20 Travel Booking Myths – Busted!

Posted by Doug Murray on June 30, 2015, Updated on October 10, 2017

Thanks to the Internet, we've all become more knowledgeable when it comes to travel. However, there are a number of persistent myths that are just plain wrong. We checked with the experts to sort fact from fiction. If you've ever wondered when's the best time to book a flight, or if you have to fly economy to get the cheapest ticket, you'll want to keep reading…

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    1. A Good Pilot Can Handle Any Storm

    Rick Seaney, CEO of FareCompare loves busting aviation myths. He recently told ABC News that there are still many widely held beliefs that are wrong. For example: a good pilot can handle any storm. Yes, that's true — because they avoid storms and fly around when possible.
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    2. Economy Is Cheaper Than Business

    Not always, writes Seaney. Sometimes last-minute business class flights are actually cheaper due to less demand.
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    3. Discount Airlines Have the Lowest Prices

    Sometimes. But not always. Seaney says that some big American carriers can be surprisingly cheap. The trick, he says, is to shop around and compare.
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    4. Someone Can Open the Cabin Door Mid-flight

    Seaney explains that because of difference in air pressure inside and outside the plane, it is pretty much impossible to open the cabin door mid-flight.
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    5. Direct Flights Are the Cheapest

    Nope. Rick Seaney says that often a flight with one stop can be significantly cheaper. He found a recent example that was more than 50% cheaper.
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    6. Flying Standby is Super Cheap

    The website YVR Deals says that you can't just show up at the airport and get a cheap 'standby' flight. In fact, you'll pay more because you're booking a flight at the last second.
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    7. You Should Wait for Last Minute Deals

    This is another fallacy, says YVR Deals. With the exception of some rare last-minute deals from charter airlines, last minute fares are generally the more expensive — and there may be no seats left on the flight you want.
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    8. There Is a Best Time to Book

    YVR Deals says that in general no. But for specific routes there may be a best time to buy in terms of seasons, etc. There are websites that track fares to help you make a decision. But the best way is to have a price in your head, and if you see that price when searching, buy.
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    9. Airlines Price Match

    According to Smarter Travel, airlines don't always match their competitors fares or seat sales. In Canada, however, you'll find that the fares are pretty close. Price differences are usually due to the seat inventory of a flight.
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    10. Travel Websites Are Diabolical

    Do travel websites track your searches and then jack the fare if you search more than once?

    YVR Deals says no, especially for airfares. However, I have seen car rental rates differ by as much as $10 a day depending on when you search. And I've seen airfares do the same thing. But I don't think they're basing that on me alone.
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    11. Travel Agents Are Obsolete

    Actually, they're not. Smarter Travel points out that travel agents know tons of tricks to help find you cheaper than advertised itineraries and fares. They can do things that no automated website can and they can also use their wisdom and experience to shave off many, many dollars.
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    12. Airlines Offer Bereavement Fares

    YVR Deals says there are compassionate discounts, but they're usually off the most expensive fare — which won't be much different than what you can find for yourself online. The one benefit, though, is that the ticket will be much more flexible if you need to make changes.
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    13. Hawaii Has All-inclusive Resorts

    You won't find your typical 'one price for everything' deal in Hawaii, says YVR Deals, mostly because the labour costs are too high. All-inclusive resorts are mostly limited to places like Cuba, Mexico and the DR.
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    14. US Mergers Mean No More Fare Wars

    Smarter Travel says that consolidation of US airlines has pushed up fares, but there are still fare wars.
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    15. Non-refundable Airfares Are Non-refundable

    Not always, says Smarter Travel. Most airlines let you cancel for any reason within 24 hours of booking. You can also get a refund if the flight is cancelled, excessively delayed or there's a significant schedule change.
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    16. Private Browsing Can Help You Find Cheap Fares

    Smarter Travel found that cleaning out your web browser's cookies or surfing in stealth mode doesn't make a difference in fares offered.
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    17. Kids on Your Lap Always Fly Free

    In most domestic cases, yes. But sometimes, according to Smarter Travel, there is a fee for some international flights. If you're travelling on points, you could still end up paying. There are age restrictions, too.
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    18. Searching One Website Is Enough

    Smarter Travel says that no one site has the cheapest fares for all airlines. You should try several big websites plus the airline's own site. The more research you do, the more chance there is of finding that cheap fare.
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    19. Airline Websites Have the Cheapest Fares

    Sometimes you can save a few extra bucks by booking with the airline directly. But Smarter Travel points out that an airline isn't going to tell you that it's a better deal to fly back with a different airline. For that, you need a big website like Expedia or, even better, a travel agent.
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    20. Round-trip Airfares Are Always Cheapest

    Not anymore, says Smarter Travel. In most cases, the one-way fare is half the return fare.
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