Booked a 'budget' flight through a third-party site and paid $45 for a seat that should have been free

I usually book directly with airlines, but last month I saw a deal on one of those aggregator sites for a round trip from Detroit to Orlando for $120. Seemed too good to pass up. After I paid, I went to pick seats and every single one cost extra. Even the middle seats in the back. I ended up spending $45 just to sit next to my wife. On the way back, they charged me $30 for a carry-on that the site said was included. Total savings? Maybe $20, but the stress and hidden fees made it not worth it. Has anyone else had a similar experience with these third-party booking sites, or am I just picking bad ones?

3 comments

3 Comments

aaron_mitchell1mo ago

Honestly, you probably could have avoided most of that if you read the fine print... those third-party sites spell out the fees in the details, it's just annoying to dig through. $120 for a round trip to Orlando is still a steal even with the extras... I've paid way more booking directly and still got hit with bag fees. Sounds like you got exactly what you paid for, just with some frustration sprinkled on top.

leo_black761mo ago

You ever try clearing your cookies before searching? That stopped those hidden fees from popping up for me on the travel sites.

shane_park921mo ago

Man, $45 to sit next to your wife on a cheap flight is barely worth sweating over. You still saved money overall, and the carry-on fee sounds like a classic gotcha but lots of airlines charge that directly too. Third party sites can be annoying but this sounds more like bad luck than a total scam. I've used them a few times and just mentally add $30-$50 to whatever the deal looks like upfront.