Colnic2011

Ok so since joining Flyertalk I have picked up some great advice and tips.

But I think I could be missing out on 1 very important detail.

I book all my flights direct via BA.com am I wrong in doing this should I shop around, and where else should I look.

Your advice on this is greatly appreciated.

Regards

Colnic2011

orbitmic

The answer to your question is "everywhere" just like the answer to the question of "I'm looking at flights from the UK, which other origin is a good one?" Things are never simple, often, ba.com will give you the best deal and booking direct has advantages (not least in case of IRROPS) but equally, many OTAs can occasionally or sometimes more frequently have significantly better fares than BA itself (other times much worse). It's not always the case and not always the same one. I've often had better deals with Omega, Opodo, sometimes Ebookers, various more obscure ones, and rarely Expedia.

Cymro

I'd always use Kayak to sense check (for instance, a UK point of sale can give better deals than a local point of sale for fares originating outside the UK). BA.com will always offer a local point of sale.

Most of the time, there is very little difference but sometimes there can be a significant one - but be aware that, for instance, some travel agent fares may not be upgradeable with miles (rare non-public fares; more commonly, anything with a non-BA element is only upgradeable using avios if it was booked via "proper" BA on the phone or online - not even BA holidays).

(And that's another point - always consider BA holidays, particularly for short notice flights where the fares may be high due to business custom, but the plane may be empty - bundling it with a hotel or car can often save a fortune).

Ultimately though, all things being equal, booking with BA is best.

nd100

For BA ex-UK it's very rare that you will find a materially cheaper fare through an agent compared to BA.com. At best they will knock Ł20 off the "headline" fare on Kayak which they then more than recoup through card fees (which BA.com doesn't charge anymore for personal cards). Also, don't forget BA's Best Price Guarantee: https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb.../price-promise.
For other airlines the difference can be enormous. I recently booked a Mabuhay (=Business) Class fare on Philippine Airlines LHR-MNL-LHR through an agent called EmailFlights (advertised on Kayak), which cost less than half of what was available on PAL's own website at the time.

Virazuno

OTAs in the EU can't (and don't from what I've seen) charge card fees either. So that Ł20 saving is usually the customer's. Having said that, I have had success with the BPG.

ajeleonard

Thinking there is a hard and fast rule that one place is always best to book is your mistake. It will change depending on what you are booking.

nd100

Yes, fair point! Though (as someone alluded to above) I would always pay the extra few pounds for the convenience of dealing directly with BA in case things go wrong. Not that BA's customer service is always great, but dealing with a middle man is almost always worse, especially if it's some bloke in a basement in Hounslow who may or may not answer the phone (which is what you often get through Kayak). Finally, if you have a BA Amex card you only get your double Avios if you spend the money directly with BA.

amanx

Once (and only once) did I get a bA flight cheaper elsewhere than BA itself. Was at least 5+ year ago.

UKtravelbear

OP I'd gently remind you of a flyer talk rule that thread titles should be meaningful so people can understand what you are asking help with.

Your question is basically 'do I have to book BA flights via BA.Com if I can get them cheaper elsewhere?'

To which the answer is a resounding 'no'. You can book via anyone you like whether it's another airlines website e.g. I';ve booked BA flights using the AA website) or a travel agent - again I've used expedia.

However booking direct does offer some additional benefits such as

~ If a flight gets cancelled or rescheduled in advance if you book via a travel agency then you have to deal with them to sort the situation out and that could take longer. Booking direct means you deal with BA direct and may have a wider range of options available such as reroutes.

~ You may not earn avios and tier points as the ticket sold by a travel agent may be a special fare where you don't earn. (mind I booked a BA flight via AA but with an AY codeshare and AY does not give a status bonus avios so that cost me 3k avios)

~ Booking direct means you get protection of the 24 hour cooling off period for a full refund should you change your mind. Booking via a travel agency may mean that whilst you could cancel with a full refund from the airline the agency may still charge you an admin fee that the airline doesn't.


Now in the scheme of things these issues don't affect or bother the vast majority of travellers (very few flights get cancelled and the majority of people don't collect miles). But they do bother some. And some people would rather pay a little more to book direct than save some money by booking via an agent.

The choice is yours.

flyer0123

Some airlines even refused to answer any basic queries referring me back to the OTA where I booked my ticket. Of course I use OTA only if the price difference is too large to ignore

BAMuc

Does booking via a TA affect the ability to upgrade using Avios?

HIDDY

The other week I came across an online TA routing using several airlines which was much cheaper than a BA/IB.com one. However the name Cheapoair was enough to put me off....as was the extra 16 hour journey time and the sector on Avianca.
I'm not that fond of flying nor that skint.

Cymro

Mostly, no.

It does when:

1. There is a non BA-coded or non BA-operated leg;
2. The fare is not published.

UKtravelbear

there is a whole guide about it
Your guide to spending Avios | 2018 edition

nd100

Well yes, if you are booking a complex itinerary then a third-party agent can sometimes put together something cheaper involving multiple airlines. I assumed the OP was asking whether there is any benefit in booking a BA itinerary through another channel, though admittedly the post doesn't state this.