Hotwire.com ranked highest among independent travel web sites among customers who book their reservations online, according to a new survey by J.D. Power and Associates, the Associated Press reports. Out of a possible 1,000-point score, Hotwire.com earned an average score of 824 points from those surveyed, followed by Expedia.com and Travelocity.com, which tied. The study looked at satisfaction levels among travelers who book airline, hotel or rental car reservations through one of the eight major independent travel web sites. Respondents were asked to rate competitiveness of price; ease of booking; usefulness of the information on the web site; availability of booking options and travel packages; appearance and design of web site; and ease of navigation. The study is based on responses from 6,800 consumers who booked their travel reservation through an independent web site. Travelers were surveyed between March and October 2006.
