Flight Booking

How flight booking works

Flight search engines are good at showing the cheapest fare and poor at explaining what it will cost you in time, baggage and flexibility. Flight booking through Orbitz Holidays starts with the journey you actually want to make: the origin city, the destination, the dates and how firm they are, and whether a longer layover or an early departure is acceptable.

From that brief, two or three practical options are prepared, each with the total journey time, the number of stops, the baggage allowance included, and the airline's rules on changes and refunds. The difference between fare types is explained in plain terms so that the choice is an informed one.

Once you choose, the booking is ticketed and the confirmation, e-ticket and a summary of the fare rules are sent to you.

Domestic, international and group travel

Domestic flights within India, international flights from Indian gateways, and connecting itineraries that combine the two are all handled through the same route. For international travel, passport validity and any transit requirements are checked against the routing before booking.

For families and groups, seats are booked on the same flights wherever availability allows, and the fare rules are checked for the whole party so that one traveller's change does not disrupt the others.

What is confirmed before booking

Before ticketing you will have the airline, flight numbers, departure and arrival times, the cabin and fare type, the checked and cabin baggage allowance, and the airline's change and refund conditions in writing. Passenger names are checked against passports or ID before the ticket is issued, because most airlines charge to correct them afterwards.

Where a fare is non-refundable or carries a change fee, that is stated before you decide, along with the nearest alternative that offers more flexibility.