Booking flights on foreign travel portals

Can I book flights on German or UK travel portals even though I live in Switzerland?

Hi there,

It is normally possible to book flights on an online travel portal which is operated by a foreign company. In some cases, doing this can save you money because certain deals are only made available in certain countries. However, there are certain things which you consider before booking travel on foreign travel portals.

If you pay by credit card, make sure you understand how much you will pay in foreign transaction fees. Swiss credit card issuers typically charge a foreign transaction fee equal to between 1.5% and 2% of the transacted amount. Many Swiss credit card issuers also charge this fee for Swiss franc transactions processed by foreign merchants. On top of this fee, you also pay in the way of poor exchange rates. The foreign transaction fees charged by Swiss credit cards can be found on the card information pages in the moneyland.ch credit card comparison.

When booking travel packages and tours, it is also important to understand that foreign travel agents are not covered by Swiss travel customer protection guarantees. If the foreign travel agent goes bankrupt before they can deliver the paid-for services, you may not be reimbursed for your loss.

You should also be aware that the Internet is home to a number of disreputable travel portals. Some portals charge hidden fees, while others overbook, sell last-minute flights without declaring them as such, or even fail to deliver on promised services. Because travel bookings often involve large amounts of money, sticking to reputable portals is recommended.

Best regards from Moneyguru

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