MSN Expedia Wins PC Magazine’s Editors’ Choice Award For Best Leisure Travel Site

REDMOND, Wash., March 23, 1999 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that the MSN
™
Expedia
™
travel service ( http://expedia.MSN.com ) has won PC Magazine’s Editors’ Choice Award for best leisure travel Web site. Expedia will be featured in the April 6 issue of PC Magazine, which will include a review of the leading online travel sites. Along with PC Magazine’s recognition, Expedia was named Best Travel Site by MacWorld and selected by Brill’s Content as among the best of the Web for travel. These honors will appear in the publications’ April issues.

The magazine editors selected Expedia as the top site because of its design, comprehensiveness and easy-to-follow process for making travel plans and purchases. PC Magazine stated the following in its review:
“Perfect for the beginner, Expedia offers lots of assistance and plenty of articles, maps and documentation to help ensure that users are comfortable on their chosen trip.”
The article also cites the Expedia booking process, trip planning and destination resources features that separate it from the competition.

“We’re very honored to be recognized with these awards,”
said Simon Breakwell, group product manager, MSN Expedia.
“They’re a testament to the efforts of Expedia to offer the best options, easy navigation and reliable service. And they show that consumers feel comfortable and confident that Expedia has helped them make the best travel decision possible.”

MacWorld was impressed with the accessibility and extensive resources of Expedia for leisure and business travelers alike.
“Price a trip right from the front page of Expedia. … Expedia includes a full range of travel information, maps and trip-planning tools to help tourists and business travelers price and route their trips.”
Brill’s Content liked the efficient design and simple air fare price-checking process of Expedia as well as its one-stop-shopping capability.
“We looked at dozens of travel sites, and Expedia stood out for its ease of use,”
said Amy Bernstein, editorial director for Brill’s Content.
“Its research into how people use the site seems to have paid off.”

About MSN Expedia Travel

MSN Expedia ( http://expedia.MSN.com/ ) is the place to go on the Web to easily plan travel, purchase tickets, and make hotel and car reservations. Part of the MSN network of Internet services, MSN Expedia also offers in-depth destination content and travel news as well as mapping services. Since its inception in October 1996, MSN Expedia has become the Web’s leading online travel agency, with weekly travel sales currently exceeding $11 million.

A credit card guarantee is offered on MSN Expedia (U.S. and Canadian versions only) to protect credit cards used on the Internet from fraud. With this service, after an initial purchase on Expedia, customers’ credit cards are protected from fraud liability – up to $50 (U.S.) – on any purchases made in the subsequent 12 months on or off the Internet. Since the program’s introduction in June 1998, Microsoft is proud to state that, because of the top-level site security, the service remains unused. MSN Expedia also offers exceptional customer service with more than 200 travel agents available via a toll-free number to answer questions and provide assistance to travelers while they are en route 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft, MSN and Expedia are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.

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