Hopper to pay $35 million over hidden fees, misleading travelers

Hopper will pay $35 million to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that it used deceptive dark patterns to hide fees and mislead travelers about what they were buying. The settlement also bars Hopper Inc. and its Massachusetts-based subsidiary, Hopper (USA) Inc., from deceiving consumers about fees.

Hopper’s travel apps, which let users search and book airfare, lodging and rental cars, charged customers without consent for Tip and VIP Support fees that were presented as optional but were hidden and pre-selected by default. Until mid-2023, users saw a “total price” and a “Swipe to Book” button that did not adequately disclose the extra charges; consumers had to scroll to reach another screen where the fees appeared. That design steered people toward paying more than they expected, even as the company collected millions of dollars in revenue from the charges.

The FTC also accused Hopper of overstating the value of its VIP Support and Price Freeze services. Internal testing showed most consumers would decline the fees if they were clearly disclosed and left unselected, and consumer complaints plus internal warnings showed the company understood the problem. One employee wrote, “the problem here is that we’re tricking users.”

Hopper’s conduct caused consumers tens of millions of dollars in harm, the FTC complaint alleges. Hopper, founded in 2007 and headquartered in Montreal, operates through Hopper Inc. and Hopper (USA) Inc., with a major U.S. office in Boston. The matter was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts as Civil Action No. 1:26-cv-13058 and is FTC File No. 232 3086.