Google acquires flight information software company ITA for $700 million

By on Jul 1, 2010 at 10:25 PM
Services July 1, 2010

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Google announced on Thursday that it is acquiring flight information software company ITA for $700 million in cash. Based in Cambridge, ITA mines flight data and presents it in a polished form suitable for online viewing. Google will add to its repertoire of services by integrating this flight data into its online search engine. Google also states that it will honor all service agreements with ITA’s current customers which include Kayak, Orbitz, and Bing. Despite this assurance of openness, Google now owns a big chunk of the online travel business, so expect the deal to get a close look from regulators.

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14 Comments

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  • MikeD

    Wow, I mean wow. I thought the jokes around here about Google being a real world version of Skynet was a cute joke. But this is getting closer and closer to well… big brother/skynet.

    Yeah I’m the regulators are going to be watching. Google seems to have its tendrils almost everywhere.

    • Dan

      @MikeD, my thoughts exactly. I always call Google, SkyNet. One day she will wake up and kill us all. LOL

  • Gabriel

    700.000.000 dollars? Aren’t these big news? Cant google just invest a year and a couple of dozens of its brightest minds to do something similar, at 1% of the cost?

    • MikeD

      Why build from scratch, when its already built.

    • sirpaul

      I guess Google thinks that they will make more profit if they invest in an already stable company. 700M for a travel company does seem like a lot!

    • Rob

      Why build and try and compete when you can buy your competition.

  • RobertM

    Oh my god Google’s really getting a root in everything now.

  • H.

    In Soviet Russia, Google searches you

  • egg street

    DROOOOOOOIIIID

  • WelcomeOverloads

    I, for one, welcome our new overloads!

    But in reality… Google has the money, they’ll buy whatever they see fit and whatever will put them ahead in regards to search. This is a good move for Google.

    I do find it interesting that part of ITA’s customers are from Bing… oh Google, you’re great!

  • destardi

    Haha…I love Google.

    Damn…they are going to make life so freakin easy.

    They ARE bringing the future now.

  • eddie b

    If you got the money then why not.

  • Black Letter

    $700 million is chump change for Google. Just remember, Google purchased YouTube a few years ago for $2 to $5 BILLION dollars.

  • Sith_Apprentice

    15 years – Google – Market Cap: 139.97B
    135 years – AT&T – Market Cap: 143.83B
    35 years – Microsoft – Market Cap: 202.97B
    33 years – Apple – Market Cap: 226B

    Not too bad for a company that just recently started (recent in the business world).

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