Expedia's COVID-era collapse (2020)
As the pandemic halted global travel, Expedia's business collapsed. Employment that had peaked above 25,000 in 2019 fell to 14,800, a cut of more than 40%.
The company slashed thousands of jobs and reorganized its brands during a demand freeze.
Expedia emerged smaller and has since cycled through layoffs and hiring as travel recovered.
It shows Expedia's pattern of using downturns or structural shifts to permanently shrink its workforce, now with AI cited as the driver.
