Ngl, flight comparison sites are costing you more than you think

Honestly, I keep seeing people on here swear by Kayak or Skyscanner for finding deals, but 3 times in the last 6 months I found cheaper fares by checking the airline's own site first, sometimes by 40 bucks or more. Tbh, those comparison engines tack on hidden fees or show rates from third-party sellers that don't include baggage, and then you get hit at the airport. I tested this on a Denver to Chicago route last week, and the same flight was $127 on the airline's site vs $158 through a booking portal. Why does nobody talk about how these sites get paid by the airlines to steer you toward pricier options, or that they sometimes miss budget carriers entirely? So what's the real move here, is it worth the extra 20 minutes to skip the middleman every single time, or do some of you actually find deals that beat the direct prices? Has anyone else compared both and found the opposite, or am I just lucky?

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1 Comment

evan_green521mo agoMost Upvoted

Is it just me or does this whole thing feel like how grocery stores put the expensive stuff at eye level? Those comparison sites are basically the middle shelf of the internet. I did the same check on a random route to see my options and found the airline's price was lower before I even added a bag. It seems like every time you skip the direct route, you're paying extra for the convenience of not checking one more tab.