Used to book flights through Expedia, now I go direct after a disaster in Denver

Last year I booked a cheap flight through Expedia for a trip to Denver. Got to the airport and they said my ticket didn't exist because of some glitch on their end. Spent 3 hours on hold while my flight left without me. Now I always book direct with the airline even if it costs $20 more. The peace of mind alone is worth it, especially for long trips. Has anyone else had a third-party booking fall apart like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

hayden_nelson8529d ago

Man that sucks but honestly 3 hours on hold for a cheap flight sounds like a bit much. Expedia has always worked fine for me just gotta double check the confirmation email. People act like booking direct is some magic shield but airlines screw up all the time too. I had a direct booking with United and they still lost my bag for two days. The extra $20 adds up if you travel a lot and its not like you cant sort it out later with a credit card chargeback if things go sideways. Seems like a lot of drama over one bad experience.

jackson.matthew29d ago

Fair point @hayden_nelson85, but paying a bit more upfront beats losing a whole day to a glitch.

elliot_barnes29d ago

Okay hold up, I haven't seen anyone mention the whole "change fee" thing yet. Booking direct usually lets you modify or cancel way easier if plans shift, while those third party sites might give you a credit that's a nightmare to actually use. And yeah the direct booking might cost $20 extra today, but if that glitch hits on your return flight and you need to rebook same-day, that third party site could charge you $100+ in change fees or just leave you stranded. Plus there's the peace of mind factor, knowing you can talk to the airline directly instead of playing phone tag with a call center that has no real power.