Expedia.com Review

The Good News
With Expedia, you're not required to book both ways on the same airline, but you can if you're a Frequent Flyer with anyone in particular.  This flexible feature is actually part of the reason the rates are so low.    You can also view the available seats before choosing any flight leg.  

Not sure what you want to do, but see a few flights you like?  Save your itinerary and come back later, when you travel plans are firm.  This is a HUGE time saver.

If you've just searched for flights into, say, Chicago, then when you go to look at rental cars or hotels, the site defaults to that city for your search.  Sweet!  

The Bad News..........and LOTS OF IT   

Warning #1
If you ever cancel an Expedia trip, boy, are you going to regret trying to use that credit.  Not only do they stick you for $100 re-ticketing fee, plus $35 processing or some such nonsense, your credit CANNOT be used to cover these fees.   So if you cancel a $300 flight and try to book a $150 flight, you will simply LOSE $150 in credit, PLUS they will insist on charging you a $100 booking fee on your credit card:  no exceptions.  You will not be allowed to speak with a manager.   And you will be putting up with near-constant treacly phrases from your overseas operator, like "we apologize for the inconvenience etc etc etc. 

Warning #2
You cannot use any credit through online booking, so get prepared to be on the phone, amigos.  It's gonna be a verrrrry long call.  They will want your case number.  They will want your Itinerary number, and possibly dates of travel.   They will want your old booking number.   They might even ask for the blood type of the dog you had when you were five.  
I was just on the phone for 30 minutes trying to use a credit, and then finding out I was gonna get stuck.   It ain't pretty.

Warning #3
After one dreadful flight using Expedia, I cannot advise that anyone choose a Delta Connection flight option (and I wouldn't trust Delta flights either).  This was the ONLY expedia flight I've had bad luck on, but it was ALL bad - really bad!  We were unable to book seats in advance for two of our flights, until check-in, when all the seats were gone. On one flight, this split us 11 rows apart.  On another flight, we were assigned the two WORST seats on the plane - aisle and middle, non-reclining, last row, in front of the bathroom, where people with full bladders congregate.  Awful!  I am a Delta frequent flyer, and these seat assignments stunned me.  I can only deduce that Delta dumps their worst stuff onto Expedia, and penalizes its passengers who book there.   I have no idea which web site they prefer, but I will never again choose Delta flights on Expedia.  I've never had this problem with American or Continental flights.  BTW, I booked early, so that was not the issue.  That said, I'll continue to use Expedia, without choosing Delta legs. 

Warning #4
If you're still reading.............Many cities are not on the list of airports you can search.  I discovered that New Mexico's largest city is missing when I tried to find a ticket for my sister to come visit me.   So check to see if YOUR most-visited cities are here before you add this site to your toolbar or Favorites. 

The Bottom Line:  Libby's Leery