Where do you book flights from

[Piss Poor]

Being a newbie flyer.

Just interested in people's thoughts on the best site to buy flights from.

I've been looking a webjet.com but is there a better alternative to get cheaper flights.

 

[stanga]

dont flight center match or beat any advertised price , so them i guess

 

[Speck]

Look at Webjet but unless it's a Webjet only deal buy from the actual airlines site itself.

 

[gothedons]

skyscanner.com

 

[Flash of power]

dont flight center match or beat any advertised price , so them i guess

Don't go anywhere near flight centre, they will rip you off blind with the dearest, non-changable flight possible, unless you do the research first and then get them to match it, in which case what's the point. Might just as well book yourself.

both the site product review and Flight Centre's own facebook pages are filled with hundreds of complaints about their guarantee being a crock.

 

[PHX]

http://www.kayak.com.au/

 

[gaskin]

My mum is a travel agent so I book through her. The thing you need to remember is that if you go through an agent and something goes wrong they are there to help you. If you don't and something goes wrong then you could find yourself up s**t creek without a paddle as my uncle has found out on a couple of occasions when going cheaper than through my mum by booking online and her refusing to help when they have had problems.

 

[Flash of power]

My mum is a travel agent so I book through her. The thing you need to remember is that if you go through an agent and something goes wrong they are there to help you. If you don't and something goes wrong then you could find yourself up s**t creek without a paddle as my uncle has found out on a couple of occasions when going cheaper than through my mum by booking online and her refusing to help when they have had problems.

sounds like she must work for flight centre! In my personal experience travel agents don't help anyway

 

[gaskin]

She does work for Flight Center at the moment. Before that she worked for Jetset and then from home for a company called Travel Associates. It comes down to who you get as your agent but they are supposed to help you no matter what as long as it is within reason. I know she is occasionally on the phone at 10-11 o'clock at night trying to sort out problems for clients. It's a job where you rely on commission so an agent should be trying to get your business again and if that is by helping at 8 o'clock at night then they should do it.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Webjet, One Travel, Kayak, Priceline or Expedia.

 

[WCErevival]

For domestic I book online through the airline itself.

International I suss the price on the net then go to Flight Center(about a 2 minute walk from my house) to see what they say. Easier to let them do the work and ends up being the same price.

 

[Fletch Pewterschmidt]

Expedia first to work out which airline has the best pricing based upon preferred flight times, then compare with the airline direct to make sure I can't get it cheaper direct, then book based upon the best price.

 

[JoondalupJ]

Being a newbie flyer.

Just interested in people's thoughts on the best site to buy flights from.

I've been looking a webjet.com but is there a better alternative to get cheaper flights.

From a dart board shop , or a place that sells airline tickets.

 

[Piss Poor]

From a dart board shop , or a place that sells airline tickets.

Yeah no s**t.

 

[stmookeyj]

Direct with the airline to ensure the frequent flyer details are included in the booking.

 

[bombersfan4000]

first usually just browse, websites like webjet, to get an idea on prices then just go straight to the Airlines own web page and book through there

 

[IQ3]

I search with Webjet/skyscanner, then find the cheapest and book direct on their own website to save middle man fees.

 

[scottjr]

Flight scanner for what's available as far as options go check out departure times arrival times stopover options and return arrival times.... Then head for the airlines site and book there. I like to be able to choose my seat.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Expedia is usually the first one I check (as in the past they have had the best options for a few flights), but also skyscanner and webjet. And the airline sites that come up on those sites, particularly if its one airline the whole way. In the end domestic is usually better on the airline site. I don't fly international a lot, but it seems to be a mix for the best prices.

I haven't booked through skyscanner yet, but they do seem to get more options and better prices on some of the less common international routes - particularly to/from Europe outside the main destinations.

 

[PACatter]

I usually use https://www.itasoftware.com/

It pretty much powers all of the sites mentioned here, so it gathers all the info into one spot. Can't book directly through it, but it can give you best airfare and a link to the booking site.

 

[raskolnikov]

Within Australia I always travel Virgin so go to their website. International flights I usually go to a travel agent.

 

[rdhopkins2]

As always, caveat emptor. Do your research.
Remember a travel agent is a sales agent and is on commission-don't rely on a marketing slogan that says a business is the cheapest, will beat any price etc.

If you find a decent, honest and reliable travel agent, stick with them.

 

[brucetiki]

I research through a Web Jet or Expedia, then book directly with the airline.

Booking direct is always the cheapest option as they don't have the extra booking fees you get on most sites like Web Jet.

Also, look at ways at how you can avoid/minimise the credit card fees. Tiger don't charge a fee if you have a Mastercard, Qantas have a reduced fee if you use a debit card, or no fee if you pay via BPAY, Jetstar don't charge a fee if you use bank transfer. Virgin is a bit more difficult as you have to install some obscure payment transfer program to avoid credit card fees.

 

[Aussie Assault]

Skyscanner. It'll give you the option of what site you want to book with and has no fees.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I research through a Web Jet or Expedia, then book directly with the airline.

Booking direct is always the cheapest option as they don't have the extra booking fees you get on most sites like Web Jet.

Also, look at ways at how you can avoid/minimise the credit card fees. Tiger don't charge a fee if you have a Mastercard, Qantas have a reduced fee if you use a debit card, or no fee if you pay via BPAY, Jetstar don't charge a fee if you use bank transfer. Virgin is a bit more difficult as you have to install some obscure payment transfer program to avoid credit card fees.

Not always, but most commonly and particularly if all flights are with one operator. If partner airlines are involved it is slightly less likely to hold true.
Sometimes the middle man can be cheaper. Presumably there are some bulk seat deals with some agents and wholesale operators including an agreement not to undercut or some such thing.