Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Recently Adopted Accounting Policies

Leases. As of January 1, 2019, we adopted the Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”) amending the guidance related to accounting and reporting guidelines for leasing arrangements using the optional transition method that allowed for a cumulative-effect adjustment in the period of adoption. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2019 are presented under the new guidance, while prior period amounts were not adjusted and continue to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods.

The new guidance required entities that lease assets to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet related to the rights and obligations created by those leases regardless of whether they are classified as finance or operating leases. In addition, new disclosures are required to meet the objective of enabling users of financial statements to better understand the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases.

We elected certain of the available transition practical expedients, including those that permit us to not reassess 1) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, 2) the lease classification for any expired or exiting leases, and 3) any initial direct costs for any existing leases as of the effective date. We did not elect the hindsight practical expedient, which permits entities to use hindsight in determining the lease term and assessing impairment. The standard had a material impact on our consolidated balance sheets, but did not have a material impact on our consolidated statements of operations or statements of cash flows. The most significant impact was the recognition of right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities for operating leases. Additionally, we removed the assets and liabilities previously recorded pursuant to build-to-suit lease guidance resulting in an increase to retained earnings of approximately $6 million.

Hedge Accounting. As of January 1, 2019, we adopted the new guidance amending the accounting guidance for hedge accounting. The new guidance requires expanded hedge accounting for both non-financial and financial risk components and refines the measurement of hedge results to better reflect an entity’s hedging strategies. The new guidance also amends the presentation and disclosure requirements on a prospective basis as well as changes how entities assess hedge effectiveness. The adoption of this new guidance had no impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Recent Accounting Policies Not Yet Adopted

Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. In June 2016, the FASB issued new guidance on the measurement of credit losses for financial assets measured at amortized cost, which includes accounts receivable, and available-for-sale debt securities. The new guidance replaces the existing incurred loss impairment model with an expected loss methodology, which will result in more timely recognition of credit losses. This update is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those annual periods. We are in the process of evaluating the impact of adopting this new guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

Cloud Computing Arrangements. In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance on the accounting for implementation costs incurred for a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. The update conforms the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract with the accounting guidance that provides for capitalization of costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use-software. The new guidance is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We are in the process of evaluating the impact of adopting this new guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

Fair Value Measurements. In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance related to the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements, which removes, modifies or adds certain disclosures. The guidance is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We are in the process of evaluating the impact of adopting this new guidance on our consolidated financial statements disclosures.

Significant Accounting Policies

Below are the significant accounting policies updated during 2019 as a result of the recently adopted accounting policies noted above as well as certain other accounting policies with interim disclosure requirements. For a comprehensive description of our accounting policies, refer to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Revenue

Deferred Merchant Bookings. We classify cash payments received in advance of our performance obligations as deferred merchant bookings. At December 31, 2018, $3.627 billion of cash advance cash payments was reported within deferred merchant bookings, $3.291 billion of which was recognized resulting in $464 million of revenue during the nine months ended September 30, 2019. At September 30, 2019, the related balance was $4.886 billion.

At December 31, 2018, $700 million of deferred loyalty rewards was reported within deferred merchant bookings, $624 million of which was recognized within revenue during the nine months ended September 30, 2019. At September 30, 2019, the related balance was $756 million.

Deferred Revenue. At December 31, 2018, $364 million was recorded as deferred revenue, $312 million of which was recognized as revenue during the nine months ended September 30, 2019. At September 30, 2019, the related balance was $381 million.

Practical Expedients and Exemptions. We have used the portfolio approach to account for our loyalty points as the rewards programs share similar characteristics within each program in relation to the value provided to the traveler and their breakage patterns. Using this portfolio approach is not expected to differ materially from applying the guidance to individual contracts. However, we will continue to assess and refine, if necessary, how a portfolio within each rewards program is defined.

We do not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations for (i) contracts with an original expected length of one year or less and (ii) contracts for which we recognize revenue at the amount to which we have the right to invoice for services performed.

Cash, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents

Restricted cash includes cash and cash equivalents that is restricted through legal contracts, regulations or our intention to use the cash for a specific purpose. Our restricted cash primarily relates to certain traveler deposits and to a lesser extent collateral for office leases. The following table reconciles cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported in our consolidated balance sheets to the total amount presented in our consolidated statements of cash flows:



	September 30, 2019		December 31, 2018
	(in millions)
Cash and cash equivalents	$	3,797	$	2,443
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	447		259
Restricted cash included within long-term investments and other assets	3		3
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents in the consolidated statement of cash flow	$	4,247	$	2,705

Leases

We determine if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Operating leases are primarily for office space and data centers and are included in operating lease ROU assets, accrued expenses and other current liabilities, and operating lease liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. ROU assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. As most of our leases do not provide an implicit rate, we use our incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The operating lease ROU asset also includes any lease payments made and excludes lease incentives. Our lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option. Lease expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

For operating leases with a term of one year or less, we have elected to not recognize a lease liability or ROU asset on our consolidated balance sheet. Instead, we recognize the lease payments as expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Short-term lease costs are immaterial to our consolidated statements of operations and cash flows.

We have office space and data center lease agreements with insignificant non-lease components and have elected the practical expedient to combine and account for lease and non-lease components as a single lease component.