What website do you use for domestic flights?

[ozbeachbabe]

Just curious what site people use for making their domestic airfare bookings. Had a look on the Escape Travel website which compares all airlines who fly the city pair you're looking for then defaults to the cheapest alternative outbound and inbound.

For example if you click on the link below I was searching for return flights BNE/DRW/BNE 10-17 March 2010 & the result was AUD228.00 return plus the travel agent booking fee of $16.95 (includes the credit card fee) total of AUD244.95.

http://secure.escapetravel.com.au/et/en_AU/homepage_FlightSearch


Of course you could be sneaky then once you have determined that in this case DJ is the cheapest, then go directly to www.virginblue.com.au and and make the booking direct thus avoiding travel agent fees.

You would still have to pay the credit card/debit card surcharge of AUD3.50 per person per flight so booking through the DJ website would cost a total of AUD235.00 return saving AUD9.95 per person by using the DJ website rather than Escape Travel's.

Of course if you go into a travel agent the service fees are higher but as agents make zero commission from the airlines they have to charge a fee for service. I think some people still use travel agents because they "can't be bothered checking all the different airlines websites" (you don't have to)/"I don't have a credit card" (ever heard of a debit card)/"it's just easier going through a travel agent" (I'm too lazy to do it myself).

If using the DJ website don't forget to tick "no" to the blue zone if you don't want to pay the extra $45.00 per sector for exit row seating, "no" to the travel insurance of $9.00 and "no" the flying carbon neutral of $6.15 unless of course you want all that stuff.

Cheers

Oz

 

[Must...Fly!]

It depends really.

I'm a fully self funded traveller (hence NB status, lol) so price is sometimes a factor, although I'm fairly loyal to QF.

Usually what I do is just search QF and DJ websites (never ever ever Tiger), as most of my flying is just simple Per-Mel.

But if I ever need to do more complicated things, I tend to use a multitude of webjet, flight centre, expedia, adioso and carrier sites to find the best deals.

Eg I have been looking at a quick weekend trip to NZ in 2 weeks which I was considernig but won't due to the cost. But booking one way DJ and one way booking DJ through pacific blue's website would cost only $810AU or so compared to over $900 booking return through virgin blue's website alone.

 

[DrJ]

Only ever go QF for self-funded Dom travel(my most travelled route of PER-BNE is too long to use LCCs, and have had a good success rate with ODUs lately); always use their website as have yet to find an alternative offering cheaper QF (Dom) bookings - if one does exist I would like to know about it.

 

[Mal]

The only reasons I can see why you would use any other website (apart from the airline's website) to actually book a domestic flight are:

- Corporate policy
- Special promotion (eg Paypal cashback or competition).

Of course there are good websites that assist with searching out the best deals - ie "abusing" a travel agent's website, or one of the dedicated flight searching tools like Cheap Flights & Airfares - Qantas, VirginBlue, Jetstar, Tiger Airways

 

[notzac]

My domestic travel all gets booked on the QF website directly - am yet to find a compelling reason to do otherwise. DJ usually ends up at the same price if not a little higher, plus the cost of lounge access. JQ I'd only book if I had a very specific reason to do so. TT is out of the question entirely.

Short of using it as a comparison, is there any good reason to book through Webjet et al?

 

[samiam]

My domestic travel (corporate) is booked through the FCM E-Lumina site, which lines up Qantas, Virgin & Jetstar +/- others to advise the BFOD - I always ask for and receive QF, so the only point of the exercise is so that we receive an invoice, rather than have to pay on C'Card immediately.

If booking a personal flight and paying on card, go straight to the QF website.

 

[anat0l]

If we're talking domestic flights only, then most of the time I'll just open up two browser windows / tabs and fire up QF and DJ websites.

I usually only book during sales and usually with QF.

I'll book JQ for very select situations, usually for a F Lounge run

Webjet I'll use only sparingly and only to compare services.

Someone said that a TA may be able to get cheap fares that you could never in your life find online; international services or deals maybe but for domestic services I tend not to believe that.

Sometimes I will also use American Express Travelkey (viz. to use my MR points).

Although it sounds odd and silly, I wouldn't mind finding a website that will ask where you want to go from and what date to leave/return, then returns a list showing you the cost of flying to a bunch of destinations , just for those days when you feel like, "I'd like to go somewhere this weekend....."

 

[markis10]

Although it sounds odd and silly, I wouldn't mind finding a website that will ask where you want to go from and what date to leave/return, then returns a list showing you the cost of flying to a bunch of destinations , just for those days when you feel like, "I'd like to go somewhere this weekend....."

Mystery Flights & Mystery Weekend - Bookings & Gift Vouchers & Xmas Gift Ideas - (02) 9440 1455

You will be going somewhere with that website

 

[Keith009]

I use webjet to compare QF/DJ prices, then book my flights on the respective airline website directly.

 

[wrldtrvllr]

Of course there are good websites that assist with searching out the best deals - ie "abusing" a travel agent's website, or one of the dedicated flight searching tools like Cheap Flights & Airfares - Qantas, VirginBlue, Jetstar, Tiger Airways

+1

Find that website useful if you know roughly which dates you wish to fly as it compares all the domestic carriers, even when they have their sales on. So if you are particularly price sensitive you can see easily which of them offer the best prices for the time you want to fly.

 

[harvyk]

I'll either book directly on the QF website, or call up my TA (whom I know quite well) who will give me the same price as the QF website (infact cheaper as no CC fee)

I used to check both QF and DJ and I've been on webjet a few times, but I decided that I was going to go for status with QF, especially as frequently QF and DJ where so close in price and as you got dinner and a movie on QF it became a no brainer for me (I figure the amount I fly the novelty is over and I want the "extra's"), so I've been booking with them exclusively for Dom travel, and almost exclusively for Int travel (a couple of AA and AirNZ flights in there as well)

 

[drron]

Well when your domestic port is MCY there is absolutely no point going to the QF website .So I do a quick check on the flight centre site.If DJ is within say $20 of the JQ price it is off to the DJ website.

 

[thegurio]

Well when your domestic port is MCY there is absolutely no point going to the QF website .So I do a quick check on the flight centre site.If DJ is within say $20 of the JQ price it is off to the DJ website.

Im the same as Dr. Ron... Living in HBA I just dont bother with QF, even though i would dearly love to, as they are at least $100+ more each way. So it's almost exculsively DJ. If they are exorbitant, and sometimes i.e. school holidays they are as i book at the last minute, i will entertain TT only because i am self funded and have a capacity to only earn a certain amount when i'm away. Sadly, their schedules actually suit me much better and they fly direct...

Of course there are good websites that assist with searching out the best deals - ie "abusing" a travel agent's website, or one of the dedicated flight searching tools like Cheap Flights & Airfares - Qantas, VirginBlue, Jetstar, Tiger Airways

What a awesome site! Thankyoui for that one... It was very quickly bookmarked!

 

[Mrmaxwell]

I'll use QF and DJ websites to compare...sometimes I'll use Webjet to check all airlines if I have a special need (routes/timings).

I find it interesting that many people seem to use Webjet...I always see people at the airport with Webjet printouts...but seeing as they now charge $20 booking fee why wouldn't you just book direct with your airline of choice and save $20?

 

[tuppaware]

Best Flights as a start, then directly on QF.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Mrmaxwell (cute avatar btw)

I find it interesting that many people seem to use Webjet...I always see people at the airport with Webjet printouts...but seeing as they now charge $20 booking fee why wouldn't you just book direct with your airline of choice and save $20?

Probably the same reason people go and book domestic flights through Flight Centre (anyone know how much FCI charge as a booking fee)?

I don't think people understand the booking fee structure of webjet et al when they're doing the initial comparison between airlines as the fares are the same as on the airline website, but depending on travel agent website used to make the booking, it may not be until the payment screen that it shows the travel agent booking fee and some people think that the airlines also charge this so proceed with it.

Much more time effective to use agent site to compare then bug out and use airline website to book as that will always be cheaper. There's also less chance of a muck up with ticketing when dealing with third parties. Ditto for changing or amendments - if you book direct with airline you won't cop the "as it's a travel agent booking you'll have to go back to them to change" (& pay extra for TA's amendment fees on top of airlines).

 

[JohnK]

I normally just go straight to the QF website and book with them (almost always during sales) unless I feel the airfare looks expensive like public holidays or school holidays. Then I look at the DJ website and make a decision comparing the 2 airfares.

Occasionally I visit the Jetstar or Tiger website just to amuse myself but not to book although there is a small chance I may book a Tiger flight in the near future simply for the torture....

 

[straitman]

..... there is a small chance I may book a Tiger flight in the near future simply for the torture....

That thought has been lurking around the back of my head for a while also :!: I just do not understand why. :shock:

 

[tuapekastar]

That thought has been lurking around the back of my head for a while also :!: I just do not understand why. :shock:

Closet masochists, both of you!

 

[AlphaVictor]

Probably the same reason people go and book domestic flights through Flight Centre (anyone know how much FCI charge as a booking fee)?

From their website

• For in-store and phone bookings, a service fee from $10 (domestic air) and from $15 (trans-Tasman air) will apply, a ticketing fee from $25 (International air) may apply.
• Online air bookings will incur a non-refundable booking fee of $16.95

Flight Centre - Conditions

I use Adioso.com Cheap flights from Jetstar, Tiger Airways, Air Asia, Virgin Blue, V Australia, Qantas and more to do my research - interesting stats and bells n whistles.