After 18 months of closed borders, Australians are finally free to book overseas travel.
But online travel booking sites have become a minefield of extra charges, from flexible tickets, cancellation protection and emergency cover to three different tiers of customer support, seat selection and airline collapse cover.
What first appears to be a great deal on flights, for example, can quickly spiral into an expensive package with charges for add-ons you might have got for free with the airline — and double the terms and conditions.
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Some travel booking sites are offering ten or more extra paid products ranging from a few extra dollars for flight updates by SMS to hundreds of dollars for medical cover or cancellation guarantees as part of the booking process.
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown global travel plans into disarray over the past couple of years, making many of us more cautious about covering ourselves when making future bookings.
Choice travel expert Jodi Bird said flight and accommodation booking sites can be tricky to navigate — and it pays to do your research.
"When you are booking on these comparison websites, they will throw a lot of extras at you to try and get you to pay more money and it can be very confusing," Mr Bird told 9News.
"It is designed to pressure you into paying more. Keep a clear mind and make a decision as to whether you genuinely need those extras."
On the plus side, flight comparison sites can help you find the cheapest deals on price. But in some cases, it is simpler and better value to book direct with an airline or provider.
"Travel booking sites can be good for narrowing the options and finding out what's available and what the price range is," Mr Bird said.
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"But you just need to bear in mind that you will be subjecting yourself to two sets of terms and conditions: that of the provider and that of the booking site."
That could mean you pay two sets of cancellation fees, for example, and that you must contact the booking site rather than the airline to cancel.
Another pitfall is potentially paying for extras through a booking site you might get for free from the airline, such as seat selection, special meals, online check-in, or baggage.
Travel agents are also making it that little bit easier to navigate logistics in the COVID-19 era.
CEO at the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) Dean Long said they can help travellers manage border restrictions.
"Making sure they've got the up to date information from countries embassies, consulates around the world, that's both to enter that country and return home," he told 9News.
Flexibility is also important in a COVID-19 world, but it doesn't necessarily mean shelling out extra.
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"Before you go and pay more for optional extras, go and check directly with the provider," Mr Bird said.
"For example, Qantas and Virgin at the moment are offering [free] flexible flight cancellations for a limited time. So you might be able to get that for free.
"The best way to protect yourself from COVID-related changes is to make sure you are getting flexible bookings. If you are travelling internationally you need to get travel insurance to protect yourself if you get COVID-19.
"And make sure the travel insurance actually covers COVID-19."
Simple check-boxes that pop up during booking might seem like a quick way to get cover, but you must read the small print to find out what it's really going to cover you for.
And a final piece of advice: check your passport has at least six months left before it expires.
"We know two million Australians have had their passports expire in the past 20 months," Mr Long said.
