The extra cost of booking flights with a travel agent REVEALED – you could pay £100 more for the same holiday
BOOKING your flights with an online travel agent could cost you hundreds of pounds more compared to booking it directly with an airline, an investigation by The Sun has found.
Online travel agents often offer good deals and many holidaymakers may think it's cheaper to use them, as they also act as price comparison services that show you the cheapest flights on offer.
But our research found that flights booked via travel agents were, in every case, higher than booking directly through the airline's website.
We compared the cost of booking flights directly with budget airline Wizz Air versus booking the same flights through various online agents.
In one case, we looked at a last-minute flight from Rome to London on October 24 this year and found you would have paid £30 if you'd booked it directly, plus £29 for an XL seat and £20 for 10kg checked luggage.
But if you’d booked exactly the same flight via travel agent eDreams on the same date, you would have paid £43 for the flight, £45 for an XL seat, and £42 for 10kg of baggage - a total of £42 more.
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And if you’d booked via Lastminute.com, you’d have paid £35 for the flight, £36 for the XL seat and £36 for 10kg baggage - £19 more.
In another example, we looked at booking a flight from London to Rome on 1 December this year and found you could book a standard flight via Wizz Air's website for £49.99.
To book the exact same flight via eDreams, you would pay a base price of £57.
We then found that to add a 10kg checked bag via Wizz Air would cost £26, but to book the same bag on eDreams would cost £42.19.
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If you booked this trip for a family of four, you'd pay £92.76 extra by booking it via eDreams compared to direct.
And to book the same flights through lastminute.com, you'd pay £59.98 for the base flight - £10 more than booking direct.
If you booked for a family of four, that's £40 more for the same flights - and that's before adding any extras.
Separately, we looked at the cost of flying with Wizz Air from Gatwick to Marrakech, Morrocco.
The cost of booking the base flight at 6.10am on January 1 through Wizz Air would be £21.99, but the same flight on eDreams would be £30.
Then, to add a 10kg bag via Wizz Air's website would cost £59.50 per person. But through eDreams, it would cost £72.80 to add the same baggage.
In total, booking the flight with a 10kg bag with Wizz Air would cost you £326, while booking the exact same Wizz Air flights via eDreams would cost you £411.20 - £85.20 more.
The same flights were listed on lastminute.com for £31.98 - £10 more per person. However, in this case the baggage on lastminute.com was slightly cheaper than going direct - so prices can vary.
Why do travel agents charge more?
One of the main reasons third parties charge more for flights is because they offer other services, and they need to recoup the cost of providing these.
For example, most travel agents offer a comparison service, where you can search for a flight and be given several options to compare.
In return, you pay a bit more for the convenience compared to researching direct flights on several airlines' websites yourself.
So, if you value convenience over the actual cost, this could be a reason to use an online agent.
If something goes wrong with your holiday, travel agents will usually help liaise with the airline or hotel for you, too.
A spokesperson for Lastminute.com said: "Online travel agents provide a unique service beyond the possibilities offered by individual airlines.
"The main advantage lies in the possibility of combining flights from a wide variety of airlines. It is important to note that a high-value service like this has associated costs.
"All information on additional costs is clearly published, allowing consumers to be informed before making a purchase."
EDreams was also contacted for further comment.
Doing your own research
Consumer expert Martyn James said that it's very difficult to figure out the best online prices now, as prices allegedly fluctuate with demand to that site, so there is no fixed price to compare to.
"Many low cost airlines don't have standard prices for hold or cabin baggage, or for booking seats. These charges change - allegedly through demand and also how close to departure you are when you book," he explained.
"This means that there is no accurate booking data on what these charges actually are."
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To get the best deal, it’s a good idea to shop around and do your own research. Don’t book the first price you find - check if somewhere else is offering the same thing for less.
You could try searching for flights via an online agent, then search for the best flight you find direct with the airline to see if it's cheaper to book that way.
Flight compensation rules
A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.
If you're flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.
You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven't used yet.
So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.
But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.
When am I not entitled to compensation?
The airline doesn't have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.
Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.
Some airlines may stretch the definition of "extraordinary circumstances" but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?
If you can't claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.
Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.
Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.
If your flight is cancelled entirely, you're unlikely to be covered by your insurance.