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Is CheapOair Legit? A Comprehensive Review
CheapOair markets itself as a site for discounted flights, hotels, and car rentals. But is it truly a good option for saving money on travel? In this comprehensive CheapOair review, we analyze the site’s offerings, legitimacy, and customer experiences to determine if it’s worth using.
How CheapOair Works
CheapOair operates as an online travel agency (OTA), connecting customers with inventory from hundreds of airline and hotel partners. When you search for flights or accommodations, CheapOair displays availability and pricing options.
If you book, your reservation is then made directly with the airline, hotel, or car rental company. CheapOair handles customer service and processes your payment, earning commissions on completed bookings.
CheapOair searches flights to over 30,000 worldwide destinations on airlines like American, United, and Lufthansa. You can filter results by price, dates, airline alliance, and more. Hotels are also bookable individually or as flight+hotel bundles.
Behind the scenes, CheapOair uses complex algorithms to monitor partner rates and frequently discounted unpublished fares. They aim to display the lowest available prices. However, published rates can sometimes undercut CheapOair.
CheapOair Review: Features
CheapOair has robust flight search tools that make filtering options intuitive:
- Depart/return calendar with price adjustments shown as you modify dates.
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Dropdown filters for airlines, stops/layovers, luggage allowance, booking class, and recommendations.
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Map view option displays destinations as pins that can be dragged or clicked for itinerary inputs.
Hotel search includes basic filters for location, amenities, price, and star ratings. You can compare multiple properties side by side.
Other notable CheapOair features include free wifi on flights for loyalty members, 24/7 customer support via phone/chat, and a mobile app that earns double points for bookings.
My only critique is CheapOair could improve hotel search by adding filters for room types, cancellation policies, guest ratings, and photos earlier in the process.
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Is It a Legitimate Company? Credibility Check
To assess CheapOair’s legitimacy, I examined key credibility indicators:
- Business registration: CheapOair Ltd has been in business since 1998 and is registered in Ireland.
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Trustpilot rating: 4/5 stars from thousands of reviews suggests most users have positive experiences.
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Industry membership: CheapOair belongs to numerous travel organizations like ARC and B612, strengthening credibility.
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Security measures: Site uses HTTPS, password protection, and other standard protocols to safeguard financial data during transactions.
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Partner reputation: Inventory comes from major airlines, hotels, and rental car brands not associated with scams.
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Media coverage: CheapOair has been favorably reviewed by trusted travel publications like Forbes and The Points Guy.
Based on these credibility checks, CheapOair appears to be a fully legitimate online travel company, not a fly-by-night operation seeking fraudulent bookings. Their longstanding presence in the industry is reassuring.
CheapOair Review: Ease of Use
Ease of use is an area where CheapOair excels, according to customer reviews:
- Intuitive flight search filters make finding flights straightforward and customizable.
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Responsive website loads quickly on any device without glitches or errors.
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Clean, uncluttered design keeps the focus on browsing and booking travel options.
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User-friendly dashboard highlights upcoming trips, past reservations, points balances, and profile details.
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Mobile app experience mirrors the desktop version with the same functionality on the go.
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Step-by-step booking process guides users through payment, booking confirmation, and receipt delivery.
For casual travelers, CheapOair provides a hassle-free experience from search to booking to trip management. Even beginners should feel comfortable navigating the platform.
Customer Service: Mixed Reviews
Customer service is arguably CheapOair’s weakest point based on user reviews:
- Positive reviews cite helpful agents answering questions via phone/chat quickly.
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However, frustration also stems from long hold times, staff transferring calls, and lacking full trip context during issues.
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Mixed reports exist on agents’ ability to resolve complex problems versus just repetition booking info.
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After-hours assistance seems limited versus 24/7 advertising, according to some reviews.
While not a total failure, customer support quality appears inconsistent. Talking to an agent may solve issues but also carry risks of misunderstandings or unmet expectations. Self-service options seem preferable when possible.
Cancellation Policies Need Minding
A frequently mentioned downside of CheapOair and other OTAs is inflexible cancellation policies, especially for non-refundable fares:
- Flights always carry airline cancellation penalties, often 100% of the fare for non-refundable tickets.
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Hotel cancellations can vary by property/brand but are generally non-refundable within 1-3 days of arrival.
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Rental cars also stick to company-wide cancellation windows, often 3 days prior to start date.
So booking non-changeable rates on CheapOair transfers all cancellation risk fully to the traveler. Read policies carefully before confirming flights or logistical changes become complex and costly if needed. Travel insurance could help.
Is CheapOair Worth It? Value Assessment
To determine CheapOair’s overall value, I considered affordability balanced against pain points:
Savings Potential
– Frequent early booking sales and last-minute offers save 10-60% off standard rates.
– Loyalty points returned on spends can shave a few dollars off future trips.
– Hotel+flight packages group travel components for one transparent price.
Costs to Bear in Mind
– High per-booking fees ($35+/flight, $42/hotel room) eat into discounts for larger groups.
– Limited eligibility for or high costs of cancellations/changes after booking.
– Hidden carrier fees still apply like luggage, preferred seating, in-flight snacks.
For how much potential savings is possible with flexible planning or larger group travel, CheapOair is an adequate option. Know thy self before risks of non-refundable deals. On balance, reasonable leisure of occasional trips are worthwhile here.
CheapOair App: Worth the Download?
CheapOair’s app matches the desktop experience while adding:
- Earn 2x loyalty points on bookings versus regular website.
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Quickly view/book upcoming trips from the home screen.
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Get notified about sales and deals tailored to previous searches.
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Chat with customer support directly within the app.
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Offline capability stores searches/favorites if internet drops.
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Simple login via Touch ID/Face ID for added security.
Overall, the app streamlines the booking process further and rewards mobile users. With its perks, avid travelers may prefer booking trips here versus a desktop. Consider downloading for easy ongoing account access.
CheapOair Alternatives For Comparison
To provide a well-rounded CheapOair review, I’ll briefly vet some top competitor OTAs:
Expedia
- Largest selection of global suppliers for accommodations.
- Intuitive app UX great for on-the-go trips.
- Complex cancellation/change policies require careful reading.
Booking.com
- Covers boutique hotels better than most OTAs.
- No booking/service fees attractive for frugal tourists.
- Reviews paginate oddly, hiding higher/lower ratings.
Travelocity
- Easy filtering/browsing for flight combinations.
- Genius feature recommends trips based on interests.
- Some reviews cite spotty customer service quality.
Priceline
- Name Your Own Price tool empowers bargain hunters.
- Limited trip visibility until booking complete.
- Express deals expire fast but savings can be big.
While each OTA has pros, for discounts on flexible, straightforward trips CheapOair still stacks up favorably cost-wise against major competitors. Just watch cancellation gotchas.
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The Verdict – Is CheapOair Worth Using?
To summarize what we’ve analyzed in this comprehensive CheapOair review:
- It is a fully legitimate OTA operating ethically for over 20 years.
- Intuitive search tools and responsive design make booking stress-free.
- Savings of 10-60% off standard published rates can be substantial.
- However, watch out for high per-booking fees and rigid cancellation windows.
Overall, CheapOair delivers on search simplicity and discounted prices fitting more casual travel budgets when travel is certain. Repeat customers also benefit from loyalty perks.
Downsides stem from inconsistent customer care and lack of refund-friendly options. Best for one-off trips by flexible travelers, not changes or problems that demand patience.
For most independent leisure travel planning, CheapOair has merit as a value pick. Just be aware of the true outlay and lack of refund protection upfront so surprises are avoided later on.
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