Should I book my Australia flights through a travel agent?
Booking Australia flights with a travel agent: cheaper?
Travellers could debate for hours whether it is cheaper to book flights to Australia online or through a travel agent. In some cases, it is arguably better to use a travel agent and book in person or on the telephone.
When to book online
Personally, I would say that the best method of booking flights to Australia depends on the complexity of the booking. For a straight return flight where you (roughly) know your dates of travel, booking online usually wins. My guide to the best websites for finding cheap flights to Australia should be your starting point.
Flights to Australia with stopovers
But when you start including stopovers on the way to and from Australia, things get a little trickier. Prices go up due to airport taxes in the stopover destination, while online booking and search websites are a little ill-equipped to deal with the complexities of such a multi-leg trip. You need to know the exact dates for each of the four flights.
It also gets trickier when you want to fly into one airport (Sydney, for example) and out of another (say, Melbourne).
Travel agent advice
In these circumstances, it’s advisable to at least talk to a travel agent. They can do the donkey work, and help you identify the best dates and routes for each leg of the journey.
They may come up with a very good deal, but it’s worth checking elsewhere with the dates they have provided. Travel agents absolutely hate this, but I would always check with a site such of Kayak, using the dates and routes the agent has suggested. The price may be lower elsewhere.
Best price guarantee
If the price is found cheaper elsewhere, it is worth going back to the travel agent to see if they can better it. STA Travel, for example, has a best price guarantee.
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