Despegar

Despegar

Online travel agency: flights, hotels, rentals

Overview

Despegar.com operates as a travel booking platform in Latin America, letting travelers find and reserve flights, hotels, car rentals, and other travel services. Users search across multiple providers on Despegar’s site, compare options, and complete bookings directly, with the company earning commissions from suppliers for each transaction and additional revenue from advertising and related services. The platform differentiates itself through its regional focus on Latin America, a wide catalog of travel products from various providers, and its business model that relies on commission revenue and ads rather than owning all inventory. Despegar’s goal is to streamline how travelers in the region discover and book travel, expanding its market share in Latin America’s online travel market.

About Despegar

Simplify's Rating
Why Despegar is rated
B-
Rated B on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated C on Differentiation

Industries

Consumer Software

Enterprise Software

Company Size

5,001-10,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Founded

1999

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Prosus scale supports cross-selling across travel and adjacent digital services.
  • AI and search improvements can raise conversion and booking efficiency.
  • HBX, Expedia, and Civitatis partnerships broaden inventory and margins.

What critics are saying

  • Competitive pressure from Expedia, Booking, and local OTAs remains intense.
  • Integration with Prosus can distract management during post-acquisition restructuring.
  • Latin American travel demand remains exposed to currency volatility and macro slowdowns.

What makes Despegar unique

  • Leading Latin American travel platform with 19-market regional reach.
  • Prosus completed a $1.7 billion acquisition in May 2025.
  • 2024 partnerships expanded lodging, activities, and travel-media monetization.

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Funding

Total Funding

$2.6B

Above

Industry Average

Funded Over

8 Rounds

Acquisition funding comparison data is currently unavailable. We're working to provide this information soon!
Acquisition Funding Comparison
Coming Soon

Benefits

Remote Work Options

Stock Price

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
Travel News
Aug 27th, 2025
Topsort Expands into Travel Media with Despegar Partnership, Bringing AI-Powered Retail Media Infrastructure to the Sector

Topsort expands into travel media with Despegar partnership, bringing ai-powered Retail Media Infrastructure to the sector.

Maples Group
Jun 3rd, 2025
Prosus Acquires Despegar for $1.7B

Maples and Calder advised Prosus on its $1.7 billion acquisition of Despegar, a leading Latin American online travel agency. The transaction, completed on May 15, 2025, involved delisting Despegar from the NYSE through a BVI statutory merger, making it a wholly owned subsidiary of Prosus. Ruairi Bourke and Elliott Ruffle provided BVI counsel, collaborating with Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. This deal highlights the team's expertise in high-value M&A in Latin America.

Moneyweb
May 15th, 2025
Prosus Acquires Despegar for $19.50/Share

Prosus N.V. has completed its acquisition of Despegar, Latin America's leading online travel agency, for $19.50 per share. This acquisition, approved by Despegar's board and shareholders, enhances Prosus's strategy to expand its digital lifestyle ecosystem in Latin America. The deal leverages Prosus's assets like iFood and OLX Brazil to create new revenue streams and improve customer convenience. Despegar will benefit from Prosus's scale and AI expertise to drive growth and innovation.

EL PAÍS Uruguay
Jan 10th, 2025
Despegar acquired by Prosus for $1.7B

Despegar, the Argentine travel unicorn, has been acquired by global investment group Prosus for approximately $1.7 billion. The acquisition aims to enhance Despegar's market leadership and expand its services in Latin America. Once completed, Despegar will become a private company, delisting from the New York Stock Exchange. Prosus plans to create synergies with its other regional businesses, leveraging its extensive resources and expertise in technology and AI.

MarketBeat
Jan 1st, 2025
Franklin Resources Inc. Invests $395,000 in Despegar.com, Corp. (NYSE:DESP)

Franklin Resources Inc. invests $395,000 in Despegar.com, Corp. (NYSE:DESP).

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