Choosing the Best Way to Book Your Air Tickets
“Should I book my air tickets through a real live travel agent, with an online travel agency or with the airline?”
It’s a question that comes up a lot and there is really is no single answer that works for all travellers in every situation. It depends on your route, your circumstances, whether you need flexibility and how much the price matters.
Online travel agents can often have better fares than the airlines themselves, depending on the timing.Credit: Bloomberg
Online travel agencies (OTAs)
OTAs offer sharp fares, often better than the airlines themselves. Companies such as Expedia, Webjet, eDreams, Bravofly and Aunt Betty buy fares from consolidators – brokers that bulk-buy seats from airlines and resell them to travel agents. The OTA collects a commission from the consolidator, although they might be part of the same corporation. If you’re looking for the cheapest possible fare, flexibility isn’t a priority and you don’t mind tight conditions, an OTA is probably going to help you find it.
Booking Through a Bricks-and-Mortar Travel Agent
Sitting down with a real live travel agent and discussing your flights inspires confidence. They can tell you what the options are and find the flights that work for you. For anyone who might not be confident making their own booking, this is the way to go. Best of all, if anything goes wrong you have backup, but not all travel agents are created equal.
The DIY Route
Confident? Know what you want and who you want to fly with? Then might as well make your own air travel bookings. That’s my choice. I pay for my air travel, it’s all work related and on a fixed schedule, therefore I don’t need flexibility and I’m happy making my own bookings.
Quote from the Author
“Online travel agents can often have better fares than the airlines themselves, depending on the timing.” – Bloomberg
Conclusion
Choosing how to book your air tickets depends on various factors such as your route, circumstances, flexibility needs, and price considerations. Online travel agencies (OTAs) can offer better fares than airlines, especially for long-haul international flights booked in advance. However, if you prefer personalized assistance and backup in case of any issues, booking through a bricks-and-mortar travel agent is a good option. Alternatively, if you are confident and know exactly what you want, making your own bookings can be a convenient choice.
One of the complaints frequently levelled at OTAs is that they’re unresponsive to requests for changes to bookings. Also, that it can be almost impossible to find any customer service agent to contact, but that’s not always so.
Joanna Myers, a retired biochemist from Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, recently booked a return Air India flight through eDreams, an online travel agency based in Barcelona. As soon as Myers made the booking she realised she hadn’t included her middle name. Since that name is listed in her passport, the name on her booking didn’t match, and there was a good chance she wouldn’t be boarding her flight.
She wrote to eDreams and a consultant told her they’d contacted Air India on her behalf but the airline refused to make the change. Myers then contacted Air India and an agent told her she’d have to cancel the booking and re-book under her correct name. But there was no guarantee she’d be able to book her ticket at the same price, nor that seats would even be available.
In a last-ditch effort, she wrote to the chief executive of eDreams and the game changed. Just a couple of days later Myers received a message asking her to forward a scan of her passport, and an e-ticket arrived with her names corrected. Myers was resourceful in sleuthing the email address of the CEO, otherwise the outcome would have been different.
Book through a bricks-and-mortar travel agent
Sitting down with a real live travel agent and discussing your flights inspires confidence. They can tell you what the options are and find the flights that work for you. For anyone who might not be confident making their own booking this is the way to go. Best of all, if anything goes wrong you have backup, but not all travel agents are created equal.
The DIY route
Confident? Know what you want and who you want to fly with? Then might as well make your own air travel bookings. That’s my choice. I pay for my air travel, it’s all work related and on a fixed schedule, therefore I don’t need flexibility and I’m happy making my own bookings.
One of the complaints frequently levelled at OTAs is that they’re unresponsive to requests for changes to bookings. Also, that it can be almost impossible to find any customer service agent to contact, but that’s not always so.
Joanna Myers, a retired biochemist from Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, recently booked a return Air India flight through eDreams, an online travel agency based in Barcelona. As soon as Myers made the booking she realised she hadn’t included her middle name. Since that name is listed in her passport, the name on her booking didn’t match, and there was a good chance she wouldn’t be boarding her flight.
She wrote to eDreams and a consultant told her they’d contacted Air India on her behalf but the airline refused to make the change. Myers then contacted Air India and an agent told her she’d have to cancel the booking and re-book under her correct name. But there was no guarantee she’d be able to book her ticket at the same price, nor that seats would even be available.
In a last-ditch effort, she wrote to the chief executive of eDreams and the game changed. Just a couple of days later Myers received a message asking her to forward a scan of her passport, and an e-ticket arrived with her names corrected. Myers was resourceful in sleuthing the email address of the CEO, otherwise the outcome would have been different.
Book through a bricks-and-mortar travel agent
Sitting down with a real live travel agent and discussing your flights inspires confidence. They can tell you what the options are and find the flights that work for you. For anyone who might not be confident making their own booking this is the way to go. Best of all, if anything goes wrong you have backup, but not all travel agents are created equal.
The DIY route
Confident? Know what you want and who you want to fly with? Then might as well make your own air travel bookings. That’s my choice. I pay for my air travel, it’s all work related and on a fixed schedule, therefore I don’t need flexibility and I’m happy making my own bookings.
One of the complaints frequently levelled at OTAs is that they’re unresponsive to requests for changes to bookings. Also, that it can be almost impossible to find any customer service agent to contact, but that’s not always so.
Joanna Myers, a retired biochemist from Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, recently booked a return Air India flight through eDreams, an online travel agency based in Barcelona. As soon as Myers made the booking she realised she hadn’t included her middle name. Since that name is listed in her passport, the name on her booking didn’t match, and there was a good chance she wouldn’t be boarding her flight.
She wrote to eDreams and a consultant told her they’d contacted Air India on her behalf but the airline refused to make the change. Myers then contacted Air India and an agent told her she’d have to cancel the booking and re-book under her correct name. But there was no guarantee she’d be able to book her ticket at the same price, nor that seats would even be available.
In a last-ditch effort, she wrote to the chief executive of eDreams and the game changed. Just a couple of days later Myers received a message asking her to forward a scan of her passport, and an e-ticket arrived with her names corrected. Myers was resourceful in sleuthing the email address of the CEO, otherwise the outcome would have been different.
Book through a bricks-and-mortar travel agent
Sitting down with a real live travel agent and discussing your flights inspires confidence. They can tell you what the options are and find the flights that work for you. For anyone who might not be confident making their own booking this is the way to go. Best of all, if anything goes wrong you have backup, but not all travel agents are created equal.
The DIY route
Confident? Know what you want and who you want to fly with? Then might as well make your own air travel bookings. That’s my choice. I pay for my air travel, it’s all work related and on a fixed schedule, therefore I don’t need flexibility and I’m happy making my own bookings.
One of the complaints frequently levelled at OTAs is that they’re unresponsive to requests for changes to bookings. Also, that it can be almost impossible to find any customer service agent to contact, but that’s not always so.
Joanna Myers, a retired biochemist from Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, recently booked a return Air India flight through eDreams, an online travel agency based in Barcelona. As soon as Myers made the booking she realised she hadn’t included her middle name. Since that name is listed in her passport, the name on her booking didn’t match, and there was a good chance she wouldn’t be boarding her flight.
She wrote to eDreams and a consultant told her they’d contacted Air India on her behalf but the airline refused to make the change. Myers then contacted Air India and an agent told her she’d have to cancel the booking and re-book under her correct name. But there was no guarantee she’d be able to book her ticket at the same price, nor that seats would even be available.
In a last-ditch effort, she wrote to the chief executive of eDreams and the game changed. Just a couple of days later Myers received a message asking her to forward a scan of her passport, and an e-ticket arrived with her names corrected. Myers was resourceful in sleuthing the email address of the CEO, otherwise the outcome would have been different.
Book through a bricks-and-mortar travel agent
Sitting down with a real live travel agent and discussing your flights inspires confidence. They can tell you what the options are and find the flights that work for you. For anyone who might not be confident making their own booking this is the way to go. Best of all, if anything goes wrong you have backup, but not all travel agents are created equal.
The DIY route
Confident? Know what you want and who you want to fly with? Then might as well make your own air travel bookings. That’s my choice. I pay for my air travel, it’s all work related and on a fixed schedule, therefore I don’t need flexibility and I’m happy making my own bookings.
One of the complaints frequently levelled at OTAs is that they’re unresponsive to requests for changes to bookings. Also, that it can be almost impossible to find any customer service agent to contact, but that’s not always so.
Joanna Myers, a retired biochemist from Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, recently booked a return Air India flight through eDreams, an online travel agency based in Barcelona. As soon as Myers made the booking she realised she hadn’t included her middle name. Since that name is listed in her passport, the name on her booking didn’t match, and there was a good chance she wouldn’t be boarding her flight.
She wrote to eDreams and a consultant told her they’d contacted Air India on her behalf but the airline refused to make the change. Myers then contacted Air India and an agent told her she’d have to cancel the booking and re-book under her correct name. But there was no guarantee she’d be able to book her ticket at the same price, nor that seats would even be available.
In a last-ditch effort, she wrote to the chief executive of eDreams and the game changed. Just a couple of days later Myers received a message asking her to forward a scan of her passport, and an e-ticket arrived with her names corrected. Myers was resourceful in sleuthing the email address of the CEO, otherwise the outcome would have been different.
Book through a bricks-and-mortar travel agent
Sitting down with a real live travel agent and discussing your flights inspires confidence. They can tell you what the options are and find the flights that work for you. For anyone who might not be confident making their own booking this is the way to go. Best of all, if anything goes wrong you have backup, but not all travel agents are created equal.
The DIY route
Confident? Know what you want and who you want to fly with? Then might as well make your own air travel bookings. That’s my choice. I pay for my air travel, it’s all work related and on a fixed schedule, therefore I don’t need flexibility and I’m happy making my own bookings.
One of the complaints frequently levelled at OTAs is that they’re unresponsive to requests for changes to bookings. Also, that it can be almost impossible to find any customer service agent to contact, but that’s not always so.
Joanna Myers, a retired biochemist from Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, recently booked a return Air India flight through eDreams, an online travel agency based in Barcelona. As soon as Myers made the booking she realised she hadn’t included her middle name. Since that name is listed in her passport, the name on her booking didn’t match, and there was a good chance she wouldn’t be boarding her flight.
She wrote to eDreams and a consultant told her they’d contacted Air India on her behalf but the airline refused to make the change. Myers then contacted Air India and an agent told her she’d have to cancel the booking and re-book under her correct name. But there was no guarantee she’d be able to book her ticket at the same price, nor that seats would even be available.
In a last-ditch effort, she wrote to the chief executive of eDreams and the game changed. Just a couple of days later Myers received a message asking her to forward a scan of her passport, and an e-ticket arrived with her names corrected. Myers was resourceful in sleuthing the email address of the CEO, otherwise the outcome would have been different.
Book through a bricks-and-mortar travel agent
Sitting down with a real live travel agent and discussing your flights inspires confidence. They can tell you what the options are and find the flights that work for you. For anyone who might not be confident making their own booking this is the way to go. Best of all, if anything goes wrong you have backup, but not all travel agents are created equal.
The DIY route
Confident? Know what you want and who you want to fly with? Then might as well make your own air travel bookings. That’s my choice. I pay for my air travel, it’s all work related and on a fixed schedule, therefore I don’t need flexibility and I’m happy making my own bookings.
One of the complaints frequently levelled at OTAs is that they’re unresponsive to requests for changes to bookings. Also, that it can be almost impossible to find any customer service agent to contact, but that’s not always so.
Joanna Myers, a retired biochemist from Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, recently booked a return Air India flight through eDreams, an online travel agency based in Barcelona. As soon as Myers made the booking she realised she hadn’t included her middle name. Since that name is listed in her passport, the name on her booking didn’t match, and there was a good chance she wouldn’t be boarding her flight.
She wrote to eDreams and a consultant told her they’d contacted Air India on her behalf but the airline refused to make the change. Myers then contacted Air India and an agent told her she’d have to cancel the booking and re-book under her correct name. But there was no guarantee she’d be able to book her ticket at the same price, nor that seats would even be available.
In a last-ditch effort, she wrote to the chief executive of eDreams and the game changed. Just a couple of days later Myers received a message asking her to forward a scan of her passport, and an e-ticket arrived with her names corrected. Myers was resourceful in sleuthing the email address of the CEO, otherwise the outcome would have been different.
Book through a bricks-and-mortar travel agent
Sitting down with a real live travel agent and discussing your flights inspires confidence. They can tell you what the options are and find the flights that work for you. For anyone who might not be confident making their own booking this is the way to go. Best of all, if anything goes wrong you have backup, but not all travel agents are created equal.
The DIY route
Confident? Know what you want and who you want to fly with? Then might as well make your own air travel bookings. That’s my choice. I pay for my air travel, it’s all work related and on a fixed schedule, therefore I don’t need flexibility and I’m happy making my own bookings.
One of the complaints frequently levelled at OTAs is that they’re unresponsive to requests for changes to bookings. Also, that it can be almost impossible to find any customer service agent to contact, but that’s not always so.
Joanna Myers, a retired biochemist from Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, recently booked a return Air India flight through eDreams, an online travel agency based in Barcelona. As soon as Myers made the booking she realised she hadn’t included her middle name. Since that name is listed in her passport, the name on her booking didn’t match, and there was a good chance she wouldn’t be boarding her flight.
She wrote to eDreams and a consultant told her they’d contacted Air India on her behalf but the airline refused to make the change. Myers then contacted Air India and an agent told her she’d have to cancel the booking and re-book under her correct name. But there was no guarantee she’d be able to book her ticket at the same price, nor that seats would even be available.
In a last-ditch effort, she wrote to the chief executive of eDreams and the game changed. Just a couple of days later Myers received a message asking her to forward a scan of her passport, and an e-ticket arrived with her names corrected. Myers was resourceful in sleuthing the email address of the CEO, otherwise the outcome would have been different.
Book through a bricks-and-mortar travel agent
Sitting down with a real live travel agent and discussing your flights inspires confidence. They can tell you what the options are and find the flights that work for you. For anyone who might not be confident making their own booking this is the way to go. Best of all, if anything goes wrong you have backup, but not all travel agents are created equal.
The DIY route
Confident? Know what you want and who you want to fly with? Then might as well make your own air travel bookings. That’s my choice. I pay for my air travel, it’s all work related and on a fixed schedule, therefore I don’t need flexibility and I’m happy making my own bookings.
One of the complaints frequently levelled at OTAs is that they’re unresponsive to requests for changes to bookings. Also, that it can be almost impossible to find any customer service agent to contact, but that’s not always so.
Joanna Myers, a retired biochemist from Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, recently booked a return Air India flight through eDreams, an online travel agency based in Barcelona. As soon as Myers made the booking she realised she hadn’t included her middle name. Since that name is listed in her passport, the name on her booking didn’t match, and there was a good chance she wouldn’t be boarding her flight.
She wrote to eDreams and a consultant told her they’d contacted Air India on her behalf but the airline refused to make the change. Myers then contacted Air India and an agent told her she’d have to cancel the booking and re-book under her correct name. But there was no guarantee she’d be able to book her ticket at the same price, nor that seats would even be available.
In a last-ditch effort, she wrote to the chief executive of eDreams and the game changed. Just a couple of days later Myers received a message asking her to forward a scan of her passport, and an e-ticket arrived with her names corrected. Myers was resourceful in sleuthing the email address of the CEO, otherwise the outcome would have been different.
Book through a bricks-and-mortar travel agent
Sitting down with a real live travel agent and discussing your flights inspires confidence. They can tell you what the options are and find the flights that work for you. For anyone who might not be confident making their own booking this is the way to go. Best of all, if anything goes wrong you have backup, but not all travel agents are created equal.
The DIY route
Confident? Know what you want and who you want to fly with? Then might as well make your own air travel bookings. That’s my choice. I pay for my air travel, it’s all work related and on a fixed schedule, therefore I don’t need flexibility and I’m happy making my own bookings.
One of the complaints frequently levelled at OTAs is that they’re unresponsive to requests for changes to bookings. Also, that it can be almost impossible to find any customer service agent to contact, but that’s not always so.
Joanna Myers, a retired biochemist from Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, recently booked a return Air India flight through eDreams, an online travel agency based in Barcelona. As soon as Myers made the booking she realised she hadn’t included her middle name. Since that name is listed in her passport, the name on her booking didn’t match, and there was a good chance she wouldn’t be boarding her flight.
She wrote to eDreams and a consultant told her they’d contacted Air India on her behalf but the airline refused to make the change. Myers then contacted Air India and an agent told her she’d have to cancel the booking and re-book under her correct name. But there was no guarantee she’d be able to book her ticket at the same price, nor that seats would even be available.
In a last-ditch effort, she wrote to the chief executive of eDreams and the game changed. Just a couple of days later Myers received a message asking her to forward a scan of her passport, and an e-ticket arrived with her names corrected. Myers was resourceful in sleuthing the email address of the CEO, otherwise the outcome would have been different.
Book through a bricks-and-mortar travel agent
Sitting down with a real live travel agent and discussing your flights inspires confidence. They can tell you what the options are and find the flights that work for you. For anyone who might not be confident making their own booking this is the way to go. Best of all, if anything goes wrong you have backup, but not all travel agents are created equal.
The DIY route
Confident? Know what you want and who you want to fly with? Then might as well make your own air travel bookings. That’s my choice. I pay for my air travel, it’s all work related and on a fixed schedule, therefore I don’t need flexibility and I’m happy making my own bookings.
One of the complaints frequently levelled at OTAs is that they’re unresponsive to requests for changes to bookings. Also, that it can be almost impossible to find any customer service agent to contact, but that’s not always so.
Joanna Myers, a retired biochemist from Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, recently booked a return Air India flight through eDreams, an online travel agency based in Barcelona. As soon as Myers made the booking she realised she hadn’t included her middle name. Since that name is listed in her passport, the name on her booking didn’t match, and there was a good chance she wouldn’t be boarding her flight.
She wrote to eDreams and a consultant told her they’d contacted Air India on her behalf but the airline refused to make the change. Myers then contacted Air India and an agent told her she’d have to cancel the booking and re-book under her correct name. But there was no guarantee she’d be able to book her ticket at the same price, nor that seats would even be available.
In a last-ditch effort, she wrote to the chief executive of eDreams and the game changed. Just a couple of days later Myers received a message asking her to forward a scan of her passport, and an e-ticket arrived with her names corrected. Myers was resourceful in sleuthing the email address of the CEO, otherwise the outcome would have been different.
Book through a bricks-and-mortar travel agent
Sitting down with a real live travel agent and discussing your flights inspires confidence. They can tell you what the options are and find the flights that work for you. For anyone who might not be confident making their own booking this is the way to go. Best of all, if anything goes wrong you have backup, but not all travel agents are created equal.
The DIY route
Confident? Know what you want and who you want to fly with? Then might as well make your own air travel bookings. That’s my choice. I pay for my air travel, it’s all work related and on a fixed schedule, therefore I don’t need flexibility and I’m happy making my own bookings.
One of the complaints frequently levelled at OTAs is that they’re unresponsive to requests for changes to bookings. Also, that it can be almost impossible to find any customer service agent to contact, but that’s not always so.
Joanna Myers, a retired biochemist from Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, recently booked a return Air India flight through eDreams, an online travel agency based in Barcelona. As soon as Myers made the booking she realised she hadn’t included her middle name. Since that name is listed in her passport, the name on her booking didn’t match, and there was a good chance she wouldn’t be boarding her flight.
She wrote to eDreams and a consultant told her they’d contacted Air India on her behalf but the airline refused to make the change. Myers then contacted Air India and an agent told her she’d have to cancel the booking and re-book under her correct name. But there was no guarantee she’d be able to book her ticket at the same price, nor that seats would even be available.
In a last-ditch effort, she wrote to the chief executive of eDreams and the game changed. Just a couple of days later Myers received a message asking her to forward a scan of her passport, and an e-ticket arrived with her names corrected. Myers was resourceful in sleuthing the email address of the CEO, otherwise the outcome would have been different.
Book through a bricks-and-mortar travel agent
Sitting down with a real live travel agent and discussing your flights inspires confidence. They can tell you what the options are and find the flights that work for you. For anyone who might not be confident making their own booking this is the way to go. Best of all, if anything goes wrong you have backup, but not all travel agents are created equal.
The DIY route
Confident? Know what you want and who you want to fly with? Then might as well make your own air travel bookings. That’s my choice. I pay for my air travel, it’s all work related and on a fixed schedule, therefore I don’t need flexibility and I’m happy making my own bookings.
One of the complaints frequently levelled at OTAs is that they’re unresponsive to requests for changes to bookings. Also, that it can be almost impossible to find any customer service agent to contact, but that’s not always so.
Joanna Myers, a retired biochemist from Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, recently booked a return Air India flight through eDreams, an online travel agency based in Barcelona. As soon as Myers made the booking she realised she hadn’t included her middle name. Since that name is listed in her passport, the name on her booking didn’t match, and there was a good chance she wouldn’t be boarding her flight.
She wrote to eDreams and a consultant told her they’d contacted Air India on her behalf but the airline refused to make the change. Myers then contacted Air India and an agent told her she’d have to cancel the booking and re-book under her correct name. But there was no guarantee she’d be able to book her ticket at the same
George Barham, an accomplished journalist and avid gambling enthusiast, serves as the esteemed Editor-in-Chief at fly-to-australia.com, Australia’s leading source for comprehensive gambling news and insights. With an unwavering passion for both the written word and the ever-evolving world of betting and gaming, George brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the helm of our editorial team.
