Airline consolidators
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An airline consolidator (sometimes called as bucket shops) is a specific kind of airline ticket reseller. Consolidators work through contracts with major carriers to manage blocks of airline seat inventory at reduced prices which they then sell. The main benefit being that fares through consolidators will be lower than published rates available from the airlines themselves. Airlines consolidators do not buy the seats in bulk for resale, they sell the available inventory at contracted rates.
Consolidators are most beneficial in international markets. For domestic US markets, typically, they are only advantageous for business class and first class fares. Tickets purchased through consolidators may have very different fare rules than typical published fares, and sometimes frequent flyer credit may not be accrued.
Even though many consolidators are online, most consolidators still work only through bona fide retail travel agents.
