Do you prefer booking directly or via third-party sites?

[GDSman]

Flights nearly always direct with airline unless I'm looking for something quirky like a mixed class ticket using an offline carrier, as they don't always load those fares into ATPCo. Hotel revenue management in Aus can be terrible and cheaper prices can be found using an OTA. I've had a lot of good deals from QF Hotels including upgrades, free breakfasts etc - I always do a compare and contrast between hotel site, QF and perhaps another.

 

[sopHia42]

thanks everyone

 

[kookaburra75]

Its usually a condition of being advertised on the big sites that hotels can't publically advertise a lower rate. Properties cant afford to not be on the expedias etc even though the sites take a chunky cut.

That's true. But, if you call the hotel direct and ask for the best rate, or have something special added, they do have some flexibility to offer something special.

 

[Flyerwin]

I usually book direct for both flights (QF/VA) and hotels (ALL) as I have status with them. Or use Airbnb. Haven't figured out going through Qantas for Airbnb yet - intriguing.

 

[burneracc]

Another edge case is amex travel. The IAP they offer can make booking flights via them cheaper than direct sometimes.

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

I always book direct, the only times I don't are to use credits on Qantas Hotels or Amex Travel. And on occasion for a non-chain hotel if I find it cheaper on hotels.com or another site I will use that.

 

[clifford]

I usually book direct for both flights (QF/VA) and hotels (ALL) as I have status with them. Or use Airbnb. Haven't figured out going through Qantas for Airbnb yet - intriguing.

I usually book AirBnB properties through booking.com, as I find they often offer better rates to me as a Genius level 3, and I find booking.com fairly easy to deal with in relation to accommodation. The exception with booking.com, and other OTA's such as GoToGate, is that they can be a little unscrupulous when it comes to selling airline tickets.

I had this experience with booking.com (who subbed it to GoToGate, and I would never book a flight with them again). They sold me a Ryanair ticket (I tried to book with Ryanair, but their website was playing up). Well, I ended up throwing this ticket away, as it required me to check in at the airport at a cost of EUR 55, more than the ticket was worth.

However, I did dispute the transaction with Amex, and managed to get it credited back to my account. The clowns at GoToGate claimed that I was a no show for the flight, but it was still a couple of months in the future. That sealed it.

 

[MrGalaxy]

Direct only ... can't trust 3rd party