using a wholesaler - advice?
 

Am trying to price flights from DTW-SVO for August and was advised by the place I'm headed (service vacation) to check out a flight wholesaler, Red Star Travel, to see if they can get me a decent price and still get there when I'll need to be there.

What's the protocol for using these services? Is it a good idea?

If they can find me a good price on their cheap seats (or whatever it is they hawk; I'm not really sure) can I earn FF miles on the trip?

I've searched ITA and came up with $1100 minimum with no time considerations and about $1600 on both NWA and Delta's sites. I've never flown to SVO, so I am not sure what the norm is, but the person at the service place said that $700-$900 is the norm.

(For those interested, I need to be in SVO 8/19 2 p.m. and go home anytime between eve of 8/26 to 8/27 - I just need to be back in DTW by 8 a.m. the 28th.)