You want to pay less for airline tickets? Then treat third-party websites like the plague and book them in person at the airport ticket counter. At least, that’s what a former airline worker and TikTok user Ivy (@ivyprofun) recommends in a viral clip.
“The only way to get cheap flights is to go to the airport and buy it at the ticket counter. This can apply to any airline,” she writes in the video’s caption. Viewers commented that they, too, have enjoyed the bounty of discounts when booking flights at the counter, in person.
While some would argue getting bottom dollar prices through online sales is the way to go for many airlines like Delta, United, and Southwest, anecdotes from TikTok users who responded to Ivy’s post maintained in-person ticket counter purchasing was the way to go.
“Baby I’ve been telling y’all this since 2021, but I’mma tell y’all again,” Ivy prefaces. “Do not book your flights on third-party apps. Do not do it. If you want cheap flights come to the airport and get cheap flights that’s the cheapest route you can go.”
Ivy says that third-party apps like Booking.com or Hotwire may appear to have lower prices online, but they aren’t as low as prices available directly at the counter.
“Can’t no app give you nothing cheaper than what we giving at the ticket counter,” she says. “And if you can’t come to the airport to get your ticket, buy it directly from the website, and this is with any airline, not [just] us.”
She then warns that third-party booking services don’t guarantee customers airline tickets. “Because y’all be booking through them third party apps thinking you getting a deal, when they just taking your f*cking money,” she says. “Then y’all come to the ticket counter with your IDs and email receipts, and I’m telling y’all are not in the system, I can’t find you, or they say you canceled your flight, or you didn’t check in or something like that.”
Ivy adds that this leads customers who use third-party sites to get upset with her at the counter. “Y’all wanna go the f*ck off on me,” she says. “Y’all want me to go get my manager, and he gonna come and tell y’all the same exact thing: ‘It’s nothing we can do. You gotta call that 1-800 number through that third party app you just booked.'”
“Stop booking your flights on third-party apps,” she urges at the end of the clip.
There have been several scams associated with third-party travel booking applications. Saanich News reported on a couple who booked a trip through a third-party website, only to be incessantly contacted by representatives from the site, not the airline directly, and were asked to modify their flight plans, which would cost them more money.
In the piece, the Better Business Bureau “emphasized the need for caution, particularly when using third-party websites, as there are numerous potential sellers that could potentially steal personal information.”
The Better Business Bureau also published an article on a common canceled flight con, where it specifically mentioned “third-party websites” and their proclivity for issuing falsified cancellation emails. “Be wary of third-party websites. Some websites appear to offer a legitimate service but are only fronts for a scam,” the bureau warned. “Be suspicious of websites with no working customer service number or physical address. Typos and grammatical errors can be indications of a scammer’s handiwork.”
According to Verify.com, there’s some truth to Ivy’s claim. The website says that while not all airlines offer ticket discounts for customers who purchase at the airport counter, there are instances where booking a ticket online may cost the same or less. So which companies offer in-person purchasing discounts? The outlet states that this occurs in the pricing structures of “ultra-low-cost” airlines which will often append customer charges with an online booking fee: “Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, and Spirit Airlines,” are some of the companies referenced in the piece.
Allegiant’s ticket counter hours “vary at each airport,” however, and Frontier charges customers with a Carrier Interface Charge, which is essentially an online booking fee that usually ranges from $4-$21 per route of the journey. Spirit also has the Passenger Usage Fee, which adds an extra $22.99 for online booking. However, you can be hit with other charges when booking with Spirit at the airport which can sometimes be avoided if you use its website to buy your tickets.
@ivyprofun The only way to get cheap flights is to go to the airport and buy it at the ticket counter. This can apply to any airline
♬ original sound – Ivy Island
In the comments section of Ivy’s posts, though, viewers seconded her recommendation from their personal experiences.
“I scream this from the rooftop I just bought a one way for $24,” one commenter wrote.
“I got 2 round trip tickets to ATL for $62. 2 round trip tickets to CUN $264. 5 one way tickets to KIN for $300 all from the ticket counter,” another added.
Someone else warned against booking hotels through third-party websites as well. “Same as hotel! They go off on us but I’m like sir/ma’am you didn’t give us your money. You gave it to them so good luck,” they said.
Rental cars, according to another commenter, are also a problem: “SAME WITH RENTAL CARS DO NOT EVER BOOK THROUGH A THIRD PARTY !!!!!!!!!”
One person who said that they work at a ticket counter explained the benefits of heading to the airport in order to book themselves a flight. “Former ticket counter girlie here she is correct and i been saying it since 2008,” they wrote.
Another TikTok user said calling works just as well. “Or call them. I got a better price when I called them,” they added.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Ivy via TikTok comment for further information.
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