Hilton, Hyatt, Others Conspired for Web Traffic, Suit Says

The six largest hotel chains in the U.S. and others conspired to eliminate competition for keyword internet searches, an antitrust complaint filed Dec. 6 says.

Choice Hotels, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Wyndham, Six Continents Hotels, Caesars Entertainment, and Red Roof Inns are named as defendants in the suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

These companies “control the substantial majority of the hotel rooms in the United States,” the complaint alleges.

The defendants allegedly conspired with each other and gatekeeper online travel agencies like Expedia. They allegedly rigged bids for ...