Originally Posted by
mot29
...The downside I think is that you won't have the 24 hour cancel with full refund option.
This is categorically incorrect. Expedia offers the ability to void a ticket within 24 hours. (Actually, until midnight the next day.) You can even do it on the Expedia website without picking up the phone. I did this just yesterday myself, sadly giving up one of the cheap LHR Busines Class fares.
Originally Posted by
mot29
...If you want to use an ECV, of course you can't with expedia.
This is correct.
Originally Posted by
Ascii
Note that Delta charges an additional $50 to change a ticket issued by an online travel agency. So, changes will be your $250 intl change fee + $50 external fee = $300 change fee. Obviously, this will be more than offset by the $800 savings in this case. However, I don't generally consider booking with Expedia to save less than $50 because of the frequency with which I have to re-book.
This is misleading. You can instead contact Expedia directly to process the changes that you would like, and then you only face the same change fee you would incur with Delta if you had booked directly.
Originally Posted by
annbs
Another question: in the case of flight disruptions such as a missed connection, does having purchased the ticket on Expedia cause any problems?
No, not in my experience.
Originally Posted by
view-with-a-room
Single airline? Multiple airlines? Connection times legal? Call airlines or Expedia for issue resolutions? 3rd party sites often have creative routing that otherwise are not available via the airline web site. Status with the associated airlines would be beneficial.
Or in other words, if all goes as planned no problem; if all does not go as planned...
Actually, I have seen a situation where booking through Expedia was highly advantageous vs. booking airline direct. I bought a VS plated ticket BOS-LHR-TXL, and they had a schedule change that completely screwed up the itinerary. VS would only offer a totally absurd reroute that was incredibly unreasonable. I lobbied and lobbied for something more sensible. VS wouldn't budge. Expedia lobbied and lobbied on my behalf. VS wouldn't budge. The ultimate resolution: Expedia booked me on a reasonable new itinerary and ate the incremental expense on my behalf! Had I booked directly with VS, I would have had no recourse except for the legal route. (Incidentally, I once did have to initiate a small-claims action against VS to get resolution to an issue.)
Originally Posted by
NWA/Deltaflygirl
Because they are consolidated fares - negotiated fares if you will. Read the fare rules VERY carefully as some such fares are HIGHLY restrictive - IE 'Use it or lose it' and allow positively NO changes, even if you miss a flight.
Definitely not consolidator fares. Expedia sells published fares, with some exceptions when you get into packages.
Originally Posted by
18sas
The biggest downside is not having the 24-hour risk-free cancellation on expedia.
As noted above, this is categorically incorrect.
Originally Posted by
roknroll
I've found that during IRROPS, you can deal directly with the airline when tickets are purchased through a 3rd party site.
My experience is the same.
Originally Posted by
roknroll
However if you miss a flight or need to make changes, you might need to call Expedia and deal with them instead of directly with DL. Expedia will charge a change fee and DL will charge another change fee.
Yes, you'd generally need to deal with Expedia in this case. However, as noted above, Expedia charges no additional fare beyond what is collected on behalf of the airline.