FlightFox alternatives / Outsourced booking

[bacontremors]

I need to book some travel for my wife and I. We have a newborn and really don't have the time to work out what the best deal is.

I used flight fox a few times in the past with pretty good success, unfortunately they have changed their model and only do corporate travel now.

So what would be the best way to outsource this? I have seen a few people recommend AFF - which looks interesting, but I am less concerned about using points / just want assistance working out what the best flight combos are.

Has anybody come across a service like this OR are there any flight experts on here who would be interested in helping (paid of course) out?

 

[Kerrodt]

Google Flights can quickly and easily give you a comprehensive matrix of fares and options, sorted by price (or other criteria as you wish) that is quite good from a self-help perspective. This would be for a cash fare search, rather than points.

 

[jpp42]

Unfortunately this web site is highly skewed to people who are interested in self-booking their travel. As noted Google Flights or IATA Matrix are useful to find the best fares, but these don't necessarily break down all the details such as extra fees for bags, seat assignments, change fees, etc etc.

There are still standard brick and mortar travel agencies out there which might suit you, if you really don't want to take any time to figure things out yourself. Try to find a local one that gets good reviews rather than the branch of a big chain. Make sure you understand their cancellation policies as they will differ from that of the airlines themselves.

Avoid using a web site to purchase travel other than the airlines themselves. I'm an advocate that you go fully supported (brick and mortal TA) or none at all (book through the airline web site directly). The online travel agencies (OTA's) generally represent the worst of both worlds and should be avoided.