How to search Tripadvisor for flights

Tripadvisor runs metasearch for flights, comparing airlines and agencies and handing off to whoever sells the seat.

What Tripadvisor is good at

• Seat and airline reviews attached to the results, which is the one thing this site has that the others do not.
• Hotels and things to do in the same place, if you are planning the whole trip rather than only the flight.

What to watch for

The flight results are the same aggregated inventory everyone else shows. The reviews are the reason to be here, and reviews of a three-hour domestic flight are not going to change your decision.

Use it like this

1. Use it after you have two candidate itineraries, not before. Its value is comparing two airlines you are already choosing between.
2. Read the reviews for the specific aircraft and cabin, not the airline overall. A carrier can be excellent long-haul and grim on short-haul.
3. Book on the airline's site once you have decided.

Verdict

Useful when you are choosing between two long-haul carriers and want to know what the cabin is actually like. Not a first search.

Common questions

Who owns Tripadvisor?

Tripadvisor.

Does Tripadvisor sell tickets directly?

No. It compares prices and hands you off to the airline or an agency to complete the booking.