KAYAK
Travel search engine comparing flights, hotels and rental cars.
KAYAK at a glance
KAYAK is a travel website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #61 in the country. It was founded in 2004 by Steve Hafner, Paul English and is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, United States. Today KAYAK is owned by Booking Holdings Inc.. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 100 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through advertising, referral commissions. Its closest rivals include skyscanner.net, google.com/travel.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 94 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 97 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 100 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 106 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct43%
- Organic search32%
- Paid search16%
- Metasearch referral6%
- Social3%
Audience & demographics
- Men52%
- Women48%
- Age 25-3431%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5420%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 30 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| kayak | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| cheap flights | Top 10 | High | — |
| hotel booking | Top 10 | High | — |
| train tickets | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 71% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading travel apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- kayak.com
- Sector
- Travel
- Owner
- Booking Holdings Inc.
- Owner type
- Subsidiary
- Founders
- Steve Hafner, Paul English
- Founded
- 2004
- Headquarters
- Stamford, Connecticut, United States
- Employees
- N/A (part of Booking Holdings)
- Ownership
- Booking Holdings Inc. controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- N/A (bundled within Booking Holdings)
- Languages
- English and 20+ languages
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, paid search
Financials
- Revenue
- N/A (bundled within Booking Holdings)
- Ownership
- Subsidiary
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
KAYAK operates a travel booking platform focused on United States. Travel search engine comparing flights, hotels and rental cars. Revenue comes mainly from advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Advertising
- Referral commissions
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #61 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading travel site in United States
- Global rank
- 380
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| skyscanner.net | ≈ 60 million / month | #62 class competitor | — |
| google.com/travel | ≈ 45 million / month | #63 class competitor | — |
What is KAYAK?
KAYAK (kayak.com) is a travel booking platform serving users in United States. Travel search engine comparing flights, hotels and rental cars. It ranks #61 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the travel category.
Who owns KAYAK?
The site is operated by Booking Holdings Inc., founded by Steve Hafner, Paul English. The company was established in 2004 and is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, United States. It employs around N/A (part of Booking Holdings).
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place KAYAK at roughly 100 million visits per month, about 3.3 million per day. Around 71% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 7.8 pages per visit with an average session of 7 min.
How KAYAK makes money
Revenue comes primarily from advertising, alongside referral commissions.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include skyscanner.net, google.com/travel.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 2004
KAYAK is founded in Stamford, Connecticut, United States.
- Growth phase
Expands its travel offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #61 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad inventory of routes, hotels or tickets
- Transparent price comparison across dates
- Local payment and installment support
- Mobile check-in and booking management
Cons
- Prices fluctuate quickly during peak seasons
- Change and cancellation rules are restrictive
- Add-on fees appear late in the funnel
- Support pressure during disruptions
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns KAYAK?
KAYAK is operated by Booking Holdings Inc.. Subsidiary structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is KAYAK headquartered?
KAYAK is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, United States.
When was KAYAK founded?
KAYAK was founded in 2004 by Steve Hafner, Paul English.
How many employees does KAYAK have?
KAYAK employs approximately N/A (part of Booking Holdings) people.
What is KAYAK's revenue?
KAYAK's revenue: N/A (bundled within Booking Holdings).
Who are KAYAK's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include skyscanner.net, google.com/travel.
How does KAYAK make money?
Mainly advertising, referral commissions.
Is KAYAK publicly traded?
No — KAYAK is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Booking Holdings Inc..
How many visitors does KAYAK get?
Third-party estimates place KAYAK at roughly 100 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 71% mobile traffic.
Is KAYAK safe?
KAYAK is an established travel site founded in 2004 and ranked #61 in United States; use the official domain kayak.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementskayak.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos