Business Description and Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Business Description and Basis of Presentation	NOTE 1: BUSINESS DESCRIPTION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION We refer to TripAdvisor, Inc. and our wholly-owned subsidiaries as “TripAdvisor,” “the Company,” “us,” “we” and “our” in these notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements. Description of Business TripAdvisor is an online travel company, empowering users to plan and book the perfect trip. TripAdvisor’s travel research platform aggregates reviews and opinions of members about destinations, accommodations, activities and attractions, and restaurants throughout the world so that our users have access to trusted advice wherever their trips take them. Our platform not only helps users plan their trips with our unique user-generated content, but also enables users to compare real-time pricing and availability so that they can book hotels, vacation rentals, flights, activities and attractions, and restaurants. Our flagship brand is TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor-branded websites include tripadvisor.com in the United States and localized versions of the website in 45 countries worldwide. In addition to the flagship TripAdvisor brand, we manage and operate 24 other media brands, connected by the common goal of providing comprehensive travel planning resources across the travel sector, which include: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, www.iens.nl and www.besttables.com), www.gateguru.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travelpod.com, www.tripbod.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, www.viator.com, www.virtualtourist.com, and www.kuxun.cn. We derive the substantial portion of our revenue through the sale of advertising, primarily through click-based advertising and, to a lesser extent, display-based advertising. In addition, we earn revenue from a combination of subscription-based and transaction-based offerings, including: Business Listings; subscription and commission-based offerings from our Vacation Rentals products; transaction revenue from selling room nights through our Jetsetter and Tingo brands; selling destination activities from Viator; fulfilling online restaurant reservations, primarily through Lafourchette; as well as other revenue including content licensing. We have two reportable segments: Hotel and Other. Our Other segment consists of the aggregation of three operating segments, which include our Attractions, Restaurants and Vacation Rentals businesses. Our operating segments are determined based on how our chief operating decision maker manages our business, regularly assesses information and evaluates performance for operating decision-making purposes, including allocation of resources. For further information on our reportable segments see “Note 12 — Segment Information,” in these notes to our unaudited consolidated financial statements. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited financial statements present our results of operations, financial position and cash flows on a consolidated basis. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include TripAdvisor, our wholly-owned subsidiaries, and entities we control, or in which we have a variable interest and are the primary beneficiary of expected cash profits or losses. We have eliminated significant intercompany transactions and accounts. Certain of our subsidiaries that operate in China have variable interests in affiliated entities in China in order to comply with Chinese laws and regulations, which restrict foreign investment in Internet content provision businesses. Although we do not own the capital stock of some of our Chinese affiliates, we consolidate their results as we are the primary beneficiary of the cash losses or profits of these variable interest affiliates and have the power to direct the activities of these affiliates. Our variable interest entities are not material for all periods presented. We have prepared the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). We have included all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the results of the interim period. These adjustments consist of normal recurring items. We prepared the unaudited consolidated financial statements following the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim reporting. As permitted under those rules, we have condensed or omitted certain footnotes or other financial information that are normally required by GAAP for annual financial statements. Our interim unaudited consolidated financial statements are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year. These interim unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, previously filed with the SEC. Reclassifications Pursuant to our disclosure in “Note 16— Segment and Geographic Information” in the notes to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, management revised our reportable segments. All prior periods disclosures have been reclassified to conform to the current reporting structure. These reclassifications had no effect on our unaudited consolidated financial statements. All other reclassifications made to conform the prior period to the current presentation, were not material and had no net effect on our unaudited consolidated financial statements. Accounting Estimates We use estimates and assumptions in the preparation of our unaudited consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP. Our estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of our unaudited consolidated financial statements. These estimates and assumptions also affect the reported amount of net income or loss during any period. Our actual financial results could differ significantly from these estimates. The significant estimates underlying our unaudited consolidated financial statements include: (i) recoverability of intangible assets and goodwill, (ii) recoverability and useful life of long-lived assets, (iii) accounting for income taxes, (iv) purchase accounting for business combinations and (v) stock-based compensation. Seasonality Expenditures by travel advertisers tend to be seasonal. Traditionally, our strongest quarter has been the third quarter, which is a key travel research period, with the weakest quarter being the fourth quarter. However, adverse economic conditions or continued growth of our international operations with differing holiday peaks may influence the typical trend of our seasonality in the future.

NOTE 1: BUSINESS DESCRIPTION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

We refer to TripAdvisor, Inc. and our wholly-owned subsidiaries as “TripAdvisor,” “the Company,” “us,” “we” and “our” in these notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

Description of Business

TripAdvisor is an online travel company, empowering users to plan and book the perfect trip. TripAdvisor’s travel research platform aggregates reviews and opinions of members about destinations, accommodations, activities and attractions, and restaurants throughout the world so that our users have access to trusted advice wherever their trips take them. Our platform not only helps users plan their trips with our unique user-generated content, but also enables users to compare real-time pricing and availability so that they can book hotels, vacation rentals, flights, activities and attractions, and restaurants.

Our flagship brand is TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor-branded websites include tripadvisor.com in the United States and localized versions of the website in 45 countries worldwide. In addition to the flagship TripAdvisor brand, we manage and operate 24 other media brands, connected by the common goal of providing comprehensive travel planning resources across the travel sector, which include: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, www.iens.nl and www.besttables.com), www.gateguru.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travelpod.com, www.tripbod.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, www.viator.com, www.virtualtourist.com, and www.kuxun.cn.

We derive the substantial portion of our revenue through the sale of advertising, primarily through click-based advertising and, to a lesser extent, display-based advertising. In addition, we earn revenue from a combination of subscription-based and transaction-based offerings, including: Business Listings; subscription and commission-based offerings from our Vacation Rentals products; transaction revenue from selling room nights through our Jetsetter and Tingo brands; selling destination activities from Viator; fulfilling online restaurant reservations, primarily through Lafourchette; as well as other revenue including content licensing.

We have two reportable segments: Hotel and Other. Our Other segment consists of the aggregation of three operating segments, which include our Attractions, Restaurants and Vacation Rentals businesses. Our operating segments are determined based on how our chief operating decision maker manages our business, regularly assesses information and evaluates performance for operating decision-making purposes, including allocation of resources. For further information on our reportable segments see “Note 12 — Segment Information,” in these notes to our unaudited consolidated financial statements.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited financial statements present our results of operations, financial position and cash flows on a consolidated basis. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include TripAdvisor, our wholly-owned subsidiaries, and entities we control, or in which we have a variable interest and are the primary beneficiary of expected cash profits or losses. We have eliminated significant intercompany transactions and accounts.

Certain of our subsidiaries that operate in China have variable interests in affiliated entities in China in order to comply with Chinese laws and regulations, which restrict foreign investment in Internet content provision businesses. Although we do not own the capital stock of some of our Chinese affiliates, we consolidate their results as we are the primary beneficiary of the cash losses or profits of these variable interest affiliates and have the power to direct the activities of these affiliates. Our variable interest entities are not material for all periods presented.

We have prepared the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). We have included all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the results of the interim period. These adjustments consist of normal recurring items. We prepared the unaudited consolidated financial statements following the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim reporting. As permitted under those rules, we have condensed or omitted certain footnotes or other financial information that are normally required by GAAP for annual financial statements. Our interim unaudited consolidated financial statements are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year. These interim unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, previously filed with the SEC.

Reclassifications

Pursuant to our disclosure in “Note 16— Segment and Geographic Information” in the notes to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, management revised our reportable segments. All prior periods disclosures have been reclassified to conform to the current reporting structure. These reclassifications had no effect on our unaudited consolidated financial statements.

All other reclassifications made to conform the prior period to the current presentation, were not material and had no net effect on our unaudited consolidated financial statements.

Accounting Estimates

We use estimates and assumptions in the preparation of our unaudited consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP. Our estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of our unaudited consolidated financial statements. These estimates and assumptions also affect the reported amount of net income or loss during any period. Our actual financial results could differ significantly from these estimates. The significant estimates underlying our unaudited consolidated financial statements include: (i) recoverability of intangible assets and goodwill, (ii) recoverability and useful life of long-lived assets, (iii) accounting for income taxes, (iv) purchase accounting for business combinations and (v) stock-based compensation.

Seasonality

Expenditures by travel advertisers tend to be seasonal. Traditionally, our strongest quarter has been the third quarter, which is a key travel research period, with the weakest quarter being the fourth quarter. However, adverse economic conditions or continued growth of our international operations with differing holiday peaks may influence the typical trend of our seasonality in the future.