When I search for fare sales here at Points With a Crew, I use a lot of resources. Google Flights, SkyScanner, Momondo, ITA Matrix, Flyertalk, and more; there are lots of options to help you find great deals. Those sites are mostly “travel aggregators”, with links to booking sites. That’s where online travel agencies (OTAs) come in.
OTAs are websites that provide booking services for travel providers such as airlines, hotels, cruises, etc. Online travel agencies receive commissions for selling airline tickets; it’s their primary business model (along with advertising). Many times they offer fares tens or hundreds of dollars below the airlines’ advertised prices. Since they buy in bulk or at contracted prices, they can still make money with discounted fares.
A typical Kayak OTA comparison
But they also add a layer of communication and, potentially, confusion for customers when something goes wrong. If a flight is delayed or cancelled, is it the airline’s responsibility to assist you, or the OTA? Did the OTA provide a ticket locator an airline can use to find your ticket? All airfares sold more than 7-days before departure can be cancelled within 24 hours of initial purchase, by US regulation, but will an OTA ignore that and keep your money if you try to cancel?
If your flight is cancelled, will your OTA help you?
The largest OTAs in America sell billions of dollars in airfares and hotel stays, with relatively few issues. However, most are really part of just two major corporate conglomerates. The first, Booking Holdings, is the largest collection of travel online travel agencies in world. Its primary airfare OTAs are:
The second major conglomerate of online travel agencies is Expedia Group. Aside from operating Chase’s travel portal, they own:
- Expedia
- Orbitz
- Travelocity
- Hotwire
- CheapTickets.com (not to be confused with European CheapTickets.nl and others)
Orbitz options should look familiar to Points with a Crew readers
Which Online Travel Agencies Do You Use?
Because of good pricing options and stacking rewards, I book virtually all of my flights through these OTAs. However there are literally dozens if not hundreds of others. What other online travel agencies do you trust? Some well-known ones, such as CheapoAir, Vayama, or Trip.com? More obscure sites?
Which of these OTAs would you trust to save money on this TAP fare?
That’s my question to you. In order to help me make this site more helpful for you, and more informative to your fellow PwaC readers, what online travel agencies do you trust to book airfares? Answer below in the comments and I can potentially add great deals exclusive to certain sites when I come across them.
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at
this is a good discussion.
For example, Amex has a qantas offer now.
Will any of the OTA booking of a qantas flight activate this offer ? I did a try with priceline and saw the charge is from Qantas club but I did not receive the Amex offer successful email as expected. I cancelled the booking within 24 hours already so cannot further confirm whether it really works or not.
Also will this charge earn 5x if you use a Amex plt card?
No, in the case of the AMEX offer you’ll have to book directly. Any time a CC offer is for a merchant, it’s always required to buy from that merchant directly. It’s the same as if there was an offer for Tumi luggage but you bought a Tumi bag at Macy’s.
I do buy directly when the price is lower with the airline. But, unlike hotels, I get all my elite perks and earnings on flights purchased through OTAs, and often get a little back with points/cash back.
I like Skyscanner and Kayak as well as hopper. Not clear if these are OTA’s, or something else, but typically I use them to search, and then book directly with airline.
Skyscanner and Kayak are “aggregators” which link to OTAs where you can purchase fares, hotel stays, etc. I use them both, and Skyscanner gets a “scan” many days when I do “fare deals”.
A lot of people use Hopper and love it. But as it’s a mobile app that basically grabs all of its users’ data, travel related or not, and presumably sells it onward, I have avoided it for now.
Booked all of my flights with Orbitz prior to getting into travel hacking earlier this year and it was fine.
Yes, Orbitz and Expedia are my “go to”, especially with Orbucks rebates.
I don’t use OTAs often. When I do, Priceline is my go-to. Why? Dunno… habit I guess, and because AutoSlash links to them. And trip.com is essential for booking domestic travel in China. But generally I book directly with the hotel/airline. I look forward to seeing your post when you synthesize this info.
Thanks! I’m asking personal friends as well as FB group members. Trip.com is the only non-mainstream one that’s getting real support. Not too surprising, I think.