hotticket

Trying to book a flight to Fort Lauderdale..
Looks like Delta to and American return...
Expedia has the flights that I like, but they are the same price at the airline. So what is the advantage?

Confused...

NewbE

Not much. Expedia is a travel agency, so it is usually easier to rebook flights, if necessary, through them than it would b'se through the airline, especially if another airlines flights are better. Expedia can also update you on flight time changes through your cellphone. In my experience, those are the primary advantages of Expedia.

Gretchen

Whoa--"rebook if necessary." I don't think so. You've bought the ticket and you'll pay to rebook, IF you can.
Sometimes their price is better, sometimes not. If it isn't better, book with the airline.
However, I see you have two airlines going--looks odd, and I don't think you will find that on an airline site, do you?

NewbE

I was referring to rebooking in case of cancelled or drastically delayed flights, which can cost more money, yes, but is generally easier to do through a travel agent.

I do usually book the cheapest fare, though, whether it's at an airline site or Expedia, Travelocity, et al.

Gardyloo

I think if you look more closely you'll find that the price on Expedia is $5 more than the comparable airline website fare.

One (marginal) advantage of the big online TAs is that you can mix and match competitor airlines on one itinerary (AA and United for instance,) when doing so on the airlines' sites themselves will be difficult or impossible.

Dukey

I agree with Gardyloo, especially the part about using two different airlines in one itinerary.

There are airline sites which will do it (American comes to mind) but "the advantage" may be the fact that you were able to get this "mixed" itinerary without too much hassle.

I am almost certain you are going to pay a booking fee by using Expedia.

escargot

Personally I've never found an advantage to expedia, orbitz, sidestep, etc.. - whenever I have compared prices on any of those services to booking directly online with an airline, I've rec'd the same flight for the same or less $ - and my experience is that I get better attention regarding any other services, delays, etc when I have booked directly with an airline or hotel.

I think the only advantage, which we have sometimes used it for, is to see what difference there may be between airlines to a specific destination, who offers best connection or non stop, etc vs. having to check five airline web sites to find that info out.

gail

I have not found a price deal on Expedia for air. However, I have found hotel rooms on Expedia that did not exist on hotel website (like one night in Las Vegas when hotel said it was full) and a cruise cabin on Travelocity during a school vacation when Celebrity cruiseline said cruise was sold out.

granniem

I do not fly but when I book a room I always look up pricing and then deal directly with the hotel, I find I get better deals this way

trippinkpj

I usually don't book through Expedia, but use it more as a resource to see who has the better deals (hotels and airlines).

swaymock

I might book a hotel thru expedia but never a flight again. I booked early and there were schedule changes resulting in me having to be moved to another flight several hours later and with a connection. I didn't want the flight expedia had chosen for me, and in spite of the fact that a better flight was still available directly on USAirways, expedia wouldn't budge on giving it to me.

They told me to call the airline, who would not talk to me because I had booked thru expedia. Only after calling 2-3 difference folks at expedia did I find one who would make the change I requested.

I was going on a cruise and if my original flight was cancelled I needed to go the night before, not 4 hours later the same day. I believe it would have been much easier to resolve this directly through the airlines.

I saved $30 probably. NEVER again.

birder

If you read Christopher Elliott's travel blog ( http://www.elliott.org/ ), you will read many horror stories about people using Orbit, Expedia, etc. People showing up to the hotel and no record of their reservation, the companies changing flights and not notifying people, etc.

The only time I have booked through one of these outlets was when they were offering a combo deal - flight, hotel, and car - that was less than the price of the flights alone.

SAnParis

Convenience - allegedly.

rm_mn

We used a travel site like Expedia when we were booking flights from 2 locations to try and get a simultaneous arrival and departures. The airlines sites only showed their flights, the travel site showed multiple carriers so we could book open-jawed flights to match (sort of) the times. We booked through the airlines sites.

AnnRiley

I always search for flights/hotelscar hire etc with the likes of expedia and holidaysupermarket.com. After i get the results I then go direct to hotel/airline to compare and most times going direct is cheaper, albeit by not a great deal, but £££ better in your pocket eh...Aslo vary the times you check airlines for prices as you can get some excellent bargains I recently got a return for 2 adults from Manchester (UK) going to JFK for a total price of £579 which was about half of what BA & virgin and AA were quoting. I did not consider Continental as their flight was the 3x3 config which i hate..i prefer a 2x3x2 config, can nab 2 seats together

TahitiTams

I have had great success with Expedia and getting killer deals..not always but things that were sold-out elsewhere but available on Expedia..
Since I do a lot of business with them, they are always putting in $100 travel coupons for me and husband to use and that has afforded me to go next month to the Phoenician for $80 and the Boulders for $29 and they are both 5 star resorts!
I have 2 more coupons for Boston..

shaz60

I also like Expedia, Orbitz, etc. The advantage of looking at many different hotels or flights is huge. I have found hotel rooms that were sold out through the hotel. As with anything, do some research and pick the best rate.

thePidge

If they're exactly the same price, I don't think there's an advantage. However, I've always found those kind of sites to be cheaper than the airline sites, at least to where I fly. I love Travelocity, never booked with Expedia. I got more airline choices with Travelocity so I've been using it for 4 years. Total satisfaction. I only book flights....I prefer to book hotels directly (talk to a human).
Sometimes the airline will change flights around (different size plane, etc.) and Travelocity will randomly assign me a seat I don't like - I just log onto the airline site with my e-ticket number and change the seat.

AnnRiley

As I said earlier, in my experience it's nearly always cheaper to go direct to airline/hotel.

For example I have just booked 2 seats direct with Delta from Man(UK) to JFK.

I paid £289.50 per person = $572.19pp

Expedia charged £352.60 = $696.91pp
Travelocity charged £331.60 =$655.40pp &
" " £357.60 =$706.79pp

So in my opinion for 2 adults the price difference was quite a bit.

I have been able to select really good seats even though its only a 'T' class ticket (in the preferred members area) just by calling them direct to ask about availability. Very helpful.

But the golden rule is to do your homework and search for the best deals, they are out there.

Good luck