Static Data Platform overview

The Static Data Download Platform is designed to provide EG partners access to a comprehensive set of static lodging property data in a format this is structured to enable the complete automation of both the download process and the loading of the data into a partner-hosted repository.

What is static data?

Almost all the information about a lodging property does not change on a regular basis, the name, the address, the property amenities, etc. are all generally the same from week-to-week and month-to-month. This is the data which is considered static.

While static data can remain the same for years, the current offers, pricing, and availability for lodging properties can be very volatile, especially for popular destinations. This volatility is what drives partners to query the Expedia lodging APIs so frequently.

Why list static data separately?

By separating the static data from the volatile data partners can host the static data locally and enable their users to search the features of all the properties in a given area without ever having to make an API call to Expedia. Once the user has one or more properties they are interested in possibly booking then a much slimmer API call can be made to access the pricing and availability.

By making the static data conveniently available to partners, we are enabling the option of a faster and more efficient lodging selection process for the customer, with fewer giant API calls for both partners and Expedia.

The download files on the platform will be comprised of a set of 9 downloadable files:

Summary data file

This file will contain a list of all available Expedia Group Property IDs (~3 million total), with basic information about each property. This file will replace the existing file titled Lodging: Inventory (Hotel IDs) currently available from another section in this site.

This file should be used by any partner that is looking for a complete list of EG properties in a compact form.

Complete set of data files

For partners looking for more complete information, we suggest you download the comprehensive collection of static lodging property data.

Note, the data in the Summary Data File is a subset of the total data in the 8 complete files. If you download the complete set of files you will have all the information contained in the Summary Data File, plus much more.

Due to the massive size of the data involved, all downloads will contain a compressed archive with multiple files inside to make processing easier.

Each of the files listed above will contain the property ID for each property in the three formats that EG currently supports. These values will function as a 'primary key' to enable partners to accurately tie the data together.

Each file will be formatted in a JSONL structure, which means that each row of the file will contain a complete JSON record and, where the files have been split, the split will happen between the records so that the user can load all file data through a standardized load process, as well as read it manually.

For the initial launch of the platform, we are only offering download of a single scope of file: one containing all available properties and data of a specified type. Over time, we plan to provide a means for partners to download smaller subsets of the total files, based on time since last update or download, geographical region, or by a more customizable interface to enable partners to download a smaller data set filtered to the partner's particular needs.

While we'd like to provide all data, features, and functionality at the same time, it is much more practical to deliver features incrementally. Once the launch of the full platform is completed, we will explore the best way to provide more flexible control of data scope.