What's the best way to make online travel reservations? Should you use Expedia, Orbitz, or Travelocity? Or is it better to make your reservations directly through the website of the airline, hotel, car rental company, etc.? I don't know the answer, but it sure sounds like a good question for a Gripe Line poll.
The issue comes up due to the discussion engendered by a recent story in which one reader detailed her unfortunate experiences on a trip in which her family used Expedia. As you might expect, a number of readers came to Expedia's defense. "My personal experiences with Expedia have all been excellent," wrote one reader. "I've booked with them for years including a two week, seven hotel trip to the Grand Canyon a few years ago. I've had nothing but positive experiences with Expedia and the hotels I've booked with including last minute cancellations, room changes, etc."
Of course, a number of other readers reported bad Expedia experiences of their own. "I booked a hotel in Las Vegas through Expedia -- perhaps my seventh or eighth trip through them," wrote another reader. "In the description was much ado about the swimming pools there, a huge factor in where we booked. We arrived only to find out that the pool was closed and wouldn't re-open till after we left. Expedia's Web site guaranteed the accuracy of their descriptions and promised responses to inquiries within 24 hours. I didn't dare try to book into another hotel for obvious reasons. An e-mail upon our return was answered not in 24 hours but in eight days and the response was that the descriptions are provided by the properties and they can't be held responsible. I just returned from a trip to Ontario. Guess who I didn't book through?"
Others offered endorsements for, or gripes about, other travel websites. "I had issues with the Orbitz website timing out and not giving me confirmation," wrote one reader. "After three unsuccessful tries, I called them. They had me listed for three reservations on the same flight. Took me weeks to get them to remove the charges from my credit card. Went to Travelocity and made the same reservation without issue. Have used them ever since."
But reservation problems can happen no matter how you book, noted one frequent traveler. "I'm a road warrior who books personally through Expedia and corporately through a travel agent. I have had hotels, airlines, rental cars all lose my reservation via the corporate account, luckily never through Expedia. I did however book a room via Expedia in Hawaii and let's just say the hotel was a little overly positive about it's decor and location. Called Expedia, got a refund, but not till I chased them down 2x. In short I have come to expect that most of time things go really fine, and when they get messed up you are at the mercy of whomever you get in person or on the phone. This is from Airlines/Rental Cars/Hotels/Travel Agents/Expedia etc. People will either help or totally mess you up."
Several readers argued that it's much better to book directly with the airline, hotel, and rental agency -- even though it does mean the extra time and additional failure points of dealing with two or three different systems. "Don't book anything through an online travel service," wrote one reader. "I always book through the airline/hotel/car rental directly. It may be a little more hassle to do so, but I have found that the screw-ups occur less frequently, and when they do, they are usually dealt with in a professional manner. They seem to always work with the customer, because they don't want to lose the business nor make a bad name for themselves. They are a lot less agreeable when they have to get into the middle of a dispute between customer, travel service and themselves. They have to pay a fee to the travel service for each booking, so booking directly with the customer costs them less. This savings is sometimes passed on to the customer in the way of lower rates, or upgraded services, or other amenities not usually available. If you have the time and the inclination, try it out for yourself. I did. I booked through a travel service for my son and I booked directly with the airline (United), the hotel (Marriott), and car rental (Alamo) for myself. Though it took me ten minutes longer, I saved $60 in the process. If my math is correct (and I'm sure it is) that works out to $360 per hour. I'm sure that my time is worth that."
So how do you book travel online? Answer the poll in the left-hand column of my web page and see how others readers responded. And don't forget to post your comments below to explain why you voted the way you did and what alternative travel-booking sites or methods you'd suggest.
What's the best way to make online travel reservations? Should you use Expedia, Orbitz, or Travelocity? Or is it better to make your reservations directly through the website of the airline, hotel, car rental company, etc.? I don't know the answer, but it sure sounds like a good question for a Gripe Line poll.
The issue comes up due to the discussion engendered by a recent story in which one reader detailed her unfortunate experiences on a trip in which her family used Expedia. As you might expect, a number of readers came to Expedia's defense. "My personal experiences with Expedia have all been excellent," wrote one reader. "I've booked with them for years including a two week, seven hotel trip to the Grand Canyon a few years ago. I've had nothing but positive experiences with Expedia and the hotels I've booked with including last minute cancellations, room changes, etc."
Of course, a number of other readers reported bad Expedia experiences of their own. "I booked a hotel in Las Vegas through Expedia -- perhaps my seventh or eighth trip through them," wrote another reader. "In the description was much ado about the swimming pools there, a huge factor in where we booked. We arrived only to find out that the pool was closed and wouldn't re-open till after we left. Expedia's Web site guaranteed the accuracy of their descriptions and promised responses to inquiries within 24 hours. I didn't dare try to book into another hotel for obvious reasons. An e-mail upon our return was answered not in 24 hours but in eight days and the response was that the descriptions are provided by the properties and they can't be held responsible. I just returned from a trip to Ontario. Guess who I didn't book through?"
Others offered endorsements for, or gripes about, other travel websites. "I had issues with the Orbitz website timing out and not giving me confirmation," wrote one reader. "After three unsuccessful tries, I called them. They had me listed for three reservations on the same flight. Took me weeks to get them to remove the charges from my credit card. Went to Travelocity and made the same reservation without issue. Have used them ever since."
But reservation problems can happen no matter how you book, noted one frequent traveler. "I'm a road warrior who books personally through Expedia and corporately through a travel agent. I have had hotels, airlines, rental cars all lose my reservation via the corporate account, luckily never through Expedia. I did however book a room via Expedia in Hawaii and let's just say the hotel was a little overly positive about it's decor and location. Called Expedia, got a refund, but not till I chased them down 2x. In short I have come to expect that most of time things go really fine, and when they get messed up you are at the mercy of whomever you get in person or on the phone. This is from Airlines/Rental Cars/Hotels/Travel Agents/Expedia etc. People will either help or totally mess you up."
Several readers argued that it's much better to book directly with the airline, hotel, and rental agency -- even though it does mean the extra time and additional failure points of dealing with two or three different systems. "Don't book anything through an online travel service," wrote one reader. "I always book through the airline/hotel/car rental directly. It may be a little more hassle to do so, but I have found that the screw-ups occur less frequently, and when they do, they are usually dealt with in a professional manner. They seem to always work with the customer, because they don't want to lose the business nor make a bad name for themselves. They are a lot less agreeable when they have to get into the middle of a dispute between customer, travel service and themselves. They have to pay a fee to the travel service for each booking, so booking directly with the customer costs them less. This savings is sometimes passed on to the customer in the way of lower rates, or upgraded services, or other amenities not usually available. If you have the time and the inclination, try it out for yourself. I did. I booked through a travel service for my son and I booked directly with the airline (United), the hotel (Marriott), and car rental (Alamo) for myself. Though it took me ten minutes longer, I saved $60 in the process. If my math is correct (and I'm sure it is) that works out to $360 per hour. I'm sure that my time is worth that."
So how do you book travel online? Answer the poll in the left-hand column of my web page and see how others readers responded. And don't forget to post your comments below to explain why you voted the way you did and what alternative travel-booking sites or methods you'd suggest.
Read and post comments about this story, and cast your vote in the reader poll, here.
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