Remember, most people buy only a few tickets a year, while an agent can guarantee hundreds of bookings. Also, significant discounts versus cash prices by the airline is easier when using points.
Patton said:
Remember, most people buy only a few tickets a year, while an agent can guarantee hundreds of bookings. Also, significant discounts versus cash prices by the airline is easier when using points.
I figured it had to be point A that you made, but I’m still amazed at the rate reduction and the agent’s discount on such a high-demand trip. Roundtrip nonstop Houston to Cabo in late February. My wife and I have over 1 million chase UR points combined and 300k MR, but nothing was available that offered good value for spending points elsewhere.
Travel agents buy guaranteed blocks of flights and hotels from providers at discounted rates. To get the rate agents pay, you’d need to be willing to buy at volume like they do. It’d be similar to asking McDonald’s for the rate they pay for potatoes.
@Elliott
I just remembered that the transaction is on my credit card—this is the most likely answer.
Call Southwest and ask for the price the agent paid. If it’s less than what you paid the agent, all is likely well. One possibility is that the agent had a block of tickets, e.g., for a tour they resold. Just be cautious of the risk that the agent might cancel right before your flight.
@Niall
I called Southwest today to make sure everything is in my name and tied to my Rapid Rewards account, and all is confirmed and in my trips. I didn’t think to ask this question but will call back just to be safe. The whole ‘if it sounds too good to be true…’ is still in the back of my mind.
Edit: I’m an idiot… they used my own credit card for the transaction, and I had to verify a .15 charge from Southwest. Completely forgot.
A travel agent in the US generally doesn’t and can’t mark up tickets; they can charge you a direct fee. They earn a commission from the airline for international flights, hotels, etc., rather than upselling the cost. That’s why good travel agents won’t charge for normal requests; they only charge fees for custom itineraries or group trips that involve a lot of research.
As agents, we have access to different discounts and can negotiate group rates. It’s generally easier for larger groups to get bigger discounts than for couples or singles. Good travel agents can be free resources to help plan travel and compare prices!
@Tory
The charge was on the side made directly to the agency, but it was presented as X per ticket overall.
We have a trip coming up to Europe where I was able to snag upper-class flights on the Virgin/Chase promo a few months back, and I sent him every other piece of travel info and told him to have at it.
I don’t see why I wouldn’t just run everything through an agent going forward if rates can be this heavily discounted. I’m still in awe at the ludicrous discount they received. I took screenshots of the exact flights at the time of receipt of their quote: $6,699.66 from Southwest and $3,135.66 from the travel agent + $942 directly to them. They were sold at a $3,564 discount as far as Southwest is concerned on a now sold-out flight.
Would you mind sharing the travel agent’s name through DM? I’d love to keep it for future reference.
Vere said:
Would you mind sharing the travel agent’s name through DM? I’d love to keep it for future reference.
Not sure about the rules on this/don’t want to come across as shilling, but I PMed you the individual. I found it using Skyscanner, which led me to FlightForAll.
@Thorne
FlightForAll is a bait and switch company. Stay clear; they do NOT honor flight prices and will contact you to explain that those flights are unavailable, resulting in you paying more than the lower-priced fares advertised by others. BBB has reports about them.
Tried to purchase flights online for $350, entered my credit card, but got called days later saying those flights were no longer available. They could get me flights for over 3x as much, but cheaper than airlines. I ended up spending $674 for 2 round trip flights and paid an additional $464 to FlightForAll. It seemed excessive and like bait-and-switch. I didn’t review until after the flights were taken to protect myself.
Reviewed on BBB; be cautious!
@Sam
Yes, as noted in my OP, I expressed my discontent regarding their unethical business practices. However, they still offered me flights much cheaper than what was available online.
This whole situation raises red flags… They might be selling tickets bought with stolen credit cards, and then when you go to fly, they’re gone.
Zephyr said:
This whole situation raises red flags… They might be selling tickets bought with stolen credit cards, and then when you go to fly, they’re gone.
I had that thought too. I just remembered they used my credit card for the transaction, and I had to verify a $0.15 charge from Southwest. Completely forgot about that.
@Thorne
Is there also a transaction for the purchase price of the tickets?
This situation is puzzling. Southwest doesn’t deal with many travel agencies, let alone give them massive discounts. Either the agency is doing something shady, or there’s a difference in the flights compared to what you thought you were buying.
Also, if I already got you a price $300 less than the airline, and you’re bargaining for an extra $50 off, I would have zero interest in keeping you as a customer…unless I were doing something shady. So tread cautiously with this agency.
@Thorne
If everything looks good and the correct prices are showing online and in the app, then you’re likely fine. Just be wary of an agency that has much lower prices on Southwest, as that seems odd considering they don’t offer discounts.
@Yan
I don’t understand how they could have gotten tickets for literally half of what Southwest was charging. I called Southwest to ensure everything is in my name and linked to my Rapid Rewards account. Everything is confirmed, including my passport numbers, in my trips.
The ‘if it sounds too good to be true’ sentiment is still at the back of my mind.
Edit: I also wasn’t seeking this travel agent to begin with; they were trying to win me as a customer. They bait-and-switched me with initial pricing, leading to my 1.5-month silence when I expressed I thought their tactics were unethical. All this happened when I was frustrated that I hadn’t found anything and ultimately ended up purchasing through them.