Ah... then in this case, I think the following scenario is more likely (as far as I know, Expedia is part of Microsoft, or at least a subsidiary of it...)
So, the hotel pays Expedia the commission for bringing the customer.
United uses Expedia's interface for query and showing the results so that the
web support cannot mess it up too much. Expedia splits the comission, paid by the hotel, keeps part of it and pass the rest onto United...
Thanks
mahasamatman ^
Originally Posted by
mahasamatman
When we went to Hawaii on United Escapes, the "travel agency" they had listed at the hotel was Expedia.