The Consumentenbond (Dutch Consumer Association) has launched a class action lawsuit against Booking.com for allegedly overcharging customers through fake discounts and artificial scarcity.
According to the Consumentenbond, customers have been systematically overcharged for years through misleading practices. We’re talking about potentially hundreds of millions of euros in damages.
What does this mean? If you’ve booked through them since 2013, you might be eligible for compensation.
What did Booking.com allegedly do wrong?
If you’re an international who’s spent countless hours hunting for the perfect Amsterdam Airbnb or that ideal weekend getaway hotel, chances are you’ve used Booking.com at least once.
Ironically, this Dutch-founded company that employs thousands of internationals here in the Netherlands, has been using some pretty sneaky tactics to trick us into spending more.
The NOS reports that the platform uses fake discounts, incomplete prices, and fabricated scarcity to influence customer decisions — what experts call ‘dark patterns.’
Here’s how it supposedly worked: Booking.com allegedly made illegal agreements with hotels preventing them from offering cheaper rates or better conditions on their own websites.
This meant that whether you booked directly with the hotel or through Booking.com, you’d end up paying inflated prices across the board.
Sandra Molenaar, director of the Consumentenbond, explains that these practices violate both Dutch and European regulations.
The European Court already ruled last year that Booking.com broke the rules, and Spain hit the company with a whopping €413 million fine for similar practices.
Can I join the lawsuit?
Here’s the good news: if you’ve booked through Booking.com even once since January 1, 2013, you’re eligible to join the claim.
But it gets better — even if you used other booking sites like Expedia or Agoda, or booked directly through hotel websites, you might still qualify.
Why? Because according to the lawsuit, Booking.com’s market dominance artificially inflated prices across the entire sector, affecting everyone who booked accommodations during this period.
The potential compensation varies depending on how often you’ve booked and how much you’ve spent, but estimates suggest individual claims could range from tens to hundreds of euros per person.
How can I make a claim?
The best part? Joining costs you absolutely nothing.
The Consumer Association is working with Consumenten Competition Claims (CCC) on a ‘no cure, no pay’ basis.
If they win, participants pay a maximum of 25% of their compensation to cover legal costs. If they lose, you pay nothing.
You can sign up through the Consumentenbond’s dedicated page for this case, where they’re collecting information from affected consumers.
The organisations are hoping to reach a settlement with Booking.com first, but they’re prepared to take the case to court if necessary.
If you’ve used Booking.com (or similar platforms) since 2013, consider checking out the Consumentenbond’s claim page to see if you’re eligible for compensation.
Even if you only booked once or twice, you might be surprised by what you could claim back.
What this means for future bookings
Beyond the potential compensation, this lawsuit is pushing for an end to misleading practices on booking platforms.
The goal is to create a more transparent marketplace where you can actually trust those “limited time offers” and discount claims.
For internationals who rely heavily on booking platforms — whether you’re searching for short-term rentals during your housing hunt or planning that long-awaited trip back home — this could mean more honest pricing and fewer psychological pressure tactics in the future.
How’s Booking.com taking it?
Let’s just say, they’re not exactly clicking accept all and moving on.
Instead, a spokesperson from booking.com responded with: “We have always fought to provide the best possible prices and transparent booking experience to travellers and strongly contest any allegations to the contrary.”
And added: “We have removed price parity clauses across Europe, but believe that they did help ensure consumers could access great prices everywhere.”
Adding also that they were reviewing the contents of this claim and will respond accordingly.
Have you noticed these misleading practices while booking accommodation in the Netherlands? We’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below.
I have been dealing with booking.com before it changed its name to become booking. Com. I always thought I was getting a good deal.
Just signed up. I knew we were getting screwed.
I used Booking and very disappointed , they was 3 times and 3 times problems! And I spend a lot of time for trying communication about problems with no real response .
I have had the same problem .. i have used about bk.com about 20 times i have problems about 5 times and have spent many hrs trying to get my money back …also they really need to check out the property out they addvertise i have rented places that show a complete different pic on there add .you can only go by what the add says and shows who is responsible for this bk.com and they never stand behind customer they always tryed to nske me the bad guy …if i could i would send every one of them yo cekot prison
Is living in Holland a requirement to qualify for the class action? If so, what about the rest of us international folks?