Topaz Shows Business Air Discounts Beat Internet

Portland, Ore.-based Topaz International yesterday said its latest study found airfares for business travel itineraries available on various Internet sites, including Orbitz, Expedia and Travelocity, averaged $69 higher during 2003 than airfares for those same itineraries booked through a designated travel agency or the online tool it supports, using negotiated corporate rates.

Topaz said that while the results during the past three years have been similar in that, "when booking business travel, the traditional travel agencies obtain a lower or equal fare over 90 percent of the time," online-originating players, including supplier Web sites, are catching up. "The differences between the prices paid are decreasing, from a high of $171 in 2001, to $69 in 2003," Topaz said. The company further indicated that the larger the corporate buyer, the larger the difference, with companies that spend more than $100 million on air travel enjoying an average savings of $136 compared with the Internet, and those spending under $20 million seeing a $32 average difference.