To book a flight through the Expedia app is certainly sleeker and more transparent than through Hopper. Still, Hopper claims to be winning market share.
The current investment climate no longer values growth at all costs. That's the reality Hopper, the fast-growing online travel and fintech company, faces as it charts a way forward.
Competition certainly played a role in the Expedia-Hopper split. Which company suffered the greatest? The larger company, Expedia, had more resources to absorb a hit.
Few believed Hopper's statement in July that losing the Expedia partnership would have no impact. Now we know that Hopper began working on hotel deals to make itself whole and expand.
As with lots of cash and stock deals, the ultimate outcome will depend on Upgrade's eventual exit, and how that turns out. On the face of it, though, this deal looks underwhelming for Uplift.