Guide
Phone or online: which way to book a flight
Neither way is always better. Online is quicker when you already know what you want. A phone call earns its keep when the trip has moving parts, or when you’d rather have someone else do the comparing.
Book it yourself online when…
- You’ve already picked the exact flights and the fare is right in front of you
- It’s a simple round trip for one or two people on fixed dates
- You want to choose seats on a seat map and see every option at once
- You’d rather manage the booking only on the airline’s own app
Pick up the phone when…
- The route has more than one destination, or you’re returning from a different city
- You’re booking for several people and want every name and birthdate checked aloud
- Your dates or airports are flexible and you want them compared for you
- Someone needs assistance, travels with an infant or carries medical equipment
- The trip is international with connections you haven’t flown before
- You’ve been searching for a while and just want a person to give you a straight total
Questions to ask on any phone booking
Write the answers down, or ask the agent to email them before you pay.
- What’s the total for all travelers, with taxes and fees included?
- How much of that is your agency’s service fee, and is it refundable?
- Who will charge my card: the airline or your agency?
- What can I do if I change my mind in the next 24 hours?
- What are this fare’s change and cancellation rules?
- When will I get my confirmation code and ticket number?
Why it matters who charges your card
The business that charges your card is the merchant of record. The federal refund rules in 14 CFR Part 260 are written for airlines that are the merchant of record. When an agency charges you instead, ask how it handles a refund the airline would owe, and how long it takes.
The same goes for the 24-hour rule. It’s part of the customer service plans airlines must keep under 14 CFR 259.5. An agency’s own cancellation terms can differ, so ask before you pay.
Getting a price that holds
Under 14 CFR 399.84, any airfare that an airline or a ticket agent advertises must be the entire price you’ll pay, including mandatory taxes and fees. A quote on the phone should meet the same bar. Ask for one total, not a base fare with “plus taxes”.
Once you’ve paid in full, 14 CFR 399.88 bars the seller from raising the price. The one exception is an increase in government taxes or fees, and only if the seller warned you it could happen and you agreed before buying.
How to tell who you’re dealing with
A ticket agent may not present itself as an airline or use an airline’s name in a way that confuses people about who it is. That’s 14 CFR 399.80. So expect a clear business name on the call and on the receipt.
After booking, look up your confirmation code on the airline’s website. If the trip shows up with the right names and times, the ticket is real.
Related: what goes into a phone quote and refund rules when plans change.
Sources
Rule text from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, checked on . Rules and their enforcement change, so read the current text before relying on it.
- 14 CFR 260.3: Who the refund rules apply to (merchant of record)
- 14 CFR 399.84: Advertised fares must show the full price
- 14 CFR 399.88: No price increases after purchase
- 14 CFR 399.80: Unfair and deceptive practices of ticket agents
- 14 CFR 259.5: Customer Service Plan (24-hour hold or cancel; refunds in original form of payment)