Orbitz Review: How Hotels Can Maximize OTA Visibility with PMS & Channel Manager Integration

Orbitz is one of the well-established online travel agencies (OTAs) operating under the Expedia Group partner network. For hoteliers, particularly in competitive markets, it offers access to millions of travelers searching across multiple hotel booking sites. But the key question is—how do you make the most of Orbitz without getting overwhelmed by managing rates, availability, and visibility across different OTA platforms?

This Orbitz review explores how hotels can evaluate Orbitz as a distribution channel, its pros and cons, and how a smart integration with a hotel channel manager and PMS can unlock stronger results.

Why Orbitz Matters for Hotels

Orbitz isn’t just another booking portal. Its position within the Expedia Group partner network ensures your property gains exposure across connected hotel distribution channels, including Expedia.com, Travelocity, and Hotels.com. This extended visibility gives your property access to:

• Global traveler base: Millions of users rely on Orbitz and its sister OTAs for bookings.
• Rewards and loyalty programs: Orbitz Rewards incentivizes repeat bookings, improving occupancy consistency.
• Promotional tools: Hotels can use Orbitz promotions, bundles, and last-minute deals to capture more demand.

For hotels looking to increase hotel visibility on OTAs, Orbitz plays an important role.

Pros of Listing Your Hotel on Orbitz

• Wide reach: Enhanced exposure to international and domestic travelers.
• Traveler trust: Guests are familiar with Orbitz’s booking process and rewards.
• Ease of use: Simple interface for travelers to search, filter, and book hotels.
• Cross-promotion: Being an Expedia Group partner boosts overall discovery.

Challenges to Be Aware Of

While Orbitz is a valuable partner, hoteliers should note some limitations:

• Commission costs: Like most OTA platforms, Orbitz charges fees that can reduce net margins.
• Rate parity pressure: Hotels must maintain consistent pricing across all hotel booking sites.
• Limited customization: Orbitz restricts how hotels present their listings compared to direct channels.
• Operational complexity: Without the right tools, managing availability, rates, and promotions across Orbitz and other OTAs can be time-consuming.

Orbitz for Hotels: The Role of PMS & Channel Manager Integration

This is where technology makes the difference. Integrating Orbitz into your hotel channel manager and PMS streamlines how your property manages reservations, availability, and pricing.

With AxisRooms’ Channel Manager:

• Your inventory updates in real-time across Orbitz and other OTAs.
• Overbooking risks are eliminated with synchronized room allotments.
• Pricing strategies remain consistent across all hotel distribution channels.
• Performance analytics help you monitor which OTA is delivering the best ROI.

By combining Orbitz visibility with AxisRooms’ automated distribution, hoteliers don’t just list on OTAs—they optimize.

Product Spotlight: How AxisRooms Enhances Your Orbitz Strategy

Maximizing Hotel Visibility on OTAs Like Orbitz

To ensure your Orbitz presence works harder for you, consider these best practices:

1. Compelling listings: High-quality photos, clear descriptions, and accurate amenities.
2. Dynamic pricing: Use revenue strategies that respond to demand surges.
3. Rate parity with flexibility: Keep rates competitive across OTAs while offering value-adds on your direct site.
4. Monitor guest reviews: Orbitz guest feedback directly impacts visibility and conversions.
5. Leverage promotional tools: Use Orbitz special offers to stand out during peak travel seasons.
6. Optimize mobile presence: With a large share of bookings made on mobile, ensure your content is device-friendly.
7. Use data analytics: Combine OTA reports with PMS insights to refine rate strategies and seasonal promotions.

Orbitz and Hotel Revenue Strategy

While OTAs help increase visibility, they also impact your margins due to commission fees. The smartest approach is to make Orbitz part of a broader hotel revenue strategy.

To understand the impact, consider a few core metrics:

• Occupancy rate shows what percentage of rooms are filled. For example, if your 100-room hotel books 80 rooms through Orbitz and other channels, you’re operating at 80% occupancy.
• Average Daily Rate (ADR) measures the average price per room sold. If your ADR is $100 and you sell 80 rooms, that’s $8,000 in daily revenue.
• Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) combines both metrics. At 80% occupancy with a $100 ADR, your RevPAR is $80. This helps compare performance across time periods and channels.
• Distribution ROI helps you evaluate if Orbitz commissions are worth the revenue generated. For example, if you pay 15% commission on a $100 booking, your net revenue is $85. Compare this across OTAs to decide where to invest most.

Using Orbitz data with PMS analytics allows hoteliers to spot trends—such as which seasons bring the most bookings or which promotions boost ADR—helping shape smarter pricing and distribution strategies.

Orbitz vs. Other OTA Platforms

Orbitz is part of Expedia Group, which strengthens its reach compared to smaller OTAs. While Booking.com or Agoda might dominate certain regions, Orbitz’s integration with other hotel booking sites under Expedia makes it valuable for global reach.

The key lies in balancing presence: not over-relying on Orbitz, but using it as part of a diversified OTA distribution strategy with the support of a robust hotel channel manager.

Example: How a Mid-Sized Hotel Benefits from Orbitz + AxisRooms

Consider a 70-room property that previously managed Orbitz manually. Updating availability took hours, and overbooking was frequent. After adopting AxisRooms:

• Rates and inventory synced across Orbitz, Expedia, and other channels instantly.
• Occupancy increased by 18% in three months.
• Staff time spent on manual OTA updates dropped by 80%.

This integration not only improved hotel visibility on OTAs but also boosted profitability.

Turning the Checklist into Action

Hotels that want to maximize Orbitz must follow a structured routine rather than treating OTA management as an afterthought. Start by auditing your current Orbitz listing to ensure all photos, amenities, and descriptions are accurate and appealing. Next, integrate Orbitz with a hotel channel manager to automate updates—this single step removes the manual errors that cost both bookings and guest trust. From there, use analytics to compare Orbitz against other hotel distribution channels, adjusting pricing and availability in line with PMS insights. Finally, treat Orbitz promotions as a tool for targeted visibility boosts rather than a default discounting method. When done consistently, these actions turn Orbitz into a long-term revenue driver instead of a short-term volume play.

FAQs on Orbitz for Hotels

Conclusion

Orbitz is a reliable and influential player among online travel agencies, especially as an Expedia Group partner. While commissions and listing limitations exist, the right strategy ensures Orbitz remains a profitable booking source.

By integrating with AxisRooms’ Channel Manager and PMS solutions, hotels can maximize their hotel visibility on OTAs, streamline distribution, and ultimately drive higher revenue.

AxisRooms helps you turn OTA partnerships like Orbitz from a management burden into a revenue-driving advantage.