We compared two of Australia’s top booking sites to find out which one can save you more.
Flight Centre and STA Travel are two major players in the Australian travel market. We compare them side by side so you can make an informed choice before booking a major holiday or any travel.
Both offer very similar services but with a few differences. Flight Centre has the option to book more luxurious trips while STA Travel focuses on extra discounts for youths, students and teachers who travel.
Flight Centre vs STA Travel
Flight Centre offers a wide range of travel products with top deals around the globe and is one of Australia’s most trusted travel agencies.
STA Travel specialises in travel products for a younger crowd but still has options available for all travellers and is also one of Australia’s most popular travel agencies.
| Feature | Flight Centre | STA Travel | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| What can I book? |
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STA Travel offers a wider variety of travel options. |
| Can I price match? | Flight Centre beats competitor flight prices by $1 | STA Travel offers $1,000 travel credit if it can’t beat a quote for a flight or tour. | STA Travel offers a better incentive. |
| Is there lay-by or a payment plan? | Interest-free finance is available for holidays of $999 or more. A $99 annual fee applies and finance is subject to approval. |
For flights, a $99 deposit is required. A $10 fee is paid when the remainder of the amount is due.Tours require a $100 deposit and packages a $149 deposit. | STA Travel offers finance on more products for a lower cost. |
| Are there booking fees? | Online bookings incur a $9.99 fee for domestic flights and a $21.95 fee for international flights per person, per booking. These are waived on Fridays and on phone bookings. |
Flights originating from Australia don't incur booking fees. | STA Travel is fee-free. |
| Is there online chat? | Yes. | Customer service is available by phone, email or in store. | Only Flight Centre offers online chat support. |
| Is there a loyalty plan? | No. | No. | Neither offer loyalty plan incentives. |
| What are my payment options? |
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Flight Centre has more online payment options. |
| Can I book round the world fares? | Yes, the full list can be found here. | Yes, routes can be found here. Some are available to students/youths only. | Flight Centre’s round the world flight options are available to every traveller. |
| Can I book multi-city fares? | Yes, but you can't do it yourself. You must speak to an agent for a quote. |
Yes, but you must speak to a round the world expert to book. | STA Travel offers some prices online and you are able to create your own route. |
| Any features to find the best price? | Some destination pages include a comparison of the cheapest, quickest and most popular flight options. | A list of cheap flights, the most popular flights and top deals is available. | Flight Centre offers a comparison feature for specific destinations. |
Who offers the best price?
Both offer a best price guarantee. Flight Centre will beat a competitor's price by $1 and STA Travel will give you $1,000 in travel credit. You have the option to book with either company and still get the best price.
The verdict? When searching for the same flight we found that Flight Centre offered a better price, even with the merchant fee attached. To avoid paying a merchant fee, book your Flight Centre flight on Fridays when it's waived. A breakdown of the same flight and prices with both is below.
Flight Centre flight price:
STA Travel flight price:
Which offers a wider range of airlines?
Both sites offer a wide range of airlines to choose from for domestic and international travel.
Flight Centre offers fares from 65+ airlines around the world. Domestic flights booked through Flight Centre include airlines such as Airnorth, Jetstar, Qantas, Rex, Tigerair and Virgin Australia. International flights include airlines that are well known and reputable such as American Airlines, British Airways, Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Fiji Airways, Qatar Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines and Thai Airways.
STA Travel offers fares from over 18 airlines worldwide. Domestic airlines include Qantas and Virgin Australia. International airlines include Delta, Air Canada, Cathay Pacific, Emirates Airline, Thai Airways, Sri Lankan Airlines, Fiji Airways and more.
The verdict?: Between the two, Flight Centre offers more airline choices. However, STA Travel has exclusive BlueTicket prices for students and those under 30 which could mean more savings for you.
Any other important differences?
Cancellation policies differ depending on what you are booking through Flight Centre.
STA Travel has an online cancellation fee of $200 plus other fees depending on the type of travel booked. Before committing to either it is best to read the fine print.
What are deals like?
Flight Centre offers deals on flights, holiday packages and cruises that you can find on its deals page which is updated daily. Flight Centre deals can include domestic flights from as little as $55, return flights to Europe for $1,099 and up to 50% off luxury cruises.
STA Travel offers deals on flights, tours and sales on accommodation (including hotels and hostels) which can be found on their deals page. Markdowns can include 30% off last-minute tours with Contiki or an early-bird discount of 15% off of tours with a selection of companies to destinations around the globe. Deals on flights include the Price Beat Guarantee which offers you a refund of the difference if the price of your flight lowers.
The verdict?: Flight Centre offers bigger discounts but STA Travel has deals on accommodation.
Current deals with Flight Centre and STA Travel
STA Travel
Up to 30% off select G Adventures tours
Valid for travel from September 2018 - June 2019. Destinations include Peru, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Japan, Morocco and more. T&Cs apply.
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Deal expires
Flight Centre - International
Round-the-world fares from $1,179
Valid for travel between 25 February - 11 April 2019. Sample fare is Melbourne-London-Los Angeles-Hong Kong.
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Deal expires
STA Travel
London flights from $995 return
Valid for travel from 27 September - 30 November 2018. Sample fare is Sydney-London with Malaysia Airlines.
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Deal expires
STA Travel
Tokyo flights from $545 return
Valid for travel until 30 November 2018. Sample fare is Perth-Tokyo with Malaysia Airlines.
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Deal expires
STA Travel
20% off Busabout Europe tours
Valid for travel on select dates. T&Cs apply.
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STA Travel
20% Contiki USA tours
Valid for travel from September 2018 - August 2019. Destinations include New York, Los Angeles and more. T&Cs apply.
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Flight Centre - International
Auckland flights from $332 return Virgin Australia
Valid for travel between 31 October - 12 December 2018, 30 January - 27 March 2019 and 07-30 May 2019. Sample fare is Melbourne-Auckland.
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Flight Centre - International
Bali flights from $449 return with Virgin Australia
Valid for travel between 22 October - 30 November 2018. Sample fare is Perth-Bali.
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Flight Centre - International
Hawaii flights from $929 return
Valid for travel from 9 October - 30 November 2018 and 15 February - 31 March 2019. Sample fare is Sydney-Hawaii.
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Flight Centre - Domestic
Domestic flights from $54 each way
Valid for travel from August - September 2018. Sample fare is Gold Coast-Sydney.
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Flight Centre - International
Auckland flights from $296 return
Valid for travel from 15 February - 25 March 2019. Sample fare is Sydney-Auckland.
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Flight Centre - International
Asia flights from $579 return with Qantas
Valid for travel from 10 October - 15 November 2018 and 1 February - 15 June 2019. Destinations include Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok, Phuket and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Hong Kong.
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Flight Centre - International
Los Angeles flights from $939 return
Valid for travel from 3-31 October 2018 and 1-28 February 2019 with Virgin Australia. Sample fare is Melbourne-Los Angeles.
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Flight Centre - International
Paris flights from $1,119 return with Singapore Airlines
Valid for travel from 8 October - 22 November, 25 February - 4 April 2019 and 29 April - 15 June 2019. Sample fare is Perth-Paris.
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Flight Centre - International
New York flights from $1,099 return
Valid for travel from 21 January - 4 April 2019 and 22 April - 20 June 2019. Sample fare Sydney-New York.
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Flight Centre - International
London flights from $989 return
Valid for travel from 1 October - 22 November and 1 February - 30 March 2019. Sample fare is Melbourne-London.
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Flight Centre - International
Hawaii flights from $546 return
Valid for travel from 1-30 November 2018. Sample fare is Sydney-Hawaii.
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Flight Centre - International
Fiji flights from $515 return
Valid for travel from 15 February - 25 March 2019. Sample fare is Sydney-Fiji.
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Flight Centre - International
Bangkok flights from $386 return
Valid for travel from 31 January - 31 May 2019. Sample fare is Darwin-Bangkok.
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Flight Centre - International
Bali flights from $412 return
Valid for travel from 1-28 February 2019. Sample fare is Melbourne-Bali.
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STA Travel
Europe flights from $799 return
Valid for travel from 3 October - 15 December 2018. Destinations include Barcelona, Athens, Amsterdam, Istanbul and more. Sample fare is Melbourne-Warsaw.
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STA Travel
New York flights from $899 return
Valid for travel between 19 January - 16 February 2019. Sample fare is Perth-New York.
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STA Travel
New Zealand flights from $299 return
Valid for travel until 31 December 2018, including Christmas. Sample fare is Melbourne-Christchurch with Air New Zealand.
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STA Travel
International flights from $363 return with Air New Zealand
Valid for travel until December 2018. Sample fare is Melbourne-Auckland. Destinations include Los Angeles, San Francisco and more.
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STA Travel
Full-service Asia flights from $379 return
Valid for travel on select dates until December 2018. Sample fare is Melbourne-Bali. Destinations include Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh, Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore and more.
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STA Travel
Lay-By Flights: only $99 deposit to reserve
Reserve your lay-by flights now for only $99 deposit and pay the remaining balance until 8 weeks before your departure date. Only available on STA Travel exclusive tickets. See website for complete details. T&Cs apply.
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