Why You Should Think Twice Before Using Third Party Flight Sites

If you're a savvy traveler, you're likely familiar with flight tracking, the affordable hack that can help you fly for less thanks to third-party travel websites like ​​Priceline, Expedia, Kayak, and Hopper. If you've ever used one of these, you likely noticed that some of the cheapest flights are through sites like Trip.com, Travelcation, and Travel Wings, listed at prices significantly lower than the original airlines' own fares. Much like other Reddit users in the r/TravelHacks subreddit, you may have asked yourself, "How is this possible? Is there some kind of catch?" Or, is using these sites an effective way to save money while booking flights?

The unfortunate answer is that while third-party sites offer the allure of convenience and lower prices through promotions, those savings can come at a real cost. While not inherently fraudulent, third-party booking introduces extra layers of complexity to your travel agenda, particularly if things go awry. As pointed out in the r/Flights subreddit, "The 3rd party prices may not be accurate, cached and have additional fees applied when you actually come to pay," ballooning the actual cost beyond the airlines' original fare. Or they might offer a flight itinerary that's not even available on the original airline's website, drawing you in with a bait-and-switch before offering a different flight at a higher price.

Booking these supposedly cheaper fares also leaves you vulnerable in ways direct booking can prevent — you'll have limited airline support and difficulty changing your flights if something does go wrong. As u/Curlytomato points out, it is the third-party sites and not you that "are the airlines customer and the airline will usually only deal with them as the booking agent." Additionally, if your third-party itinerary includes transfers through separate airlines, you will have no protection for ongoing flights.

Booking travel that saves a quick buck can come at a price if you wish to enjoy a stress-free vacation. While it is possible for things to work out just fine, there are far too many things that could go wrong when you buy flights through third parties. As u/nanny_diaries puts it in the r/phtravel subreddit, "Third party booking sites are the cheapest when everything goes right, and the most expensive when even the littlest thing goes wrong."

"If you miss any connection," says u/DryDependent6854, "it will be basically up to you to solve the problem on your own. All the other parties involved will just point fingers at one another." Airlines won't help you rebook the flight you missed or aid with further transfers, should you have any. And when there's IROPS (irregular operations) caused by poor weather or airport staff strikes, you could wind up paying the price of a whole new ticket. In the r/travel subreddit, u/Throwawaytexxxan recounts purchasing an American Airlines flight via a third party, but when the flight was cancelled, they weren't automatically rebooked on the next outbound flight. The price of rebooking at their own expense and getting a hotel room for the night cost them upward of $400.

Some third-party sites, like Expedia, do offer strong customer service and reliable support when things go wrong. With that, many travelers might argue that a third-party booking can be worth the gamble if the savings are high enough. However, to fully cover your bases, buying flights via the airline's own website is the safest route. While this option might not look as cheap initially, the added cost will give you peace of mind that if something ever happens, the airline's customer support will be there to help you.