Originally Posted by
zorn
In most circumstances there is no value for a knowledgeable traveler to use Expedia (not a human being) as a travel agent, because then you are stuck dealing with them no matter what. It is almost always better to use the airline / hotel / car rental website directly. If there is a small cost saving to be had at Expedia, eventually you will pay the price in aggravation.
100% agree with this statement. You will be treated better as a direct customer and they (hotel, car, airline) will do what they can to make it right when there is a problem. Even better if you have status (gold, elite, etc.).