Daylight saving time has ended, and I'm thrilled—I used that extra hour to create more content for you!

This week, we're diving into a topic that could save you a major headache on your next trip.

Who doesn't love finding a great deal when traveling?

Here's my confession: Sometimes I get more excited about the deal than the trip itself.

I digress.

We all want to save money, but there's a problem…

Sometimes finding the best deal can get you in trouble.

Not like buying fake AirPods from Wish—that's obviously a scam.

I'm talking about booking trips through OTAs, which you've probably used before…

What is an OTA?

OTA stands for Online Travel Agency. These are websites and apps you've used before, like Expedia, Kayak, Priceline, Agoda, and Orbitz, that let you book flights, hotels, rental cars, and vacation packages.

Instead of booking directly with the airline or hotel, you're booking through a middleman. While OTAs are great for comparing prices, they can make things complicated when something goes wrong.

Things to consider about using OTAs

Maybe back in the day OTAs gave you real savings, but in my experience, that's not the case anymore. The extra savings, if there are any, are usually small and not worth the hassle.

Here's why:

• You're stuck in the middle — When your flight gets canceled, the airline tells you to call Expedia. Then Expedia tells you to call the airline. You're left scrambling while away from home.

• Poor customer service — Many of these companies have terrible customer support, so good luck getting someone on the phone when you need help.
• Limited options — OTAs may not give you all the rebooking choices that booking direct would offer because they're still trying to make a profit. But the airline or hotel has more options because they own everything—they've already paid for the fuel (flight) or electricity (hotel), so their costs are fixed.
• You might have to pay twice — If there's a cancellation, you may have to pay for a new ticket to get home on your own, which negates the whole point of using an OTA, which is to save money. Yes, you can get travel insurance, but the whole point of a trip is to be able to relax and not think. We already have enough complexity in our trips.
• Questionable reputation — Not all OTAs are built the same. Some are literally scams.
• Limited loyalty programs — With some OTAs, you don't get the same loyalty program benefits that you would if you booked directly. For example, Philly is an American Airlines hub, so most of my flights are with American. This means you can miss out on travel perks.

The Smart Way to Use OTAs

Here's what you should do: Use OTAs to research and find deals, then go directly to the company's website and book it there.

Win-win!

You get the same low price with way better customer service and flexibility if things go wrong (except maybe Frontier and Spirit).

What About Credit Card Travel Portals?

Even portals like those Chase or American Express host are technically OTAs. However, they're less sketchy since they're big companies with money and want you to keep using your credit card.

I've been lucky with my cancellations through these portals and got great support, but your experience may be different.

The Bottom Line

There's too much uncertainty to trust OTAs, so here's what I recommend:

Use OTAs for research, then book direct.

When you book directly with the airline or hotel, your information goes straight to them. This means their support staff can easily find your booking using your receipts and confirmation numbers—no confusion, no runaround.

Exception: If you're using some credit card portals, have done your homework, or are saving a lot of money, it might be worth the trade-off. Just don't expect help if you make a mistake in your booking or later decide to change your plans.

Keep traveling,

Andrew

Have you ever had a travel nightmare because you booked through an OTA? What happened?