Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - Don't buy from Expedia: very deceptive Price Assurance Program

I recently purchased tickets from Expedia believing that they have a similar price assurance program as Orbitz price assurance. However, they are NOT. Their price assurance is to match the price difference only within 24 hours. Orbitz price assurance matches price difference until the day of your flight.

I spoke with the customer service person to match the lower price for the same flight (little over 48 hours after I purchase tickets) over an hour with no avail.

Bottom line: Since airfare changes so often with no predictable pattern, DO NOT buy tickets from Expedia unless you are constantly monitoring price changes. Orbitz is much better. I have used Expedia to plan my trip long time, but I WILL NOT use Expedia anymore.

http://www.expedia.com/daily/highlights/best-rate-guarantee/default.asp?mcicid=hp.why_bpg

Policy is stated very clearly on their website.

What's deceptive about this?

Orbitz price assurance matches price difference until the day of your flight.

Doesn't the Orbitz policy require that they (not you) find someone that has booked the identical itinerary with them at a lower price? I can't say we've seen a lot of posts here about posters being notified about refunds to gauge how successful that program really is.

Doesn't the Orbitz policy require that they (not you) find someone that has booked the identical itinerary with them at a lower price? I can't say we've seen a lot of posts here about posters being notified about refunds to gauge how successful that program really is.

Exactly. Orbitz "guarantee" is nothing more than a marketing gimmick.

Didn't you read the terms and conditions before buying?

Bet you wish you had.

I think this post is a great example of why online companies get a bad rap.... the sites are very clear about their guarantees.... or rules.... people choose not to read them... and then blame the website company when the guarantees and rules are not what the purchaser "wishes" or assumed what they were.

Same thing with Priceline... people complain about what they get... and then blame the company when they get what they really asked for...

I recently purchased tickets from Expedia believing that they have a similar price assurance program as Orbitz price assurance.

You were wrong.

I recently purchased tickets from Expedia believing that they have a similar price assurance program as Orbitz price assurance. However, they are NOT. Their price assurance is to match the price difference only within 24 hours. Orbitz price assurance matches price difference until the day of your flight.

I spoke with the customer service person to match the lower price for the same flight (little over 48 hours after I purchase tickets) over an hour with no avail. https://tipgnome.com/images/smile6.gif

Bottom line: Since airfare changes so often with no predictable pattern, DO NOT buy tickets from Expedia unless you are constantly monitoring price changes. Orbitz is much better. I have used Expedia to plan my trip long time, but I WILL NOT use Expedia anymore.

I agree completely with you. The one time i decided to use expedia over orbitz I encountered multiple problems that could have easily been avoided. From now on im sticking with orbitz.

I agree completely with you. The one time i decided to use expedia over orbitz I encountered multiple problems that could have easily been avoided. From now on im sticking with orbitz.
To each their own. All the bookings (flights & hotels) I've made on Expedia in the last year have gone through flawlessly.

I tried getting the price match guarantee for a hotel room today and was on hold 3 times, hung up on 3 times and told that it would go through 3 times. I finally just cancelled the reservation and reserved it on travelocity for $25 more. Not sure where their call centers are but they have the most incompetent staff in their customer service group!

I recently purchased tickets from Expedia believing that they have a similar price assurance program as Orbitz price assurance. However, they are NOT. Their price assurance is to match the price difference only within 24 hours. Orbitz price assurance matches price difference until the day of your flight.

I spoke with the customer service person to match the lower price for the same flight (little over 48 hours after I purchase tickets) over an hour with no avail.

Bottom line: Since airfare changes so often with no predictable pattern, DO NOT buy tickets from Expedia unless you are constantly monitoring price changes. Orbitz is much better. I have used Expedia to plan my trip long time, but I WILL NOT use Expedia anymore.

Expedia's 24-hr best rate guarantee toward not only flights, but also hotels and rental cars is completely different from Orbitz' air fare price match program. For this reason, the two programs cannot be compared. Just because you thought Expedia's program was like Orbitz' (when it isn't) is not a valid reason to trash Expedia. Had you purchased your tickets directly from the airline, and the fare had dropped 48 hours later, you would be in no different situation than you are now because you purchased through Expedia. Yes, the airline would have been glad to change your fare, but probably with a hefty $100-$150 change fee. In your particular case, what was the difference between the fare you purchased and the lower rate you noticed 48 hours later? Would a $100-$150 change fee had stopped you from going forward with the ticket change?

You were right about one thing, though, that air fares change constantly.