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

[QFVAflyer]

From my experience, airlines are much more likely to take care of you if something goes wrong than the European flight-booking websites that are often listed on Skyscanner.

Yeah - appreciate it's a risk - and wouldn't recommend it to family/friends - but its served me well (so far). With Qantas/Virgin I rely more on my status than having booked direct for them to look after me. Internationally - I'm happy to take the risk I guess

 

[CaptJCool]

Yeah - appreciate it's a risk - and wouldn't recommend it to family/friends - but its served me well (so far). With Qantas/Virgin I rely more on my status than having booked direct for them to look after me. Internationally - I'm happy to take the risk I guess

Out of interest
How much % is the cost savings ?
10% or more ?

 

[LionKing]

I do most of my CX flight bookings via Trip.com, because there are a lot of hidden cheap Business Class fares that if booked directly on Cathay Pacific, you won't get Business Class all the way.

Disclaimer: I don't fly economy class in and out of Australia, NZ and Hong Kong, as well as all intercontinental sectors and sectors above 90 minutes of net flying time.

 

[r01x]

Often I book flights when I am 100% certain of travelling, in which case I will go with the cheapest OTA (often gotogate/byojet etc). Never had any issues with ticketing and saving $15-30+ each time

 

[Warks]

I've always been very much opposed to going through anyone but the airlines. I'd never tried a third party service before so couldn't really judge. However, when the stupidity war started prices on my watched flights on Thai and Turkish (IST-BKK, BKK-SYD) for September went through the roof overnight. I found flights $500 cheaper on Booking and Trip. I haven't been game to tell Mrs Warks yet, I'll save that to drop in at the last minute as we are at the airport about to board I think.