Internet sites sometimes offer lower airfares than contracted travel agencies. However, this is not always the case. Searching several Internet sites for the lowest fare requires an investment of time, and individual departments will have to make decisions whether it is better to search Internet sites or to accept the quoted fare from a contracted travel agency.

Some Internet sites limit their list of airlines, which can prevent you from finding the lowest fare available. For example, some airlines have set up their own websites that feature only their own flights. Southwest Airlines offers many low fares, but its flights do not appear on any websites other than its own.

Iowa State University's contracted travel agencies have websites that provide a more complete list of airline choices than some Internet sites. However, there sometimes are Internet-only specials that do not appear on the travel agents' reservation systems.

Our contracted travel agencies can order most Internet fares through expedia.com, travelocity.com and orbitz.com, and will accept a faxed Air Ticket Requisition form as payment. However, the travel agency's service fees will be added to the cost. When our contracted agencies order tickets through expedia.com and travelocity.com they are required to purchase a paper ticket instead of an electronic ticket, which often results in a surcharge from the website.

Some Internet sites that use an auction method (e.g., priceline.com) will not tell you the airline name, flight times or number of connections until your credit card already has been charged. Unless you are extremely flexible with your schedule this may not be your best option. Once your credit card has been charged you are unable to make changes, transfers or cancellations. Prices quoted at contracted agencies and other Internet sites include taxes. Taxes are not included in your bid price at auction sites, so you may end up paying a higher amount than you were expecting.

Other sites like hotwire.com will not tell you the airline name or flight time before your tickets are issued. However, you can limit the maximum number of connections.

Our contracted agencies have websites that can show you available flights and prices before you commit to a purchase.

Before making an Internet purchase, review the site's policies on refunds and exchanges. Some sites offer toll-free numbers to assist you, while others give only an e-mail address. Fees for cancellations or changes vary between sites.

Our contracted agencies have phone numbers to reach travel agents to assist you in obtaining refunds and exchanges for tickets purchased through their agencies. STA and Travel & Transport also have offices in Ames for you to visit. However, neither our travel agents nor ISU staff will be able to assist you with resolving problems related to Internet ticket purchases.

Most Internet sites do not charge a fee for ordering tickets. However, you should not automatically assume there is no fee. According to the June 2002 Consumers Reports Travel Letter, service fees can run as high as $10.00 per ticket, with additional fees if you choose paper tickets instead of electronic tickets.

Our contracted agencies charge service fees that range from $20.00 to $30.00. However, the increased level of customer assistance available can make the extra fee worthwhile.

Travelers who purchase tickets from Internet sites must enter their personal credit card information and wait for reimbursement until after the conclusion of the trip. No travel advances will be made to facilitate the purchases of tickets. If you make a ticket purchase via the Internet you should not create an Air Ticket Requisition. Acceptable documentation for the travel reimbursement includes the Passenger Receipt coupon or the E-ticket confirmation showing the amount paid. International air tickets will require a secondary proof of payment (e.g., a copy of the credit card statement) for the travel reimbursement, as the amount printed on the ticket often is higher than the amount paid.

Our contracted travel agencies will accept a faxed Air Ticket Requisition form that will be billed to the University's credit card. The department will be billed intramurally the following month. Your account will be encumbered weekly after the Air Ticket Requisition is faxed, which will provide more accurate reporting of remaining funds available.

When making purchases via the Internet, the traveler still needs to comply with applicable policies and funding restrictions. For example, no first-class or business fares are allowed. Federal funds require U.S. flag carriers to be used. Back-to-back ticketing (buying two round-trip tickets when it is cheaper than one round-trip ticket not involving a Saturday stayover) are not allowed. Travelers may not select an airline for the purpose of obtaining frequent flier miles or other premiums that benefit the traveler personally.

Our contracted agencies monitor reservations to ensure compliance with ISU's policies and federal funding restrictions (if applicable).

If you have questions about Internet air ticket purchases, please contact Bill Cahill at 515-294-5181 or e-mail him at bpcahil@iastate.edu.