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

[Beer_budget]

Hotels I almost always book first party, for status benefits, better flexibility, and simplicity. I make an exception for Amex Travel to book The Hotel Collection if the city we're in has poor/no IHG or Accor options, or they're not in the locations we want, and Qantas Hotels is surprisingly good for country motels with the added benefits of points earn and a working online booking platform.

Airlines are first party unless their refund and rebooking policies give me the ick (looking at you, Lufthansa) in which case I will check Amex - those can be specific fare classes not available through the airline, and sometimes the fare conditions are better than booking direct. Our upcoming LH bookings were, additionally, significantly cheaper through Amex than direct.

I do not trust booking.com in the slightest.

 

[elanshin]

I would say though, despite lots of preferences to book direct, i often search aggregates first to see if theres massive differences between multiple options before going direct.

I will weigh up 3rd party vs direct if there's big discrepancies in price. (Like a couple of days ago there was uncapped Klook 25% cashback - that's a very real big difference on hotel prices).

 

[Pushka]

The only thing I never do is use a Travel Agent. Yes, I might miss out on something but at least I have full control and don't have to wait for them to deal with it. Had a bad experience years ago and never used them again.

 

[prozac]

Hotels I almost always book first party, for status benefits, better flexibility, and simplicity. I make an exception for Amex Travel to book The Hotel Collection if the city we're in has poor/no IHG or Accor options, or they're not in the locations we want, and Qantas Hotels is surprisingly good for country motels with the added benefits of points earn and a working online booking platform.

Airlines are first party unless their refund and rebooking policies give me the ick (looking at you, Lufthansa) in which case I will check Amex - those can be specific fare classes not available through the airline, and sometimes the fare conditions are better than booking direct. Our upcoming LH bookings were, additionally, significantly cheaper through Amex than direct.

I do not trust booking.com in the slightest.

FWIW I found LH almost impossible to contact in Europe when I needed to. Never again.

EDIT: On the flipside back in 2020 MsProzac was caught in Dublin when the Beast from the East swept in stopping all public transport and basically shut-down the city. I contacted Etihad on fb and they remained in constant contact with me whilst I was on fb chat to her as she was being driven (privately) to the airport. They kept the boarding gate open until she arrived and checked in. I believe it was the last flight our of Dublin that day.

 

[Beer_budget]

FWIW I found LH almost impossible to contact in Europe when I needed to. Never again.

We had to rework the whole itinerary (change of dates and routing) and I was on the phone for less than ten minutes total with Amex to make those changes. Only cost was a small fare difference. 10/10 would not book LH direct again

 

[Disco]

We had to rework the whole itinerary (change of dates and routing) and I was on the phone for less than ten minutes total with Amex to make those changes. Only cost was a small fare difference. 10/10 would not book LH direct again

Yes, similar in sad circumstances where there was a legimate reason for some discretion. No consideration from LH.

 

[prozac]

Yes, similar in sad circumstances where there was a legimate reason for some discretion. No consideration from LH.

And the hostesses in LH Y+ were cough. Sh!7 attitude.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

And the hostesses in LH Y+ were cough. Sh!7 attitude.

Well…. If you call them ‘hostesses’ maybe it’s not a cultural fit with LH?

 

[ellen10]

I like to book most things myself direct. Although I have used Booking.com quite often when I can get a good genius discount.
On my next trip, I have a mix, direct, booking.com and Qantas hotels. I would not use booking.com for flights etc, I have read some horror stories.

Flights I almost always book direct myself, although last year for our overseas trip I used an agent who got me a very good deal.

 

[Rayesfeg]

For flights I always book direct with the airline, but interestingly found a flight combination on Amex travel that was not available to book directly with Air NZ.
Still met minimum connection times and all on one ticket, got the flight ref right away and could manage seats etc on the air nz website/app so was happy with that experience.

For hotels, definitely always book with third parties. Either booking.com - they seem to have a good catalogue of hotels, or Hotels.com because they have 10% loyalty cashback on hotel bookings - which seems to be a pretty unknown benefit.
Recently I have had a look at Trip.com and they seem to have some competitive hotel deals, but the app is a sensory overload with what looks like ads all throughout the landing page. It's not my immediate go to.

 

[prozac]

Well…. If you call them ‘hostesses’ maybe it’s not a cultural fit with LH?

That is exactly why I deliberately called them hosties, b/c they were not up to scratch.

 

[PERLHR]

Unfortunately many hotel chains remove your status benefits if booking via third parties

Which is fine if you don’t have status! But annoying otherwise. I got caught out by that booking an Accor property via Qantas, which I incorrectly assumed would still give benefits given their promoted partnership

But otherwise that can be quite liberating. The Novotel Hong Kong airport is not only a bus ride/transfer, so instead of being tied to status I booked the Regalia instead for a much cheaper price and more convenient access. Foregoing a potential room upgrade and ‘welcome drink’.

I thought you can walk to the Novohotel at HKG from T1 via T2 in about twenty mins. I'm going to try this anyhow in Oct. I link QF with my Accor account and get credits on both . Booking through Accor.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I thought you can walk to the Novohotel at HKG from T1 via T2 in about twenty mins. I'm going to try this anyhow in Oct. I link QF with my Accor account and get credits on both . Booking through Accor.

According to maps it’s around 5.7km and over an hour to walk?

I only saw a bus transfer when i looked earlier this year, maybe that was because T2 was still closed?

Yeah, should have booked through Accor and credited to Qantas. But with all the fanfare of their new partnership it never crossed my mind Accor wouldn’t honour status benefits booking through Qantas! My mistake. And Accor’s, because now I look to other providers where possible.

 

[AuSammy]

That is exactly why I deliberately called them hosties, b/c they were not up to scratch.

My impression was they were staff that had been redeployed from prison guard duties.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Well…. If you call them ‘hostesses’ maybe it’s not a cultural fit with LH?

I don't think you can blame the culture.
Austrian airlines cabin crew are amazingly attentive and helpful.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I don't think you can blame the culture.
Austrian airlines cabin crew are amazingly attentive and helpful.

Which I’ve always found on LH too!

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I always book direct - except when I don 't.

For flights I generally book direct but I always do a google flights search first to find all the options.
I have sometimes found availability through third parties where there was none via the airline's own website.
However I am very careful to check the third party terms and conditions and make sure there is flexibility if I need it.

For hotels I book directly through Accor to maximise status benefits and retention.
If there is no Accor property I will use booking dot com.
I have genius level 3 status with them, and it is a one-off earn - once gained, it is retained forever.
I avoid AirBNB as much as possible because they always want the full amount on booking, which they don't pass on to the property until after you leave.

I never use other aggregator sites.

Obviously the main reasons for booking direct are loyalty/status, and, often but not always, greater flexibility.

There an be other, particular reasons for booking direct.
I don't have status with AirFrance, but I purchased a Carte Weekend+.
This has various benefits such as discounts, and all flights booked with it are 100% changeable and refundable without fees.

 

[PERLHR]

According to maps it’s around 5.7km and over an hour to walk?

I only saw a bus transfer when i looked earlier this year, maybe that was because T2 was still closed?

Yikes! Glad you told me this. I might try the S1 bus service to citygate or the free transfer bus but I know it can be rather busy. The hotel looks quite nice and I do have some hours there.