The Ctrip/Trip.com GBU thread
Sep 13, 2025 | 6:51 am
#136
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: LCA/SZX/RGN/TFU
Programs: RJ Plat/MU Gold/ 3U Plat/HU Plat/Melia Plat
Posts: 2,475
Sep 14, 2025 | 3:09 pm
#138
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: LCA/SZX/RGN/TFU
Programs: RJ Plat/MU Gold/ 3U Plat/HU Plat/Melia Plat
Posts: 2,475
Well, the other day a place in SZX said they could not print the confirmation, and they said - here is the system, you play with it, and try to print the form. It was a PSB system for both - citizens and foreigners and I did not see any option to print the document. I still don't know if being in that system equates to being registred with the PSB or not.
Sep 14, 2025 | 8:23 pm
#139
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 203
I don't know how many people got to take advantage of the Fall Mega Sale Trip.com had last week, but I was lucky enough to get the 65% off discount for a flight from LAX to the Philippines! I wasn't planning on traveling again this year, but Trip.com made it possible to travel on what is possible the best flight deal to Asia I will ever get.
Oct 12, 2025 | 10:11 pm
#140
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 11,700
Thanks.
Oct 12, 2025 | 10:17 pm
#142
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 87
Yes, it pays to sign up and compare. My hotel in Rome near Termini station was about half price on Trip.com compared to Agoda, Booking.com and Hotels.com. It was an extreme example though. Some were slightly cheaper on Trip.com in the case of Rome and a few European cities. In some cities, it isn't competitive at all and have very few hotels available which limits the choice.
Oct 12, 2025 | 10:20 pm
#143
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 87
The official site seemed painful to set up but I eventually did it. Will be using it for the first time in two days.
Oct 14, 2025 | 9:29 am
#144
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: LCA/SZX/RGN/TFU
Programs: RJ Plat/MU Gold/ 3U Plat/HU Plat/Melia Plat
Posts: 2,475
It varies by route or cost of the ticket. Around USD1 to 5. Perhaps around 10% of ticket value or more. I used it quite a lot to request tickets before it opens at 2 weeks before the travel date, and at that time it is booked for me. Very handy as I was travelling with friends. Don't need to be afraid of missing out.
The official site seemed painful to set up but I eventually did it. Will be using it for the first time in two days.
The official site seemed painful to set up but I eventually did it. Will be using it for the first time in two days.
Dec 26, 2025 | 4:27 pm
#145
Join Date: May 2024
Posts: 40
Crazy how much I use and rely on trip.com nowadays over other booking sites. I always compare, but trip.com is usually cheaper, at least in Asia.
Customer service seems to be pretty decent too. Unfortunately I had to cancel a trip because an immediate family member passed away, and I contacted Trip's customer service to see if it was possible to cancel a non-refundable hotel booking and get a refund considering the circumstances. They didn't ask for any proof (unlike American Airlines), and they granted my request and refund. They definitely gained a loyal customer that day.
Customer service seems to be pretty decent too. Unfortunately I had to cancel a trip because an immediate family member passed away, and I contacted Trip's customer service to see if it was possible to cancel a non-refundable hotel booking and get a refund considering the circumstances. They didn't ask for any proof (unlike American Airlines), and they granted my request and refund. They definitely gained a loyal customer that day.
Dec 27, 2025 | 10:02 am
#146
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 203
Crazy how much I use and rely on trip.com nowadays over other booking sites. I always compare, but trip.com is usually cheaper, at least in Asia.
Customer service seems to be pretty decent too. Unfortunately I had to cancel a trip because an immediate family member passed away, and I contacted Trip's customer service to see if it was possible to cancel a non-refundable hotel booking and get a refund considering the circumstances. They didn't ask for any proof (unlike American Airlines), and they granted my request and refund. They definitely gained a loyal customer that day.
Customer service seems to be pretty decent too. Unfortunately I had to cancel a trip because an immediate family member passed away, and I contacted Trip's customer service to see if it was possible to cancel a non-refundable hotel booking and get a refund considering the circumstances. They didn't ask for any proof (unlike American Airlines), and they granted my request and refund. They definitely gained a loyal customer that day.
Dec 27, 2025 | 10:58 am
#147
Original Poster
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 46,317
Agoda is great for hotels in SE Asia, and their customer service is arguably even better than ctrip's, but they definitely don't have as much muscle when it comes to negotiating with hotels.
Dec 29, 2025 | 8:01 am
#148
Join Date: May 2024
Posts: 40
If prices are comparable, I'll sometimes go with Agoda because most of the time Rakuten has better cash back rate with them (e.g 6x) vs Trip which is usually only 3x the last few times I looked (I choose to get Amex Membership Reward points instead of cash).
Last edited by Lemongrass; Dec 30, 2025 at 10:17 am
Dec 31, 2025 | 9:25 am
#149
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,368
Most OTAs, including Agoda and Trip.com, quote different (and higher) prices when you use a cashback referral site such as Rakuten, so you may be paying more than you'd get back from a cashback referral site. This doesn't apply to some referral sites (e.g. TripAdvisor) that apparently don't get a meaningful cut from their referrals
Dec 31, 2025 | 9:47 am
#150
Join Date: May 2024
Posts: 40
How are you able to tell if the pricing is different?
Normally I just go to website. Compare prices before activating Rakuten. Then I activate Rakuten when I'm ready to check out. The prices don't normally change when I do this.
I do occasionally see different prices if I use their respective mobile apps to search and book though.
Normally I just go to website. Compare prices before activating Rakuten. Then I activate Rakuten when I'm ready to check out. The prices don't normally change when I do this.
I do occasionally see different prices if I use their respective mobile apps to search and book though.