Is it more expensive to book flights directly with airlines?

As a frequent flier who often bounces from direct airline booking to third-party booking to see which site is cheaper, I always wonder why it always seems more expensive to book directly with the airline, but never bother to do any deep research. 

Due to overloaded customer service centers and rapidly changing airline policies, many travelers now book directly with airlines to avoid further issues, but are we just spending more dollars than we need to this way? 

While booking directly through airlines seemed like the better option during the height of the pandemic, now it involves extensive fees, add-on offers, and unclear seat selection choices, driving up prices at checkout. President Biden recently addressed the issue, announcing a new Department of Transportation initiative that forces airlines to disclose these fees to make it easier for customers to shop around.

Airlines have shifted their focus to “ancillary revenue” from add-on fees, credit card rewards programs, and seat upgrades, which have dramatically increased between 2019 and 2021. As a result, air travel has become less dependent on the base ticket price itself and more dependent on the add-ons avoided when checking out.

The airlines, however, prefer that customers book through their websites and apps since they spend more on additional services. Knowing this pushes travelers to purchase tickets on third-party sites where they are more transparent about fees.

So, how can you save on airfare?

Rather than concealing customer choices like airline websites do, third-party travel booking platforms make it easy for travelers to select the best fare by displaying all options, costs, or add-ons side-by-side. Since airlines continue to charge ancillary fees, the best way for travelers to save money is by booking through third parties or booking with one of these airline credit cards to put aside more money for fun.

If you’re looking for even better flight deals to avoid worrying about cost comparing and excessive add-ons, sign up here and avoid the hassle.