Three booking channels — and what each one actually is
Airline direct means buying on ba.com, virginatlantic.com, or the operating carrier's site. You are the airline's customer — schedule changes, refunds, and seat selection usually run through one account, and paying on a UK credit card creates a straight chain for Section 75 if the fare exceeds £100 per ticket.
Airline direct means buying on ba.com, virginatlantic.com, or the operating carrier's site. You are the airline's customer — schedule changes, refunds, and seat selection usually run through one account, and paying on a UK credit card creates a straight chain for Section 75 if the fare exceeds £100 per ticket.
Metasearch (Skyscanner, Google Flights, Kayak) compares prices across airlines and OTAs but does not sell the ticket itself — it redirects you to whoever holds the fare. Always note whether the final checkout is on the airline or a third party before entering card details.
Online travel agents (OTAs) such as Expedia, Booking.com flights, or eDreams buy inventory from airlines and wholesalers, then resell with a markup or service fee. They can surface cheaper combination fares but you are the agent's customer, not the airline's — name changes, refunds, and disruption handling often go through the agent first.
When to book direct with the airline
Book direct when the price matches the OTA within £10–£20, when you hold airline status or need specific fare rules (flexible tickets, extra baggage), or when you paid on a credit card and want Section 75 protection on a £100+ fare.
Book direct when the price matches the OTA within £10–£20, when you hold airline status or need specific fare rules (flexible tickets, extra baggage), or when you paid on a credit card and want Section 75 protection on a £100+ fare.
Direct booking also simplifies UK261 claims — you already have the airline reference and can file without waiting for the agent to release ticket details. For BA, Virgin, easyJet, and Ryanair, account login keeps boarding passes, receipts, and delay evidence in one place.
Award and companion-voucher bookings must always be made on the airline or loyalty programme site — third-party sites rarely sell Avios or Virgin Points redemptions correctly.
When a metasearch or OTA can make sense
Use metasearch first to discover which airline is cheapest on your dates — then click through to compare airline direct vs OTA final price including baggage and seat fees. OTAs occasionally beat direct on legacy carriers where the airline hides cheaper fares behind currency or market splits.
Use metasearch first to discover which airline is cheapest on your dates — then click through to compare airline direct vs OTA final price including baggage and seat fees. OTAs occasionally beat direct on legacy carriers where the airline hides cheaper fares behind currency or market splits.
Multi-carrier itineraries on a single ticket (one PNR) are sometimes easier to book through an OTA that packages interline fares. Read the change and refund policy before paying — "non-refundable" on an OTA often means both the airline and the agent can keep fees.
If you book through an OTA, pay with a credit card still, but understand Section 75 may not apply because the agent sits in the middle. Chargeback remains an option for non-delivery but has shorter deadlines and no £100 minimum.
Protections checklist before you pay
Section 75: direct airline purchase on credit card, £100.01+ per ticket, primary cardholder pays. See /guides/section-75-flight-holiday-bookings-uk.
Section 75: direct airline purchase on credit card, £100.01+ per ticket, primary cardholder pays. See /guides/section-75-flight-holiday-bookings-uk.
UK261 / EU261: fixed delay compensation on qualifying routes — independent of booking channel. See /guides/uk261-flight-delay-compensation-uk.
ATOL: only for package holidays from UK-licensed sellers, not flight-only OTA bookings. DIY flight plus hotel is not ATOL-protected unless sold as one package.
Travel insurance: covers medical, cancellation, and curtailment gaps that neither Section 75 nor UK261 address. See /guides/compare-uk-travel-insurance-2026.