Where to book flights?

[hmtsai]

Do you buy your air tickets directly from airlines or through travel website (ex. Expedia)? If the price is about the same, what's the pros and cons for each option?

 

I found the airfare from cruise company is much higher, so would like to book on my own. Any insights for booking flights will be appreciated.

[CruiserBruce]

Book thru the airline. In most cases, fewer issues.

[slidergirl]

I book through the airline 99.9% of the time. The only time I use a 3rd party (in my case, AMEX travel), it is because I have to ticket multiple airlines that aren't part of the same alliance.

I like to have the most control over my own travel as possible.

[Zach1213]

I always go through the airline except in very, very rare cases.

[Alaskanb]

Me too -- deal directly with the airline --much easier to make any changes if needed.

[Zach1213]

Me too -- deal directly with the airline --much easier to make any changes if needed.

 

I just like having as few people in between me and my ticket (and my airline) as possible. I feel like the more hands touch something, the more it can get messed up. That's why I book all of my own travel at work too - adding another person (an assistant, for example) can only increase the odds of getting something screwed up.

[lauren0309]

I go to Kayak.com so I can compare rates of different airlines. When I see a rate I like, I go directly to the airline site to book it.

[hmtsai]

Thank you all for your input.

 

I'm wondering if I book the ticket directly from the airline, which is Canada based, do I get foreign transaction fee? That's why I'm considering buying from Expedia, which I believe should have no this kind of problem? :confused:

[CruiserBruce]

Assuming you are in the US (we don't know), and you can access a US based website, you shouldn't have any foreign transaction fee. We book flights on Lufthansa regularly from the US without any issue in dollars.

Edited May 13, 2014 by CruiserBruce

[toberman]

I always book directly with the airline.

 

But, what exactly are you looking at?? If?? you're booking with a Cdn airline flying from the US to Canada, the prices will (should) be in US$, therefore no transaction fee. If?? you are in the US and booking a Cdn airline out of Canada, prices should be in Cdn$ and you may have to pay a transaction fee. However, with the exchange rate the way it is you would still come out ahead.

[hmtsai]

Yes, I am in US and flying from US to Canada. It seems there should be no problem booking directly with the airline company. (I get to choose airfare in USD on airline website) Thank you so much for your help!

[kenish]

Assuming you are in the US (we don't know), and you can access a US based website, you shouldn't have any foreign transaction fee. We book flights on Lufthansa regularly from the US without any issue in dollars.

 

Sorry, wrong! This misconception shows in several other posts on this thread.

 

The *only* thing that determines whether a foreign transaction fee applies is the location of the bank that processes the transaction. A travel troubleshooter handled a case where a family booked biz class tickets to India. Total airfare was around $20k and done on the USA portion of the foreign airline's website. Their CC was hit with a foreign transaction fee of about $400. Nothing could be done...the card was processed in the airline's home country.

 

This is definitely something to be aware of, and a reason to get a CC that does not have foreign transaction fees. It's handy once you're abroad, too.

 

Another potential rip-off is paying in US dollars on the foreign airline's website. Quite often the dollar equivalent is at a very unfavorable exchange rate to the home currency. Best to pay in the latter, and let your CC do the conversion, which will be at the official exchange rate with no buy/sell "spread".

[CruiserBruce]

Sorry, wrong! This misconception shows in several other posts on this thread.

 

The *only* thing that determines whether a foreign transaction fee applies is the location of the bank that processes the transaction. A travel troubleshooter handled a case where a family booked biz class tickets to India. Total airfare was around $20k and done on the USA portion of the foreign airline's website. Their CC was hit with a foreign transaction fee of about $400. Nothing could be done...the card was processed in the airline's home country.

 

This is definitely something to be aware of, and a reason to get a CC that does not have foreign transaction fees. It's handy once you're abroad, too.

 

Another potential rip-off is paying in US dollars on the foreign airline's website. Quite often the dollar equivalent is at a very unfavorable exchange rate to the home currency. Best to pay in the latter, and let your CC do the conversion, which will be at the official exchange rate with no buy/sell "spread".

 

As mentioned, we have booked several times on Lufthansa (from the US)and never had a foreign transaction fee issue. We are currently researching Australia, and have to make sure we are on the US sides of the Qantas and Virgin Australia sites. So far, so good.

[hmtsai]

oops...:eek:

 

Anyone knows about WestJet or booked with them? If I buy directly on westjet.com, will my credit card be charged foreign transaction fee?

[toberman]

Deleted

Edited May 14, 2014 by toberman

[toberman]

oops...:eek:

 

Anyone knows about WestJet or booked with them? If I buy directly on westjet.com, will my credit card be charged foreign transaction fee?

 

WestJet is an excellent company, but I'm biased - my nephew is a pilot. And don't believe what you hear that family members get perks ! :mad:

 

Without knowing where you're flying from/to, just be aware that you could quite easily be on American or American Eagle metal - their code-share partner.

 

As for the transaction fee... why would there be?? You'll be billed in US$ on your CC, and that's what you pay. To be a fee you would have to be billed in Cdn$ - forcing the bank to exchange the money, therefore charging a fee. Even if they did you would be ahead since the US$ is worth aprx 10% more than Cdn$ - take away the transaction fee (3%?) and you're ahead 7%. :)

[kenish]

As mentioned, we have booked several times on Lufthansa (from the US)and never had a foreign transaction fee issue. We are currently researching Australia, and have to make sure we are on the US sides of the Qantas and Virgin Australia sites. So far, so good.

 

Not doubting your experience a bit. But just because a company has a "US website" says *nothing* about where CC transactions are processed. The latter is the sole factor on whether the purchase is subject to a foreign transaction fee. LH apparently processes US card transactions through a US bank, which is good.

 

Even though going on the "US side" of a website might imply the transaction will be processed by a US bank, the reality is it often isn't. The only benefits are the site is in English and conforms to US consumer laws. The case I commented on a few posts above was on Singapore Airlines.

 

On a related note, it's good to browse the non-US part of websites...rates and fares are sometimes better and/or your US bank does the currency conversion instead of letting the airline, hotel, etc. pocket the "spread". The Aussie $ is pretty stable right now, but in 2008 I booked hotels, domestic flights, etc. on the Aussie side of websites and paid in advance in AU$. It jumped from 68 to 90 cents US by the time we traveled. A 30 percent "discount" by paying in advance in local currency.

[pcur]

It depends on where I get the lowest price. We use our Chase Sapphire Visas for all our expenses, so I usually book through their booking tool. The prices are usually the same as other booking sites, and if not, I can just use the card to buy the tickets elsewhere and convert my points to a credit on our cards.

 

We recently flew LAX-HNL, HNL-SYD, and SEA-OAK.

 

LAX-HNL was free with points on new American Airlines credit cards.

 

HNL-SYD was business/first class on Hawaiian Airlines using our Chase points, and paying the difference.

 

SEA-OAK was free using our Southwest points from that credit card.

 

I sometimes use mobissimo.com for price checking, but always go to the airlines' web site to doublecheck price and schedule.

[FlyerTalker]

It depends on where I get the lowest price. We use our Chase Sapphire Visas for all our expenses, so I usually book through their booking tool. The prices are usually the same as other booking sites

And of course, if the prices are the same, the underlying tickets must be the same. Right?

 

Actually, not always. But why bother with inconsequential details - price is KING!