Is Booking.com legitimate, safe, and reliable?

With millions of listings globally, Booking.com is one of the most popular online travel agencies today, connecting travelers to hotels, apartments, flights, car rentals, cruises, and more. But, as its popularity grows, so do the scams. In fact, the travel site has seen a 900% increase in scams since early 2023. Savvy scammers rely on AI to make their schemes more convincing, resulting in users losing money or exposing sensitive information.

To stay ahead of sophisticated scams and keep yourself informed, read about Booking.com’s customer experiences, whether you can trust the site in general, and how to use the site safely.

Is Booking.com safe?

Booking.com is generally safe, yes. The site offers nearly 30 million listings, many of which are legitimate and safe, but you need to know how to sniff out the fake ones in order to remain safe. And even then, safety is no guarantee.

Criminals can create accounts on Booking.com, pretending to be legitimate property owners to steal information and collect illegitimate payments. In one case, a Redditor shared that scammers used pictures from Zillow to make their fake property more believable. Scammers can also use the platform’s messaging system or your email address to trick you into providing them with information or money.

Other criminals target property and hotel owners on Booking.com. In December 2024, Microsoft identified fake phishing emails targeting Booking.com’s hospitality partners. The scam emails aimed to fool partners into downloading information-stealing malware, which was built to collect customer data.

Is Booking.com reliable based on customer reviews?

Booking.com’s Trustpilot score is 2.2 out of 5, with customers both praising and criticizing the site. Some love its transparent booking process and detailed filtering and accommodation descriptions, while others claim the company struggles to manage the refund process.

The Trustpilot score is fairly low compared to other travel agencies like Priceline (3.7 out of 5) or Trip.com (4.4 out of 5). Let’s go through why this may be the case, and look at some strengths and weaknesses that past users have highlighted.

Strengths highlighted by customers

Many customers state that Booking.com is easy to use, inexpensive, and transparent. Nearly 30% of Trustpilot reviewers give the site a 4- or 5-star rating.

Here’s what some customers say about booking hotels, flights, and more through Booking.com:

• Easy to use: Customers say the site is easy to use and enjoy the booking app, flexibility of options, and ease of cancelling.
• Discounts: Users appreciate that pricing on the site is low compared to others, sharing that prices are reasonable (even sometimes cheaper) than booking directly with an airline or hotel.
• Transparent pricing: Customers appreciate that pricing is plain and clear, with fees and extra costs explained throughout checkout.
• Free cancellation options: Booking.com offers some free cancellation on certain bookings, though the refund policy is set by each accommodation or service provider independently. You can sometimes get lower prices for picking a non-refundable room if you’re sure you won’t cancel.
• Unmoderated reviews: Some users mention the helpful review sections for accommodations so they can get a feel for the reality of the amenities, support, and cleanliness before booking.
• Search filters: Vacationers appreciate the many search filters available, making it easy to find exactly what they’re looking for.
• Customer loyalty program: Further discounts and free upgrades are available for long-time customers and frequent purchasers, though many users suggest that Booking.com’s loyalty program (Genius) actually shows higher prices than lower-tier customers. Other travel-industry customer loyalty programs, like Miles & More, also work with Booking.com.

Common customer complaints

Most of Booking.com’s Trustpilot reviews (67%) are 1-star, with customers complaining about poor customer service, billing issues, and questionable refund and issue resolution.

Here’s a collection of common issues identified by Booking.com’s Trustpilot reviews:

• Denied refunds: Customers shared that they’ve been denied refunds, saying that Booking.com sometimes cites the policy of its partners, even if it was Booking.com’s error.
• Double-billing: Users have complained that properties may double-bill them, stating that Booking.com hasn’t helped them when seeking a resolution.
• Questionable pricing strategies: Shoppers have criticized Booking.com for its Genius Dynamic Pricing system for trying to get customers to pay more based on their usage data.
• Missing address information: Vacationers have found that some Booking.com properties are incorrect, which may result in leaving customers stranded or lost.
• Customer service issues: Customers have shared that Booking.com’s service can be nonresponsive and unhelpful, with some even calling it dismissive and uncaring.
• Listings not updated in real time: Travelers have shared that listings are not always up to date, sometimes leading to them finding out the property is unavailable upon reaching their destination.
• Unhelpful AI chatbots: Some recent reviewers report being sent into an AI loop between chatbots and AI phone bots, both of which are generally unhelpful when there’s a real issue to be resolved requiring human help.

Remember that Booking.com hosts third-party service providers, so the company doesn’t actively manage the rooms or flights you book.

Some of the issues communicated in Trustpilot reviews share concerns about properties, car rental services, and airports, not Booking.com. You can avoid some of these headaches by reading listings carefully (including the fine print), using information from the site when you need to file a complaint with its 24/7 customer service.

Booking.com scams and how to spot them

Booking.com scams include fake listings, suspicious messages, phishing emails, and even fake job offers. You can avoid many of these by checking out customer reviews, confirming email information, and staying on the Booking.com platform for all official communications.

Fake listings

Fake Booking.com listings often advertise accommodation that doesn’t actually exist, whether it’s an old listing or a listing that steals images and details from another source. Similar to some Airbnb scams, these properties may not belong to the listing creator, leading you to an awkward meeting with the real property owner or resident once you arrive. Or, you may arrive only to realize that the place is shut down, closed, or otherwise out of service.

To spot a fake listing, look for irregularities compared to similar listings, such as unusually low pricing for the area or a small number of reviews. You should also compare the listing with photos of the property on Google Images. If the images match another listing on sites like Zillow or Airbnb, best not to book it, as it may be the target of a rental-based real estate scam.

Fake direct messages

Scammers create partner accounts on Booking.com’s platform to directly message potential targets. They may ask you for extra “booking verification” or direct payments via off-site payment platforms, similar to PayPal scams.

In one case, a Redditor shared a message they received directly within the Booking.com messaging environment, which included a link directing them to an external website.

The scammer claimed to be the host and requested additional verification to confirm their booking. As it turns out, this is a common booking.com scam, originating with that particular host’s account being hijacked by a fraudster. The fake message then aimed to get the buyer to input their payment credentials to a fake website.

Phishing emails

Criminals can use Booking.com’s recognizable name to target its customers with phishing emails. They spoof the sender’s email address and steal Booking.com’s logo to make the email more believable and convincing to the potential victim — a common social engineering tactic.

You can spot a fake email by checking for signs of urgency, such as the potential of lost services if you don’t respond quickly. Another sign is a link that doesn’t lead to Booking.com’s official site, or overly formal wording that doesn’t match Booking.com’s normal emails.

Fake job offers

Fake job offers on LinkedIn or other career platforms may claim to represent Booking.com and offer seemingly lucrative job opportunities to steal information you submit to them. Scammers behind the offer can then use your information to commit employment identity theft, leading to fraud like submitting tax returns on your behalf.

One Redditor describes their experience receiving a fake job offer to test and rate hotels for up to $800 per day. In this case, the offer seemed too good to be true, a common sign that you might be the target of a scam. If you never applied to a job and suddenly it’s being offered to you, ignore it — doing so may help you protect personal data from being collected and used fraudulently.

How does Booking.com use your data?

According to Booking.com’s privacy and cookie statement, it uses your data to personalize search results, improve the platform, market to you, and even to help mitigate and prevent fraud. Booking.com shares your data with service providers, such as hotel chains, to handle its operations.

Here’s a breakdown of how Booking.com uses your data:

• Trip reservations: This data often includes your name, address, phone number, and anything else required to make a trip reservation and enable online check-ins.
• Customer service: Booking.com shares your reservation details with its customer service team and records your booking history to assist you.
• Marketing activities: Behavioral data is collected when you use the site or browse other websites; third-party cookies are used to track browsing and target you with advertising.
• Dynamic pricing information: Information such as your location and IP address is gathered to offer prices that change depending on what’s happening in their system.

Booking.com’s data collection practices are fairly standard, but some have raised concerns about the potential exposure. In 2024, researchers identified a large dataset leak of 24 million hotel records, including names, emails, phone numbers, and stay information. While these leaks were likely connected to Honotel, a French hospitality investment and management firm, it’s suspected that some data came from Booking.com.

How to use Booking.com safely

You can use Booking.com safely by scrutinizing the properties you look at. Check property ratings, customer reviews, and customer experiences on third-party sites. You should also verify the location by researching property photos with reverse image search.

Here are some additional tips you can follow to use Booking.com safely:

• Check property ratings: Review the property ratings to see if fellow customers share positive experiences of their stay. No ratings may indicate you’re looking at a fake listing.
• Read reviews carefully: Check the details to see if other customers have shared negative experiences. Low star ratings and negative descriptions may indicate the property is poorly managed.
• Check reviews on other platforms: Check third-party websites about the property, such as Google or Reddit, to confirm on-site experiences.
• Look at the photos: Review photos of the property to see if they match the location description and the area. Some owners may rely on stock photos, which you can find on sites like Shutterstock or via a reverse image search on Google.
• Research the location: Before you reserve a room, check out the area to be sure it’s safe for you and your family. To confirm if it’s unsafe, use the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer to review data from local law enforcement where you plan on vacationing. Unfortunately, this tip only works for the U.S.
• Verify the room type: Double-check the room type in the listing before you reserve it. Reserving a room when you intend to get an entire house can derail your vacation plans.
• Verify the checkout process: Some listings ask for specific payment methods, such as cash or card, based on the listing provider’s needs. Knowing these processes beforehand helps you avoid delays due to not having the right payment method on hand.
• Check the property’s website: Some properties have their own websites to advertise outside of Booking.com’s platform. These websites might have more property information, more up-to-date details, or sometimes less expensive rates.
• Secure your account: Keep your account safe with a strong password and two-factor authentication (2FA). Avoid giving out this information via email, as requests for this info may be a social engineering attack trying to fool you into believing the sender represents Booking.com.

Defend yourself from travel scams

Falling for a scam on Booking.com can happen to any of us. LifeLock Standard helps protect you from the fallout if your personal information is compromised in a scam. LifeLock monitors for fraudulent use of your personal information, and U.S.-based restoration specialists can help you restore your identity should the worst happen.

FAQs

Is it better to book directly with a hotel or Booking.com?

It’s generally better to book directly with a hotel, because users can’t create listings on hotel websites, while Booking.com allows anyone to create listings for their local business. But by booking directly, you may miss out on some potential discounts.

What’s the most reliable online booking site?

Sites like Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, Tripadvisor, and Agoda are all legitimate booking sites. The site you choose may vary depending on what services you’re looking for, as different sites specialize in services like hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, car rentals, and flights.

Is it safe to use my credit card on Booking.com?

It is considered safe to use your credit card on Booking.com because the site securely stores card data on behalf of its partners. If you hesitate to share card details with online businesses, you can use Booking.com’s filters to find listings that allow you to pay in cash.

How do you avoid scams when booking online travel?

You can avoid scams when booking online travel by relying on trusted online travel providers, avoiding questionable listings, and not providing unnecessary personal information, like your Social Security number, to book your vacation.