Trivago has filed an antitrust suit against Google, claiming the search giant has “systematically” favored its own hotel metasearch over competitors like Trivago.
Johannes Thomas, CEO and managing director of Trivago, said the company has raised concerns about Google’s use of its dominance in search to direct travelers away from other metasearch platforms.
“We believe this has weakened our competitive position, limited our ability to grow and ultimately harmed the travelers who rely on fair and open competition,” Thomas said.
Trivago is seeking “full compensation” for damages it has suffered, according to Thomas.
“In our view, holding Google accountable is in the best interest of our shareholders and of a travel ecosystem that deserves competition based on merit, not gatekeeping," Thomas said.
PhocusWire has reached out to Google.
The claim, which covers January 2014 through December 2025, is based on Article 102 of the Treaty on Functioning of the European Union (EU), as well as German competition law that forbids dominant companies from abusing their market position.
The suit, which includes Google LLC, Google Ireland Ltd. and Google Germany GmbH, will proceed before the Regional Court of Hamburg in Germany.
Google has long faced antitrust accusations, investigations and lawsuits.
The company was fined €2.4 billion after losing an appeal in 2024 in an EU antitrust shopping case. And it came under antitrust investigation in December for its use of content for artificial intelligence (AI).
Trivago, which said it has been a voice on the antitrust issue for years, has also shared its first quarter 2026 results.
The company marked a fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit revenue growth. First-quarter revenue increased 15% year over year to €142.9 million, driven by a 9% increase in referral revenue. Net loss was €7.3 million, down 6% from the same period in 2025. Adjusted EBITDA showed a loss of €4.5 million for the quarter, compared to a loss of €6.5 million in Q1 2025.