Travelocase.com Pricing

The pricing model and transparency of Travelocase.com are among its most concerning aspects.

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Is Travelocase.com a Scam?

While the website advertises “cheap flights” and displays sample fares, it simultaneously includes disclaimers that effectively nullify any guarantee of those prices.

This opaque approach to pricing is a significant departure from industry best practices and places the onus on the customer to engage in a potentially high-pressure phone call to ascertain the actual cost.

Advertised Pricing and Sample Fares

Travelocase.com displays a section titled “Best Flight Deals” with sample round-trip fares to various destinations like LAX to LAS ($58) or NYC to LON ($223).

• Specific Examples: The listings include airline names (United Airlines, Frontier Airlines, American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, TAP Air Airlines), dates, and airport codes.
• Inclusions: It states, “Fuel surcharges, taxes & fees, as well as our service fees, are included in the fares.” This suggests an all-inclusive displayed price, which would be positive if consistently true.
• Outdated Data: A critical detail below these sample fares explicitly states: “All fares were last recorded at May 04, 2021 EST.” This renders the displayed prices effectively irrelevant for current booking decisions, as flight prices change dynamically, often hourly or daily.
• Historical Data Disclaimer: Even more concerning is the phrase: “The fares displayed are based on historical data and cannot be assured at the time of booking.” This is a blanket disclaimer that means the prices you see on the homepage are not necessarily the prices you will get.

The Role of “Unpublished Fares” in the Pricing Model

A prominent feature of Travelocase.com’s interaction model is the encouragement to call for “unpublished fares.”

• Exclusivity Claim: The website repeatedly states, “Call Our experienced travel agents to provide you the unpublished fare.” This implies that the best deals are not available online.
• Shift to Phone-Based Negotiation: This pushes the pricing discovery from a transparent online process to a phone conversation. In such scenarios, the agent might quote different prices based on availability, specific airline deals, or even lead generation strategies.
• Potential for Price Inflation: “Unpublished fares” can sometimes refer to consolidator fares or bulk purchases, which can be cheaper, but they also open the door for agents to add significant markups or service fees that are not transparently displayed.
• Lack of Comparison: When dealing with “unpublished fares” over the phone, it becomes much harder for the consumer to simultaneously compare that quoted price with competitors or direct airline websites, creating a disadvantage.

Understanding “Service Fees” and Their Transparency

While Travelocase.com claims that “our service fees are included in the fares,” the actual amount or basis of these fees is not explicitly disclosed online.

• Pre-Call Ambiguity: Before making the phone call, a user has no way of knowing how much of the quoted price constitutes Travelocase.com’s service fee versus the actual airline ticket cost, taxes, and fuel surcharges.
• Industry Norms: Reputable OTAs generally have transparent service fees, or they are clearly itemized during the online booking process before final payment. Some (like direct airline bookings) have no additional service fees beyond the fare itself.
• Potential for Fluctuations: The disclaimer that fares “cannot be assured at the time of booking” combined with undisclosed service fees means the final price could be significantly higher than anticipated.

Why This Pricing Model is Problematic for Consumers

The pricing strategy employed by Travelocase.com is fraught with issues that negatively impact consumer trust and decision-making.

• Misleading Advertisements: Displaying outdated and unassured “historical” fares can be considered misleading advertising, drawing users in with prices that are not genuinely available.
• Loss of Price Control: By forcing users to call for “unpublished fares,” consumers lose the ability to independently verify prices, compare multiple options simultaneously, and make informed decisions based on clear, upfront data.
• Time and Effort Wasted: Users might invest time in research and calling only to find that the ultimate price is not competitive or is higher than initially implied.
• Impulse Booking Pressure: Phone-based sales often involve pressure tactics to close the deal quickly, making it difficult for consumers to thoroughly review terms or reconsider.
• Lack of Digital Record: Verbal quotes over the phone are harder to dispute or reference later compared to a clear online booking summary.

In essence, Travelocase.com’s pricing mechanism appears designed to capture leads through attractive but unassured online fares, then convert them via phone calls where the true, non-negotiable price, inclusive of undisclosed service fees, is revealed. Is Travelocase.com a Scam?

This lack of transparency and control makes it a highly unreliable source for straightforward flight booking and is a significant deterrent for a savvy traveler.