Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel earned $126.4 million in "compensation actually paid" in 2024, according to the most recent financial filings with the SEC.

Current Expedia CEO Ariane Gorin, who took the job on May 13, 2024 and formerly was president of Expedia for Business, earned $37.3 million in the compensation actually paid calculation.

The SEC introduced the "compensation actually paid" starting in 2023 reporting for pay during 2022. It aims to account for the value of stock and option awards as of year-end. For example, a significant driver of Gorin's award value was the 23% jump in Expedia's share price last year.

In summary compensation tables, the SEC also requires disclosures of CEOs' total compensation award. Fogel's pay award in 2024 was $44.8 million, Gorin's was $24.9 million, and Expedia former CEO Peter Kern, who was in the post four-plus months that year before Gorin took over, was awarded $485,500. These compensation awards typically included salary, bonus, stock and option awards, incentives and other compensation, such as for corporate jet use and insurance premiums.

CEO Compensation Booking Holdings and Expedia Group 2024

* Note: CAP means Compensation Actually Paid and reflects fluctuations in the value of equity awards and share prices by the end of the year.

Source: Security and Exchange Commission filings

Glenn Fogel's Performance

In assessing Fogel's 2024 performance, the board pointed to his "exemplary leadership;" company records in revenue, gross bookings and room nights; growth in short-term rentals, expansion of the Genius loyalty program into additional verticals, and further integration of AI.

The median salary of Booking Holdings' employees was $96,228 in 2024, and the CEO to employee pay ratio was 466:1.

Expedia CEO Performance

Expedia didn't detail specifically how Gorin's performance impacted her compensation, but stated that the most important metrics in determining executive compensation are stock price performance, adjusted EBITDA, and operational efficiency.

In 2023, Expedia's share price jumped 73%, far outperforming market averages. The company notched record adjusted EBITDA, and "substantially completed the company's technological transformation and strategic vision for a platform operating model," Expedia stated.

Though Gorin wasn't in the CEO role for the full year, Expedia used what her full-year compensation would have been to calculate the CEO to median employee pay ratio. Expedia's ratio was 224:1. The median salary at Expedia in 2024 was $111,666.

Kern's $485,000 all-in compensation in 2024 was relatively modest for several reasons. He worked only to mid-May as CEO and relinquished his vice chairmanship and board role in September 2024. More importantly, after being awarded $296 million in compensation in 2021, Kern received no equity compensation in the following years.

It Pays to Be An Online Travel Agency CEO

The compensation actually paid to Booking's Fogel ($126.4 million) in 2024 greatly exceeded that of the highest paid hotel CEO: Hilton's Christopher Nassetta was awarded $58.7 million.

Gorin's $37.3 million would have put her in third place among hotel CEOs, ahead of Wyndham CEO Geoffrey Ballotti at $25.4 million.

Other online travel agencies have yet to report CEO pay for 2024.

Correction: We incorrectly reported former Expedia CEO Peter Kern's "compensation actually paid" figure in 2024. It was - ($116.5 million), not $116.5 million.

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