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Why the price on a comparison site can differ from the booking site

21 October 2026 · 2 min read · based on our own price measurements

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By Borderbasket · Updated

In short

Flight prices change several times a day. The same flight can differ between a comparison site and a booking site because of update time, fare class, baggage, seller fees and sold-out fares.

Our prices come from Google Flights, which we read on a regular schedule. When you click through to book, the booking site shows its own live offers, so the number can differ.

Why a difference appears

  1. Update time: prices change during the day. Ours are a snapshot.
  2. Fare class: the cheapest fare may be sold out, the next one is higher.
  3. Baggage and extras: different sellers include different services.
  4. Seller fees: some travel agencies add a fee at checkout.
  5. Currency and country: prices can differ by the site's market.

How to avoid surprises

  • Treat our price as a guide to the right week, then check the live price when you book.
  • Compare two or three sellers for the same flight.
  • Look at the total including bags on the last page.

Questions

Which price is right? The one on the booking page when you pay. Ours shows you where to look first.

Why do you show Google prices? Google Flights covers many airlines and gives a good overview for charts and rankings.

Find your cheap flightCheapest destinations from your airport and the cheapest week per route.
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Find your cheap flightCheapest destinations from your airport and the cheapest week per route.
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