Cheaper flights on non-airline sites?

Cheaper flights on non-airline sites? - Free stock photo of air, airbus, aircraft

When searching through kayak.com, I've seen tickets listed through sites like Airfare.com and Vayama that are cheaper than those listed by the airline themselves (see circled prices in image below).

Are alternative sites like Airfare.com and Vayama trustworthy? What should I be aware of when booking through sites like Vayama and Airfare.com?

Why is it cheaper to book from travel site instead of the airline? Trustworthy?



Best Answer

In addition to the correct answer posted by @Doc, there is a further reason why lower prices appear on these sites. The travel agent can, in exchange for a guaranteed quantity of business, negotiate discounts with the carrier directly and pass on some of the discount to the customer, thus undercutting the airline's own public fares. This becomes less common these days because generally the airline knows the risk/reward equation better than most travel agents and would rather you transacted business directly with them and not via an agent. However some travel agents can offer discounts this way.




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Which site gives the cheapest flight booking?

The 12 Best Websites for Booking Flights at the Cheapest Prices [...
  • Book Direct Through the Airline's Website.
  • Momondo.
  • Kayak.
  • Expedia.
  • Priceline.
  • Orbitz.
  • Agoda.
  • Hotwire.


What is the best way to get the cheapest airfare?

Universal e-Edition
  • Book flights on the weekends.
  • Avoid flying on Sunday or Monday.
  • Extend short trips into the following weekend.
  • Buy tickets in advance, but not too far in advance.
  • Take advantage of online price comparisons.
  • Set up airfare alerts.
  • Check for "hidden city" ticketing.
  • Leave early, arrive late.


  • Do flights get cheaper the closer to the flight?

    Specifically, plane tickets usually don't get cheaper closer to the departure date. Instead, flights tend to be the most inexpensive when you book between four months and three weeks before your departure date. According to the CheapAir.com 2019 Annual Airfare Study, you can expect rates to go up after that period.



    Best Cheap Flights Websites NOBODY is Talking About | How to Find Cheap Flights 2022




    Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Images: Jeffry Surianto, Karly Barker, Jeffry Surianto, Jeffry Surianto