INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	May 31, 2010 TravelJigsaw Holdings Limited	Dec. 31, 2010 Mauritius Company Limited (formerly known as Agoda)	Dec. 31, 2011 Supply and distribution agreements Years	Dec. 31, 2010 Supply and distribution agreements	Dec. 31, 2011 Technology Years	Dec. 31, 2010 Technology	Dec. 31, 2011 Patents Years	Dec. 31, 2010 Patents	Dec. 31, 2011 Customer lists Years	Dec. 31, 2010 Customer lists	Dec. 31, 2011 Internet domain names Years	Dec. 31, 2010 Internet domain names	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade names Years	Dec. 31, 2010 Trade names	Dec. 31, 2011 Other Years	Dec. 31, 2010 Other
Finite-lived intangible assets
Gross Carrying Amount	$ 362,663,000	$ 365,312,000				$ 260,288,000	$ 264,491,000	$ 22,982,000	$ 23,549,000	$ 1,638,000	$ 1,638,000	$ 19,923,000	$ 20,338,000	$ 5,215,000	$ 1,853,000	$ 52,272,000	$ 53,099,000	$ 345,000	$ 344,000
Accumulated Amortization	(162,512,000)	(133,282,000)				(97,114,000)	(76,823,000)	(22,708,000)	(22,119,000)	(1,399,000)	(1,352,000)	(19,150,000)	(17,512,000)	(625,000)	(126,000)	(21,192,000)	(15,064,000)	(324,000)	(286,000)
Net Carrying Amount	200,151,000	232,030,000	172,080,000			163,174,000	187,668,000	274,000	1,430,000	239,000	286,000	773,000	2,826,000	4,590,000	1,727,000	31,080,000	38,035,000	21,000	58,000
Amortization period - minimum (in years)						10								2		5		3
Amortization period - maximum (in years)						13								20		20		10
Amortization period (in years)								3		15		2
Weighted Average Useful Life (in years)						12		3		15		2		12		11		4
Amortization	33,176,000	34,255,000	24,702,000
Increase in purchased intangibles resulting from acquisition				94,500,000
Annual estimated amortization expense for intangible assets
2012	29,630,000
2013	28,361,000
2014	28,287,000
2015	25,588,000
2016	23,007,000
Thereafter	65,278,000
Total	200,151,000
Goodwill:
Balance, beginning of year	510,894,000	350,630,000
Acquisition	0	105,313,000		105,300,000	60,100,000
Additional purchase price under earn-out	0	61,620,000
Currency translation adjustments	(6,110,000)	(6,669,000)
Balance, end of year	$ 504,784,000	$ 510,894,000	$ 350,630,000