Expedia Shuts Lastminute.com.au, Bets on One Bigger Brand

Expedia Group will close Lastminute.com.au on June 2, 2026, ending one of its older travel booking brands in Australia.

The company says existing bookings will still be honored, but new booking activity will gradually move to Expedia. The company said it reviews its portfolio regularly and believes travelers will get a better experience on its main platform.

Still, Expedia is not leaving Australia. It is simplifying its brand portfolio in the market. Rather than keep operating a smaller legacy site, the company is directing travelers to Expedia, its larger global brand.

The shutdown is being handled in stages

Lastminute.com.au is not disappearing overnight. The site says bookings remain open until May 15, with limits based on travel dates. After that, bookings will only be available for trips completed by November 1, 2026. From June 2, new booking activity will be redirected to Expedia.

Lastminute.com.au has been part of Expedia for years

Lastminute.com.au has changed hands several times. It launched in 2000 through a partnership involving lastminute.com and travel.com.au.

Wotif, an Australian online travel booking company, later acquired travel.com.au, and Expedia bought Wotif Group in 2014 for about A$703 million (US$450 million). That deal brought several Australia-focused travel brands into Expedia’s business, including Lastminute.com.au.

Australia has strong competition from global brands such as Booking.com and Agoda, as well as regional players like Webjet and Wotif.

Expedia sharpens its focus around fewer, bigger brands

Expedia reported continued growth in 2025, including stronger lodging bookings.

This move also fits Expedia’s broader push to simplify its business and focus more investment on larger, higher-priority platforms. Earlier this year, Expedia signaled that improving margins, speeding up execution, and tightening its operating model were central goals for 2026, showing that the company is looking more closely at where each brand fits inside the wider group.

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash