The extra costs of booking flights with a travel agent have been revealed: you could pay £100 more for the same holiday

Booking your flights with an online travel agency can cost you 110% more compared to booking directly with an airline, according to a study by The Sun.

Online travel agencies often offer good deals and holidaymakers may think it is cheaper to use them because they do price comparison services.

We compared cheap Wizz Air flights booked directly with a travel agency

But our research found that in all cases flights booked through travel agents were higher than bookings directly through the airline’s website.

We compared the cost of booking flights directly with budget airline Wizz Air versus booking the same flights through different online agents.

In one case we looked at a last minute flight from Rome to London on October 24 this year and found you would have paid £30 if you booked it direct, plus £29 for an XL seat and £20 for 10kg checked baggage.

But if you had booked the exact same flight on the same date through travel agency eDreams, you would have paid £43 for the flight, £45 for an XL seat and £42 for 10kg of luggage – a total of £42 more.

And if you booked through Lastminute.com you would have paid £35 for the flight, £36 for the XL seat and £36 for 10kg luggage – £19 more.

In one example we found you would pay 80% more

In another example, we looked at booking a flight from London to Rome on December 1 this year and found that you could book a standard flight via Wizz Air’s website for £49.99.

To book the exact same flight via eDreams, you pay a base price of €57.

Booking through Wizz Air will cost a regular base price of £49.99 next month

But the same standard cost on eDreams was £57

We then discovered that adding a 10kg checked bag via Wizz Air would cost £26, but booking the same bag on eDreams would cost £42.19.

If you book this trip for a family of four, you will pay an extra £92.76 if you book it through eDreams compared to direct.

And to book the same flights through lastminute.com, you’ll pay £59.98 for the basic flight – £10 more than if you book direct.

If you’ve booked for a family of four, that’s £40 more for the same flights – and that’s before adding any extras.

Separately, we looked at the cost of flying Wizz Air from Gatwick to Marrakech, Morocco.

The cost of booking the base flight at 6.10am on January 1 via Wizz Air is £21.99, but the same flight on eDreams costs £30.

Then adding a 10kg bag via Wizz Air’s website would cost £59.50 per person. But via eDreams it would cost £72.80 to add the same luggage.

In total, booking the flight with a 10kg suitcase on Wizz Air would cost you £326, while booking the exact same Wizz Air flights via eDreams would cost you £411.20 – £85.20 more.

The same flights were listed on lastminute.com for £31.98 – £10 more per person. In this case, however, the luggage was slightly cheaper on lastminute.com than directly.

Why do travel agencies charge more?

One of the main reasons why third parties charge more for flights is because they offer other services, and they have to recoup the costs for that.

For example, most travel agencies offer a comparison service, where you can search for a flight and be given several options to compare.

In return, you’ll pay a little more for the convenience compared to researching direct flights yourself on various airlines’ websites.

So if you value convenience over actual costs, this may be a reason to hire a broker.

If something goes wrong during your vacation, travel agents will usually also help you contact the airline or hotel.

A spokesperson for Lastminute.com said: “Online travel agencies provide a unique service that goes beyond what individual airlines offer.

“The main advantage lies in the ability to combine flights from a wide variety of airlines. It is important to note that such a high-quality service comes at a cost.

“All information about additional charges is clearly published so that consumers can be informed before making a purchase.”

EDreams was also contacted for comment.

Consumer expert Martyn James added that it is very difficult to determine the best online prices these days as they often fluctuate with demand for that site. So there is no one price to compare against and it’s a good idea to do your own research.

“Many budget airlines do not have standard prices for checked or hand luggage, or for booking seats. These costs change – reportedly due to demand and also how close you are to departure when you book,” he explained.

“This means there is no accurate booking data on what these costs actually are.”

Flight compensation rules

Check your rights if a flight is delayed or canceled, when you are entitled to compensation and whether your travel insurance can cover the costs.

What are my rights if my flight is canceled or delayed?

Under British law, airlines must offer compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

If you are flying to or from Great Britain, your airline must give you the choice of a refund or an alternative flight.

You can get a refund for the part of your ticket that you have not yet used.

So if you have booked a return flight and the outward journey is cancelled, you can be refunded the full cost of the return ticket.

But if travel is essential, your airline must find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.

When am I not entitled to compensation?

The airline does not have to give you a refund if the flight is canceled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.

Disruptions caused by, for example, extreme weather conditions, strikes by employees at the airport or air traffic control or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances”, but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

If you are unable to claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may be able to reimburse you.

Policies vary, so you’ll want to check the fine print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours normally means you’re eligible for some money from your insurer.

Don’t forget to get written confirmation of your delay at the airport as your insurer will need proof.

If your flight is canceled completely, you are unlikely to be covered by your insurance.