Direct airline bookings may cost more than booking through third-party sites

We all recall the difficulties we encountered when attempting to rebook airline travel that was scheduled through third parties like Orbitz, Expedia, and Kayak early in the pandemic. In order to avoid the chaos that was caused by the third-party websites’ constantly shifting policies and overworked customer service centers, many passengers started booking their flights directly with the airline.

However, now that the pandemic is largely over and air travel has resumed as usual, passengers are confronted with a new normal that also comes with an entirely new and annoying struggle. Although making your reservation with the airline directly may seem like the most straightforward choice, AFAR points out that you’ll likely be faced with a confusing array of fees, optional extras, and seating options. It’s not uncommon for the final price to be significantly higher than the one advertised.

The situation has gotten so out of hand that President Biden has weighed in. At a press conference announcing a new initiative from the Department of Transportation to force airlines to disclose these fees, he shared his thoughts on cost transparency.

“You should know the full cost of your ticket, right when you’re comparison shopping,” Biden said, “So you can pick the ticket that is actually the best deal for you.”

There have always been campaigns to reduce airline fees. Similar attempts to pass regulations by the Obama administration were unsuccessful. Customers will continue to foot the bill, especially if they make purchases via the airlines’ own mobile applications and websites, until significant changes are made.

US airlines’ revenue models have undergone a dramatic change in response to the rise of low-cost competitors like Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines. Since airfare is a highly competitive market, airlines are shifting their focus to “ancillary revenue,” which includes things like baggage fees, credit card rewards programs, and paid seat upgrades.

According to a report by IdeaWorksCompany, a reporting firm that specializes in the airline industry, ancillary fees as a share of total revenue for major U.S. airlines increased by six percentage points between 2019 and 2021, going from 16.1 percent to 22.2 percent. That comes after a consistent stream of rising fee income that dates back at least to 2007.

As a result, customers should focus less on the price of the plane ticket itself and more on the cost of any optional extras they don’t need. Some of these extras are easy to avoid, like carry-on bag fees, while others, like choosing between basic economy and regular economy (or “main cabin”), can be quite difficult.

Evie Blanco is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience who was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Queens, New York. She is extremely well-versed in hip-hop music and culture and is always aware of any developments within it. Whether it’s the latest in pop culture, a fascinating foreign destination, a truly amazing new restaurant, or breaking news, she loves to write about it all.

This story was originally published February 24, 2023 at 2:38 PM with the headline "Direct airline bookings may cost more than booking through third-party sites."