Expedia just kicked off its biggest promotion of the year, and if you haven't locked in your summer plans yet, this is a real window. Through July 13, 2026, you can save up to 40% on select hotels, vacation rentals, flights, and packages — with travel valid all the way through December 15, 2026.

Here's what you actually need to know before you book.

What the Expedia Summer Sale Covers

The discount applies across several travel categories, though not everything on the platform qualifies equally. The strongest deals are concentrated in hotels and vacation rentals.

Standout examples we spotted include:

• Secrets Tides Punta Cana All-Inclusive Resort (Dominican Republic) — a 3-night stay on select dates for around $1,480, roughly 30% off the standard rate. This property is part of Hyatt's All-Inclusive Collection, which means World of Hyatt members can cross-reference Hyatt's own booking tools to compare pricing.
• Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa (Dominican Republic) — 3 nights available from approximately $1,319, also around 30% off.
• Vacation rentals in Miami, Orlando, Las Vegas, Cancun, and Playa del Carmen are showing discounts as well, making this worth checking if you were considering Vrbo or Airbnb alternatives.

Flights and car rentals are also included, though discounts there tend to be thinner than what's available on the lodging side.

Key booking deadline: July 13, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. property local time. Travel must be completed by December 15, 2026.

How to Stack More Value on Top of the Discount

The sale price is just the floor. Here's how savvy points travelers can layer additional value onto an Expedia booking.

Earn One Key Cash. Expedia's One Key loyalty program is free to join and earns you One Key Cash on every eligible booking across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo. That cash can be applied to future bookings on any of the three platforms.

Book through a shopping portal first. Before you click "book" on Expedia, run it through a cash-back or points shopping portal. Rakuten, for example, frequently offers 2–5% back on Expedia purchases, and that earns on top of the sale discount. Always check Cashback Monitor to find the highest current portal rate.

Use the right credit card. Not all travel cards treat Expedia bookings the same way. Cards that earn bonus points on "travel" broadly — rather than only on bookings made through their own portal — will earn full category bonuses on Expedia purchases. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 2x on all travel including third-party platforms, while the Capital One Venture X earns 2x miles on every purchase. If you're still deciding between the two, our Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Venture X comparison breaks down exactly which card fits which traveler. If you have an Amex card with an Expedia-specific travel credit, check whether a third-party booking qualifies — the terms vary by card.

Airline and hotel shopping portals. Some frequent flyer programs, including United MileagePlus Shopping and American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping, list Expedia as a partner. Earning miles on top of a 30–40% discount is a solid combination.

Should You Book Through Expedia or Go Direct?

This is the honest part. Third-party bookings have real downsides. If something goes wrong — a flight change, a hotel issue, a cancellation — you're dealing with Expedia first, not the hotel or airline directly. Elite status benefits, especially at hotels, are frequently not honored on third-party bookings, and you often won't earn hotel loyalty points on the stay.

That said, a 30% discount can offset a lot of those headaches, especially on vacation rental stays (where status perks aren't a factor) or for travelers who don't hold elite status anyway.

Our take: For vacation rentals, all-inclusive resorts, and trips where you aren't chasing hotel points or status benefits, the Expedia Summer Sale is genuinely worth it. For stays at Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, or IHG properties where you hold status or want points credit, compare the sale price against the direct rate before assuming Expedia wins. Not sure which hotel program is worth your loyalty? Our World of Hyatt complete guide and Marriott Bonvoy complete guide can help you decide what you'd be giving up.

Act Before July 13

Sales like this have a way of looking thinner as the deadline approaches and popular inventory gets picked off. If you have a trip in mind for late summer or fall, it's worth spending 20 minutes comparing Expedia's sale pricing against direct hotel rates right now.

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