KAYAK review

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once and then lets you narrow results with filters, which makes it a strong second check after Google Flights. Its most useful tool for bargain hunters is KAYAK Explore: enter a budget, such as the $300 example KAYAK gives, and it shows where you can fly for that amount. Price alerts cover flights, hotels and cars, and a flight tracker warns you about changes or tight connections. The app also has a bag measuring tool that uses your phone camera to check whether your carry-on fits, which can save you from a fee at the gate, and a Trips tool that keeps confirmations and boarding passes available offline. A newer Ask AI feature helps plan a trip in conversation. The downside is the same as with other metasearch sites: the lowest result may be an agency with thin support, so check who is selling the ticket before you pay.

Who it is for

Budget planners who want to search by price limit and keep the whole trip in one app.

Price

Free app and website.

KAYAK: Flights, Hotels & Cars Plan vacations & book trips Free
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 8, 2026.

Key features

• Compares flight options from hundreds of travel sites
• KAYAK Explore shows where you can fly on a set budget
• Price alerts on flights, hotels and cars
• Measure your bag with the phone camera to avoid carry-on fees
• Ask AI trip planning and offline Trips itineraries

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Budget search is useful when price matters more than place
• Strength: Bag measuring tool helps avoid surprise fees
• Strength: Trips tool keeps confirmations available offline
• Weakness: The cheapest result may come from an agency, so service depends on the seller
• Weakness: Many hotel and car features compete for space with flights
• Weakness: Mobile-only rates apply to select hotels, not flights

Key facts

• Sites compared: Hundreds
• Budget search: KAYAK Explore
• App Store rating: 4.8 from 500K ratings
• Rental car locations: Over 70,000

Where it ranks

KAYAK is No. 3 in our Best Flight Search Sites verdict and No. 7 in Best Hotel Booking Sites.