Cheaper airfare: Orbitz, Travelocity drop booking fees

One of my favorite getaways is Troncones, Mexico

(Credit: Greg Sandoval/CNET Networks)

Buying airfare online continues to get cheaper.

Web travel sites Orbitz and Travelocity have followed Expedia in forgoing booking fees they had charged for domestic and international flights.

On Monday, Orbitz announced that it had permanently done away with the fees, which range from $7 to $12, and Travelocity said it would continue to waive the fees.

The slumping economy has forced vacationers and business travelers to stick closer to home this year. Online travel services are reducing prices in the hope that they can make up the lost revenue from a fee reduction in volume, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

Reuters quoted an analyst who was skeptical that the booking fees won't reappear at the online travel sites. He noted that the fees make up a big portion of their revenue.

The lesson here is better to enjoy the deals while you can.

[mdb002]

Buy directly from an airline - always. Both companies charge very large cancellation fees on top of the standard airline cancellation fees.


Check prices on the sites (it is easier) then go directly to the airline's web site.

[darwinw]

For those of you who wants to get some inspiration on where to travel. Check out http://tripntale.com to see trips shared by other travelers

[stevicus]

?Buying airfare online continues to get cheaper?

Actually, if I remember correctly, there were no booking fees in the beginning, so technically the price of buying from a 3rd party dropped back to the original price.

but mdb002 is correct; use travelocity et al to find the fare, then buy that fare direct from the airline. And don't forget to clear cookies if you go back to search again on travelocity ;-)