 Flight comparison sites beat travel agents and online booking sites in their search for the cheapest flight. CompareSavvy.com found differences of over 50 pounds on the same route!
CompareSavvy.com tested flight comparison sites by searching for the cheapest return from London to Barcelona - outbound Friday 23 April returning Monday 26 April.
Test 1: flight from Heathrow Airport
During our test all comparison websites came up with the same flight from British Airways as cheapest deal (outbound flight BA486 and inbound flight BA475). However, as shown in the table below - there are price differences up to £ 12.79 between booking via Tripadvisor on debit and booking via Flightline on credit.
Although all comparison sites came up with the same flight, the differences of the billed price varies considerably. The price from the flight itself is the main driver but also the surcharge of the chosen payment method differs widely. Obvious anyone will understand that to pay with Direct Debit results in a lower price but sometimes the extra charge can be over £4.50.
| Comparison Site |
Website quote
|
Billed price
|
Billed price
|
|
|
Debit
|
Credit
|
| Tripadvisor.com |
102.60 |
102.60 |
107.10 |
| Travelsupermarket.com |
102.60 |
102.60 |
107.10 |
| Expedia.co.uk |
107.60 |
107.60 |
107.60 |
| Lastminute.com |
106.57 |
106.57 |
108.25 |
| Travelocity.co.uk |
106.57 |
106.57 |
108.25 |
| Ebookers.com |
107.10 |
107.10 |
108.71 |
| Opodo.co.uk |
107.10 |
107.10 |
109.24 |
| Statravel.co.uk |
107.57 |
107.57 |
109.57 |
| Comparethemarket.com |
111.60 |
111.60 |
114.11 |
| Netflights.com |
111.60 |
111.60 |
114.11 |
| Flightline.co.uk |
112.58 |
114.27 |
115.39 |
Both comparison sites with showed us the best deal, Tripadvisor.com and Travelsupermarket.com, directed us to actual airliner, British Airways, to make the payment and finalise the booking.
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|
Test 2: flight from any London airport
We did this test for those people who don't mind from which airport they fly. Obviously, especially the low cost airliners are using the smaller and cheaper airports. All comparison websites which have included low cost carriers came up with the same Easyjet flight from Luton, outbound flight EZY2267 and Inbound flight EZY2268. Searches on Opodo.co.uk, Statravel.co.uk and Netflights.com resulted in the same BA flight we found in the previous test case.
|
Comparison Site
|
Website quote
|
Billed Price
|
Billed Price
|
|
|
|
Debit
|
Credit
|
|
Travelsupermarket.com
|
54.48
|
62.79
|
62.79
|
|
Comparethemarket.com
|
65.20
|
66.18
|
66.83
|
|
Flightline.co.uk
|
65.20
|
66.18
|
66.83
|
|
Tripadvisor.com
|
59.48
|
na
|
67.48
|
|
Expedia.co.uk
|
59.48
|
na
|
67.48
|
|
Lastminute.com
|
66.98
|
66.98
|
68.15
|
|
Travelocity.co.uk
|
66.98
|
66.98
|
68.15
|
|
Ebookers.com
|
64.48
|
72.63
|
72.63
|
|
Opodo.co.uk
|
107.10
|
107.10
|
109.24
|
|
Statravel.co.uk
|
107.57
|
107.57
|
109.57
|
|
Netflights.com
|
111.60
|
111.60
|
114.11
|
Flightline.co.uk has created the website with the easiest-to-use design. If you are looking for flights departing from London it shows the results sorted by airport in little tabs which sometimes is very useful.
Conclusion
It is worth comparing prices and flights (prices varied in test case 2 from £62.79 to £114.11) especially if you don't mind to fly with the so called "no-thrills" or low cost carriers. In both test cases we find that comparison websites which are not acting as a booking agent,resulted in lower overall prices. These sites tend to include low cost airliners in their results. It might also be worth looking at price differences occurirng from payment surcharges. Paying by using a debit card could lower your costs considerably.
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