Today e-commerce has become a very practical way to buy online and travel has been no exception. There are sites in which the discounts in the rates are not so competitive, but they give the facility to pay it in comfortable monthly installments.
Such is the case of Despegar.com, founded in 1999 by the Argentine businessman Roberto Souviron, who with other partners created it in order to avoid the long lines that are made when buying an airplane flight.
At first it was solely dedicated to selling airline tickets, but the site has been so successful that it already includes reservations for hotels, cruises, car rentals and advance ticket sales for parks such as Walt Disney Resorts and Universal Studios.
What is the price to pay to save time, money and effort when purchasing tickets and avoid all the bureaucracy that goes with it? In this article we will show you the advantages and disadvantages of buying your tickets or vacation packages through this website.
Advantages of buying at Despegar.com
1. You don't have to queue
Precisely, making a long line to buy a plane ticket to Argentina was what inspired Roberto Souviron, since he was in the United States when it occurred to him to create a platform to buy tickets quickly and safely.
2. The ticket arrives to your email
Once you click to confirm your purchase, the plane ticket or reservation arrives almost immediately to your email without having to go to the airline offices.
3. Facilities to pay
Depending on the bank with which you have your credit card, you can pay for your plane or travel ticket in terms of between 12 and 24 months without having to handle cash.
4. Wide variety of travel options
You can find a wide variety of tourist destinations around the world 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; it also offers you the transfer service, travel insurance and the promise of the best price guaranteed.
5. You can build your entire trip
The site offers you the option of buying your plane ticket, booking a hotel, a cruise, renting a car and even booking or buying tickets for a wide variety of cultural or sports shows.
6. House or room rental
It is in vogue to rent private houses for short stays, which allows you to make use of the facilities and avoid the mess of what it means to get to the hotel; the site already offers you the possibility of renting accommodation under this modality.
Disadvantages of buying at Despegar.com
1. Absolute dependence on the Internet connection
As in everything that involves browsing the web, you must have a stable and secure connection, otherwise it will be very difficult or risky to access the site to buy; You also run the risk of falling into the theft of personal information or falling into the clutches of hackers.
2. Problems communicating with the Call Center
Taking as a reference comments from users of the page -especially to buy plane tickets- if you make a mistake in the name of the person who is going to board or there is a change in the date of the trip, arm yourself with patience because it is very difficult to someone will answer you by phone.
As these are virtual purchases, there is no physical office where you can go to file your complaint or request a refund.
3. Refunds
If for any reason you have to make a cancellation or there were changes in the schedule or date of your reservation, even if the site agrees to make a refund, it will take months - if they do - according to the users of the page.
4. No link between the Airlines and the page
If Despegar.com made any changes to your itinerary or did not clearly specify the restrictions on the ticket you purchased, either for luggage or for the number of stopovers, or make an effort to claim the airline, they will refer directly to the page.
It can also happen that if the airline (mainly the low-cost ones) cancel operations, you will have to buy a plane ticket again to make your trip and suffer a real chaos to request and get your refund.
5. Increase in last minute rates
The appeal of this page is that it offers you lower cost rates than directly at the airline or in hotels, but it has happened that they can make extra charges or increase the rates without prior notice.
There are bad comments regarding the car rental service, since upon arrival at the destination they make additional tax charges that were not specified; its justification is that "by accepting the terms and conditions" you are aware that prices are dynamic.
6. Shopping hours Vs. Hours of operation
Remember that it is a travel agency on-line where you can buy a ticket or reserve a service 24 hours, that is the great advantage of the Internet.
But it is very likely that when you get to the counter the money is already collected, but the ticket or reservation have not yet been issued, as you must take into account the differences in time, business days and the disposition of the issuing bank.
These are just some of the aspects that you will have to assess when buying or requesting a service through Despegar.com, based on customer testimonials; some with very good experiences and others not so much.
What we recommend is to inform yourself and compare what other sites offer you for the same service. You should always bear in mind that changes of names or dates can generate some inconvenience, so choose your destination, plan your trip and… good luck!
See also:
- List Of Things You Can't Take On A Plane
- Choosing Where to Travel: The Ultimate Guide
- 17 Steps To Plan Your Trip
