5 Best Online Travel Agencies

Are you wondering which online travel agencies are best for your travels? I travel regularly in the region and have put together a list you may want to consider.

My criteria may differ from yours; however, we may all agree on the following:

1) Affordability—Are the agency’s products or services affordable or overly inflated?

2) Reliability—Will the service and product work as promised? For example, will the bus you booked turn up, or will they cancel at the last minute, leaving you stranded?

3) Quality service – does the service listed on your site satisfy my needs? Is the agency professional?

4) Communication – is the agency courteous and timely in their business communications? Can I contact them at short notice if I need help?

Second, when planning your travel, you need to book all services you will need. Most online travel agencies will try to lure you into booking all services with them.

For example, after booking a flight with Trip.com, they may also try to convince you to book hotels at a discount. I try not to follow the above and instead look at whether the same hotel costs less on another platform.

Now, let’s dive in to the list of the 5 best online travel agencies in Australasia that meet the above criteria.

1. 12go Asia

Surprise, huh? Not really. If you have travelled in the region, you will realise how valuable 12Go Asia is. Founded in Singapore in 2012, 12go Asia has become a leading travel agency.

The site is mainly used by local travel companies and low-cost airlines to list their services. It is easy to use and book, and communication is timely.

12go Asia is best for booking buses, trains, and ferries, but I have also used it to book low-cost airlines.

While recently travelling from Saigon to Nha Trang, we booked Vietnam Railways through 12go Asia, two days before our travel at a cost of 1,366,000d for a first class cabin.

2. Agoda

Second on my list is Agoda, which I use for accommodation bookings only. Founded in Singapore, Agoda was acquired by Booking Holdings in 2007. Booking Holdings is the mother company of several online travel agencies, including Booking.com.

Recently, while in Asia, I searched and compared the prices of several hotels in Bangkok, Cambodia and Vietnam.

I individually visited three apps: Booking.com, Agoda and Trip.com and selected the same date, name of hotel, and the number of days I would stay.

I found that Agoda hotels were cheaper, followed by Trip.com and Booking.com. This is probably because I am Agoda VIP, but that shouldn’t matter, as I am also a Booking.com Genius Level 3 member.

Just so you know, Agoda receives awful reviews, but I have used them recently to book more than 15 hotels, and I did not have any issues. I also try to book cancellable rooms, just in case.

TIP: Please try reading reviews on Trustpilot before booking with online travel services.

3. Trip.com

Many of you know trip.com for cheap flights, and I use it for that. For some reason, they always have affordable flights, even at the last minute.

However, you’ll need to review the terms and conditions carefully before booking. In most cases, you cannot cancel or change your flights and must pay for other services, such as seats and luggage.

Sometimes, I prefer to book directly with the airline to avoid such issues.

Generally, however, if you have a limited budget, it is best to book with them.

4. Klook Travel

Founded in Hong Kong in 2014, Klook Travel is big in many Asian countries.

In 2023/2024, I used Klook to buy SIM cards, train tickets (Korail and Queen Beetle), and other activities in Korea and Japan.

Although not cheap, Klook was reliable and timely and had a lot of promotions. You may consider looking them up if you plan to travel Asia soon.

5. Booking.com

Booking.com is probably the largest and most well-known online travel agency in the world. I mainly use the company for hotel bookings, but I have also used them for flights.

In 2023 /2024, I used them to book accommodation for all my trips while in Japan and Korea, as well as Ethiopia and Uganda; I have also used them in Kenya.

I like their app, the level of organisation and the discounts I receive as a Genius Level 3 Member; however, they are more expensive than Agoda, and hosts always prefer payment in American dollars which makes things more expensive for travellers whose income is not in USD.

In Ethiopia, for example, almost all service providers require payment in USD. For the above reasons I did not use Booking.com this time.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the above are the 5 Best Online Travel Agencies in Australasia. I have used them several times, and although some will have issues, you will also benefit.

I like bargains and deals, and try to minimise wastage while travelling. Making money is hard you know 🙂

Which online travel agencies do you use and why? What was your experience? Let me know in the comment section below.

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