Ebookers to Close Switzerland Operations

Expedia Group to Shutter ebookers.ch on September 2, 2026: Swiss Travelers Face Transition to Hotels.com

Expedia Group has announced the closure of its ebookers.ch website and its BONUS+ loyalty program in Switzerland on September 2, 2026, marking the latest phase in the company’s ongoing consolidation of its travel brands. The decision, confirmed by an official announcement on the ebookers.ch website, will redirect Swiss customers to Hotels.com, part of Expedia’s broader portfolio alongside Vrbo and Expedia.com.

The move follows a pattern of brand consolidation under Expedia’s leadership, including the recent closure of ebookers UK in September 2024. Under former CEO Peter Kern, Expedia sold or shuttered multiple brands, including Egencia, SilverRail, Classic Vacations, and Alice, as part of a strategy to streamline operations. The current CEO, Ariane Gorin, who took over in May 2024, has continued this approach, with ebookers.ch becoming the latest casualty.

Impact on Swiss Travelers Existing bookings made through ebookers.ch will remain unaffected, but customers will no longer be able to make new reservations or access the ebookers.ch website or app after September 2, 2026. The BONUS+ loyalty program, which offered cash-back rewards and tiered benefits, will also cease operations on that date. Unspent rewards will not be transferred to Hotels.com, according to the official statement, though the announcement does not specify alternative compensation for loyal customers.

The closure of ebookers.ch comes amid broader challenges for Swiss travel companies, with 3,006 Swiss businesses filing for bankruptcy in the first half of 2024 alone, according to the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). While ebookers.ch’s shutdown is not directly linked to these broader economic pressures, it aligns with Expedia’s global strategy of reducing operational complexity by consolidating brands under its flagship platforms.

A Legacy of Consolidation ebookers.ch traces its origins to 1998, when it launched as Flightbookers, the first online travel agency in the UK. The brand was acquired by Expedia in 2015 as part of its purchase of Orbitz for $1.5 billion. Despite its historical significance, ebookers has faced declining market share in recent years, prompting Expedia to phase out operations in multiple regions. In the UK, ebookers was closed in September 2024, with its loyalty program rewards converted into OneKeyCash, Expedia’s unified rewards currency.

Swiss travelers who have relied on ebookers.ch for flights, hotels, and car rentals will now be directed to Hotels.com, which remains operational in Switzerland. The transition reflects Expedia’s broader shift toward a single-loyalty ecosystem, where customers earn and redeem rewards across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo under the OneKey program.

What Comes Next For now, the focus remains on the September 2, 2026, deadline. Expedia has not provided further details on how the transition will be communicated to customers or whether additional support will be offered. The company’s spokesperson, quoted in a 2024 announcement regarding ebookers UK, stated that travelers would receive “the best experience on Expedia” rather than the retiring brands.

As Expedia continues to reshape its portfolio, the closure of ebookers.ch underscores the challenges faced by legacy travel brands in an increasingly competitive and consolidated market.