---
company: expedia
title: Expedia — how complaints actually go
last_verified: 2026-10-12
---

## In short

Expedia does not publish one general phone number. Start from the contact page on expedia.com or the app, which asks a few questions and then offers a virtual agent, a human agent or the right number. Fake Expedia numbers are common in search ads. When an airline cancels a flight you bought on Expedia and Expedia charged your card, Expedia is the one that owes you the refund. Expedia's own fees are not refundable unless the booking said otherwise, and disputes go to arbitration after a written notice by certified mail.

## How complaints actually go

- Expedia's contact page asks questions first and then shows the right phone number; its virtual agent can hand over to a human agent. [Expedia: get in touch](https://www.expedia.com/lp/b/getintouch)
- DOT says ticket agents that are the merchant of record must refund airfare when an airline cancels or significantly changes a flight, and that you should contact the agent before the airline. [DOT: Refunds](https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/refunds)
- DOT also says ticket agents do not refund fees for paid extras or bag fees for delayed bags; ask the airline for those, even if Expedia charged you. [DOT: Refunds](https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/refunds)
- Expedia's terms require a signed Notice of Dispute sent by certified mail and a 60-day period to resolve it before individual AAA arbitration; either side may use small claims court. [Expedia terms of service](https://www.expedia.com/lp/b/terms-of-service)

## What tends to work

- A DOT complaint against a ticket agent goes to the agent, which DOT directs to respond to you and copy DOT. [DOT: File a consumer complaint](https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/file-consumer-complaint)
- For a flight no-show or cancellation, Expedia says you may be entitled to a refund of airport taxes and fees, which you can request through its Help Center; Expedia submits the request to the airline. [Expedia terms of service](https://www.expedia.com/lp/b/terms-of-service)
- If a card charge for a trip that was not provided is not refunded, dispute it as a billing error within 60 days after the first statement that shows it (rule `fcba-billing-error`). [12 CFR 1026.13](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/13/)

## Traps and fine print

- Expedia's terms say its fees are not refundable unless the booking process says otherwise. [Expedia terms of service](https://www.expedia.com/lp/b/terms-of-service)
- The airline 24-hour free cancellation rule does not apply to tickets booked through online travel agencies. [DOT: Refunds](https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/refunds) Expedia says some airlines let you cancel for a full refund within the first day, but Basic Economy and other restrictive fares may not allow changes. [Expedia help: flight cancellations](https://www.expedia.com/helpcenter/?product=Flights&productId=flight&articleId=16506)
- Disputes are individual only, not class actions, and must start with the certified-mail Notice of Dispute. [Expedia terms of service](https://www.expedia.com/lp/b/terms-of-service)

## By the numbers

- July 2026: DOT received 80 complaint cases about Expedia, the most of any travel agent; 41 were about refunds and 18 about reservations, ticketing or boarding. [DOT Air Travel Consumer Report, September 2026 (July 2026 data)](https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2026-09/September%202026%20ATCR%20revised%209-22-2026.pdf)
- ACSI 2026: Expedia scored 75 out of 100, down from 77 in 2025; the online travel agency industry scored 76. [ACSI: Online travel agencies](https://theacsi.com/industries/travel/online-travel-agencies/)

## Scams that target customers

- Expedia warns that fake Expedia phone numbers circulate through misleading search ads and whole fake pages, and says it never asks for your password or one-time passcode, never asks for a wire transfer and never asks you to buy a gift card to pay for a trip. [Expedia: get in touch (archived copy of May 18, 2026)](https://www.expedia.com/lp/b/getintouch)
- Expedia says to start from expedia.com or the app to get the real number and never to pay by gift card or wire transfer after an unsolicited call. [Expedia: tips for outsmarting scammers](https://www.expedia.com/magazine/tips-for-outsmarting-scammers-when-booking-travel)
- The BBB quotes an Expedia customer who searched online for Expedia's number, reached an impostor and was asked for $150 to cancel a booking that the itinerary said could be cancelled free within 24 hours. [BBB scam alert, updated September 9, 2025](https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/24106-bbb-warning-beware-of-twist-on-third-party-airline-ticket-booking-scam)