Last Updated on August 29, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Short answer

Yes — CheapTickets is a legitimate online travel agency owned by Expedia Group, with a long operating history, transparent corporate ownership, and established industry reputation.

1. Company Overview & History

CheapTickets is an American online travel agency offering discounted flights, hotels, rental cars, vacation packages, and cruises.

Founding details: CheapTickets was founded in 1986 in Honolulu, Hawaii, by Michael J. (George) Hartley and Sandra Hartley. It began as an airline ticket consolidator selling unsold seats at reduced prices.

Headquarters: Under Expedia Group, CheapTickets is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with operational ties to Expedia’s broader U.S. infrastructure.

Major milestones:

  • 1986: Founded in Honolulu as a discount ticket consolidator
  • 1997: Website launched, becoming an early online travel seller
  • 1999: CheapTickets went public
  • 2000–2001: Acquired by Cendant Corporation
  • 2006: Became part of Travelport/Orbitz Worldwide
  • 2015: Orbitz Worldwide (including CheapTickets) acquired by Expedia Group

CheapTickets has operated for many years, serving leisure travelers seeking affordable travel options. CheapTickets has maintained a long operating history in the online travel industry. CheapTickets has been active in the market for a significant period, demonstrating stability and continuity.

2. Ownership & Corporate Structure

CheapTickets operates as a subsidiary within Expedia Group’s portfolio of travel brands.

Corporate structure:

  • Parent company: Expedia Group, a major publicly traded U.S. travel corporation
  • Status: Subsidiary brand within a larger OTA ecosystem
  • Jurisdiction: Operates under U.S. business, consumer protection, and travel‑industry regulations

CheapTickets operates as a privately held brand within Expedia Group, under U.S. corporate and regulatory oversight.

3. Leadership & Governance

CheapTickets’ original founders — Michael George Hartley and Sandra Hartley — are publicly documented, establishing clear historical leadership.

Today, CheapTickets functions within Expedia Group’s governance framework, which includes:

  • A publicly disclosed board of directors
  • Executive leadership overseeing all Expedia portfolio brands
  • Annual reports, SEC filings, and corporate governance statements
  • Group‑level compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations

CheapTickets benefits from Expedia Group’s governance structure, which provides oversight, accountability, and documented corporate controls.

4. Security, Compliance & Trust Signals

CheapTickets uses modern OTA security standards consistent with Expedia Group’s infrastructure.

Security signals:

  • HTTPS/TLS encryption across booking and account pages
  • PCI‑DSS‑compliant payment processing through Expedia’s systems
  • Secure checkout flows using major card networks and regulated processors
  • Hosting and CDN infrastructure consistent with large‑scale travel platforms (Cloudflare/AWS patterns observable)

Compliance & trust indicators:

  • BBB accreditation with an A+ rating
  • Clear privacy policy and data‑handling disclosures
  • Integration into Expedia Group’s security posture, audits, and compliance programs

CheapTickets does not publicly list SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certifications at the brand level, but its reliance on Expedia Group’s infrastructure provides strong indirect trust signals.

5. Transparency & Reliability

CheapTickets demonstrates operational transparency through:

  • Clear fare rules, cancellation policies, and booking disclosures
  • Expedia Group privacy policy detailing data collection, usage, and retention
  • Customer‑support channels and documented dispute‑resolution processes
  • BBB‑recognized business information and responsiveness to complaints

CheapTickets maintains a detailed privacy policy and clear booking terms that explain how travel data is handled. CheapTickets has maintained a long operating history in the travel industry, reinforcing reliability.

6. Reputation & Industry Standing

CheapTickets is recognized as a long‑running online travel agency within the budget‑travel segment.

Reputation signals:

  • Known for discounted fares and value‑focused travel packages
  • Active presence in travel forums and consumer review platforms
  • Part of Expedia Group, one of the largest global travel corporations
  • BBB A+ rating supporting legitimacy and consumer trust

CheapTickets is widely used by leisure travelers and is considered a stable, mainstream OTA option.

7. Final Verdict: Is CheapTickets Legit?

CheapTickets is a legitimate online travel agency with a clear founding history, transparent ownership under Expedia Group, secure booking infrastructure, and a long operating record. Its BBB accreditation, regulatory oversight, and integration into a major U.S. travel corporation reinforce its legitimacy.

CheapTickets is a legitimate company with no scam indicators or red flags.

Website: cheaptickets.com