Where do you buy buy plane tickets?
 

Where do RS buy their plane ticket these days? Online or at a travel agency?

I still like travel agency since price is almost the same as online but I get to pick my own seats and I can get my travel insurance with them at the same time.

expedia, the airlines direct etc....who ever has the cheapest price

google.ca/flights just because it's very easy to use + intuitive -- prices tend to be within $5 of other sites

Do you mind me asking those who purchase their ticket online where do you purchase heath insurance?

BCAA is pretty good, otherwise your work or school insurance should include it.

My credit cards also usually cover the first 14 days of travel, regardless of whether or not the trip was booked using that card.

i buy directly from the airline. I use BCAA for travel insurance.

Should have purchase my plane ticket in the beginning of Van. It was around $1000+ tax from Vancouver to Guiyang now is $1200 and the airline is not as great -_-. Should purchase early next time...

iJourney :pokerface:

aeropoints

Kayak.com

Any travel agencies you guys recommend? I've searched online at prices to Europe, but I'd like to just compare with a brick and mortar place.

^^ I usually go to Crystall mall but then I mostly go to Asia.
Oh and if you want to get deals on local airplane tickets (IE form Beijing to Guiyang) is the buy local. You want to land first and then purchase your ticket locally or use a website local to that country. The difference is pricing is day and night.

it really depends which airline you want to fly with, some TA are cheaper with certain airline.

For personal travels I usually book thru the airline websites and for business travel I stick with using a TA as they make things a lot easier for things like changing the dates and or time of travels.

Don't really have a preference as to which airline. Looking online yields approximately $950 CAD for a round trip to Paris. Airlines I've seen are Westjet/AC and AirFrance for those prices.

$950 sounds about average (assuming you are flying within the next couple months before Summer season starts), and pretty decent on pricing. And probably the TA will quote around the same price, however the only time that a TA can be significantly lower would be when the airline companies push a seat sale near the time of your booking and your TA (presumably a good one, there are some that doesn't bother passing on the savings to you) would notify you right away and switch the tickets for you.

The $950 quote is actually for high season in summer. And thats the price now, I'm assuming it would probably go up as it gets closer to the date. Unfortunately I also can''t wait until close to time of booking because of timing issues on the Europe side. Thanks for the info though, will probably just book online.

Book it now then. I miss the change of getting a cheap flight. Beginning of Jan I was qouted $900 then I waited 2 weeks now it cost me $1200.

Bringing this thread back up.

Anyone have any experience booking through Expedia/Travelocity? Anything I should be wary of? I've only booked directly through airlines themselves, or travel agents, never a third party.

Trying to get to Minsk, Belarus in August (yes I know last minute...), and Expedia/Travelocity is giving me options and prices not available through airline websites such as Lufthansa, KLM etc.

I always book through Expedia and never had any issues thus far.

I'm planning a trip to Dubai in Oct and the price difference is intense!

YVR-SEA-DXB-CMB-SEA-YVR

Expedia: $7000
Flight Centre: $1900
Buddy Guy Travel Agency: $1695
Center of the Universe Travel Agency: $1350


What i've been told is that destination specific agents like Buddy Guy and Center of Universe that cater to large ethnic groups pre-purchase seats directly from air line at whole sale and re-sell the tickets.

Places such as Flight Centre that cater to tours only get a kick back from the air line + volume discount for selling at their "current" price.

Expedia - i have no idea how they price.


Moral of the story: If you are going somewhere like Europe, Asia, Mid East find your self a travel agent who caters to that 'ethnicity' and book through them!

How does it work for check-in, seat selection, etc.?

Wait until you need to cancel or change a flight.

that's not true. i've called them on multiple times to cancel and re-mod and even though they might be from india or some call center, they were super ncie.

never an issue.

Ever since a bad experience with the TA 8 years ago, I've never bought a ticket from a TA again (except Expedia).

For Cathay Pacific at least, if you book through a TA, then all the changes must be made through that TA. Last time this happened, my TA "sold" my 3rd leg (HKG - SIN), after I confirmed it, and didn't realize it until i was checking in at the airport and they said sorry they can't do anything, you have to speak with your TA. This was 1pm in HK = 4am in Vancouver. Luckily they saw the history and knew i got screwed so gave me a standby seat and I got on to my flight, but it taught me a lesson to never use a TA. If you book directly with the airline, for sure you can make all the necessary changes yourself, and you deal directly with them.

If your plans can't change then you'll be ok with a TA or Expedia.