i travel direct

9 things to consider when choosing to book via a portal vs. booking directly

Editor's Note

When it comes to travel, you have a lot of options.

You can book directly through the website of an airline, hotel, rental car company or other travel provider. You can also use online travel agencies like Expedia or Skyscanner. And many banks offer their own portals, such as Capital One Travel and Chase Travel .

While there are some horror stories from cancellations associated with portals, booking with one linked to a credit card in your wallet can be an attractive option.

Consider asking yourself these nine questions to determine the best approach for planning your next trip. They will help you decide whether to book directly, use an online travel agency or utilize a credit card portal for your next vacation.

Will you forfeit status perks and status earnings?

When booking a hotel room through online travel agencies like Hotels.com or Expedia , you may not receive your stay credit from the hotel brand (e.g., Marriott Bonvoy ). Any nights that would typically contribute toward your status won't be counted.

Moreover, as a member with elite status, you often won't receive the usual perks during your stay — like free breakfast or room upgrades. This applies to all major hotel loyalty programs . Many hotels offer a best-price guarantee , allowing you to request a match to a better price you find elsewhere, even if it's on an online travel agency. With this guarantee, you can enjoy loyalty benefits without spending more than necessary.

The decision becomes less straightforward if you want to leverage perks that require booking through a credit card travel portal — which can include bonus rewards or statement credits. You must prioritize what matters most: receiving elite perks and night credits or earning more credit card points and benefiting from automatic discounts for your stay.

However, it's worth noting that flights booked through third-party sites generally qualify as ordinary revenue tickets and are thus eligible to earn points or miles in the given airline's loyalty program. However, be sure to read the terms carefully to avoid booking restrictive basic economy fares .

Related: Why you don't earn hotel points when booking through an online travel agency

Do you have travel credits you can use from your credit card?

Several credit cards offer travel credits on your statements when you book through their travel portals.

For example, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees ) offers $300 in annual credits when you reserve flights, hotels and rental cars through the Capital One Travel portal .

Similarly, anyone with The Platinum Card® from American Express can enjoy various benefits of the Amex Platinum , including an annual hotel credit worth up to $200 for prepaid reservations at Fine Hotels + Resorts properties or The Hotel Collection (the latter of which requires a two-night minimum). The perk is issued as a statement credit to your account. Like the Capital One credit, the only way to receive the Amex credit is to book an eligible stay through the American Express Travel portal .

Those with a Chase Sapphire Preferred Card also receive a comparable credit for hotel reservations, though it's significantly lower at $50 per year. Simply book through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal to have the annual credit appear on your account.

If you have a travel credit you have yet to use, take advantage of it before it expires. But carefully consider its rules to ensure your booking qualifies for reimbursement.

Related: The top 11 credit cards with annual travel statement credits

What will cost you the fewest points?

If you have accumulated enough points in credit card portals like American Express Membership Rewards or Citi ThankYou points , you should carefully consider which redemption option will require the fewest points for your upcoming trip.

Sometimes, transferring your points to a partner program and booking through their website may be the most cost-effective option.

On the other hand, it may be cheaper in some situations to keep your points in your credit card account and use them through the card's travel portal. This is especially true for hotels, as transferring points to a partner hotel loyalty program may provide less value than redeeming them directly through your credit card issuer.

This can also make sense for boutique properties that don't participate in a loyalty program.

Always compare both redemption options before transferring your points to ensure that you get the best value .

Related: How (and why) you should earn transferable points

What will get you the most points on your credit card?

Regarding travel expenses, you should consider which credit card offers the best rewards for each purchase .

For instance, the Capital One Venture X (see rates and fees ) card provides 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Additionally, you earn 5 miles per dollar spent on flights booked this way. Comparing these rates to the 2 miles per dollar earned on purchases made outside the Capital One Travel portal, it's clear which option is more advantageous.

Chase follows a similar pattern. If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve and book through the Ultimate Rewards portal, you will earn 10 points per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars and 5 points on flights. These rates are significantly better than the 3 points per dollar earned on travel booked through other methods.

The Amex Platinum card presents a more drastic example. It offers 5 points per dollar for prepaid hotels booked through the Amex Travel portal. You also receive 5 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with an airline or through Amex Travel (up to $500,000 in flights per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent). However, for hotel reservations booked directly with a hotel, you only earn 1 point per dollar spent. While you can choose either option for airfare, booking hotel stays through Amex Travel is best to maximize your earnings — though again, you'll likely give up the opportunity to earn hotel points by doing so.

Related: What are points and miles worth?

Do you have to choose between rental car loyalty perks and a better price?

Online travel agencies and portals are popular because they offer convenience. You can visit a single website and compare results from various rental car companies.

However, there is a trade-off to consider.

When you see a lower price on an online travel agency or credit card portal than a rental car website, you usually won't receive any elite benefits associated with a rental car loyalty program . This is because most online travel agencies and credit card portals do not provide an option to add your rental car loyalty number to the reservation (though there are exceptions ). Even if they do, the rental agency often doesn't honor the associated benefits, such as skipping the line during car pickup.

In such situations, you must decide whether booking the lower price or receiving perks is more important. Ultimately, the decision may come down to the price difference.

Related: Get automatic rental car elite status through your credit card

Will the hotel give preference to guests who booked directly?

In short: Possibly. You may not receive the same perks when booking a hotel through a third-party website instead of directly with the hotel.

For example, a TPG staffer faced this issue while staying at Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort in Orlando. He booked through the Capital One Travel portal to earn miles with his Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees ). However, this meant he couldn't use the mobile check-in feature and had to wait in a long line at check-in. Additionally, he was assigned a less desirable room near noisy areas like the service elevators and housekeeping storage.

If you're not a light sleeper or prefer in-person check-in, these drawbacks may not be significant concerns. Nevertheless, it's worth considering these factors when deciding how to make your hotel booking.

Related: The best ways to book hotels through online travel agencies and bank portals

Can you get free perks from hotels booked via a portal?

Why not add free perks to the deal if you're paying cash for a hotel?

With American Express, you can enjoy extras by booking through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection . However, you will not get these benefits if you book directly with the hotel.

Capital One and Chase offer similar programs through the Capital One Premier Collection , Capital One Lifestyle Collection and Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection . When you book with these programs, you can expect to receive perks that could include free breakfast, a welcome gift or space-available room upgrades.

Related: 6 surprising ways to use your on-property credits at hotels

Will you get free nights added to a hotel booking?

Adding free nights to your hotel reservation could be a huge differentiator.

For example, the Citi Prestige® Card offers a fourth-night-free benefit . But there are some restrictions and nuances to using this benefit. There's a limit of two uses per year and you must book through Citi ThankYou Rewards to receive it.

The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Likewise, you can get a fourth or fifth night free when redeeming select types of hotel points for award stays — which could lead you to book directly with a hotel program.

Related: Can I mix hotel points and free night certificates to get a 4th or 5th night free?

What if something goes wrong with your flights?

Unlike rental car and hotel reservations made through portals and online travel agencies, flights booked outside airline websites will still earn you miles and frequent flyer status credits.

This is good news, but it gets even better when you realize you can stack rewards by booking flights through online travel agencies . This means you can earn points on your credit card, miles from flying, shopping portal bonuses and rewards from the loyalty programs of online travel agencies .

However, there is a potential issue to consider if unexpected problems arise before or during your trip.

When you book directly with an airline and your flight gets canceled, you can deal with the carrier directly. They will reimburse or rebook you based on their change or cancellation policy . However, this may not be the case for portals and online travel agency bookings.

If the airline cancels your flight due to bad weather, they may instruct you to purchase new tickets for a later flight through your credit card portal or the online travel agency you booked with. If you have a schedule change or want to adjust your reservation, you often need to go back to the third-party site for support instead of contacting the airline directly. This can be a significant drawback when booking flights through a third-party option, particularly if your trip carries a high risk of weather-related issues or you think there's a possibility that you'll need to change (or cancel) your trip.

Related: Flight canceled or delayed? Here's what to do

Bottom line

Having various options for booking trips is great. You can compare prices and use your points and miles effectively. You might even get extra perks that other websites don't offer.

However, having too many options can be overwhelming and confusing.

To simplify the process, consider these nine questions before making your booking. By considering factors such as your travel credits and how the booking will impact your elite status strategy, you can avoid surprises during your trip and make the most out of the rewards you earn.

Additional reporting by Kyle Olsen.

clock This article was published more than  1 year ago

The great booking debate: Is direct better than a third-party site?

Travelers swear by both methods, but the best way may be to use a little of each

Is it better to book your next trip directly with a travel company or turn to an online agency promising a good deal? As the popularity of online travel planning grows, the question can elicit strong opinions on either side.

Kathy Lopez, an author from Prescott, Ariz., prefers the direct approach, saying it allows her to cut out the middleman for her airline tickets. That means the carrier contacts her when there’s a schedule change. She says working with an intermediary can result in miscommunication — and even a missed flight.

For hotels, she finds that she’s treated like royalty with a direct booking. “I get perks of a top-tier member in loyalty programs, even if I’m not a top-tier loyalty program member,” Lopez says.

But other travelers feel differently. Mark Beales, a retired mortgage banker from Mill Creek, Wash., booked directly for years. But he recently had a problem with a car rental company in Ireland, which made him see the appeal of a third party.

“They wanted me to pay in dollars at a terrible exchange rate,” he recalls. “Appeals to the corporate office went nowhere.”

Beales wonders what would have happened if he had worked with an online travel agency that may have been able to negotiate a better deal for him. Would he have saved himself a lot of trouble by booking through Expedia or Booking.com?

Online travel agencies are in growth mode after a pandemic pause. According to the Business Research Company , the global online travel market is projected to grow from about $461 billion to about $972 billion between 2020 and 2025.

J.D. Power’s latest analysis suggests that travelers who book a hotel directly get slightly better customer service, with an overall satisfaction score of 838 out of a possible 1,000 points vs. 821, according to the company. They also get more bang for their buck, with an 808 in their “value for money score” for direct booking, compared with 793 points.

“Year after year, our research shows that guests who book directly with a hotel chain have a better overall experience,” says Andrea Stokes, who heads J.D. Power’s hospitality practice. It’s a sentiment broadly shared across other industry sectors, such as airlines and car rentals.

So why does direct booking have a small edge in customer satisfaction? That’s a question more travelers will be asking in the weeks ahead, as they plan spring break trips and start to consider summer vacation plans. To find out, you have to understand the differences between a direct and an online agency booking, and how travel companies will try to entice you to skip the middleman.

The great airplane debate: Should you ever switch seats?

What is a direct booking?

A direct booking means you’re making arrangements without the help of a travel agent or third-party booking company. You’re reserving airline tickets, hotel rooms or rental cars by contacting the business directly, which could be online, through its mobile app or by phone.

A direct booking can be significantly faster, because you don’t have to rely on a third party to complete it. Travel companies claim a direct booking is safer, because you only share your credit card information and other details with one party.

What is an agency or online booking?

A third-party booking means you’re letting someone else make the reservation on your behalf.

You work with a travel agency, adviser or — most common these days — automated platform, such as Expedia or Booking.com, to reserve your flight, hotel room or rental car. In the context of comparing a direct booking to a third-party booking, most people are referring to an online platform.

You asked: Do I need an international license to drive abroad?

What are the benefits of a direct booking?

Travel companies may offer incentives for customers to buy directly from them, including lower prices, extra loyalty points, special offers and other perks.

For example, at the Carlton Tel Aviv Hotel , guests who book directly can also get a taxi ride to the airport at no extra charge, a $40 value. If your direct booking is for more than three nights, the hotel will sometimes throw in a complimentary 45-minute massage and a room upgrade. “By means of a direct booking, we can build and nurture a strong relationship,” says Adi Uzan, the hotel’s sales and marketing director.

Guests at the Eastern Slope Inn in New Hampshire who book their reservation on the hotel’s website have access to the best rooms in the house, says Megan Scheid, the resort’s vice president of hospitality. “They also have access to last-room availability,” Scheid says. “We shut off the online travel agencies long before we sell out.” The Eastern Slope also offers a 10 percent discount on future bookings if guests buy directly with the hotel.

CitizenM, a hotel chain that caters to young companies and knowledge workers, offers discounts and perks through its free and paid membership programs. Special events for members include networking sessions or presentations from experts, such as a talk that CitizenM Miami Brickell will host with venture capital investor Jason Calacanis on Jan. 25.

The best way to recover after a long travel day

It’s not just hotels. At Seattle Ballooning , owner Eliav Cohen says he can take better care of his customers, because he can see all the details in their reservations and has direct contact with them.

“If guests use a third-party site, they typically have to go through them to make any changes, since they have different rules,” he says. “The process takes much longer, there are long hold times, and often ends up with frustrated guests.”

Cohen says that, in 2023, he plans to stop working with online travel agencies and accept only direct bookings.

Lastly, booking directly may help support a small business.

“Travelers may not know that third-party sites take up to 40 percent commission,” says Leanne Turner, chief operating officer of the hotel consulting company Alo Index . “Big hotel brands have the leverage to negotiate this percentage down, but independent hotels struggle to balance the wide distribution of a third-party booking site with losing nearly half the room revenue to commission.”

What are the benefits of booking online?

Should you stop using third-party websites to book flights, hotels and rental cars? Not necessarily.

Travel companies may treat you better when you book directly — of course they will if they’re saving a 40 percent commission — but there’s also a bigger picture.

Online agencies are an essential part of the travel ecosystem, because they allow easy price comparisons across a range of businesses. Some may also have access to deals you won’t find by booking directly.

So if you’re looking for a beachfront hotel in Tel Aviv, it’ll show you the Carlton — and the Savoy and the Dan — and it will let you compare prices. Without an online agency, you’d have to go to each hotel’s website and run a search, which might test your patience.

Online agencies have also upped their game with improved security, ensuring that your data is safe.

But the most significant benefit may be that, if something goes wrong, you’ll have a third party to help you fix your problem. (At the same time, the agency controls your booking, which may create its own challenges.)

“One of the most enduring and universal principles of hospitality is that guests should always be treated exactly the same, regardless of how they booked or who they are,” says Tim Hentschel, CEO of HotelPlanner , an online agency that specializes in group hotel bookings. “Of course, some guests have more unique needs and requests than others, such as celebrities or elected officials with entourages. But generally speaking, hotels should treat all guests equally, regardless of how they booked their stay.”

Even Lopez, the author who prefers direct bookings, says she sometimes uses an online agency.

“When I book an international trip, I use Booking.com, because I don’t stay in chain hotels,” she says, “so sometimes I need the power of an intermediary if I have an issue.”

She says Booking.com has helped her negotiate refunds on bad hotel stays that she booked abroad. Had she made the booking directly, she says, the hotel would probably have just ignored her.

Because online travel agencies have millions of customers, they can negotiate discounts that ordinary travelers can’t find on their own. And they can create dynamic packages — airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals — that can save you lots of money.

Take the online agency out of the equation, and everyone must pay retail, which is not good for customers.

Bottom line: It’s best to mix and match

The best strategy is to keep an open mind about booking. Run a price comparison on your favorite online travel agency. Then check if your airline, hotel or car rental agency can offer you a better deal by booking directly.

More spring travel tips

Trends: Cheaper spring break | Cool all-inclusives | Let ChatGPT plan your day | Is it safe to go to Mexico? | Book a free night in Sicily

The basics: Tip without cash | Traveling with kids | Decide where to stay | A pre-trip checklist of house chores | How to get your passport | Plan a ski trip | Eat without feeling terrible | Budget for your next trip | Plan a cheaper Disney trip

Flying: Fly like a decent human being | How to set airfare price alerts | Flying with an injury | PreCheck vs. Global Entry vs. CLEAR | Can I fly with weed? | AirTag your luggage | Airport parking 101 | Deal with airport crowds | Why Stalk airfare after booking

Driving: 9 tips for road tripping with a baby | Try the Airbnb of rental cars | Rent an EV | Do I need an international license to drive abroad? | Avoid big rental car fees

Greener travel: Bike to the airport | How environmentalists travel | How to find ‘greener’ flights | Make your travel better for the planet

Pets: How to travel with pets | Why the pet fee? | Pet flying 101 | Alternatives to flying with your pet

In case of emergency: Manage airport disasters | Your flight is canceled | How to get a human on the phone | What to do if your car gets stuck | Find your lost luggage | How to get a refund for a canceled flight | Deal with a bad hotel room | When you’re bumped off your flight | If you get rebooked without your family | What are my rebooking rights? | Recover a lost item at TSA, the airport or your flight

FlyDirect - Direct Flights & Holidays from the Channel Islands

Check availability.

HOLIDAY PACKAGES

RETURN FLIGHT ONLY

ONE WAY FLIGHTS

Direct Holidays and Flights from Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man

FlyDirect, part of C. I. Travel Group Ltd , has been organising direct holidays and flights from the Channel Islands for over 40 years, in 2022 for the first time we expanded our services to include the Isle of Man. We understand our island clients and we deliver easy, comfortable and quick access to your favourite sunshine holiday destinations. Service is at our heart and we don't compromise on standards; we partner with respected airlines meaning your holiday starts from the minute you step on the plane as you sit back and relax in comfort on your direct flight.

Our Recommended Package Offers

Prices based on 2 people sharing, hotel estepona resort and spa.

Depart 18 May 2024 from only £749 pp

Eix Lagotel Holiday Resort

Alcudia & playa du muro.

Depart 22 Sep 2024 from only £789 pp

Aparthotel Myramar

Depart 06 Oct 2024 from only £789 pp

INNSiDE Calvia Beach

Magaluf / Calvia Beach

Depart 19 May 2024 from only £909 pp

Bahia Del Sol

Santa Ponsa

Depart 08 Jun 2024 from only £909 pp

Grupotel Maritimo

Depart 18 May 2024 from only £919 pp

Depart 08 Jun 2024 from only £939 pp

Sol Barbados

Depart 19 May 2024 from only £949 pp

Sol Tenerife

Playa de las Americas

Depart 26 Mar 2025 from only £959 pp

IPV Palace Hotel & Spa

Depart 05 Oct 2024 from only £959 pp

Depart 18 May 2024 from only £969 pp

Depart 19 May 2024 from only £969 pp

Best Hotel Siroco

Benalmadena

Depart 13 Oct 2024 from only £979 pp

Apartments Aguamar

Los Cristianos

Depart 07 Mar 2025 from only £979 pp

EIX Alcudia Hotel

Depart 08 Jun 2024 from only £999 pp

Alua Soul Ibiza

Playa Es Cana

Depart 08 Sep 2024 from only £1129 pp

Sol Arona Tenerife

Depart 20 Dec 2024 from only £1339 pp

News & Information

Flydirect from all islands to the algarve in 2024.

Find Out More

Majorca 2024 On Sale Now!

FlyDirect to Majorca from Jersey, Guernsey & the Isle of Man.

Summer 2024 programme On Sale Now!

Find out more

Extra Legroom Seats

Sit back and relax with extra legroom seats for £50 per person return.

FlyDirect from Jersey to Split and Zadar, Croatia this summer

Browse our destinations pages and get inspired to explore Captivating Croatia direct from Jersey this year.

Costa del Sol: 2024

Fly Direct to the Costa del Sol from Jersey and the Isle of Man.

Isle of Man & Jersey 2024 Programme ON SALE NOW!

Fly Direct from Jersey to the beautiful island of Ibiza.

FlyDirect from Jersey & Isle of Man to Lanzarote -New Route for 2024

We are delighted to be offering an exciting new destination for both our Jersey & Isle of Man clients. Browse our destinations pages and get inspired to explore Lanzarote this year.

FIND OUT MORE

Our customers rate us 4.7 out of 5 stars!

We listen to what our customers say and we would like you to hear their thoughts too. FlyDirect works closely with global ratings and review provider Feefo, which is based on first-hand experience and genuine customer feedback.

FlyDirect, is itself a Platinum Trusted Feefo member and we are committed to delivering the highest level of customer service and we ensure our partners work to the same standards, giving you the easiest and best travel experiences from start to finish.

Game changing way to holiday from Guernsey! Checked in the night before with bags, then straight through departures the following day.

FlyDirect to Ibiza. Hotel was in an excellent location, direct flight from Jersey was excellent, will use FlyDirect again!

Makes travelling pleasurable once again. An excellent example of a first class tour operator, flying direct to Majorca from the Isle of Man makes the holiday hassle free!

No stress Travel to Faro! Flying direct from Jersey is an absolute joy, everything ran smoothly without a hitch.

Featured Destinations & Resorts

Situated in the north east of the Island, Alcudia and Playa du Muro are twin resorts that offer everything for an enjoyable holiday. Sitting side by side along the same stretch of attractive coastline, it’s difficult to tell where one resort ends, and the next begins. Transfer time: 1 hour.

Marbella & Puerto Banus

Costa del sol.

One of the best known areas in Spain, Marbella and neighbouring Puerto Banus are famous for their glitz and glamour, and a well known playground for the rich and famous. Marbella is a cosmopolitan town filled with designer boutiques and chic restaurants, while Puerto Banus is home to a world-renowned marina attracting superyachts from around the world. Transfer time: 50 minutes.

Costa Adeje

Costa Adeje is a popular upmarket and family friendly resort, well known for its beachside restaurants and top quality 4 & 5 star resort hotels. Costa Adeje is also home to the world-famous Siam waterpark along with a number of other family entertainment options and attractions. Transfer time: 1 hour.

Ibiza Town, the islands bustling capital, split into 3 distinctive areas offers excellent shopping, world-class restaurants, vibrant night life, plenty of museums and historic landmarks. Transfer time: 15 minutes.

The Algarve

Located towards the western end of the Algarve you will find the resort town of Portimao. Once a prosperous fishing village it has gained in popularity amongst sun-seekers, culture-lovers and foodies in recent years. Transfer time: 60 minutes.

The bustling port town of Split has a fascinating history, natural beauty and exquisite cuisine. Transfer time: 30 minutes.

Puerto del Carmen

Enveloped by a dramatic mountain scape and boasting no less than 6kms of beaches, Puerto del Carmen is one of Lanzarote’s primary destinations for holidaymakers, and caters for all tastes.

Zadar is the historical center of the Dalmatia coast. It is both an atmospheric time machine and an open air museum with architecture and history that dates back over 3000 years.

Australia's Qantas to suspend Shanghai flights on low demand

• Medium Text

Sign up here.

Reporting by Aaditya Govind Rao in Bengaluru and Lisa Barrington in Seoul; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips, Gerry Doyle and Jamie Freed

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

Business Chevron

Honda moves to cut China workforce with voluntary layoffs

Honda Motor is scaling down its full-time production workforce in China, with roughly 1,700 employees having agreed to leave thus far, the Japanese automaker said on Wednesday, as its car sales in the world's biggest auto market decline.

News in Brief

Qantas' travel shake-up: China route dumped and new flights revealed

International flight numbers to and from china are down, leading to a route shake-up at australia's national flag carrier..

Despite dumping its direct Shanghai route, Qantas still flies to Hong Kong from Sydney and Melbourne, and it has partnerships with other airlines for onward travel within China. Source: AAP / Mark Baker

• Qantas apologises for technical issue with its app
• This is what your frequent flyer points are really worth
• Flights where you're most (and least) likely to have an empty seat next to you

Share this with family and friends

Recommended for you

Australians will get an 'effective pay rise': Here's how much to expect

We showed the treasurer messages from struggling Australians. This was his response

Labor MP breaks ranks with Anthony Albanese over Palestinian UN membership support

Federal Politics of Australia

Whistleblower David McBride sentenced to prison for nearly six years for leaking ADF files

Human Rights

Eurovision winner Nemo breaks trophy, thumb and says contest may need fixing too

I experienced first-hand the link between porn and violence. It was humiliating and scary

Domestic violence

Beware the 'reverse marketing' mortgage trick and other tips for a better deal

An Italian tourist was allegedly sexually assaulted in Cairns. The accused is 10-years-old

Sexual assault

Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from australia and around the world direct to your inbox..

Morning (Mon–Fri)

Afternoon (Mon–Fri)

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

SBS World News

Qantas scraps direct flights to Shanghai as Chinese tourists stay away

Qantas will stop its direct flights to mainland China following a lack of demand, as the Chinese tourists who previously shored up Australia’s travel industry continue to stay away.

The airline confirmed on Tuesday it will suspend all flights from Sydney to Shanghai – the only route to Australia’s biggest trade partner relaunched after the COVID-19 pandemic grounded global aviation – at the end of July, citing a lack of demand between Australia and China.

The number of passengers on flights between China and Australia remains down by about 30 per cent, despite overall flight capacity still tracking 20 per cent lower than it was before the pandemic.

The boss of Qantas international, Cam Wallace, said the airline’s Airbus A330s were often flying half full on that route.

“We’re always looking to ensure that we have the right aircraft, on the right routes and at the right time of year to best meet the needs of our customers,” Wallace said.

“We’ll continue to maintain a presence in China through our partners and our existing flights to Hong Kong and look to return to Shanghai in the future.”

The last direct flight from Sydney to Shanghai will take off on July 28 and will be replaced by a new direct service between Brisbane and Manila, which will take off four times each week. Those with flights booked between Sydney and Shanghai after July 28 will be entitled to a full refund.

The airline is also planning to increase the number of flights between Sydney and Brisbane to Singapore and Sydney to Bengaluru in India over peak holiday periods.

Since its borders reopened, the Chinese government has incentivised citizens to inject money into the domestic economy by travelling within China through policy initiatives such as launching duty-free shopping on the tourist island of Hainan.

Meanwhile, the lack of Chinese tourists has caused havoc for Australia’s tourism and hospitality industries, which were banking on a stronger bounceback.

The country’s casinos and other entertainment precincts have struggled since their doors reopened without the steady drum of Chinese tourists bumping up their bottom line.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed the number of Chinese visitors in March was 58,240m – less than half the 124,370 who travelled over the same month in 2019.

The lack of Chinese tourists is expected to drain up to $130 billion from the international tourism industry this year, with outbound airline capacity still about 30 per cent lower than it was before COVID-19.

Chinese tourists spend more than any other nation in the world. In 2019, Chinese travellers made 170 million international trips according to data from the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute.

Across those trips they spent $248 billion and made up almost 15 per cent of the world’s foreign travel spending, as revealed by World Travel and Tourism Council data. But despite significantly less airline capacity between China and the rest of the world, analysts still expect it to regain its title as the biggest source of international tourism.

The World Travel and Tourism Council expects China’s outbound travel spending to increase to more than 20 per cent above pre-COVID-19 levels by 2025 and double by 2033.

The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning .

Silk pajamas, spanking and questions about STDs: Stormy Daniels details sexual encounter with Trump

Adult film actor Stormy Daniels took the witness stand at Donald Trump 's New York criminal trial Tuesday, testifying under oath about the sexual encounter she says she had with him in 2006 and the $130,000 deal for her silence that was struck during the closing days of the 2016 presidential campaign.

In a remarkable day of testimony with the former president sitting roughly 10 feet away from her, Daniels recounted the tryst in detail. She also talked about Trump's supposed efforts to get her on his TV show and her decision to come forward with her story, as well as the payoff and the fallout from doing so.

During cross-examination, which at times became heated, Daniels tangled with one of Trump’s attorneys, Susan Necheles, who accused her of making up a series of false claims to "extort" Trump, then a presidential candidate.

Trump’s lawyers also argued that some of Daniels’ account of the 2006 encounter “was unduly and inappropriately prejudicial.” They then requested a mistrial.

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche told the judge that Daniels’ unfair claims included her testimony that Trump didn’t use a condom and that she thinks she “blacked out” for a part of it.

“There’s no way to unring the bell, in our view,” Blanche said during a dramatic exchange with prosecutors.

Judge Juan Merchan shot down the mistrial motion but acknowledged that "there were things that would have been better left unsaid,” adding that he would strike some of Daniels' testimony from the record.

Court isn’t in session Wednesday. Cross-examination of Daniels will resume Thursday morning.

Trump is headed to Florida on Tuesday evening, with plans to spend Wednesday at Mar-a-Lago, campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Daniels testified that she first met Trump at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, in July 2006. Describing their first meeting as a "very brief encounter" on a golf course, Daniels said she was 27 and remembered Trump being as old as her father — around 60.

The jury — which appeared focused intently on Daniels and her testimony — was shown a picture of them together from that trip.

Daniels said that they later ran into each other at the club and that a man she later learned was Trump's bodyguard told her Trump wanted to have dinner with her. She said she replied, "No, with an expletive in front."

She did, however, get the bodyguard's number, and she said that later that day her publicist convinced her she should accept the invitation, telling her: “It’ll make a great story. He’s a business guy. Like, what could possibly go wrong?”

She said she went up to Trump's penthouse hotel suite and was told they'd be going to dinner at one of the restaurants downstairs. When she entered the room, which she described as "three times the size of my apartment," he was wearing "silk or satin" pajamas, she said. She said she quipped, “Does Hugh Hefner know you stole his pajamas?” and asked him to change, which he did.

They then sat at a dining table in the suite, where, she said, Trump asked her numerous questions about her adult film writing and directing. He then asked her about sexually transmitted diseases, and she said she was tested constantly and "I've never had a bad test."

She said that she grew frustrated with him because he kept cutting off her answers and that when he pulled out a magazine with him on the cover, she said, "Someone should spank you with that." She said she then rolled it up and "swatted" him with it. While jurors mostly appeared poker-faced through her testimony, one began rubbing her face and appeared to be holding back laughter.

After that, she said, Trump was "much more polite" and suggested she should come on his TV show, "The Apprentice." Daniels testified that "he said, 'You remind me of my daughter,'" and that appearing on the show would demonstrate she shouldn't be underestimated.

In all, they chatted for about two hours, Daniels said. She said that she went to the bathroom and that when she walked out, Trump was lying on the bed "in boxer shorts and T-shirt." She said she was "startled, like a jump scare. Wasn’t expecting someone to be there, especially minus a lot of clothing.”

She said Trump told her, "I thought you were serious about what you wanted." She said she felt "there was an imbalance of power, for sure. He was bigger and blocking the way, but I was not threatened either verbally or physically.” Asked in court whether she ended up having sex with him on the bed, she said, "Yes."

She described the sex as brief and said Trump told her “it was great. Let’s get together again, honey bunch.” She said he hadn’t used a condom and hadn't expressed any concern about his wife’s finding out what had happened. She said he also didn’t give her his phone number.

Trump's bodyguard reached out to her the next day to invite her to meet Trump at a bar in her hotel, she said. When she got there, she said, he was with then-Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Trump left about 10 minutes later but continued to call her well after the encounter, she said, "with an update — or a non-update if he didn’t have one — for ‘Apprentice.’”

"He always called me honey bunch," she said.

She said they saw each other again in January 2007, when he invited her to the launch of his Trump vodka brand. While she was there, she said, he introduced her to his friend "Karen," who she later learned was Karen McDougal , a former Playboy model who said she was having a monthslong affair with Trump during that period. Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified earlier in the trial that he paid McDougal $150,000 to keep her quiet about the claim during the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has denied both Daniels' and McDougal's claims.

Daniels said Trump also invited her to Trump Tower around that time and assured her, "I'm still working on the ‘Apprentice’ thing."

She said they last saw each other in the summer of 2007, when he invited her to see him at a bungalow he was staying at in Los Angeles. She said that he "kept trying to make sexual advances" but that she shot him down. "I told him I was on my period," she said. He said he later called her and told her he hadn't been able to get her on his show.

Payments made to Daniels by Trump's then-lawyer Michael Cohen at the end of the 2016 campaign are at the heart of the case, the first criminal trial of a former president. Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 in return for her keeping quiet about her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump.

Daniels said Tuesday that Gina Rodriguez, her manager, spoke to her about going public with her story for money in 2015 after Trump announced he was running for president. Rodriguez didn’t have much success shopping the story until after the release in October 2016 of the "Access Hollywood" tape, in which Trump was recorded in 2005 bragging that he could grope women without their consent.

She said that Rodriguez then told her that Trump and Cohen were "interested in paying" for the story and that she agreed, because it meant the story — which her husband didn’t know about — wouldn’t become public. "I didn't care about the amounts. It was just, 'Get it done,'" she said.

Prosecutors say Trump reimbursed Cohen the money in payments that were falsely described as legal expenses. They have charged him with 34 counts of falsifying business records. Trump has pleaded not guilty.

Daniels' deal with Cohen was revealed in a January 2018 story in The Wall Street Journal. Asked about the impact the story had on her life, Daniels said, "Chaos."

“My husband asking questions, my friends asking questions,” she said, with people showing up on her front lawn.

She said that Cohen started to talk about her allegations publicly but that she couldn’t because of the NDA and the $1 million penalty it included if she violated it. She said she later hired lawyer Michael Avenatti "so that I could stand up for myself."

He helped her get out of the NDA but also filed an unsuccessful defamation suit against Trump on her behalf and against her wishes, she said. Daniels lost the case and was ordered to pay Trump's legal fees . She eventually fired Avenatti, who was convicted of several crimes, including stealing from Daniels .

Daniels had vowed on Twitter, now X, never to pay the legal fees, which she acknowledged on cross-examination totaled over $660,000.

"You said, 'I will go to jail before I pay a penny'?" Necheles asked Daniels. "Correct," she responded.

Daniels also acknowledged that she hates Trump and has called him mean names online, including having referred to him as an "orange turd," but she said Trump, who has repeatedly referred to her as "horseface," made fun of her first.

Necheles also pressed Daniels about earlier accounts of her story. Daniels testified she agreed to do an interview with In Touch magazine in 2011 after it told her it was writing about the alleged encounter with Trump. Daniels said that it had agreed to pay her $15,000 for the interview but that the deal was scrapped after Cohen got the story killed. She said she was threatened weeks later by a man in a Las Vegas parking lot who told her to "leave Trump alone."

Necheles repeatedly suggested the parking lot incident was made up, which Daniels disputed. Daniels said that she was frightened by the encounter and that she stayed quiet until Trump declared his candidacy for president, at which point she gave her manager the green light to shop her story around.

“You weren’t really scared, were you?” Necheles said.

“I was terrified, but the ballgame changed,” Daniels replied, implying that by telling her story when Trump was a candidate, she felt she could ensure her safety.

“You were looking to extort money from President Trump, right?” Necheles said.

“False,” Daniels replied.

Before Daniels first took the stand, Merchan told prosecutors she could testify that she and Trump had sexual relations but that she should leave details out. Once she was on the stand, Daniels often elaborated on her claims without being asked, and Merchan repeatedly told her just to answer the questions that were posed to her.

When Blanche made his mistrial motion, Merchan also faulted the lawyers for not having spoken up during her testimony, saying he was surprised there weren't more objections.

"I think that I signaled to you and to the prosecution that we were going into way too much detail,” Merchan said.

Trump, whom Merchan has fined for repeatedly violating a gag order by attacking Daniels and Cohen, took to his social media platform before Tuesday's court proceedings to complain he had "just recently been told who the witness is today."

“This is unprecedented, no time for lawyers to prepare. No Judge has ever run a trial in such a biased and partisan way,” he wrote in a post that was taken down a short time later.

The Truth Social post went up shortly before The Associated Press first reported that Daniels was expected to testify. It's unclear when Trump and his lawyers were told she'd be testifying — prosecutors have typically not been telling them who would take the stand until the day before, citing Trump's record of witness commentary.

That Daniels would testify wasn’t a surprise, however. Trump’s legal team had argued unsuccessfully that she should be barred from taking the stand, a request Merchan rejected before the trial started. Cohen is also expected to testify.

Before Daniels, prosecutors called a longtime publishing executive to authenticate and read excerpts from some of Trump’s books.

Sally Franklin, an executive at Penguin Random House, read one from "Trump: Think Like a Billionaire" that talked about how closely Trump tracks his money — which prosecutors are likely to use to show he was well aware of what he was paying Cohen back for.

"I always sign my checks so I know where my money is going,” he said in the excerpt.

Adam Reiss is a reporter and producer for NBC and MSNBC.

Gary Grumbach produces and reports for NBC News, based in Washington, D.C.

Jillian Frankel is a 2024 NBC News campaign embed.

Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News.