When they resell, they retain only a small part of that commission. They pass the rest along to the retail agent or the customer. Prices of these tickets fluctuate along with changes in the published fares. Discounts to Europe are usually best in summer, when advertised fares are high, whereas in winter, the airlines regular fares may be the same or better than what consolidators offer. Even in summer, a fare war may allow you to buy at a price lower than a consolidator s.
Savings are less on domestic travel.
In fact, for travel within the U.S., the airlines cheapest advertised coach excursions are almost always cheaper than the best consolidator ticket you can find, especially if you buy during a fare war. Low-fare lines also make it less advantageous to use a consolidator. The discount on a premium seat, if you can find one, will usually be a smaller percentage of the fare than the discount on Coach-Economy. The savings in money is, of course, the biggest advantage of using a consolidator. But you should still book as early as possible, particularly for the peak season.