Wrong date, wrong airport, a price that climbs on the last step — the mistakes that happen while you fill in an online booking, and how to catch them in time.
Online booking looks simple — but the form itself has its own traps, different from the ones about documents and travel rules. For the bigger picture we have a separate article on the most common travel mistakes; this one focuses on what happens while you’re clicking.
Wrong date or wrong year
The most banal and most expensive mistake. Booking platform calendars often open on the current month, and when travelling around New Year it’s easy to pick the right day in the wrong year. Read the date written out in words on the review screen, not just the highlighted box.
Wrong airport in the same city
Many large cities have two or more airports, and the codes look alike. Booking to the wrong airport means either an expensive transfer across the whole city, or a missed connection. Check the airport code, not just the city name.
A price that climbs on the last step
The advertised price is rarely the final one. A card payment fee, seat selection, baggage, insurance pre-checked by default — all of that gets added on the final steps. Read the final summary before confirming and uncheck what you don’t need.
Payment that goes through, booking that isn’t confirmed
It happens that the transaction is charged but the confirmation doesn’t arrive — because of a session that expired, a declined 3D verification, or a technical interruption. Don’t book again right away. First check your email and with your bank, and ask for confirmation of the booking status.
Nobody checks the confirmation
When the confirmation arrives, most passengers archive it without reading it. That’s exactly where the dates, times, airports, and included baggage are shown — and exactly when a correction is cheapest. Read it the same day.
Key points
- Check the date written out in words, including the year
- Check the airport code when a city has more than one
- Read the final price summary before confirming and uncheck what’s unnecessary
- If a payment goes through without confirmation, check before booking again
- Read the confirmation the same day — that’s when a correction is easiest