INCOME TAXES	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
INCOME TAXES	INCOME TAXES Income tax expense consists of U.S. and international income taxes, determined using an estimate of the Company's annual effective tax rate. A deferred tax liability is recognized for all taxable temporary differences, and a deferred tax asset is recognized for all deductible temporary differences and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. A valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of a deferred tax asset will not be realized. The Company recognizes income tax expense based upon the applicable tax rates and tax laws of the countries in which the income is generated. During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, a substantial majority of the Company's international sourced income was generated in the Netherlands. Income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 differs from the expected tax expense at the U.S. federal statutory rate of 35%, primarily due to lower international tax rates, including the Innovation Box Tax benefit discussed below, partially offset by U.S. state income taxes and certain non-deductible expenses. According to Dutch corporate income tax law, income generated from qualifying innovative activities is taxed at a rate of 5% ("Innovation Box Tax") rather than the Dutch statutory rate of 25%. Booking.com obtained a ruling from the Dutch tax authorities in February 2011 confirming that a portion of its earnings is eligible for Innovation Box Tax treatment. The ruling from the Dutch tax authorities is valid until December 31, 2017. The Company has significant deferred tax assets, resulting principally from U.S. net operating loss carryforwards ("NOLs"). The amount of NOLs available for the Company's use is limited by Section 382 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code ("IRC Section 382"). At December 31, 2014, after considering the impact of IRC Section 382, the Company had approximately $1.2 billion of available NOLs for U.S. federal income tax purposes, comprised of $22 million of NOLs generated from operating losses and approximately $1.2 billion of NOLs generated from equity-related transactions, including equity-based compensation and stock warrants. The NOLs mainly expire from December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2021. The utilization of these NOLs is dependent upon the Company's ability to generate sufficient future taxable income in the United States. Pursuant to accounting guidance, tax benefits related to equity deductions will be recognized by crediting additional paid-in capital when they are realized by reducing the Company's current income tax liability. The Company periodically evaluates the likelihood of the realization of deferred tax assets, and reduces the carrying amount of these deferred tax assets by a valuation allowance to the extent it believes a portion will not be realized. The Company considers many factors when assessing the likelihood of future realization of the deferred tax assets, including its recent cumulative earnings experience by taxing jurisdiction, expectations of future income, the carryforward periods available for tax reporting purposes, and other relevant factors. It is the practice and current intention of the Company to reinvest the earnings of its international subsidiaries in those operations. At December 31, 2014, no provision had been made for U.S. taxes on approximately $7.3 billion of international earnings because such earnings are intended to be indefinitely reinvested outside of the United States. It is not practicable to determine the U.S. federal income tax liability that would be payable if such earnings were not indefinitely reinvested.

INCOME TAXES

Income tax expense consists of U.S. and international income taxes, determined using an estimate of the Company's annual effective tax rate. A deferred tax liability is recognized for all taxable temporary differences, and a deferred tax asset is recognized for all deductible temporary differences and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. A valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of a deferred tax asset will not be realized.

The Company recognizes income tax expense based upon the applicable tax rates and tax laws of the countries in which the income is generated. During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, a substantial majority of the Company's international sourced income was generated in the Netherlands. Income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 differs from the expected tax expense at the U.S. federal statutory rate of 35%, primarily due to lower international tax rates, including the Innovation Box Tax benefit discussed below, partially offset by U.S. state income taxes and certain non-deductible expenses.

According to Dutch corporate income tax law, income generated from qualifying innovative activities is taxed at a rate of 5% ("Innovation Box Tax") rather than the Dutch statutory rate of 25%. Booking.com obtained a ruling from the Dutch tax authorities in February 2011 confirming that a portion of its earnings is eligible for Innovation Box Tax treatment. The ruling from the Dutch tax authorities is valid until December 31, 2017.

The Company has significant deferred tax assets, resulting principally from U.S. net operating loss carryforwards ("NOLs"). The amount of NOLs available for the Company's use is limited by Section 382 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code ("IRC Section 382"). At December 31, 2014, after considering the impact of IRC Section 382, the Company had approximately $1.2 billion of available NOLs for U.S. federal income tax purposes, comprised of $22 million of NOLs generated from operating losses and approximately $1.2 billion of NOLs generated from equity-related transactions, including equity-based compensation and stock warrants. The NOLs mainly expire from December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2021. The utilization of these NOLs is dependent upon the Company's ability to generate sufficient future taxable income in the United States. Pursuant to accounting guidance, tax benefits related to equity deductions will be recognized by crediting additional paid-in capital when they are realized by reducing the Company's current income tax liability. The Company periodically evaluates the likelihood of the realization of deferred tax assets, and reduces the carrying amount of these deferred tax assets by a valuation allowance to the extent it believes a portion will not be realized. The Company considers many factors when assessing the likelihood of future realization of the deferred tax assets, including its recent cumulative earnings experience by taxing jurisdiction, expectations of future income, the carryforward periods available for tax reporting purposes, and other relevant factors.

It is the practice and current intention of the Company to reinvest the earnings of its international subsidiaries in those operations. At December 31, 2014, no provision had been made for U.S. taxes on approximately $7.3 billion of international earnings because such earnings are intended to be indefinitely reinvested outside of the United States. It is not practicable to determine the U.S. federal income tax liability that would be payable if such earnings were not indefinitely reinvested.