EU Claims Google Buries Travel Rivals in Search as Part of $525 Million Fine

The European Commission on Thursday fined Google’s parent Alphabet €460 million (about $525 million) for illegally using its search dominance for “self-preferencing its own services,” including travel sector services. A separate €430 million penalty targeted Google’s app-store practices.

What the commission claims: “The Commission found that Google gives preferential treatment to its own services, including shopping, hotels, transport and sports results, over those of third parties in Google Search, thereby breaching its obligations under the DMA (Digital Markets Act).”

In 2024, the European Commission said that Google gave its own services top billing while bumping competitors down the page. Search for a flight, and Google will offer its price-comparison tool as a first, prominent result, putting rival price-comparison services from companies like Expedia-backed Trivago at a disadvantage.  

The Commission said it