homestays : Plum Guide

Browse and book seriously vetted, design-forward vacation homes.

Highly curated inventory of vacation rentals across the world

Design-forward

Thorough vetting process

Does not publish guest reviews

Other platforms have homes available across more destinations

When it comes to booking a vacation home, serviced apartment, or condo, travelers are spoiled for choice. Plum Guide is an online travel agency that specializes in accommodations—though not just any home makes its directory. The company claims that each potential home listed on its site must jump through 150 hoops to be included, from internet speed and mattress and pillow quality to the showers’ water pressure and the home’s proximity to dining, shopping, and attractions.

Search by a featured collection on the website such as “ pet-friendly homes ” or “one-of-a-kind homes in Palm Springs.” Scroll to the bottom of its homepage to view its top destinations, as well as a list of all destinations where Plum Guide homes are available, including Barbados, Mexico, Portugal, Switzerland, the U.S., and Turkey. Note: From the top right-hand corner of the site, use the dropdown menu to select currency of choice.

As long as you know what you value most out of your travel experience—such as affordability, social impact, or luxe accommodations—there’s an online travel agency to help plan your next trip. Be sure to read the fine print, as some agencies are third-party websites and not direct vendors. If you're not sure where to start, Booking.com is your best bet for a smooth user experience and hard-to-beat offers on flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements.

What Is the Biggest Travel Agency?

Our choice for best overall, Booking.com, is known as an industry leader with listings for all major hotels, airlines, car rental companies, and more. It boasts more choices for accommodations per destination than any other site, and we found its interface to be user-friendly.

Are Online Travel Agencies Worth It?

This depends on your needs and priorities. The best online travel agencies certainly can save time by booking everything all at once. However, if you're someone who is good at haggling and enjoys the details of planning a trip, you might be able to find better deals by reaching out to hotels or other destinations and speaking to someone personally.

Is It Cheaper to Book Online Than With a Travel Agent?

Not always. A travel agent you know and trust should have the experience and connections to find deals that can match or surpass what you'll find online. Additionally, if something goes wrong, travel agents provide you with an actual person you can use as an advocate to correct the problem . But if you don't have access to a good travel agent, online sites still provide plenty of ways to streamline planning and save money .

We considered dozens of online travel agencies and narrowed down the options based on user experience, volume and quality of inventory, unique offerings and specials, and customer reviews. We also assessed travel companies’ environmentally and socially conscious policies.

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Market cap of leading tour operators worldwide 2023

As of September 2023, German-based multinational group TUI AG was the tour operator company with the highest market cap worldwide. As of that month, TUI's market cap exceeded three billion U.S. dollars. UK-based tour operator Jet2 plc and Australian company Flight Centre Travel Group Limited followed in the ranking, with a market cap of 2.96 billion and 2.8 billion U.S. dollars, respectively. Meanwhile, Booking Holdings recorded the highest market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide as of September 2023.

Market cap of leading travel agency and tour operator companies worldwide as of September 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

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• Number of TUI AG employees worldwide 2011-2023, by region
• TUI UK Limited revenue 2015-2022
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Statistics on " Travel agencies in the United Kingdom (UK) "

• Annual output of travel agencies and tour operators in the UK 2010-2022
• Monthly output growth of travel agencies and tour operators in the UK 2019-2023
• Market size of the travel agency industry in the UK 2013-2023
• Revenue of travel agencies in the UK 2008-2021
• Gross value added (GVA): travel agencies in the UK 2008-2021
• Travel agency, tour operator, and reservation services employment in the UK 2015-2021
• Number of businesses in the travel agency industry in the UK 2023, by employment size
• Number of businesses in the travel agency industry in the UK 2013-2023
• Number of retail travel agents in the UK 2019-2023
• Leading travel agents ranked by number of outlets in the UK 2024
• Most popular amusement, cruise, and travel brands in the UK Q4 2023
• TUI UK Limited net income 2015-2022
• Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
• Leading online travel companies worldwide 2022-2023, by EV/EBITDA
• Key information on the online travel agency industry in the UK January 2023
• Revenue of On the Beach Group plc in the UK 2012-2022, by segment
• Net income of On the Beach in the UK 2014-2022
• Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2012-2023, by region
• Lastminute.com Group revenue worldwide 2019-2022, by country
• Skyscanner annual revenue 2011-2021
• Preferred methods to book the next overseas holiday in the UK October 2022
• Preferred methods to book the next overseas holiday in the UK October 2022, by age
• Leading holiday travel provider websites in the UK Q4 2023, by share of voice
• Hotel / private accommodation online bookings by brand in the UK 2023
• Package holiday bookings by brand in the UK 2023

Other statistics that may interest you Travel agencies in the United Kingdom (UK)

• Premium Statistic Annual output of travel agencies and tour operators in the UK 2010-2022
• Premium Statistic Monthly output growth of travel agencies and tour operators in the UK 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Market size of the travel agency industry in the UK 2013-2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of travel agencies in the UK 2008-2021
• Premium Statistic Gross value added (GVA): travel agencies in the UK 2008-2021
• Premium Statistic Travel agency, tour operator, and reservation services employment in the UK 2015-2021
• Basic Statistic Number of businesses in the travel agency industry in the UK 2023, by employment size
• Premium Statistic Number of businesses in the travel agency industry in the UK 2013-2023

Travel agents

• Premium Statistic Number of retail travel agents in the UK 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of retail travel agents in the UK 2023, by retailer
• Premium Statistic Leading travel agents ranked by number of outlets in the UK 2024
• Basic Statistic Most popular amusement, cruise, and travel brands in the UK Q4 2023
• Premium Statistic TUI UK Limited revenue 2015-2022
• Premium Statistic TUI UK Limited net income 2015-2022
• Basic Statistic Number of TUI AG employees worldwide 2011-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Turnover of Hays Travel Limited in the UK 2008-2023

Online travel agencies

• Basic Statistic Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Leading online travel companies worldwide 2022-2023, by EV/EBITDA
• Premium Statistic Key information on the online travel agency industry in the UK January 2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of On the Beach Group plc in the UK 2012-2022, by segment
• Premium Statistic Net income of On the Beach in the UK 2014-2022
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2012-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Lastminute.com Group revenue worldwide 2019-2022, by country
• Premium Statistic Skyscanner annual revenue 2011-2021

Booking behavior

• Premium Statistic Preferred methods to book the next overseas holiday in the UK October 2022
• Premium Statistic Preferred methods to book the next overseas holiday in the UK October 2022, by age
• Premium Statistic Leading holiday travel provider websites in the UK Q4 2023, by share of voice
• Premium Statistic Hotel / private accommodation online bookings by brand in the UK 2023
• Premium Statistic Package holiday bookings by brand in the UK 2023

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The best tour operators in the world: 2023 Readers' Choice Awards

By Condé Nast Traveller

It’s been a challenging few years for tour operators but the names below are in it for the long haul (as well as the short and medium), honing itineraries and managing expectations. So who prepared your travel documents this year? Red Savannah and Black Tomato scored highest for first-hand knowledge, and Exodus Adventure Travels and Abercrombie & Kent for on-the-ground support. But when it came to all-round endeavour, Scott Dunn and The Turquoise Holiday Company were leaders of the pack. Both report a surge of interest in Asia, as well as multi-generational travel, solo adventures to Namibia, Bhutan and Mexico, and authentic experiences such as outback stations in Australia and bear lodges in Canada.

These are the best tour operators in the world, according to the 2023 Readers' Choice Awards . The scores below are percentages representing overall average levels of satisfaction.

The best general tour operators in the world 2023

15. Cox & Kings. Score 88.00

14. Hayes & Jarvis. Score 89.44

13. Carrier. Score 90.73

12. Simpson Travel. Score 91.48

11. Kuoni. Score 92.82

10. Mr & Mrs Smith. Score 93.29

9. Kensington Tours. Score 94.14

8. Audley Travel. Score 94.77

7. Original Travel. Score 95.44

6. Cazenove + Loyd. Score 95.92

5. The Ultimate Travel Company. Score 96.75

4. Abercrombie & Kent. Score 97.12

3. Elegant Resorts. Score 97.39

2. Red Savannah. Score 97.96

• The Turquoise Holiday Company. Score 98.42

The best travel specialists in the world 2023

15. Wild Frontiers. Score 94.81

14. Martin Randall Travel. Score 95.17

13. Intrepid Travel. Score 95.40

12. Wilderness. Score 96.54.

11. Inntravel. Score 96.88

10. Oxford Ski Company. Score 97.15

9. Kirker Holidays. Score 97.47

8. andBeyond. Score 97.61

7. Ampersand Travel. Score 97.65.

6. InsideJapan Tours. Score 97.79

5. Steppes Travel. Score 97.88

4. Black Tomato. Score 98.03

3. Exodus Adventure Travels. Score 98.15

2. Healing Holidays. Score 98.35

• Scott Dunn. Score 98.70

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The 10 Best Group Travel Tour Companies for 2023

Caroline Morse Teel

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her adventures around the world on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

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For those truly epic, once-in-a-lifetime destinations, you want to leave your itinerary to the experts. Whether your dream is to see the Big Five on an African Safari, trek tall mountains, explore European cities, or something even wilder, a group tour is the easiest way to do it.

However, picking the wrong group tour company is the quickest way to ruin your trip. Make sure you choose a tour company that aligns with your goals and travel styles. Do you want an intimate group tour or do you prefer to make lots of new friends in a big group? Does the price line up with what you like (luxury vs. budget)? Is the itinerary going to all the places you want to see? 

We’ve done the research and found the very best group travel tour companies for 2023 for every type of traveler.

Best Overall Group Travel: Exodus Travels

With trips on every continent, Exodus Travels covers anywhere on this planet that you could possibly want to go, from popular destinations like the Amalfi Coast to well off-the-beaten path adventures like Tajikistan. This award-winning group travel company boasts thousands of repeat customers who sign up for trips year after year (97% of past participants would recommend Exodus Travels to a friend). 

These small group tours operate with only around 12-16 people, and always feature experienced local leaders who can give you a unique insight into your destination. Exodus Travels caters to any type of travel style, including trips broken down by type of activity (think walking, cycling, multi-adventure, winter, or cultural) as well as type of traveler (family, age group, etc.). There are curated collections (coastal, “away from it all”, European wilderness, and trips of a lifetime) to inspire you, as well as self-guided options for when you want all the benefits of a group tour planner without the actual group. Looking for that special safari? Exodus Travels just partners with the African Wildlife Foundation to create carefully curated luxury adventures that go above and beyond the standard safari. 

Exodus Travels tours work for almost any budget, with options that range from affordable to premium. 

Top Trip: Explore under-the-radar Europe by foot on Exodus Travels’ Lakes & Mountains of Slovenia walking tour .

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Best Adventure Group Travel: World Expeditions

World Expeditions has been taking adventurous travelers to remote locations all over the world ever since its first group trek through Nepal in 1975. Today, World Expeditions offers active itineraries on every continent. Intrepid travelers can opt for trips themed around mountaineering, rafting, cycling, hiking, and more. 

World Expeditions aims to leave communities and places where they operate tours better than they found them. Trips are created using the company’s Thoughtful Travel Charter as a guideline, which emphasizes respect for the environment, sustainability, having a positive impact on local communities, protecting wildlife, and more. 

World Expeditions’ trips are capped at just 16 people to provide a good experience for participants, and there are no single supplements for solo travelers willing to share a room with someone of the same gender. 

Top Trip: Summit Africa’s tallest mountain on a fully-supported trek up Kilimanjaro on World Expeditions’ eight day trip up the beautiful Lemosho Route . 

Best Budget Group Travel: G Adventures 

For travelers on a budget, G Adventures offers cheap group tours that make dream destinations accessible to nearly anyone. (Think: sailing the Galapagos for just $1,124 , criss-crossing India’s Golden Triangle for $559 , or spending 8 days in Bali for less than $800.)

G Adventures is one of the best tour companies for solo travelers as well, as most trips don’t have a single-supplement. You can choose to share a room with another G Adventures solo traveler, or pay extra to have your own space.

G Adventures keeps costs down by opting for cheaper hotels and local meals, and making certain activities optional (for an additional cost). Pick your travel style—options range from “basic” to more luxe tours run in partnership with National Geographic. Family tours, local living tours (featuring homestays), and wellness-focused tours are also available. 

Top Trip: G Adventures’ China Express trip is a great way to see the highlights of China if you’re short on both time and budget. 

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Best Educational Group Tours: EF Go Ahead Tours

When you really want to learn about a destination, consider a group trip with EF Go Ahead Tours . EF is the world’s largest private education company, and the Go Ahead Tours arm capitalizes on the company’s relationships with local educators, historians, and tour guides to create group trips that take you deep into a destination. 

These small group tours generally cap at 38 travelers, and feature unique educational experiences. For a bucket list trip, EF Go Ahead Tour’s special event tours are particularly enticing, as they offer behind-the-scenes access to tough-to-plan trips like Oktoberfest in Munich or Cherry Blossom season in Japan. 

Intimidated by solo travel? EF Go Ahead Tours is a great option for solo travelers, since it offers designated trips for solo travelers , where everyone is traveling alone, making it less intimidating.  

Top Trip: Bring the tastes of Italy home with you on EF Go Ahead Tours’ Food & Wine: Piedmont & Tuscany tour (operated in partnership with America’s Test Kitchen), where you’ll learn how to make local dishes. 

Best Responsible Group Travel: Intrepid Travel

Looking for a responsible group travel operator that focuses on bettering the communities and destinations they visit? Intrepid Travel is the world’s largest travel B Corporation, a certification for companies doing good. 

Intrepid Travel’s tours focus on sustainability, diversity, inclusion, and sustaining communities. The company has its own charity, The Intrepid Foundation , which has donated over 7 million dollars to over 130 community organizations. 

Intrepid Travel’s small group tours attract a wide range of travelers, but they are especially great for younger travelers, as they have a large number of trips designed for people aged 18-29 . (Other trips, including family-focused trips, are geared toward any age.)

Top Trip: Experience unforgettable wildlife encounters on Intrepid Travel’s Premium Uganda & Rwanda trip which includes time with the mountain gorillas of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. 

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Best Private Group Travel: Kensington Tours

Whether your group consists of just two people or involves taking the entire extended family, Kensington Tours will take all the hassle of planning out of the equation. This private group operator creates personalized trips and itineraries tailored to your preferences, while their experts handle all the logistics and bookings. 

Plans are entirely flexible, and can even be changed while on the trip on a whim. Need some inspiration? Browse Kensington Tours’ travel ideas , to get some ideas for your next adventure. 

Top Trip: Sail around the stunning shores of Croatia and the Dalmation Islands on a private luxury catamaran on Kensington Tours’ fully customizable tour . 

Best Polar Group Travel: Chimu Adventures

Whether you’re headed north to the Artic or south to Antarctica, Chimu Adventures has the perfect polar group trip for you. Chimu Adventures has some of the most variety for polar trips, with options to fly, cruise, or a combination of both to get to your destination.

For an ultra-unique Antarctica trip, Chimu Adventures offers cruises departing from Australia or New Zealand (most Antarctica trips depart from Argentina). Can’t stay long? Book one of Chimu Adventures’ scenic flights to Antarctica , which fly as far as the south pole in one spectacular 16-hour day.

Chimu Adventures is one of the cheapest group trips to Antarctica, with rates starting under $5,000.

Top Trip: If you’re pressed for time (or simply don’t have the stomach for the Drake Passage), Chimu Adventures’ Antarctica Fly Cruise will get you to the ends of the earth quickly and smoothly.

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Best Group Tours for Solo Travelers: For the Love of Travel

Group tours can be a great way to meet new people, but they can sometimes skew on the older age range. If you’re between 25-39 and a solo traveler looking to meet new people, you’ll love For the Love of Travel . All participants on the trips are between 25-39, and according to the company, 80 percent are solo travelers—so you’ll make friends fast. Hoping to meet someone who will be more than just a friend on your next trip? Trips include a balanced number of “gal and guy spots” to ensure an even balance of genders within groups (and of course, non-binary genders are always welcome). 

For the Love of Travel offers weeklong (or longer) international trips as well as shorter weekender trips to nearby destinations like Mexico or Denver—perfect for people without a lot of vacation time.

Top Trip: Sleep in a glass igloo under the Northern Lights, go sledding with huskies, and warm up in traditional saunas on For the Love of Travel’s Lapland tour , already booking dates for 2024.

Best Biking Tours Group Travel: DuVine Cycling

Biking through the rolling hills of Italy or across the mountain roads of Chile sounds like a dream, but the logistics seem daunting (especially if you don’t want to haul all your own stuff from point-to-point). Enter: DuVine Cycling , a luxury small group tour company that specializes in bike trips. 

With trips across Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the United States, DuVine Cycling is a cyclist’s dream. Choose from all-biking trips or mix things up with a cycle and sail bike tour or a multi-sport adventure —no matter what, everything is included, from luxury boutique accommodations to top-quality name brand bikes. 

Top Trip: DuVine’s Holland Bike Tour promises “tulips, windmills, beer, and cheese”—what more could you need?

Best Luxury Group Travel: Abercrombie & Kent

Abercrombie & Kent has been delighting discerning travelers since 1962. Today, they take travelers on unforgettable adventures across over 100 different countries and all seven continents. Although Abercrombie & Kent’s trips are pricey, they encompass once-in-a-lifetime experiences like private jet tours around the world or luxury chartered cruises .

There are trips designed for solo travelers and families , and the small group journeys max out at around 14-18 guests.

Top Trip: Swim with whale sharks in the Philippines, feed proboscis monkeys in Malaysia, and photograph wild tigers in India on Abercrombie & Kent’s Wildlife Safari: Around the World by Private Jet trip , already booking dates into 2024.

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For independent explorers who don’t want to miss out on these amazing destinations, book your hotel stay for a great rate with SmarterTravel Hotels .

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These Are the Best Travel Companies to Work For (Video)

If you’re looking for a job with big travel bonuses, Fortune has a list of places to send your resumé .

According to Fortune ’s list of “100 Best Companies,” Hilton skyrocketed to become the best company to work for in 2019.

Last year, the company was only ranked 33rd on the list. The hotel company (which also includes Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, and Embassy Suites, among others) recently underwent sweeping changes regarding employee culture.

“We forgot that we are a business of people serving people, and the corporate environment got very disconnected from the front line,” Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta told Fortune .

According to Great Place to Work , 96 percent of Hilton employees say the company is a great place to work. Top favorite attributes include opportunities to travel, a “family” feel, and company benefits. According to Glassdoor, one of the best company perks is “being able to book rooms at any Hilton Worldwide property on staff rates.”

Also included in the top 10 best companies was Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants . Coming in at No. 5 on the list, employees of the boutique hotel and restaurant company praised its “thoughtful” culture. Those who go above and beyond the call of duty can redeem their good deeds for rewards like Apple Watches, spa gift certificates, or days off.

Although Mariott came in 31st on the overall list, on Fortune ’s list of best large companies, the hotel chain placed second. Hyatt Hotels came in the rankings at 32nd. Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts ranked 89th on the list.

Transportation based-companies appeared less frequently on the list than hospitality. The highest people-moving company on the list was Delta Air Lines, ranking at No. 97.

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USA Tour Companies

Looking for an unforgettable USA tour? Book a fully-organized trip with the best tour companies in USA and let the tour operator take care of everything for you. Check out the tour details and read 191029 reviews from our customers to help you choose the perfect tour for you.

List of USA travel companies & tour operators with 191029 reviews

G Adventures

• Excellent - 19,076 reviews for USA tours

the tour itself was amazing. The national parks do not disappoint. The travel accomodations were very cramped and uncomfortable. I am only 5 foot tall and I was cramped in this 14 passenger van. Food opportunities were limited.

Fantastic experience - efficient use of time, great itinerary. Well-informed and interesting guide who is also just a great person.

Bindlestiff Tours

• Excellent - 1,448 reviews for USA tours

Awesome trip, i had an amazing time ans will highly recommend.

We had an absolutely fantastic trip to Death Valley with Charlie as our tour guide. He was punctual, kind, and incredibly knowledgeable about the area's history. We covered most of the top spots in Death Valley and even enjoyed delicious sandwiches for lunch. We arrived back in Vegas right on schedule. Overall, we had a truly positive and satisfying experience. Charlie is a valuable asset to your organization and we can't recommend him enough!

• Excellent - 985 reviews for USA tours

Great tour, good group size too

Great experience!

Southwest Adventure Tours

• Excellent - 95 reviews for USA tours

Just couldn’t have been better. Extremely professional guides Robin and Sarah were highly knowledgable, friendly and organised. Accomodation was excellent in every location (most hotels even had hot tubs and pools!) and the food options were always good. Lovely comfortable Mercedes minibus. Highly recommended to everyone - would do another tour with South West Adventure Tours in a heartbeat.

Guide was knowledgeable and helpful. It was a good group

Intrepid Travel

• Excellent - 11,689 reviews for USA tours

My son and I had a great hiking adventure on the Sedona tour! The scenery was stunning, the hikes were fun! Tolman was an excellent guide, who was very knowledgeable about the area, he had great hiking tips, and he picked some enjoyable challenging hikes for us! He was also an excellent cook! He prepared us some great meals! His positive outlook on everything helped the group of strangers on the trek quickly bond which led us all to have a great hiking experience!

Judd was excellent, and very knowledgable, he was very prepared and i would recommend Intrepid to my friends and family

• Excellent - 1,886 reviews for USA tours

Excellent. Great guide, driver, weather, hotels, food. Great itenirary. Love love this trip.

Optional excursions were reasonably priced. Suggest you put together other places in each city as a walking guide or short taxi or uber ride. Example access to close by museums open late and could walk to from hotel. Free time activities and what they are and where located is helpful.tour guide can offer to accompany a group interested to explore more during free leisure tome.Provide more detail info about the logistics of site visits. Niagara falls..suggest more water proof gear clothing and shoe types etc. Terrain to expect when visiting certain sites and possible alternatives.climbing and how difficult-easy or more strenuous or advanced climbing activity. Overall, small groups so much better than filling up bus. Thank you for giving single travelers their own bus space. Would love to watch more travel videos on longer driving distances.

BrushBuck Wildlife Tours

• Excellent - 23 reviews for USA tours

Although the tour was very expensive- over $2000 for 3 days is over the top- it wss a great experience, saw lots of wildlife and the guide was outstanding

What an amazing experience this was; from the greeting and pick up by our guide/driver, to the phenomenal sights and the historical references that accompanied them! I am so pleased. This was an exceptionally planned tour that successfully met all of my needs. I would not change a thing and look forward to future adventures with them.

Insight Vacations

• Excellent - 625 reviews for USA tours

My first experience with an organized tour like this. Expense alone will limit future trips. Much more walking than my wife was prepared for. This alone reduced her enjoyment. Tour guide was very knowledgeable and thorough with his planning and execution. Andrew has a fun personality and very personable. One item that disappointed me was the shuttle from airport to resort at both ends of the

Insights Tours are always amazing and this one was no exception. Nice balance of free time to relax and experience Hawaii on your own with visits to places on the islands to experience the culture. Learned a lot of Hawaii’s history throughout our visit. Overall a lovely experience and would highly recommend if you want to visit Hawaii and learn more about the islands.

National Geographic Journey…

• Excellent - 255 reviews for USA tours

Good time with lots of riding in the van going to interesting places

We had a wonderful time. The tour was well planned and well managed. The CEO was excellent ..good driver, good communicator, had good knowledge of the local attractions and made great recommendations for restaurants. The group we were with was also a very pleasant group which made the experience that much more enjoyable. That said, would have loved to see the accommodations updated.. most except the Denali cabins were old and "weathered".

Infinite Adventures

• Excellent - 118 reviews for USA tours

It was my first group trip and also my first camping trip. I have to say it was one of the best trips I've been on. It was an adventure! We were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights at Remote Camp. Tory and Dave took care of everything and made sure everyone had a great time. No matter what problem you had, they always helped each other! Dave cooked delicious food, we had marshmallows by the fire in the evening and it felt like family. It's a great tour and I can only recommend it to anyone! It certainly wasn't my last tour with Infinite Adventure! Many thanks to Tory, Dave and Natalie (who you could ask any question you wanted to know beforehand) for this unforgettable time! :)

Jump on the bus with Infinite Adventures for a magnificent Alaskan expedition! Dave and Tory are excellent guides and will keep you informed about the areas you visit and give expert advice. I found this to be a truly joyful experience!

• Excellent - 74,883 reviews for USA tours

This was our second trip on Globus and both experiences were fantastic.

I was skeptical of a group tour, particularly by coach. The experienced guide, Jason, along with driver Shauna, changed my view completely.

Bucket List Group Travel LL…

• Excellent - 15 reviews for USA tours

Had a wonderful time - a lot of hiking, seeing the sites in Alaska and viewing the Northern Lights.

The tour was amazing, great and tour guides:).

• Excellent - 19,641 reviews for USA tours

Could have had more included activities

The tour had a few bumps. It would have been better if there were some included meals. There was no information about some of the excursions such as where the island tour stopped.

• Excellent - 863 reviews for USA tours

This was a fast but nice tour and Dave was a good guide. Only in LA i thought we should have had more time but it was perfect for a Solo Travler

I enjoyed this trip . The coach is good.Hyannis first day break fast was good.coverage is good.Hyannis golf resort stay is superb.providence city halt in hotel graduates is excellent.Fall colours coverage is very good.coach guidance is okay.overall the trip is very good.

The Coyote Trip

• Good - 11 reviews for USA tours

This trip was run like a school trip, we were told that we had to stick to the schedule rigidly even though I asked several times to visit a different museum/shop. Free time was limited and it seemed like the guide had specific ideas of what he wanted to do and see. Our guide also left us on a subway in New York to get home close to midnight and then we had issues getting checked into the hostel. FYI most tour guides make sure their group gets to the hotel safely and without hassle. Waste of time and money.

From a speedboat to the Statue of Liberty to fireworks on 4th July in Washington to hiking to Yosemite Falls, this trip showcased the very best the USA has to offer. I went on the 21 day Full Cyote trip from New York to San Francisco with my brother. With such a packed itinerary of included activities, it offered great value for money. The guides in every region we visited were excellent. A particular shout out to Ryan, who added in extra stops and experiences based on the group's interests. Other highlights included the Grand Canyon, Washington's museums, whale watching in Boston, cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge and sunset in Griffeths Park. I met a great group of people on the trip, and I wouldn't hesitate to book with the Cyote Trip again.

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Corporate Travel Companies Are Bulking Up: ‘Getting Bigger Is Critical’

Justin Bachman, Skift

April 10th, 2024 at 10:06 AM EDT

Pressure from travel suppliers who want better merchandising tools and lower costs are compelling travel management companies to consolidate.

The big players in the world of managing corporate travel are gearing up to get bigger: Amex GBT’s $570 million bid for CWT and the sale of Direct Travel to an investor consortium are two of the latest examples of the race to bulk up through mergers. 

The trend is driven largely by two factors: Travel suppliers – primarily airlines – seeking greater efficiencies in their distribution channels and the enormous capital required to invest in the technology to sell to and service travelers around the world.

“I think fundamentally customer needs are driving consolidation in the industry,” Amex GBT CEO Paul Abbott told Skift. “I think supplier needs are also changing. Suppliers want their distribution channels to deliver a modern retailing experience,” he said.

For example, airlines are moving a growing share of their fares from the traditional global distribution system model to a direct NDC (New Distribution Capability) platform. And agencies are under pressure to adopt it. 

CWT merging into Amex GBT is “a perfect example of how it’s really only the big players that have the capital to do it,” Mike McCormick, a travel consultant and former head of the Global Business Travel Association, said on April 1 on the Travel Again podcast.

The largest corporate firms, such as Amex GBT, BCD Travel and Navan, have been forced “to really make big investments in technology and continued investments” given the aggressive push by American and others, McCormick noted. 

Navan, for example, last month touted its deeper integration with United Airlines to support that carrier’s pricing strategy for fares, along with other self-serve tools and more personalization for travelers.

“Getting bigger is critical in terms of  a lot of the airline changes and negotiation, and always pressure on earnings and commissions and business in general,” McCormick said.

Investing For the Next-Generation of Travel

Investor Steve Singh, the founder and former CEO of Concur, is managing director of Madrona, the Seattle-based venture capital firm that is among the four investment firms that acquired Direct Travel Inc. on April 2. 

Singh told Skift the investor group is keen to create a “next-generation” travel management company that would offer a seamless connected trip in which all of a traveler’s airline, hotel, meeting, ground transport, and appointment bookings would be integrated, allowing for far simpler itinerary changes. For now, it’s an aspirational goal, one the industry has long wanted but that has proven tough to attain. 

Travel management companies sell multiple technology platforms to serve customers and “the result is that it is very expensive to build and run a TMC,” Singh wrote in a blog post explaining the investor group’s view of how the managed-travel industry should evolve. 

“The fact that these legacy solutions are built on GDS platforms that are not open and not extensible makes the goal of delivering an incredible client experience at a better value proposition even more challenging.”

“As someone who has logged tens of millions of flight miles, I would love a system that allows me to reserve a hotel from the time I arrive in a town to the time I need to leave, not from 3 p.m. to noon,” Singh wrote in his post.

What’s Next for Travelers

Amex GBT customers may see a greater focus on particular industry verticals, such as energy, U.S. government, mining and marine industries for CWT. Those areas tend to present greater complexity and transaction value, along with higher customer retention rates, Amex GBT told investors March 25 explaining the CWT deal.

Abbott said successful travel-management companies will increasingly need both software and services — not just one — that are married effectively.

“You have to have the best technology and the best people, you have to integrate it better than anyone else, and you have to deliver that consistently on a global basis,” he said. “And that’s hard and it requires significant investment and significant expertise.”

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Google reveals top destinations for summer vacation 2024

Paris, Puerto Rico and more made the top 20!

For anyone feeling a sudden urge for summer wanderlust, Google unveiled its top 20 destinations that travelers have already taken an interest in for any upcoming warm weather getaways.

From domestic to international locations, Google shared insights based on past flight booking data and search trends with "Good Morning America" to help people start planning summer vacation spots or shape an ideal itinerary.

Much like snubs and surprises during awards season, there are a couple of places that fell out of favor since last year as well as some new additions that made this year's list.

Check out all the spots below.

Top summer 2024 destinations on Google flights

The search engine technology company said the list reflects people in the U.S. searching on Google Flights for travel anytime between June 1 through August 31, 2024.

Cancun, which previously came in at number one during summer, dropped to number six, while Tokyo is on the rise, with Madrid and San Juan new to the summer location lineup.

1. London 2. Paris 3. Tokyo 4. Rome 5. New York 6. Cancun 7. Orlando 8. Las Vegas 9. Seattle 10. Athens 11. Los Angeles 12. Miami 13. Barcelona 14. Dublin 15. Fort Lauderdale 16. Honolulu 17. Denver 18. Madrid 19. Boston 20. San Juan

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The biggest change from 2023, according to Google, is that Cancun moved down from the number two spot to number six, while Tokyo rose from number eight to number three.

Newcomers to the top destinations list include San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Madrid, Spain. Chicago and San Francisco didn't make the top 20 this year.

Travel trends on Google search

Google gathers insights from mid-January to mid-March from U.S. users to find out what travel-related queries are top of mind ahead of summer.

Searches for "travel itinerary" and "solo travel" reached an all-time high in January.

Two of the top trending "weekend getaway" destinations are Palm Springs and Florida Keys.

The top trending "romantic getaway" destinations were Napa, the famed California wine country, and Key West, home to the southernmost point in the Continental U.S. with historic landmarks.

Finally, La Romana and Saint John were the top trending destinations searched with all-inclusive resorts.

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NASA Picks 3 Companies to Help Astronauts Drive Around the Moon

The agency’s future moon buggies will reach speeds of 9.3 miles per hour and will be capable of self-driving.

By Kenneth Chang

NASA will be renting some cool wheels to drive around the moon.

Space agency officials announced on Wednesday that they have hired three companies to come up with preliminary designs for vehicles to take NASA astronauts around the lunar south polar region in the coming years. After the astronauts return to Earth, these vehicles would be able to self-drive around as robotic explorers, similar to NASA’s rovers on Mars.

The self-driving capability would also allow the vehicle to meet the next astronaut mission at a different location.

“Where it will go, there are no roads,” Jacob Bleacher, the chief exploration scientist at NASA, said at a news conference on Wednesday. “Its mobility will fundamentally change our view of the moon.”

The companies are Intuitive Machines of Houston, which in February successfully landed a robotic spacecraft on the moon ; Lunar Outpost of Golden, Colo.; and Venturi Astrolab of Hawthorne, Calif. Only one of the three will actually build a vehicle for NASA and send it to the moon.

NASA had asked for proposals of what it called the lunar terrain vehicle, or L.T.V., that could drive at speeds up to 9.3 miles per hour, travel a dozen miles on a single charge and allow astronauts to drive around for eight hours.

The agency will work with the three companies for a year to further develop their designs. Then NASA will choose one of them for the demonstration phase.

The L.T.V. will not be ready in time for the astronauts of Artemis III, the first landing in NASA’s return-to-the-moon program , which is currently scheduled for 2026 .

The plan is for the L.T.V. to be on the lunar surface ahead of Artemis V, the third astronaut landing that is expected in 2030, said Lara Kearney, manager of the extravehicular activity and human surface mobility program at the NASA Johnson Space Center.

“If they can get there earlier, we’ll take it earlier,” Ms. Kearney said.

The L.T.V. contract will be worth up to $4.6 billion over the next 15 years — five years of development and then a decade of operations on the moon, most of it going to the winner of this competition. But Ms. Kearney said the contracts allow NASA to later finance the development of additional rovers, or allow other companies to compete in the future.

The contract follows NASA’s recent strategy of purchasing services rather than hardware.

In the past, NASA paid aerospace companies to build vehicles that it then owned and operated. That included the Saturn V rocket, the space shuttles and the lunar roving vehicles — popularly known as moon buggies — that astronauts drove on the moon during the last three Apollo missions in 1971 and 1972.

The new approach has proved successful and less expensive for the transportation of cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station. NASA now pays companies, notably Elon Musk’s SpaceX, fixed fees for those services, more akin to plane tickets or FedEx shipments.

For the company chosen to build the L.T.V., the vehicle will remain its property, and that company will be able to rent it to other customers when it is not needed by NASA.

“It’s commercially available for us as a commercial business to sell capacity on that rover,” said Steve Altemus, the chief executive of Intuitive Machines, “and do that for international partners and for other commercial companies and space agencies around the world.”

The competition created alliances between small startups and larger, more established aerospace companies, as well as car companies. The Intuitive Machines team includes Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Michelin, the tire maker. Lunar Outpost added to its team Lockheed Martin, Goodyear and General Motors, which had helped design the Apollo moon buggies.

Astrolab is working with Axiom Space of Houston, which has sent private astronauts to the space station and is building a commercial module to the International Space Station. Astrolab announced last year that it had signed an agreement to send one of its rovers to the moon on a SpaceX Starship rocket as early as 2026. That mission is independent of whether it is selected by NASA, a company spokesman said.

While Lunar Outpost is competing with Intuitive Machines on this contract, it plans to work with the company separately, sending smaller robotic rovers to the moon on the company’s lunar landers.

Kenneth Chang , a science reporter at The Times, covers NASA and the solar system, and research closer to Earth. More about Kenneth Chang

What’s Up in Space and Astronomy

Keep track of things going on in our solar system and all around the universe..

Never miss an eclipse, a meteor shower, a rocket launch or any other 2024 event  that’s out of this world with  our space and astronomy calendar .

Scientists may have discovered a major flaw in their understanding of dark energy, a mysterious cosmic force . That could be good news for the fate of the universe.

A new set of computer simulations, which take into account the effects of stars moving past our solar system, has effectively made it harder to predict Earth’s future and reconstruct its past.

Dante Lauretta, the planetary scientist who led the OSIRIS-REx mission to retrieve a handful of space dust , discusses his next final frontier.

A nova named T Coronae Borealis lit up the night about 80 years ago. Astronomers say it’s expected to put on another show  in the coming months.

Is Pluto a planet? And what is a planet, anyway? Test your knowledge here .

This major cruise line operator just announced its biggest ship order ever

One of the world’s leading cruise operators unveiled its biggest ship order ever on Monday.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. will take delivery of eight ships between 2026 and 2036 across its three brands. 

Norwegian Cruise Line will welcome four ships in 2030, 2032, 2034 and 2036, each with a capacity of close to 5,000 guests. The additions are subject to financing.

The vessels will follow the line’s previously announced Prima-Plus class vessels.

The upscale Oceania Cruises will take delivery of two 1,450-guest ships in 2027 and 2029, and luxury line Regent Seven Seas Cruises will add two ships in 2026 and 2029, each accommodating 850 passengers.

"This strategic new-ship order across all three of our award-winning brands provides for the steady introduction of cutting-edge vessels into our fleet and solidifies our long-term growth,” Harry Sommer, the company’s president and CEO, said in a news release . “It also allows us to significantly leverage our operating scale, strengthen our commitment to innovation and enhance our ability to offer our guests new products and experiences, all while providing opportunities to enhance the efficiency of our fleet.”

Specifics about the ships’ accommodations and amenities will be announced “in the coming months,” according to the release.

The company will also add a new multi-ship pier at its private Bahamas island, Great Stirrup Cay, scheduled for completion by late 2025. The pier will be able to accommodate two large ships at once.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

Watch CBS News

What time the 2024 solar eclipse started, reached peak totality and ended

By Sarah Maddox

Updated on: April 9, 2024 / 5:04 AM EDT / CBS News

The 2024 solar eclipse will be visible across North America today. As the moon's position between the Earth and sun casts a shadow on North America, that shadow, or umbra, will travel along the surface from west to east at more than 1,500 miles per hour along the path of totality . 

That means the eclipse will start, peak and end at different times — as will the moments of total darkness along the path of totality — and the best time to view the eclipse depends on where you are located. Some places along the path will have more totality time than others.

In Texas, the south-central region had clouds in the forecast , but it was better to the northeast, according to the National Weather Service. The best eclipse viewing weather was expected in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine, as well as in Canada's New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

What time does the 2024 total solar eclipse start?

The total solar eclipse will emerge over the South Pacific Ocean before the shadow falls across North America, beginning in parts of Mexico. The path of totality , where onlookers can witness the moon fully blocking the sun (through eclipse viewing glasses for safety ), is expected to first make landfall near the city of Mazatlán around 9:51 a.m. MT. 

The total solar eclipse will cross over the U.S.-Mexico border into Texas, where it will emerge over Eagle Pass at 12:10 p.m. CT and then peak at about 1:27 p.m. CT.

In Dallas, NASA data shows the partial eclipse will first become visible at 12:23 p.m. CT and peak at 1:40 p.m. CT. The next states in the path of totality are Oklahoma and Arkansas, where the eclipse begins in Little Rock at 12:33 p.m. CT. 

Cleveland will see the beginning of the eclipse at 1:59 p.m. ET. Darkness will start spreading over the sky in Buffalo, New York, at 2:04 p.m. ET. Then, the eclipse will reach northwestern Vermont, including Burlington, at 2:14 p.m. ET. Parts of New Hampshire and Maine will also follow in the path of totality before the eclipse first reaches the Canadian mainland  at 3:13 p.m. ET.

Although the experience won't be exactly the same, viewers in all the contiguous U.S. states outside the path of totality will still be able to see a partial eclipse. Some places will see most of the sun blocked by the moon, including Washington, D.C., where the partial eclipse will start at 2:04 p.m. ET and peak at about 3:20 p.m. ET.

In Chicago, viewers can start viewing the partial eclipse at 12:51 p.m. CT, with the peak arriving at 2:07 p.m. CT.  In Detroit, viewers will be able to enjoy a near-total eclipse beginning at 1:58 p.m. ET and peaking at 3:14 p.m. ET.

New York City will also see a substantial partial eclipse, beginning at 2:10 p.m. ET and peaking around 3:25 p.m. ET.

In Boston it will begin at 2:16 p.m. ET and peak at about 3:29 p.m. ET.

The below table by NASA shows when the eclipse will start, peak and end in 13 cities along the eclipse's path.

What time will the solar eclipse reach peak totality?

Millions more people will have the chance to witness the total solar eclipse this year than during the last total solar eclipse , which was visible from the U.S. in 2017. 

The eclipse's peak will mean something different for cities within the path of totality and for those outside. Within the path of totality, darkness will fall for a few minutes. The longest will last more than 4 minutes, but most places will see between 3.5 and 4 minutes of totality. In cities experiencing a partial eclipse, a percentage of the sun will be obscured for more than two hours.

Mazatlán is set to experience totality at 11:07 am PT. Dallas will be able to see the moon fully cover the sun at 1:40 p.m. CT. Little Rock will start to see the full eclipse at 1:51 p.m. CT, Cleveland at 3:13 p.m. ET and Buffalo at 3:18 p.m. ET. Totality will reach Burlington at 3:26 p.m. ET before moving into the remaining states and reaching Canada around 4:25 p.m.

Outside the path of totality, 87.4% of the sun will be eclipsed in Washington, D.C. at 3:20 p.m. ET, and Chicago will have maximum coverage of 93.9% at 2:07 p.m. CT. New York City is much closer to the path of totality this year than it was in 2017; it will see 89.6% coverage at 3:25 p.m. EDT. 

Detroit is another city that will encounter a near-total eclipse, with 99.2% maximum coverage at 3:14 p.m. ET. Boston will see 92.4% coverage at 3:29 p.m. ET.

What time will the solar eclipse end?

The eclipse will leave continental North America from Newfoundland, Canada, at 5:16 p.m. NT, according to NASA.

At the beginning of the path of totality in Mazatlán, the eclipse will be over by 12:32 p.m. PT, and it will leave Dallas at 3:02 p.m. CT. The eclipse will end in Little Rock at 3:11 p.m. CT, Cleveland at 4:29 p.m. CDT and Buffalo at 4:32 p.m. ET. Burlington won't be far behind, with the eclipse concluding at 4:37 p.m. ET.

Meanwhile, the viewing will end in Chicago at 3:21 p.m. CT, Washington, D.C. at 4:32 p.m. ET, and New York City at 4:36 p.m. ET. 

In Detroit, the partial eclipse will disappear at 4:27 p.m. ET, and in Boston, it will be over at 4:39 p.m. ET.

How long will the eclipse last in total?

The total solar eclipse will begin in Mexico at 11:07 a.m. PT and leave continental North America at 5:16 p.m. NT. From the time the partial eclipse first appears on Earth to its final glimpses before disappearing thousands of miles away, the celestial show will dazzle viewers for about 5 hours, according to timeanddate.com . 

The length of the total solar eclipse at points along the path depends on the viewing location. The longest will be 4 minutes and 28 seconds, northwest of Torreón, Mexico. Near the center of the path, totality takes place for the longest periods of time, according to NASA.

Spectators will observe totality for much longer today than during the 2017 eclipse , when the longest stretch of totality was 2 minutes and 32 seconds.

The moon's shadow seen on Earth today, called the umbra, travels at more than 1,500 miles per hour, according to NASA. It would move even more quickly if the Earth rotated in the opposite direction.

What is the longest a solar eclipse has ever lasted?

The longest known totality was 7 minutes and 28 seconds in 743 B.C. However, NASA says this record will be broken in 2186 with a 7 minute, 29 second total solar eclipse. The next total solar eclipse visible from parts of the U.S. won't happen until Aug. 23, 2044.

Sarah Maddox has been with CBS News since 2019. She works as an associate producer for CBS News Live.

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