I want to book a trip return to Toronto. Using Skyscanner I see my options, ugh, and when I click on my preferred flight, they recommend booking through Gotogate. Please tell me about your positive or negative experiences with them. Thanks.

The common advice stands: Always book direct through the airlines. If you use a third party to book, and have ANY problems at all, the airline will not communicate with you. They will tell you to communicate with the third party that you used to book.

So if your flight is delayed and you miss a connection, you would need to contact Gotogate. Do you know what their response time is? Are you going to be stuck in a foreign airport for 24 hours waiting for them to reply and re-book you on the next flight?

If your flight is cancelled for some unforeseen reason, are you okay with waiting for Gotogate to handle it and figure it out for you?

I'm sure the vast majority of people using third parties have no problems, but when you do have a problem, it just gets compounded by the fact that you can't deal directly with the airline.
Yes, most of these third parties are able to get a discount, but you might end up paying for it one way or another.

BrandonJT, thank you for that.

Skyscanner also displays a rating for those agents

15 hours ago, BrandonJT said:

The common advice stands: Always book direct through the airlines. If you use a third party to book, and have ANY problems at all, the airline will not communicate with you. They will tell you to communicate with the third party that you used to book.

So if your flight is delayed and you miss a connection, you would need to contact Gotogate. Do you know what their response time is? Are you going to be stuck in a foreign airport for 24 hours waiting for them to reply and re-book you on the next flight?

If your flight is cancelled for some unforeseen reason, are you okay with waiting for Gotogate to handle it and figure it out for you?

I'm sure the vast majority of people using third parties have no problems, but when you do have a problem, it just gets compounded by the fact that you can't deal directly with the airline.
Yes, most of these third parties are able to get a discount, but you might end up paying for it one way or another.

I'd get banned if I printed my response to that

Wrong on absolutely every level and I'll leave it at that

Edited June 23Jun 23 by Chivas

15 hours ago, BrandonJT said:

The common advice stands: Always book direct through the airlines. If you use a third party to book, and have ANY problems at all, the airline will not communicate with you. They will tell you to communicate with the third party that you used to book.

So if your flight is delayed and you miss a connection, you would need to contact Gotogate. Do you know what their response time is? Are you going to be stuck in a foreign airport for 24 hours waiting for them to reply and re-book you on the next flight?

If your flight is cancelled for some unforeseen reason, are you okay with waiting for Gotogate to handle it and figure it out for you?

I'm sure the vast majority of people using third parties have no problems, but when you do have a problem, it just gets compounded by the fact that you can't deal directly with the airline.
Yes, most of these third parties are able to get a discount, but you might end up paying for it one way or another.

I've used third parties all along. Justfly or Cheapoair.

I've never really had any trouble besides once , with Justfly, where I had to cancel a flight for my daughter because she got sick just before the flight and I brought her back home here to stay with her mom until I returned from Texas. I was allowed to board a flight a couple of days later with my ticket. It wasn't easy to change the schedule but I kept on them and they let me.They didn't give me a refund for her ticket as I didn't have time to cancel beforehand, so I just ate the ticket. I understood that.

I did try to talk with the airlines but it's like you said, they told me to talk to Justfly, as it was in their hands totally.This was before the initial flight and not in the middle somewhere so there wasn't that problem of trying to communicate with anyone.

Edited June 23Jun 23 by fredwiggy

I just did my own booking on line with Thai Air. I kept making typing mistakes so it took at least 2 hrs. Ugh. My price was okay: 2 people return, cheapest seats 84,500B. I’ve had cheaper but only a bit and those flights were years ago. If I wanted the next class, still economy, about 50-100% more.

20 hours ago, Chivas said:

I'd get banned if I printed my response to that

Wrong on absolutely every level and I'll leave it at that

No that information is absolutely correct as Ive had this problen 4 or 5 times and stopped using 3rd party services like that. Skyscanner may be reputable but when referred out you could be on your own if you have a problem

I have used Gotogate a few times before, and other agencies as well, and for me it worked fine as a last minute option. But be clear about what you buy.

Everything is an add on. Luggage, insurance, flexibility, seat booking, and priority support if there are delays or cancellations. Very rarely does it stay cheaper after you add what you need, unless there is a special last minute offer during a busy season.

If you travel light, have time if something goes wrong, and have proper travel insurance, it can be a good option. I never had an issue myself. Still, if I have time to plan, I prefer booking directly with the airline and choosing seats during online check in if they are not already included in the ticket class.

On 6/23/2026 at 8:38 AM, Chivas said:

I'd get banned if I printed my response to that

Wrong on absolutely every level and I'll leave it at that

Not banned, just laughed at for thinking a couple of anecdotes about travel agent behaviour will change the facts, as witnessed by many, that they are more likely to leave you in the lurch than if you'd booked direct.

If we are talking about saving only 50 or 100 GBP, I would always book with the airline.

Deals can be done with third parties and good ones, but unless I was saving hundreds of pounds, I would choose to book with the airline directly.

Absolutely not. I would never use them again, it took me 2 years to get my money back from a cancelled flight. ( which the airline cancelled by the way.)

I would only book flight directly with the airline after that episode, never again.

On 6/23/2026 at 8:38 AM, Chivas said:

I'd get banned if I printed my response to that

Wrong on absolutely every level and I'll leave it at that

Interesting. Why??

i tend to agree with @BrandonJT post, so what about it offends you so much?

I've used "Go to Gate" many times, they are ABTA Associated and fine.

Please don't believe the statements that you should go direct to Airlines and pay loaded prices!

4 hours ago, Pdavies99 said:

I've used "Go to Gate" many times, they are ABTA Associated and fine.

Please don't believe the statements that you should go direct to Airlines and pay loaded prices!

Is gotogate a booking site, or a site which helps to fix problems (but doesn't make actual bookings)?

5 hours ago, Pdavies99 said:

I've used "Go to Gate" many times, they are ABTA Associated and fine.

Please don't believe the statements that you should go direct to Airlines and pay loaded prices!

That depends - how much more are the airlines ?

If GotoGate is 50% of the cost - sure - give it a whirl - but its never that much cheaper.

You might save $50... is that worth it when things go sideways ?

-- -- -- --

A few years ago I went through an OTA (online travel agency - called PH Travel) - The airline (Qatar Airways) subsequently cancelled the flight, making me entitled to a full refund. The OTA delayed the process for months, eventually offering only 70% while repeatedly disputing my entitlement. After escalating the matter to the UK Civil Aviation Authority and threatening legal action, they finally agreed to pay, the full refund after five months.

I've since encountered 3 flight disruptions - Airlines delay and tell me that I'm wrong - but I know the rights.

I've used ombudsmen and airline resolution dispute teams, even Schlichtungsstelle für den öffentlichen Personenverkehr (SÖP) - each time I've had compensation from the Airline - this would have been a far more complex and lengthy process when not ticketing directly with the airline.

15 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Is gotogate a booking site, or a site which helps to fix problems (but doesn't make actual bookings)?

Its an online travel agency - it does make bookings.

Always book direct with the airline . Agencies are a minefield with good and bad as I found out with a stressful event . I had sometimes used an agency to book my flights without problems . Then I booked a return flight for 2 to Thailand with an agency based in India but showing a UK address and the agents calling themselves with English names . I paid by credit card and when I looked at my account the agency had taken an additional 500 pounds . Strangely there had been no call from the cc company for verification or to confirm the payment . The booking was made around midnight in the UK in an emergency as a family member was very ill and a quick visit had to be made . At that time of night the cc companies call canter was based in India too .In the following days , I made several calls to the agency and was passed around to various so called offices . It was only when I told my cc company that I was going to get the UK police fraud office involved that things started to happen and I got reimbursed about 1 week later and no compensation . Then followed a pathetic , apologetic email from the flight agency with a load of B/S .

Agencies often have lower fares because they often do not include checked baggage or in flight meals etc and sometimes they will change your flight times and even increase the fare . I suggest that a Google review on the company , is the sensible thing to do . Go To Gate has many negative reviews .

20 hours ago, Pdavies99 said:

I've used "Go to Gate" many times, they are ABTA Associated and fine.

Please don't believe the statements that you should go direct to Airlines and pay loaded prices!

8 minutes ago, superal said:

Always book direct with the airline . Agencies are a minefield with good and bad as I found out with a stressful event . I had sometimes used an agency to book my flights without problems . Then I booked a return flight for 2 to Thailand with an agency based in India but showing a UK address and the agents calling themselves with English names . I paid by credit card and when I looked at my account the agency had taken an additional 500 pounds . Strangely there had been no call from the cc company for verification or to confirm the payment . The booking was made around midnight in the UK in an emergency as a family member was very ill and a quick visit had to be made . At that time of night the cc companies call canter was based in India too .In the following days , I made several calls to the agency and was passed around to various so called offices . It was only when I told my cc company that I was going to get the UK police fraud office involved that things started to happen and I got reimbursed about 1 week later and no compensation . Then followed a pathetic , apologetic email from the flight agency with a load of B/S .

Agencies often have lower fares because they often do not include checked baggage or in flight meals etc and sometimes they will change your flight times and even increase the fare . I suggest that a Google review on the company , is the sensible thing to do . Go To Gate has many negative reviews .

Here the question is about GoToGate, and they are actually quite good if you read and understand the terms, and know what package you finally pay for.

Still, buying direct from the airline is usually considered best, especially when you know your ticket class. But it is the same with airlines too: you pay for what you get. Basic tickets come with fewer options and rights, while full-flex tickets cost more because they give you more freedom.

On 6/27/2026 at 10:01 AM, Pdavies99 said:

I've used "Go to Gate" many times, they are ABTA Associated and fine.

Please don't believe the statements that you should go direct to Airlines and pay loaded prices!

They are not even qualified for ABTA membership or ATOL membership either.

Does your airline passenger rights depend on your citizenship, from where you buy the ticket, or where the journey starts?

This is an important distinction, and the answer is: it depends on the law or regulation involved.

For airline passenger rights, these are the main factors:

• Where your journey starts is often the most important. For example, if your flight departs from an EU country (including Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland under similar rules), the EU passenger rights rules generally apply, regardless of your nationality.

• Which airline you fly also matters. For flights arriving in the EU/EEA, EU rules generally apply only if the airline is based in the EU/EEA.

• Your citizenship usually does not determine your passenger rights. A Norwegian, Thai, American, or Australian on the same qualifying flight generally has the same rights.

• Where you bought the ticket usually makes little or no difference to your statutory passenger rights. Buying through a Thai website or a Norwegian website doesn’t normally change which passenger-protection laws apply.

So, for example:

• Bangkok → Oslo on Thai Airways: Your rights on departure are generally not covered by EU passenger compensation rules because the flight departs outside the EU/EEA on a non-EU/EEA airline.

• Oslo → Bangkok on Thai Airways: EU/EEA passenger rights generally do apply because the flight departs from Norway.

• Bangkok → Paris on Air France: EU passenger rights generally apply because the airline is an EU carrier.

On 6/28/2026 at 7:36 AM, Ralf001 said:

How many did not understand the terms of the package they bought? It is a difficult market to please everyone, especially people looking for the cheapest tickets with limited rights. Most could have prevented the trouble before it started, but they chose to save a few bucks. satisfied customers do not bother to give credit when everything goes as expected

25 minutes ago, treetops said:

They are not even qualified for ABTA membership or ATOL membership either.

They have IATA Membership.

10 minutes ago, Pdavies99 said:

They have IATA Membership.

They need to have it to sell air tickets, but nevertheless they are not ABTA (or ATOL) approved.

I never did respond to my opening comment further

I'll be polite

This absolute utter "internet myth" spawned over the last 25 years into instead now an "internet fact" that airlines wont help you if you've booked via an agent goes down as one of the most ludicrous ever and completely spurious

Absolute utter bollacks proved by myself probably at least 10 times this last 35 years odd re London Bangkok London

Lets just grasp one fact.....Online Agencies provide around 70% of sales for airlines whether economy biz or first class

Can you imagine (purely as an example) Southall Travel with its SIX online agencies how much business via ticket sales (again as an example) it provides for Emirates on a daily basis ??

Colossal amounts of money. Yet people actually believe the likes of Emirates would now pish off that agency by telling its client (because thats what you are of the airline) to sod off and get hold of your agent tomorrow morning instead. Comedy Gold idiocy you would agree and a fantastic way to ensure the agent now pushes an alternate airline in future

Once you have your eticket you are a customer of the airline. Period. Of course in addition you can get hold of your agent if you want to change anything....I have at least 10 times using both methods

Of 172 arrivals London Bangkok

Around 50 were BA staff tickets

Around 112 were agent generated tickets

10 were direct airline generated tickets

Of the BA tickets generated never a problem

Of the Agent generated 112 tickets never a problem . Not one

Of the 10 direct airline tickets 3 I had problems with and the airlines involved Etihad Eva and Qatar were absolute nightmares to deal with without an agent going into bat for you

Never again

Notwithstanding all of that invariably the agent ticket will be somewhat cheaper. You want to book direct with airline then you crack on but dont expect any help when that airline doesnt play ball because you're one on one with no one to help you !

Agent every single time thank you

I have absolutely no idea why thats been "disagreed" with above

I could have detailed pages of the entire nightmares of dealing with 3 airlines over "direct" purchased tickets when changes required/forced on me as opposed to the 10 agency purchased tickets where I didnt have the slightest problem dealing direct with airlines let alone the actual agents about those changes.......airlines are not stupid. Look after the Agents who supply 70% of inbound monies

You guys want to make potential problems for yourselves crack on buying direct but you're on your own if something goes wrong but thats obvious

I'll leave it at that....out