Orbitz Waives Fees, Matching Expedia and Travelocity

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "It's not revolutionary, but a small Moleskine notebook is my one travel must-have. It's great for noting things you want to remember and it takes up hardly any space in your bag."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Japan. I'd love to take a month off and visit the cities, temples, and countryside. I'm fascinated by the country's juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern ambitions."

Travel Motto: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window."

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Orbitz has joined in the no-fee fray with a deal of its own. Through May 31, Orbitz (and Cheaptickets.com) customers will pay no booking fees on all domestic and international flights with the exception of flights originating outside the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean. Multi-carrier itineraries are not included.

My first response? What took Orbitz so long? Expedia and Travelocity launched their respective deals several weeks ago, and it seems odd that Orbitz didn’t respond sooner. Don’t forget Priceline, too, which doesn’t charge fees but added a price-protection option (as did Travelocity) that directly challenges Orbitz’ Price Assurance program.

So why did Orbitz wait so long? All I can do is speculate, but for starters, waiving these fees cuts off a major revenue stream. Obviously that’s not appealing to a company in a struggling industry, so perhaps Orbitz was hesitant to do so. Plus, there are hopeful signs for a summer rebound, which may have caused Orbitz to consider waiting or holding off entirely. (This is also why, presumably, all the deals end May 31).

Anyway, the bottom line is that all the major online travel agents (OTAs) that charge fees have waived them through May 31. Happy booking!

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