Consolidator fares don't always undercut the airlines' lowest advertised "sale" fares. If the restri

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Reports cruise america motorhome rental sales about finding the lowest airfares often mention "consolidators" as a good source of cheap tickets, and they often are. But the reports cruise america motorhome rental sales don't always paint a clear picture of what those specialized agencies really do. Here, then, are the basic facts you need to know about consolidators and when you might want to consider a consolidator ticket.
Broadly, consolidators sell airline tickets at unpublished fares they negotiate with airlines fares that are not posted on the airlines' own websites or quoted by airlines' reservation agents. Although a few consolidators sell directly cruise america motorhome rental sales to the public, most sell only to retail travel agencies for resale to the public. Some large retail travel agencies cruise america motorhome rental sales do a little of their own consolidating.
cruise america motorhome rental sales The best consolidator deals now are for international business and first class. Airlines stopped or greatly reduced economy-class consolidation once deregulation allowed them to offer their own discounts and use their own "back door" discount outlets. Currently, Hotwire and Priceline are the main back door channels for economy tickets. But most big lines still try to keep their list prices for premium tickets high, so they still discount through cruise america motorhome rental sales anonymous consolidator channels. Deals in business and first class are often half price or less great prices for premium service, but still much more expensive than the cheapest economy tickets.
Airlines making consolidator deals try to follow a "don't mess up your own backyard" policy cruise america motorhome rental sales that protects pricing on their own major nonstop routes. cruise america motorhome rental sales That means the lowest prices are often on connecting flights through some other line's big hub.
Consolidator fares don't always undercut the airlines' lowest advertised "sale" fares. If the restrictions are acceptable, it's hard to beat those sale fares anywhere. But in the absence of a good fare promotion, cruise america motorhome rental sales unpublished consolidator fares are often the lowest available.
Some consolidator tickets carry the same conditions as published fares, while others do not. Some consolidator tickets do not allow refunds, frequent flyer credit, advance seat assignment, meal and hotel expenses in the event of delays, transfers to other airlines in the event of cancellation, and such. Specific conditions depend on each contract between cruise america motorhome rental sales consolidator and airline.
Contrary to many published reports (and even some consolidators' websites), consolidators do not generally "buy in bulk" and resell tickets to the public. Instead, they contract for access to seats in special fare "buckets" and seat inventories cruise america motorhome rental sales designated specifically cruise america motorhome rental sales for consolidators. But they actually buy tickets, one at a time, only after their customers have paid. This is important because cruise america motorhome rental sales virtually all of the problems consumers have with consolidators arise because of glitches that occur between the time a retail cruise america motorhome rental sales agent takes the money and the time the consolidator actually buys the ticket.
Some discount cruise america motorhome rental sales agencies and websites openly promote consolidator tickets, as such, so you know what you're getting. Other agencies and websites, however, may try to sell you consolidator stuff without informing you. Some travel agencies buy consolidator tickets, resell them as regular tickets, and pocket the difference.
I can't recommend individual consolidators, since I can't test them rigorously. But the better consolidators belong to the United States Air Consolidators Association cruise america motorhome rental sales (USACA) and retailers that sell consolidator tickets participate in BBB Online and major trade associations.