Huge fare difference to HNL - QF website vs other sites
 

Looking at taking the new Mrs Platy to see the baby whales in Maui / Lanai in February for her big 5-0. QF is currently advertising return business fares to HNL around the $3k mark ex BNE and SYD.

But the QF website prices the sale fares at around $4.

Other web sites like Expedia seem to have the $3k fares on QF.

I do prefer to book with the airline directly in case of any changes / issues......what's going on with QF?

I've run into this, particularly on Expedia and not just for QF; the Expedia fare gets repriced when you get to the purchase stage and the lower fare disappears becoming the same as the $4k fare in your example. Not sure if this is a bug or deliberately showing fares for categories that are not available for the chosen flight (maybe in the hope that inventory becomes available by the time the booking is purchased). It happens about 10% of the time when I do my own bookings, with sites showing fares that can't actually be purchased.

Which expedia site? is it that it is using a different POS where booking class is available. Looks like the $3000 fare requires I class and fares around $4000 seem to be D class

If Expedia has it for the lower price , I would take advantage of it ; I don't find the benefit of booking with an airline directly that much different than with a travel agent as long as there are no high additional fees charged

You could try calling and booking by phone and seeing if phone agent can get the lower fare

I have had this situation before with the Qantas website and Expedia. I did phone Qantas about it and was told I'd be better off going with Expedia because there was no way they could match it. So I did.

Many thanks indeed for the advice and data points, folks.

Because of this:

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Originally Posted by number_6 (Post 30286557)

I've run into this, particularly on Expedia and not just for QF; the Expedia fare gets repriced when you get to the purchase stage and the lower fare disappears becoming the same as the $4k fare in your example. Not sure if this is a bug or deliberately showing fares for categories that are not available for the chosen flight (maybe in the hope that inventory becomes available by the time the booking is purchased). It happens about 10% of the time when I do my own bookings, with sites showing fares that can't actually be purchased.

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Just because one person says that that has happened to him, does not mean that this is the case here. The OP can check whether Expedia prices ok

The price promise will , however, not be valid since the booking conditions for the I fares and the D fares are different. The cheapest I fare ( around $3000 ) has a 90 day advance purchase requirement and a $400 change fee. The $4000 fare has a$250 penalty and 50 day advance purchase

Even if it could be matched, I would stick with the travel agent

Yep - gone to the payment page and the price remains at the same $3k level in this particular case.

Interestingly, the Expedia booking interface allows the addition of the TSAPreCheck number, which would be handy given my UK Passport Global Entry - however, I'm not sure if that would make in into the booking since IIRC QF is not set up for such.

Have you completed through and made the booking?

With QF not participating, then it will make no difference - it is just easier for a site to present the field for all rather than keep traack of which airlines it works for and display based on that

I had this recently to Beijing. Webjet was quoting $900 for BNE-SYD-PEK-SYD-CHC whilst the Qantas website was after $1500. Ended up booking with webjet for the first time ever and it was ticketed within minutes.

If you can get to the payment stage and it's still cheaper I'd say do it but just note that changes and customer service might be a little more difficult then when booking direct.

I have not found booking with an agent making it any harder to make changes - in fact in cases it can be easier compared to waiting on hold for an airline representative to answer a phone.

Each to their own I guess... Being VA Platinum when things go wrong like accidentally booking the wrong date, the Platinum line was able to fix easily and for no charge. OTA's often have no option but to charge the change fee and some even tack on a service fee ($50 in the case of webjet) when doing something similar but then again that's just my experience.

Happens all the time. Nothing to see here, just book with Expedia. The only issue is if you really want to change the booking later then there might be fees and charges levied by the TA but this depends on the TA.

POS can make a huge difference as well. FRAxSINxBNExSINxFRA on SQ in W around AUD equivalent of $5k around Christmas for 2 pax on the SQ website which redirects to the German site to book. Expedia.de/Expedia.com was the same price. Expedia.com.au for exactly the same itinerary, fare bucket etc. was $3,700.

I took that saving and was happy with it. Top tip: always check ITAA matrix to see what COULD be out there. Doesn't mean inventory is available though, you'll need Expert Flyer to check that, or KVS...

Edit: congratulations on getting married.

Do the sites price differently for CNS/OGG vs CNS/HNL? If you get OGG on the ticket you'll get the 2pc baggage allowance all the way vs having to pay HA for bags are none are included on inter-island flights booked separately.

Incidentally have never seen J fares to Hawaii as cheap as I have this year eg AUD2,499.00 return or PE (on the 744) for AUD1,499.00 return. It wasn't so long ago people were complaining about fares in J being $10K return for the Dreamtime recliner seats on the 763.

Currently you get the Skybed Mk2 seats on the 744 otherwise on the 333 or 332 it's generally the new J suites unless you're unlucky and the a/c is subbed for VH-EBL or VH-EBG with the sloped Skybed Mk1 seats. :eek: