The Advantages of Direct Booking versus Third-Party Platforms for Travel

A recent investigation carried out by a trusted group of analysts at The Reader Wall news has suggested a beneficial shift for travelers from traditional third-party booking platforms to direct bookings with airlines and hotels. This research presents a significant disruption to traditional travel booking habits, which largely favors third-party platforms.

An Overview of Third-Party Platforms

The study, carried out by our in-house research team, requested feedback from several members regarding their travel experiences. In some instances, third-party platforms such as Opodo provided the least expensive flight options. However, in terms of customer satisfaction, it only achieved a score of 28%. This low score was mainly attributed to poor customer service. This is contrasted with Expedia, which received a customer satisfaction score of 70%. Despite its high score, Expedia rarely offered the cheapest flights. As it doesn’t list budget airlines like Ryanair and Wizz Air, this might be a factor for its limited discount offerings.

Looking at ‘Drip Pricing’ Tactics

Furthermore, the research shed light on ‘drip pricing,’ a tactic where initially low fares increase with added extras such as baggage fees or seat selection charges. The study suggested that these additions make the total cost of charges from third-party sites higher than direct bookings with airlines. This discovery has led to calls for legislation to prohibit such concealed charges, adding fuel to the ongoing discussions about the transparency of third-party booking platforms.

Direct Bookings versus Comparison Sites

In terms of securing the cheapest flights, comparison sites like Google Flights, Kayak, and Cheap Flights sometimes came out on top. However, the research found that when booking hotels, direct booking provided the least expensive option 50% of the time. The third-party platforms that often produced competitive rates were Kayak and Trivago.

Opodo’s Reaction to the Study

In response to the findings, Opodo questioned the validity of the findings, citing a small sample size of only 44 responses. The company highlighted its positive feedback from millions of satisfied customers as well as its high ranking on Trustpilot. They also stated that they’ve made noticeable improvements in their customer service, including reduced call answering times and an increase in travel options. Therefore, the debate rages on, with customers left to choose between the convenience of third-party booking platforms and the potential cost savings provided by direct bookings.