Booking.com
Flagged · AvoidOne of the world's largest online travel platforms, connecting travelers with hotels, vacation rentals, and experiences in nearly every country.
Last updated August 20, 2026
Reasons to avoid
Issues span:Human RightsPrivacyConsumerAntitrust
- A Guardian investigation found Booking.com listing properties on land seized from Palestinian families, including a home near Bethlehem forcibly taken from the Kisiya family by Israeli settlers in July 2024 despite the family winning their court case. The UN named Booking.com among 16 companies tied to Israeli settlement operations, and the investigation found 760 rooms listed across Booking.com and Airbnb in illegal settlements.
- A 2026 data breach at Booking.com exposed customer booking details and triggered a wave of reservation hijacking scams, in which fraudsters impersonated hotels inside the Booking.com app to steal payment information from travelers. UK fraud authorities logged hundreds of victims losing a combined 370,000 pounds.
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a $9.5 million settlement with Booking Holdings in August 2025 after finding it deceptively marketed hotel rooms by advertising artificially low rates and grouping mandatory resort and amenity fees into the "Taxes and Fees" line item at checkout. It is the largest settlement any U.S. state has reached with a hotel or online travel agency over hidden junk fees.
- The Dutch Consumers' Association proved in 2024 that Booking.com used fake discounts, incomplete prices, and fabricated scarcity alerts to manipulate consumer decisions in violation of Dutch and EU law. By June 2025, over 130,000 consumers had joined a class action lawsuit seeking more than 1 billion euros in damages.
- Spain's competition authority issued Booking.com its largest-ever antitrust fine of 413 million euros in July 2024, for abusing its dominant market position by forcing hotels to offer their lowest prices exclusively on its platform and manipulating search rankings to freeze out competing booking services.
Ethical alternatives
Boutique & Independent Hotels
Beyond Green
A portfolio of independently owned luxury hotels committed to the highest standards of environmental and social sustainability.
♻️ Sustainable✅ B-Corp
Visit →
Regenerative Travel
A curated collection of independently owned hotels and lodges vetted for their environmental and community impact.
Visit →
Kind Traveler
A hotel booking platform that requires a charitable donation to a local nonprofit with every stay, partnered with independently owned hotels.
Visit →Local Boutique & B&B Hotels
Find an independently owned boutique hotel or B&B near your destination — your money stays in the local economy.
📍 Local Business📍 Supports Locals
Eco-Certified Stays
Ecobnb
A booking platform for eco-certified accommodations worldwide — from mountain retreats to organic farmhouses and sustainable guesthouses.
♻️ Sustainable🌿 Zero Waste
Visit →
Fairbnb
A worker-owned cooperative booking platform where 50% of each booking fee funds a community project in the neighborhood you're visiting.
✊ Worker Owned📍 Supports Locals♻️ Sustainable
Visit →
Common Questions
- Is Booking.com ethical?
- A Guardian investigation found Booking.com listing properties on land seized from Palestinian families, including homes the owners had won court cases to reclaim. Spain fined Booking.com 413 million euros in 2024 for abusing its market position, and a 2026 data breach triggered reservation hijacking scams that defrauded hundreds of travelers out of a combined 370,000 pounds.
- Why are people boycotting Booking.com?
- The most common reasons are its listings in illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land and documented use of fake discounts and fabricated scarcity alerts to manipulate consumers. Over 130,000 consumers joined a class action lawsuit in 2025 seeking more than 1 billion euros in damages over those deceptive practices.
- What are the best ethical alternatives to Booking.com?
- Fairbnb is a worker-owned cooperative where 50% of each booking fee funds a community project in the neighborhood you're visiting. Ecobnb connects travelers with eco-certified accommodations from mountain retreats to organic farmhouses. Booking directly with locally owned boutique hotels near your destination keeps money in the local economy.