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Is CheapOair legit?

Big, real US flight agency with low headline fares; plan on agency cancellation fees, paid seat add-ons and long phone queues if anything changes.

Booking siteSince 2002Owned by Fareportal (also runs OneTravel and Travelong)cheapoair.comChecked October 16, 2026 by Nurullah GökdoğanHow we check
1 · Is it a real company that delivers?
Yes, it’s legit

CheapOair is a long-running US online travel agency run by Fareportal and issues real airline tickets. Complaints focus on its own cancellation and service fees stacked on airline penalties, non-refundable add-ons, and slow refunds when plans change.

2 · Will you pay what you were quoted?
Often not

Headline fares are low, but 2026 reviewers report seat charges on fares labelled 'seat included', a $5.95 boarding pass fee, and paid cancellation support. CheapOair's own replies confirm a booking-service fee and a cancellation fee in its terms.

How fair is CheapOair?

Five checks, 1–5 each. 3 is average for booking sites.

Price honestyIs the price shown the price you pay?Headline fares are low, but 2026 reviewers report seat charges on fares labelled 'seat included', a $5.95 boarding pass fee, and paid cancellation support. CheapOair's own replies confirm a booking-service fee and a cancellation fee in its terms.Sources:consumeraffairs.comconsumeraffairs.com
2/5
Claims and refundsDo refunds and cancellations come through?Agency cancellation fees (reviewers report $50 to $100+) are added on top of airline penalties, and the 24-hour free cancellation is reported as not free. In 2020 a customer was offered a refund minus a $160 airline penalty per ticket and $125 in agency fees.Sources:consumeraffairs.comconsumeraffairs.com6abc.com
2/5
Pick-up and deliveryDoes the hotel or airline honour the booking?Tickets are real and generally honoured by airlines. Reviewers occasionally report seats shown as available that could not be booked, and schedule-change notices that did not match the airline.Sources:consumeraffairs.com
3/5
Fine printChange, cancel and payment termsSeat selections are reported as non-changeable and non-refundable, and reviewers say the website gives no way to cancel trips yourself, so changes go through paid phone support.Sources:consumeraffairs.compilotplans.com
2/5
SupportCan you reach a person, and do disputes end well?Reviewers report long holds and transfers, but agents sometimes reduce or waive fees on a second call. CheapOair answers BBB complaints (it is accredited) and replies to reviews.Sources:consumeraffairs.com6abc.com
3/5

Fees to expect

Agency cancellation feeExact amount not confirmed from CheapOair's terms; one $100 fee was cut to $50 after a complaint.Source:consumeraffairs.com
Reviewers report $50 to about $100 per booking, on top of airline penalties
Agency fees on a refund (2020 case)From CheapOair's own account of one 2020 cancellation.Source:6abc.com
$125 in agency fees plus a $160 per ticket airline penalty
Boarding pass fee2026 reviewer report; not verified in terms.Source:consumeraffairs.com
$5.95 (reported by a reviewer)
Car rental cancellation fee2026 reviewer report.Source:consumeraffairs.com
$15 (reported; reduced to $5 after complaint)
Seat selectionReported as non-changeable and non-refundable.Source:consumeraffairs.com
Reviewers report $17.95 to about $160

How a booking works

Who you pay
You pay CheapOair (Fareportal), which issues the airline ticket; add-ons such as seats and insurance are sold separately.
All-in pricing
Fare shown with taxes, but booking-service fees, seat add-ons and post-booking service charges can raise the total; check the final payment screen.
Refunds
Refunds follow the airline's fare rules, minus CheapOair's own cancellation fee. 2026 reviewers report the 24-hour cancellation window is not always free.

Common problems, and how to avoid them

1
Agency cancellation fee on top of airline rulesCommonAvoid it: Within 24 hours of booking, cancel directly with the airline where possible, and ask for the fee to be waived if CheapOair charges one.Source:consumeraffairs.com
2
Paid seats or extras you thought were includedSometimesAvoid it: Untick add-ons at checkout and choose seats in the airline's own app after booking.Source:consumeraffairs.com
3
Long phone holds for changesCommonAvoid it: Keep your booking number ready, ask for any fee to be waived, and escalate in writing (CheapOair asks reviewers to email feedback@cheapoair.com).Source:consumeraffairs.com

What customers say

“Their 24 hour free cancellation is not free.”
Octavio, Orem, UT · ConsumerAffairs · 2026
“I was told the seat selection was non-changeable and non-refundable”
Mary · ConsumerAffairs · 2026
“I was advised that to cancel the trip I was going to be charged cancelation fee of $100 USD.”
Barb · ConsumerAffairs · 2026

Short excerpts from public reviews, chosen because they describe the patterns above. They are examples, not a sample.

Alternatives worth comparing

Kiwi.com

Real agency that stitches separate tickets into cheap self-transfer routes; the savings are real, but so is the risk, and refunds often default to Kiwi credit.

#7 of 13 · 44/100Budget Air (BudgetAir.com)

Dutch-run flight agency that issues real tickets, but its own $50 to $100 per person change and cancel fees and slow refunds make it a poor choice if plans may move.

#11 of 13 · 39/100

Questions people ask about CheapOair

Is CheapOair legit?

Yes. It is a long-running US travel agency owned by Fareportal that issues real airline tickets. Most complaints are about fees when you cancel or change, not about fake bookings.

Does CheapOair charge a cancellation fee?

Yes. Its terms include a booking-service fee and a cancellation fee. Reviewers report $50 to about $100 on top of whatever the airline charges, and some say the 24-hour cancellation was not free.

Sources

Last checked October 16, 2026. Fees and policies change, so confirm on cheapoair.com before you book. Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we’ll fix it in the open. We are not affiliated with CheapOair and earn nothing from it.