About the site
Air travel can and should be cheaper. It’s a complex industry, with terms like open-jaw flights, fuel taxes, status runs and mileage runs bandied about. Our goal? Make it simple and cheap to find great deals from (or within) Australia and New Zealand.
You can either check back on this site for the latest deals, bargains or sales we’ve found, or subscribe for email updates – or if you prefer Google News – Facebook, or Youtube.
How it works
Beat That Flight, at its heart, is a deals site and search engine. Great deals are posted, and you can view/subscribe to those.
But you can also search for deals yourself here. And here’s where the power lies – the tool searches across many OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) to find the best available price. You can filter based on airline, ports, number of stops, price and more!
At the same time, you can look for hotels to stay in, and even rental cars.
The search is free to use. If, and only if, you make a booking, then Beat That Flight earns a small commission, paid to us by the OTA.
Are OTAs Safe? How Can They Cost Less than Direct?
Yes, but just like a bricks-and-mortar travel agency, using Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) versus buying tickets directly from airlines or hotels has both pros and cons, and the best choice can depend on your specific needs and circumstances. Here’s a breakdown:
Pros of Using OTAs:
- Price Comparisons: OTAs allow you to compare prices across multiple airlines and hotels in one place, making it easier to find the best deal. Note: Sometimes it is cheaper to book direct! Always check both.
- Convenience: You can book flights, hotels, car rentals, and sometimes even activities all in one place, saving time and effort.
- Bundled Deals: Often, OTAs offer the option to bundle services like flights and hotels, which can be cheaper than booking them separately.
- User Reviews: They often provide user reviews and ratings for hotels and flights, helping you make informed decisions.
Cons of Using OTAs:
- Customer Service Limitations: Dealing with customer service issues can be more complicated with OTAs, as they act as a middleman between you and the actual service provider. Cynically, some would say they don’t put much budget into their customer service, as it’s not where they make their money.
- Change and Cancellation Policies: OTAs may have stricter or more complex change and cancellation policies compared to direct booking.
- Dark Patterns: Some will try and upsell you on things like text message updates, or insurance, or try to charge you for seat selection when the airline might offer it free. As long as you read everything carefully, you can usually just select ‘no’ to these addons.
- Limited Options: Some airlines or hotels don’t list on OTAs, like Bonza, which only has booking via its app.
- Hidden Fees: Very rarely, the initial lower price can be offset by service fees added at checkout.
In conclusion, OTAs offer convenience and potentially lower prices through comparison and bundling, but may have downsides in terms of customer service and loyalty benefits. Direct booking, on the other hand, might be more straightforward with better service and loyalty perks, but could be more expensive and time-consuming. Your choice should be based on what aspects are most important for your travel plans.
Why does [name of OTA] have bad reviews online? Are they a scam?
If you think about your last flight, if it went well, you just remember the airline, maybe, that you flew with. Simple.
If there was a problem – a cancellation, say, or you needed to change the name on your ticket due to a typo, you remember the customer service. And with OTAs, their customer service is notoriously poor. And as a result, people tend to complain about OTAs on review sites, but almost never post about the OTA when a flight goes well.
Personal note from Mark: I’ve visited 80+ countries, and many, many flights booked through various OTAs. I haven’t used a physical travel agent since 2008, and I’ve saved a lot of money. The only time I’ve had an issue was when flights were canned during the pandemic :/ But I still got credit! Now, start wishing, planning, and booking… 😀