Understanding MakeMyTrip: An Essential Guide to Commissions, Corporate Travel, and India’s OTA Monopoly

Understanding MakeMyTrip: An Essential Guide to Commissions, Corporate Travel, and India’s OTA Monopoly

Company Overview & Origins

Founded in 2000 and NASDAQ-listed since 2010, MakeMyTrip dominates India’s online travel market as the country’s first and largest OTA. Headquartered in Gurugram, the company operates through three primary brands: MakeMyTrip (premium leisure and business travel), Goibibo (value-conscious leisure), and redBus (intercity bus ticketing). Trip.com Group recently reduced its stake from 49% to approximately 17-20% through a $3.1 billion share buyback, signalling MakeMyTrip’s financial independence.

Market Position & Scale

MakeMyTrip commands 55-60% of India’s OTA market, processing $9.8 billion in gross bookings annually. The platform serves 36.4 million monthly visitors and achieved profitability in FY25 with $978 million revenue and $27 million quarterly profit. Its dominance extends across segments: hotels (56% of OTA bookings), flights (highest search engine share), and bus travel through redBus (70% of online intercity bus market).

Business Model & Revenue Structure

The company operates a commission-based model with revenue split across air ticketing ($201 million), hotels and packages ($490 million, representing 50%+ of revenue), and bus services. Corporate travel through myBiz platform contributes approximately 30% of revenue, serving 59,000+ organisations. Adjusted operating margin reached $318 million despite $116 million in customer discounts.

Hotel Distribution & Commission

MakeMyTrip maintains 45,000+ domestic hotel inventory with commissions ranging 15-40% depending on property type and visibility programmes. Standalone hotels face 22-40% rates, whilst chain properties negotiate 15-25%. The platform offers zero-commission booking for same-day and next-day check-ins on distressed inventory. Effective costs including visibility boost programmes often exceed 30%. The company dominates Google Hotels sponsored results in India with 52% share.

Technology & AI Integration

The platform has invested heavily in mobile optimisation (66.7% of bookings via mobile) and personalisation engines. Its technology stack supports real-time inventory management across multiple brands and integrates with major payment gateways including UPI, digital wallets, and buy-now-pay-later options.

B2B vs B2C Focus

Approximately 70% consumer leisure travel, 30% corporate through myBiz platform. The B2B segment serves 59,000+ organisations with integrated expense management, policy compliance tools, and dedicated account management. Corporate travel delivers higher margins and more predictable revenue streams.

International Expansion

Outbound travel constitutes meaningful revenue share, with international hotel and flight bookings showing strong growth. The company maintains partnerships with global hotel chains and international airlines whilst defending domestic market share against foreign OTA incursion.

Mobile & Distribution Presence

Mobile bookings represent 66.7% of transactions, with dedicated apps for MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, and redBus collectively holding 100+ million downloads. The platform integrates with Google Pay, PhonePe, and other payment ecosystems popular in India.

Future Growth Focus

Near-term priorities include defending market leadership against Cleartrip (Flipkart-backed) and EaseMyTrip, expanding corporate travel share, and developing AI-powered recommendation engines. The company is also exploring experience and activity bookings to compete with emerging players like Klook. International expansion remains secondary to domestic market consolidation.

Key Metrics Summary:

  • Market Share: 55-60%
  • Annual Revenue: $978 million
  • Gross Bookings: $9.8 billion
  • Commission Range: 15-40%
  • Profitable: Yes (FY25)
  • Primary Markets: India (domestic), outbound travel
Scroll to Top