Perks Of Booking Directly With An Airline

Intro

We've all been in that boat where you head over to Google Flights to plan your next vacation, and low and behold, the flight prices are slightly cheaper on 3rd party booking agencies such as Expedia or Kiwi! I get it, we all want to get the best deal even if it means 17$ on your next vacation. However, I'm here to explain my personal experiences of how they have screwed me over.

Scenario In Bolivia

Sometimes, you just don't have a choice. For my flight from La Paz-Santiago, I booked this ticket through Expedia due to issues with the LATAM website. When I went to change the ticket, Expedia deducted 175$ for a cancellation fee in order to use "the credit". Even though the ticket was non-refundable, LATAM would have offered me a credit as I discussed at the airport.

Eventually I managed to get onboard

Good Luck Getting A Refund

Years ago, and I mean many years ago my family took a trip to South Africa without me (rude I know😅). When a family emergency came up while they were at the airport, they had to change flights to head in the other direction. They had booked through a third-party agency and were unable to get a refund or a voucher. In this case, the emergency was more important, but in other cases, it might be important to get at least a voucher.

The Moral Of The Story

Just book through the airline if the option is there and you can. Life will prove a lot simpler for you if extenuating circumstances arise. Sometimes you might see the mistake fares through kiwi.com or something but if the airline doesn't validate it, have fun trying to get your money back🥴.