Consumer champion tells customers ‘avoid booking sites and use a travel provider instead’

Holidaymakers are usually better off avoiding booking sites when arranging a holiday and booking direct with a travel provider instead, according to Which?’s latest travel booking sites survey.

Which? surveyed nearly 5,000 members about their experiences with various travel booking sites, broken down into flight booking sites, accommodation booking sites, and travel comparison sites.

The results highlighted a slew of problems with using booking sites, which have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

Respondents rated sites on a variety of criteria, including the functionality of the site, prices, and transparency of fees, with many sites earning an overall lower score than they did last year.

Flight booking sites fared particularly badly, with some companies proving impossible to contact regarding cancellations and refunds during the UK’s lockdown, and some charging admin fees to process refunds that would have been free if sought directly from the airline.

Netflights received the highest customer score in this category, though Which? described the score as ‘still an underwhelming 65%’ It was the only flight booking site to score four stars for prices, and fewer than one in 10 customers reported a problem with the website. 

The site only scored three stars for customer service however. When refunds were requested, Netflights said they would ‘normally’ take 45 days to process.

At the other end of the table for flight booking sites was Opodo, which Which? recently recommended passengers avoid booking with, after it left the ATOL scheme. It scored a ‘dismal’ 41%, coming last in the survey for the second year running and scoring only two stars for customer service.

Skyscanner proved the best-performing comparison site, with a customer score of 67%. It was the only comparison site to receive a five-star rating in any of the categories, with customers giving it five stars for functionality. Travelocity ranked at the bottom of the table, with a score of 43%, and only managing to achieve two stars in every category.

Accommodation booking sites were rated slightly more favourably. This was the only category where some booking sites managed to receive a customer score of more than 70%, with most accommodation booking sites managing to score four stars in at least one category. 

Airbnb, with a customer score of 75%, was the only booking site to impress customers and the consumer champion enough to receive Which? Recommended Provider status.

Despite the huge number of cancellations Airbnb dealt with during the UK’s lockdown, it was still given five stars for customer service, and customers also gave it five stars for its prices. Its free cancellation filter and transparent and upfront refund policies – set by property owners – also impressed Which?, with flexible rebooking and refund options proving invaluable for many in recent months.

Lastminute.com propped up the bottom of the table in this category for the third year running, scoring 55% and mustering three stars across every category. It also received a ‘paltry’ 46% when it was assessed as a flight-booking site.

Which?’s advice for anyone looking to book a holiday is to book a package holiday with a trusted tour operator, or if that’s not suitable, book directly with the airline or hotel rather than through a booking site.

Which? said that, ‘with a few exceptions, you are more likely to get better customer service, better refund options if your travel plans are cancelled, and better prices if you go straight to the travel or accommodation provider’. 

Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: "Booking sites have been seen as a hassle-free way to find the best deal on travel or accommodation when booking a holiday, but our survey highlights serious problems, from dodgy refund policies and unwelcome admin fees, to non-existent customer service.

"This year has shown us that nothing can be guaranteed when it comes to booking a holiday, so it’s more important than ever to ensure the company you’re booking with can be trusted with your money. 

"With a couple of notable exceptions, booking sites have let their customers down on this front, so the best way to ensure your money is in safe hands is to book a package, hotel or flight directly, and only with a reputable provider."