Do Canadians use Orbitz to book tickets?
 

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone uses Orbitz to book travel? It's a US website and I heard alot of bad things about it. for example, hidden charges, delivery fees, etc. Is it reliable for Canadian to Orbitz?

I booked probably 5 flights in the last year through Orbitz. My only bad experience so far was the one time I decided to book a flight + hotel package instead. It was a pretty good deal at probably 20% less than the same on Expedia. At least, that was the price on the final Checkout page.

After checking out, I looked under the My Trips area in Orbitz and it showed that I was charged 20% more than what I had seen and agreed upon at the checkout. I checked my online banking, and sure enough I had paid more than the actual checkout price.

Clearly a technical error, I called customer support (hold time of about 15 minutes), and they believed me and I didn't have to send in a screen shot or anything, so I assume it was a known issue. They refunded the entire amount back to me and told me to try again, and gave me a $50 voucher for future use.

I tried again the next day - exact same story. This time when I called I told them and this time the agent refunded the difference to me of what I claimed and what I was charged, and gave me another $50 voucher.

So all in all, I can't complain about their customer support. Hold times were poor, but in the end I got what I wanted at the price I wanted, without having to make a fuss, and I got $100 in vouchers.

Also, unfortunately with Orbitz, I don't believe you can see what fare bucket you are booking into until AFTER you make the booking and have an airline confirmation code.

Don't - if you want to fly AC metal, book with AC or the AC website.

Generally, I agree. But sometimes it's cheaper to find a flight with discount travel agents since they're more free to mix and match flights. Not the best mileage earning opportunities possibly, but I'd rather save a hundred or two than earn a few extra miles.

Not sure if it's the same for Canadian residents but in the US I've found Orbitz to offer significant flight+hotel savings when combined with coupon codes. The code 200ENTERTAIN saved us a lot on trips to Mexico and the Carribean. In one case it got us airfare from SEA to PVR and a 4 star all inclusive for 1 week for about $600 each. ^

Booked flights from YYZ to Asia with stopovers which AC website just couldn't handle. Consolidators were more expensive. Didn't have any problem.

But supposedly if you need changes or whatever, you'll have to call them, not the most convenient, and you'll have to pay in addition to airline charges.

Also booked with orbitz no problems. Was able to pull off a 10 hour stopover in my itinerary which expedia and the respective carriers couldn't put together.

You can make changes directly with the airlines. Sometimes the airline will charge you a phone fee, but it's generally less than Orbitz' change fee. I've done it.

I agree that if you can book a flight on the AC web site you should do it, but Orbitz can do stuff they can't. Also, the air+hotel packages are often good value, because they combine hidden prices that the airline and hotel wouldn't publish separately.

Yes there is savings but you need to decide whether it is worth your while:

Some airlines will make changes for your orbits bookings but many will not.
Orbitz will charge a change fee for them as well as the fee charged by the airline.

Be ready to handle weather and IRROP issues on your own since many of these fares are booked as consolidator/wholesale discounted fares.

If you are in a family or group be ready to sit in middles seats away from each other.

These are experiences from my extended family. YMMV

Probably my single reason not to use Orbitz or any other consolidator. Not only are you SOL with IRROPS, their T&C's are usually much more restrictive.

Yeah, you might pay (a little) more through the AC website or through a TA, but you'll look like a hero when IRROPS hits. And it will hit, one day.

^
Family reunion trip three years ago: Frugal brothers booked their families via Orbitz on a similar itinerary to my direct with airline where i have top status. Bad weather around SEA/YVR forced cancellation of last TPAC flights. They slept on the floor, chairs in YVR while DL put my family of four into a suite at the Marriott SEA along with buffet breakfast and dinner voucher.

I've used Orbitz a couple times when I've saved $300+ per ticket. No IRROPs happened, but if they do, and I get treated worse for it (no evidence of that, because I haven't gotten a hotel room in IRROPs with direct booking), then I'm still ahead.

I like Orbitz's mini golf game.. and baseball game to boot.

So is Orbitz prices all in Canadian? Or do they charge US prices?

I know several people in Vancouver who use Orbitz with no complaints.

I've found that Orbitz can get other airlines and stopovers into a mainly AC reservation better than other websites and ones that arent possible at all on AC.com