Plase help with booking ticket on Kayak.com

Kayak doesn't actually sell the airline tickets. Instead, it searches multiple sites and returns the various fares for a route and sites that offer them. You will notice that it shows you airline sites (e.g. united.com, continental.com) and consolidators (e.g. cheaptickets.com, vayama.com, etc.) You then pick the site that you want to buy from. I often go directly to the airline itself as I prefer to buy from the airline itself.

Typically you get an "e-ticket". That means you print a copy of your receipt/itinerary and then when you go to the airport and check-in you get your boarding pass ... either by using a machine where you insert the credit card which you purchased the ticket with or by showing your itinerary to a person at the check-in counter. Alternatively, many airlines now let you check-in over the internet and print your boarding pass at home.

The benefit of a travel agency is that they can help you if something goes wrong (you need to change, your flight is cancelled, etc.). When you buy from a website, you have to deal with their customer service if you need to change. I prefer to buy directly from the airline's website as then you deal directly with the airline if something goes wrong.

I would agree with Laura. I like to buy directly from the airlines. While I know others who have used some of the cheaper consolidators like cheaptickets, etc.. I've never trusted them, especially if there was ever a problem.

I use Kayak all the time when beginning my travel plans to help me begin my search. It's a great clearinghouse for flights and then I will go to airline homepages (especially the ones who don't list with Kayak), to verify what I've found and see what I'm missing.

So, in short, see where the cheaper ticket you found is from. If it's the airline itself you can hit the link on Kayak and it will take you to the airline's website and you can go forward. If still unsure, you can call the airline if you want to talk to a live person.

Booking on line is just like buying anything on line.

You will get to a page which lists all your charges (so nothing is hidden), give'em a credit card number and it is done. You will get a receipt and a confirmation number. Nearly all airline ticket are electronic so all you will have is a confirmation email/number. You would get the same from a travel agent.

Remember your travel agent has to get paid for all the work she has done for you so that is probably why her ticket is slightly more expensive. If you need some hand holding, then use a travel agent.

Thanks a lot Frank, Gary and Laura.

Your advise makes a lot of sense.

I seen Air Canada in kayak and I then went to their sit directly and the cost seemed to be 50.00 more thatn Kayak was advertising with Air Canada being the flight.

Maybe I am not getting the exact currancey conversion from US funds to Canadian.

What do you think of travel Insurance?

I was thinking of getting a credit card that includes travel cancellation insurance.

Or not buying it at all?

thanks

You should have travel insurance, if only for med evac purposed. Whether trip cancellation is worth it is up to you. You can compare lots of companies' policies on www.insuremytrip.com to find one that covers what you want without having to pay for coverages you don't need.

Since you've already got a travel agent lined up--especially if you've already established a working relationship with this person, you might want to tell him/her that you found a cheaper ticket online and see if he/she can match the price. Like buying a ticket directly from the airlines, you have extra 'backup' in the form of your agent if something goes wrong.

I don't know why, but I have never found a cheaper price directly from the airline compared to the consolidators, and nothing to do with exchange rates, so it's not just you.