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Freedom from airfare booking fees? Well, not quite. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Did Orbitz really get rid of airfare booking fees for good? Well, sorta. The truth may be hard to discern in their shiny blue advertisements, but a little read over their "FAQ" page makes it clear as pie.
Orbitz flight booking fees policy
With Orbitz, you still pay a booking fee on flights that are operated by multiple carriers. It is common for travel agency websites, such as Orbitz, to book you on a round trip flight operated by more than one carrier, in that your departure flight is operated by Delta and your return flight is operated by United. If that is the case, expect to pay Orbitz a booking fee. You will also pay the Orbitz booking fee on flights that do not originate in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. If you book a hotel along with your flight, then yes, expect to pay a booking fee.
How much is the Orbitz booking fee?
The simple answer is up to $20.99, depending on the type of flight booked. The varible booking fee is itemized for you on the booking screen, when applicable. Keep in mind that there are other Orbitz fees that you may be charged:
- $25 fee for all reservations made over the phone
- $30 fee for changes to previously issued tickets that require new tickets to be issued
- A shipping fee applies to paper airfare tickets
- A variable fee applies to hotel reservations, depending on the hotel booked
- $24.99 cruise reservations fee
- $75 fee for cruise cancellations
On what flights did Orbitz eliminate their booking fees?
On all single-carrier flights (same airline) booked on Orbitz.com, which originates in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. I suspect the reasoning behind this is to keep Orbitz customers from booking their flights directly with the airline, where you don't pay booking fees.
This article is PART ONE of the series: The truth about airfare booking fees. For more information on the Orbitz airfare booking fee policy, visit Orbitz.com.
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Comments
Good to know. I will often use the travel sites like Orbitz to find the lowest cost airline and then go to the airline to book, since they have lower prices. A lot of airlines will offer a web only fare that is usually $10 to $50 or more lower.
Nancy Dickinson
Tucson Day Trips Examiner
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