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Things You Should Know Before Booking Cheap Flights on Kiwi.com

May 2, 2021 by Silvia 61 Comments

Step aside, Skyscanner, there’s a new kid on the block and she works harder than you do: Kiwi.com .

Have  you used it yet?

If you don’t know about it, Kiwi.com is the newly popular flight booker that everyone has been talking about lately, as it’s taken the flexibility of search engines like Skyscanner but added a bunch of incredibly useful features to find even better prices and routes.

In fact Kiwi recently found me a route to Morocco that was $120 cheaper than what I had found on Skyscanner or Momondo. I most recently used Kiwi to book a flight from Johannesburg to Pemba in Mozambique in August (2019) and it worked great.

There are, however, some things you should know about using Kiwi to book flights if you want to get the most out of the site and not run into any difficulties later on.

And no, this post isn’t sponsored by Kiwi – I’m just a little obsessed with it at the moment!

First though, here are the things I love about Kiwi (and why I think it’s become so popular):

Kiwi searches for the cheapest route, regardless of codeshares

And this is what makes Kiwi so awesome. While other flight search engines will try to get you booked through your entire route on either the same airline or airlines with codeshares, Kiwi will look at all of the cheapest possibilities, even if it means putting you on two totally separate flights (where you have to check in again during your layover) or sending you to a random airport totally off route.

While this isn’t ideal for people looking for the fastest and easiest way to get somewhere, it’s perfect for people looking for the absolute cheapest option.

In fact, this is what I used to spend hours doing myself – often I’d end up booking a flight from Oslo to London, and then London to wherever I was actually going, as it tended to be much cheaper.

So basically Kiwi does flight hacking for you. It’s a HUGE timesaver.

They offer a flight guarantee for unprotected flight routes

The obvious downside of booking a bunch of separate flights somewhere is that if your first flight is delayed and you miss a connection, you won’t automatically be put on the next available flight, but will instead have to pay for a brand new one.

Luckily this has never happened to me, but I’ve had a few close calls that seriously stressed me out!

But Kiwi actually offers a guarantee that covers cases of flight delays, cancellations, and schedule changes.

If your flight is suddenly canceled or there wasn’t enough time to make your connection, Kiwi will put you on a new flight for free. The only condition is that if the new flight is more than twice the cost of the original you will have to pay for any amount over 2x the original price.

Plus, if your flight is delayed for over 4 hours you’ll get a $10 food voucher, if you need to switch airports they’ll cover your transport, and if the delay is more than 8 hours overnight they’ll cover your accommodation (up to $50, and you must show them your receipt).

You do have to reach out to Kiwi directly as soon as something happens with your flight – there are stories of people missing out on the guarantee because they didn’t actually contact Kiwi but tried to sort their flights out at the airport independently. I asked a representative about this and she stressed that you MUST contact Kiwi before booking yourself on any new flights if you want Kiwi to cover them.

And just so you know, two of my friends separately had to use Kiwi’s guarantee and had no problems – they said Kiwi responded quickly and got them each on new flights for free. Again though, it’s important to contact Kiwi to book the flights, as they will not reimburse you for flights you book on your own. 

You can read the guarantee here , and email them with any further questions (I emailed them before writing this post and they were super responsive).

While this guarantee isn’t perfect, as there’s a possibility you’ll have to pay a bit extra for your new flight or part of your accommodation, it’s a far better option than booking separate flights yourself and having no guarantee at all.

I think of Kiwi as an upgrade from flight hacking where you’re putting together the flights yourself – it does the same thing for you (in less time) while also giving you a good degree of insurance should things go wrong.

However, do note that this is still less safe than flying on connected routes, where you’ll automatically be put on a new flight by the airline. If money isn’t an issue then I would book directly with airlines instead of using Kiwi, as it can be a bit of a gamble.

Kiwi flight refund

And if your travel plans change and you need a flight refund from Kiwi.com, you can find the Kiwi cancellation policy here .

You can search flights from and to regions, instead of specific cities

While a lot of other flight search engines offer this to a degree, Kiwi has the most flexibility I’ve seen.

Like, come to think of it, maybe  this feature is the coolest thing about Kiwi.

First, you can search flights to or from “anywhere” if you want the ultimate flexibility. So you can find the cheapest flight from your departure point, or even the cheapest departure point for your destination.

Even cooler though, if you click on any area of the map on the Kiwi.com homepage , a circle will appear and you can drag it to whatever region you want and adjust its size to determine where you would like your flight to depart from. And then you can either type in a specific destination (or destinations), or you can click the map again and draw a circle around the region you would like to fly to.

This is super helpful if you’re planning a longer trip in two different regions and don’t really care which specific city or even country you fly to or from. But it’s also convenient if you have a few different nearby airports in different cities that you’d like to search for all at the same time.

So like, when looking up where to go in May, Dan and I drew a circle around southern Norway for our departure (as there are a few different airports near us) and then a circle around all of southern Europe, since we want to go somewhere warm.

Then we just zoomed in on the map and could see all the different city options with the price next to them. Super easy!

And then we drew a circle around Japan, you know, just in case it was magically super cheap (it wasn’t).

You can search multiple destinations at once

Before I switched over to Kiwi I almost always used Skyscanner to search for flights (since it also includes budget airlines), and something that would drive me crazy was having to do separate searches if I wanted to change my departure or destination city.

Well, if you want to be more specific than circular regions, Kiwi lets you search a bunch of different departure cities and/or countries as well as a bunch of different destinations, all at the same time. Again, huge time saver!

You can search for flights over no specific dates, a set range of dates, and a specific duration

If your schedule is flexible, Kiwi also lets you search for flights “anytime” or over a set range of dates. You can also specify how long you would like your total trip to be, so if you know you want to take a holiday for about 10-14 days sometime over the summer, you can search for flights in a date range of June to August, and then select your “Time of stay” to be 10 to 14 nights.

This way you can figure out not only where your cheapest holiday option is, but also when and for how long.

You can use Kiwi.com’s “nomad” tool to book the cheapest possible multi-city trip

I still can’t get over how cool this is. With the nomad tool you can enter all the cities you’d like to visit along with how long you’d like to stay in each city, and Kiwi.com will work out the cheapest possible option. So you don’t need to keep checking different dates or changing up the order of your trip, because Kiwi.com will tell you which order to book it for the cheapest possible flights.

This tool is especially helpful if you’re going on a longer trip to a bunch of cities, like backpacking through Europe or visiting a bunch of places across the US, for example.

Things you should know about booking with Kiwi.com

Okay, so I covered all the things I love about using Kiwi, but there are also a few important things you should know before booking your flights through Kiwi.com.

Adding extra baggage after booking your flight can be more expensive than direct with the airline

This one is kind of annoying, though if you’re lucky it could actually work in your favor.

If you realize after making your booking that you want to add extra checked luggage, you have to do so through Kiwi, not directly with the airline.

And because Kiwi deals with so many different airlines, instead of charging exactly what each airline charges for extra luggage, they have their own set price list. This is an average of the luggage costs for different airlines, so while in some cases Kiwi might charge you less than the airline does, in other cases you might end up paying more (though of course it will still be less than you would have to pay at the airport).

It’s something to be aware of when booking your flight.

When flying unprotected routes you might need to go through customs – and may need a visa!

Since part of the genius of Kiwi is finding unrelated flight routes to get you to your destination, you might have to go through customs and check in again during a layover.

I had to do this on my 5-hour layover in Paris during my flight from Morocco to Oslo. And on my way from Oslo to Morocco I actually spent a night in Lisbon, essentially having a free day in Lisbon thanks to the money I saved by flying two separate routes.

Your Kiwi ticket will clearly state if you have to collect your luggage and check in again during a layover. And this is really important: check to see if you need a visa for whatever country you’ll be going through customs in! Even if it’s not your final destination, there are some cases where they won’t let you through to check in to your next flight if you don’t have a visa.

So, if I had needed a visa to enter France or Portugal, I wouldn’t have been able to go through customs and check in for my next flight.

This doesn’t happen often, but I have heard complaints about Kiwi regarding this, from people who didn’t realize that they would need to go through customs during their layover. While a lot of places do offer special transit visas, I usually try not to have a layover anywhere I’d need a visa, just to avoid any potential hassle.

You’ll end up making way too many travel plans

All the flexibility Kiwi offers in searching for flights can be a little dangerous – at least if you’re like me and want to travel everywhere. When Dan and I were looking at flights this morning I found all sorts of other places I wanted to visit that I hadn’t realized where so cheap!

I mean, there are many worse problems to have.

Have you booked through Kiwi.com yet? Any tips to add?

Since I love using Kiwi to book my flights I just joined their affiliate program, which means I’ll make a small commission if you book a flight through them. Most flight search engines have similar programs, but I only joined Kiwi’s because I like it the most!

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Annika says

April 14, 2017 at 7:48 pm

I’d never heard of this before and I’m already in love! I’m sharing your post on a few facebook groups of solo travellers, I’m sure they’ll be interested too 🙂

Silvia says

April 17, 2017 at 10:10 pm

Awesome, so happy you found it useful!

April 15, 2017 at 11:56 am

Haha – I must say this wasn’t the first Kiwi brand that came to mind when you wrote Kiwi, as a (former) Norwegian supermarket employee! Seriously though, this sounds like a great resource, and one that even people who don’t need to hunt for the very cheapest flights may want to use, as it comes with so many smart options!

Haha when I first told Dan about the site he typed in “Kiwi” and the supermarket came up! So funny.

Jennifer says

April 17, 2017 at 12:16 pm

I’ve never heard of this before. I always just checked Skyscanner as well. It sounds interesting though, and I will have to check it out the next time I plan some imaginary trips. Thanks!

April 17, 2017 at 9:54 pm

Haha so I’m not the only planning imaginary trips then!

April 24, 2017 at 12:40 am

I love using Kiwi! I just recently found out about them. I haven’t yet taken a flight through the service, but from my browsing so far, they have been cheaper than Skyscanner in some instances.

Thanks for writing up the guide!

May 1, 2017 at 11:08 am

Yeah, you always have to shop around a bit!

Michaela says

May 2, 2017 at 2:58 pm

Actually, I first used kiwi to book a flight to Norway. I love how cheap it is and I also know a few people working there, so they told me about how it works. The disadvantage is that it’s mostly for days not compatible with work hours.

May 5, 2017 at 4:50 pm

How funny! But yeah, it’s not always the most convenient, but at least they find cheap routes.

January 20, 2019 at 4:05 pm

Hey sylvia, just wondering if kiwi would works for family tarvelling?thank you..tanya

C Cook says

January 19, 2019 at 8:11 am

Is it difficult to check in at the airport of each airline?

Denise says

July 25, 2017 at 9:03 pm

Don’t even think of cancelling a flight. You’re not cancelling with the airline and able to use whatever remains on a rescheduled trip. You’re cancelling with them and in 30-ish days they’ll let you know what/if any balance you have left after regular cancellation costs and their fees.

I’ll only use them for research from now on. 🙁

Lynn Kvamme says

August 23, 2017 at 11:22 pm

Okay, I just booked my first domestic flight in the US with Kiwi and the hubby just booked his flight to Norway. His name is Jon Erik and is Norwegian, do you know him (bahahaha, just kidding).

Anyway, we work with plant based natural healthcare there so he travels to Norway a lot. 1000 thanks for your awesome article and for saving us some serious cash!

I would love to send you some free samples to try if you want. You are going to fall in loooove!

Smiles, Lynn

August 31, 2017 at 11:14 am

Oh that’s so exciting, I’m glad you found good deals!

September 8, 2017 at 11:10 pm

HI, Thanks! I just bought a non stop ticket from LA to Stockholm for $307! So affordable!!!

Fiorella says

October 3, 2017 at 2:52 am

Thank you for the info. I just booked a flight within europe via Kiwi.com. One thing that I find a little odd is that they ask for my passport number and expiration date to check me in. Have you also been requested this info before? Can one check-in directly with the airline rather than via Kiwi?

Thank you in advance!

October 3, 2017 at 4:20 pm

I think you can check in directly – I guess try and see what happens? I know you can check in directly at the airport for sure, as that’s what I’ve done.

February 10, 2018 at 6:43 pm

The reason why they are asking for passport number is bec,kiwi.com wants to do auto check in for you esp if u have check in baggage.that is less hazzle for you.It is still the passenger’s choice if they want to take advantage of the auto check in,or do manual check in at the airport.

LisaMarie says

January 16, 2019 at 10:32 pm

I fly a few times a year to Europe and find that many airlines are asking for passport numbers and expiration dates.

cheap airline tickets says

November 4, 2017 at 1:25 pm

Thanks for sharing this article. Your article helps me a lot. Keep Sharing. Nice Work!

November 20, 2017 at 11:28 am

The booking itself is easy, but just pray that you face no issues.

When flying from Brazil to Europe the airline demanded extra payment in cash, otherwise I wouldn’t be let on the plane. No mention of it anywhere on the ticket. Normal tickets have all the taxes and costs included.

I also wanted to get a refund for one of the legs I had with them. It’s been now over 30 days and haven’t heard a word since.

So I just hope you have better experience than I did. For me this was the last booking with kiwi.com

trubac says

November 22, 2017 at 2:59 pm

I was glad when first I found Kiwi.com, now not so much, either they changed or something going on that doesn’t show most of the flights. In the last couple of months lots of airlines are missing from the searches, and more dates I’m adding, the less flights are finding, if I choose for example New York – Bucharest, round-trip leaving anytime – returning anytime, the search is coming up only with low cost airlines, like Norwegian Air and Ryan Air, if I filter those two off, no flights at all!?! So, I’m very disappointed about this website.

Lindsey says

November 26, 2017 at 2:48 pm

I would strongly advise you NOT to ever book a flight with Kiwi. I used them for the first time to book a flight (for today!). I was a little wary because I hand’t heard of them, but I was looking for the lowest price option on a flight I was taking on short notice, and they came up in my results on Kayak so I thought it would be ok. It is not ok.

When they made my bookings on their end with the airline, they put my husband’s name in as “Mr. [My Name] Jr.” instead of his name, even though I had put his name down as the 2nd passenger (because I’m not an idiot). He doesn’t even have a Jr. at the end of his name so I have no idea where they came up with this.

Anyway, I contacted Kiwi a couple weeks ago to have my husband’s name changed on the tickets. (We just booked these flights 3 weeks ago.) They emailed me after a couple days to say they had gotten his name changed with one airline, but hadn’t been able to do it with the second airline yet. They said they would let me know when they had done so. Earlier this week I replied to their email to ask about the status, and they said I needed to send them a scanned copy of my husband’s passport for the airline to process the change. I replied that this seemed unnecessary since it’s a domestic flight, and why couldn’t they just change it. They wouldn’t budge. I tried calling the airline directly, but they couldn’t do it because it was a third party booking. So two days ago I sent them a picture of my husband’s passport. Yesterday I hadn’t heard anything so I called them, and they hadn’t sent the info to the airline yet. The agent I spoke with said he would do so right away, and I would hear back in 2-4 hours. That didn’t happen, so I hopped on live chat last night. All they could tell me was there was no update and they would email me when there was. They also tried to ask me for MY passport information, but I told them I don’t have a current passport, there was zero reason for them to need it because this is a domestic flight, and at this point I’m pretty sure they’re scammers and I will come after them in every way possible if anything goes wrong related to this.

As of this morning I still haven’t heard from them, and we have to leave for the airport in an hour, so it looks like we’ll be spending our long layover in Vegas hanging out in the airport instead of exploring the Strip as was our plan, because we can’t risk him leaving the terminal and having to go back through security with a boarding pass that doesn’t match the name on his ID.

Tl;dr: The people behind Kiwi are clearly incompetent and not knowledgeable about how travel actually works, and the customer service is horrible if you need it. I might use them again for research in the future, but I will always book the flights I find on there directly with the airlines instead of on Kiwi.

December 5, 2017 at 7:40 am

STAY AWAY FROM KIWI

In a few words: I had the worst booking experience, had to deal with a very bad customer support. If you are unlucky and a problem comes up you will NEVER EVER find a solution.

Even if my reservation was immediately cancelled, I got my refund after 40 days instead of 10 days as they promised.

I made a review at trustpilot and when they saw it, they sent me 50 euro voucher for the problems they caused me. After a couple of days they kindly asked me to erase the review. This is the reason they have 4 stars and not 2 which is what they should deserve. Of course i didnt erase neither used their voucher.

Alyson Sliman says

July 28, 2018 at 6:22 pm

I agree!! They have been absolutely TERRIBLE to work with. We had an issue with our tickets ( we bought 3 plane tickets for 3 different people) they were not able to help us AT ALL. We ended up having to buy and additional 3 more plane tickets becasue they would not resolve the initial issue. Truly unbelievable . I will NEVER book through them again and I urge everyone to really think before booking with them.

December 14, 2017 at 2:57 pm

I found some really good deals . Thanks

February 4, 2018 at 5:05 pm

Silvia, and what about their guarantee? Is it free of charge or you should pay some fee to use this feature?

February 4, 2018 at 9:40 pm

It’s included in every ticket from them.

February 16, 2018 at 4:36 am

Silvia, This was really helpful. I just bought a flight through Kiwi for a Norwegian airlines flight. If I add a checked in baggage or buy seat selection directly with Norwegian will Kiwi know about that? Could it make the guarantee void?

Prithvi says

March 6, 2018 at 2:06 am

The way you view Kiwi as a trip hacking tool is the key insight required for anyone who uses Kiwi.

Kiwi does a job that you did yourself (I do the same thing) and this is a super cool thing to do as long as we can do a little bit of brain work.

That said, if I had not read all these negative posts about Kiwi, I would never have seen the fact that it requires you to get off and re check in, this is the key point that everyone misses when they use Kiwi and most people obviously do not know this.

This makes things extremely painful when they are absolutely shocked in the airport when they are enjoying their trip.

Kiwi needs to make this post required reading for anyone using Kiwi.

May 4, 2018 at 12:54 am

Hi, thanks for the comment. Do you mean that you had to re-check in during your collecting flight?

Mariah Gauthier says

March 25, 2018 at 5:38 pm

I used kiwi to book a flight to Paris and then back to New York. On the second leg (from Paris to New York) it says “must have visa”

Do you think I need a visa even though I am a U.S. citizen??

March 26, 2018 at 5:25 pm

Then you should be fine – it just means that they won’t let you board unless you can validly enter the country (so if you need a visa to enter, then you must have one).

the Fat Gooch says

April 5, 2018 at 5:06 am

does the kiwi.com guarantee apply if you end up on kiwi.com through skyscanner? i did a search on skyscanner, but it directed me to kiwi.com to complete the booking. thanks in advance

April 9, 2018 at 12:12 pm

Yeah, Skyscanner just redirects you to their website, so the guarantee should still be in place!

Jordan says

April 24, 2018 at 9:22 pm

Hi Silvia, This is a great post! I just bought my first round of flights on Kiwi and was mentioning it in a blog post I am writing. Do you mind if I refer my readers to this post for more information on Kiwi?

April 24, 2018 at 10:23 pm

Of course, feel free to link to it!

Celeste says

May 22, 2018 at 5:28 pm

I wanted to post a warning to people who DO miss their connections. It is a HUGE PAIN IN THE ASS to get KIWI to switch flights for you. We spent 4 HOURS on the phone with them trying to sort out the new flight (the next day) and also had to twist arms to get an “ok” to get a hotel and food. They kept saying “I need to talk to my supervisor.” The people that answer the phone don’t have the authority to do anything themselves but trying to get a supervisor will literally take you hours. They will call you back, someday. Meanwhile you are sitting at the airport starving and tired. Not a good customer service experience. Not worth the savings, if you happen to miss a connection. They can’t fix it in a timely manner. Next time we will just book through the airlines directly. Kiwi works find until something goes wrong, and if you travel enough something WILL go wrong eventually.

Greg Hitzhusen says

July 2, 2018 at 9:29 pm

My experience with kiwi.com so far is horrible. I’ve been on hold for 75minutes, and have been repeatedly told how much longer I should have to wait. At the start of my hold period, it said “25 minutes”. As that estimate has counted down, I get the same estimate multiple times. I’ve been told “5 minutes” estimated wait time for about the last 20 minutes. I’m sure that they’re hoping I’ll just try to complete my query online, but I already tried that, and am needing to talk to a real person. Terrible phone system, apparently designed to frustrate the caller.

Tristan Newman says

July 5, 2018 at 9:55 pm

I booked a flight with them, one flight shorter than needed. Cancelled that ticket, wrote their customer service to tell them what I had done, and then booked the correct ticket.

Logged into check the status of the refund and they refunded the complete intinerary instead of the shorter one.

After calling them, waiting on hold for 10 minutes, and explaining to their customer service, she said she’d speak to a manager… and then put me on hold and the line proceeded to go dead seconds later.

Now, I’ve been on hold attempting to call them back for the past 30 minutes. Their hold recording has been telling me 10 minutes left to wait until about 15 minutes ago, and now 5 minutes to wait, there after.

Something to think about.

July 27, 2018 at 8:28 pm

On our way to Minneapolis from Ukraine we were bumped to a later flight, we lost our connection at JFK. Kiwi Guarantee came through for us. They put us in a hotel, booked us a flight early the next morning and gave us 30 Euros for food and drink while displaced. Thanks Kiwi Guarantee

lu ramos says

August 2, 2018 at 9:38 pm

hello, thanks for this review. but i recently read numerous reviews on them that were very bad, with frequent last-minute flight cancellations, etc. is it possible that the reviews are fake?

August 3, 2018 at 11:19 pm

I now read 2hours through all reviews etc… and i think most of the bad reviews are from the competition. Kiwi is 10x ahead of Skyscanner and others… of course they write shit about a plattform that is far ahead of them. Just my opinion … and many feedback is from people that didnt know the things with the Visas and that they have to re-check in etc…but is this really Kiwis fault? Maybe a bit…

I will give them a try. By he way: Booking all tickets yourself still saves you money ! But its a lot of work and headaches. Kiwi charges +50€ for total of 4 flights for 1 person but to be honest i am happy to pay 50€ for saving a lot of time booking all flights seperatly and checking in . This article gives all the advice you need i guess.

Be carefull with online reviews. I can speak from own experiance when competitors posted a lot of shit about my company that was destroying the industry 😉 When you smash the competition with a product that is beyond your shitty product… of course you dont make a lot of friends.

Think about it in the future. 😉 I hope we will have a good experiance but i am pretty sure Kiwi is great. And if not… AMEX will take care of everything, so always book with a Credit Card and you dont have to worry about “being scammed”

Richard Childress says

September 10, 2018 at 11:23 am

Good information you have wrote for us! It is very useful for us and will keep updating your articles.

November 25, 2018 at 12:55 pm

This is very informative blog thanks for sharing. We are also provided United airlines customer service.

December 12, 2018 at 3:20 am

Seriously, do your research before using kiwi.com for anything but planning. I used them with success in 2016 but in practice found the connection to be a slightly chancy one – a very good thing we had no checked baggage on that trip.

This time around, they sold me a route with a flatly impossible connection (even though we also had no baggage to consider). The issue that wasn’t clear until the confirmation email came through with “no online check-in is possible” – a fact that was therefore known to them all along, but not to me until after I’d paid the money. The route they sold me allowed one hour for me to arrive at the connection airport, go landside (through immigration), CHECK IN MANUALLY, then go airside (back through security and immigration!) and get the ongoing flight.

It took me three weeks – eventually contacting airlines as well as them – many times – to get the facts of this problem properly acknowledged by them. Then another week and at least half a dozen more emails before they offered to put in place a feasible revised itinerary that I suggsted. And THEN they insisted on levying a change fee, even though it was them who had sold me the impossible itinerary in the first place.

This was extortion – the problem would not be fixed until I paid another 95 Euro. So I paid, and considered it a life lesson – of course I asked for a refund, of course I’ve had nothing but the usual rubbish responses.

I will not be paying kiwi.com money ever again, nor would I recommend that anyone else do so. Happy to use them for flight planning, but that’s it. Make your life easier, BOOK DIRECTLY WITH AIRLINES!

Kabir afzali says

January 13, 2019 at 10:25 pm

They stole my $2600+

I had booking for 5 passengers from new york to kabul afghanistan for 14 Jan 2019. I received a job opportunity i sent them an email stating that all my 3 children and my wife are going but as i have a new job now so please cancel my ticket. One indian accent guy told me on the phone that as u have informed us very early threfore the airline will not charge me anything only we will chrge u euros 20 for service chare he told me to go to kiwi.kommanage my booking and fill a return form and they will return my money i found the page filled it and wrote my own name only and at the end of page it said u paid $600 for one person so u will be refuned $427 i said ok give me that. after few hours i received phone call saying that they have cancelled all 5 passngers and out of $2996.67 that i had paid i have received this $427 and that is it and they cannot further assist me. They stold my $2600+  I have my account info and also their booking etc.

January 22, 2019 at 3:58 pm

I advise you to not go through them I booked a round-trip flight with kiwi.com from Denver to Norfolk Virginia come to find out the day before I was leaving back to my hometown was trying to pay for assigned seats so me and my boyfriend can sit together and talk to an agent from kiwi.com to ask them why it was a one-way trip book when I asked for a round trip ticket told me there was nothing they can do about it so how to turn around and pay an additional$187 to get back home I think that it’s unfair they Ghent people out of their money I wouldn’t go through them any longer horrible customer service skills and people are rude didn’t let me talk to a supervisor as well I write them a zero.

Emily Rodriguez says

May 17, 2019 at 6:40 pm

How do you change from one way to round trip after booking flight?

Rishi Prakash says

September 27, 2019 at 9:56 am

Thanks for the great post, Silvia. I opted for Kiwi first time after your post so all credit to you.

Kiwi is doing a good job as a market disruption for sure. It brings a different kind of light to the search and planning which is wonderful.

Now areas which can be improved:

1. There are few airlines which are hell bent on making money for every single ounce of extra weight which you realise when you find their people with weighing scale before the boarding gate so then you know that it is part of their plan- low cost ticket BUT high penalty for weight. So i will like Kiwi to highlight such flights in their booking option for us to know and plan the exact weight for them. So Air Asia and Viet Jet are definitely two such airline where unreasonable managers are running the show at airport with a clear agenda to make money by harassing flyers. So they should just put a line in RED for extra weight in these 2 airlines.

2. The information for various connecting flights has to be passed before the trip so that people do not get stuck and end up missing flights which would have happened in my case at Thailand. In my case, i was never aware that Indigo airlines does not have a counter for transit passengers inside the airport so imagine what i was told when i was strolling towards the transit counters- You have to take a visa first and then go out to Indigo counter and get your new boarding pass! This is something absolutely new like a bolt from blue so first i needed to RUN for the exchange counter for local currency as that is the only currency they accept at visa counter and then stand for visa in the long queue and then get out of airport for new boarding pass and then come back to the boarding gate. So such information needs to be passed ON well in time to passengers to plan their transit or else they will come back to Kiwi after missing their flight and then waste Kiwi’s time and their time to get a new flight so prior information saves passengers from surprises.

Trust me, Kiwi will become a far better platform if MORE info is passed on collectively after feedbacks like mine.

Keep up the good work.

Stop Faking says

December 4, 2019 at 4:48 pm

“This is not an affiliate/sponsored post” yet all of your links to Kiwi have affiliate IDs? lol

December 5, 2019 at 1:01 pm

Not sure where you pulled that quote from??? This post was not sponsored, but as I literally say at the end of the article, I signed up for their affiliate program after having a good experience with them. What’s “faking” about that?

January 17, 2020 at 4:47 am

Reading so many reviews it makes me cautous. I booked 3 tickets for wife, Grandson, and me. To Italy from SFO. W/ multi cities 4 on Italy 1 to Geneva k return to SFO. Mid May to Mid June 2020. Price, I hope is true. $850 each! We will boast about kiwi.com Other ticketing sites $2100 to $5k Includes carry on @7kgrms 15 lbs each. Size 22″x17.75″x9.84′ Our bag that size usually weighs 35-40 lbs. Not 15 lbs. enough to travel for month. I called kiwi to confirm weight. Yes, 15 lbs. Agent was very helpful, patient and kind. She did not rush or push me to finish. Almost 40 mins! She said airlines vary up to 20 kgrms. But, most 8 to 10. They wanted $156 each to check a bag @kiwi. I may need to add 3 checked bags. I noticed they also added approx $8 ticket insurance automatically. Hopefully this helps smooth out some bumps some people missing a flight. The phone # for kiwi is 1 202-844-4159 just in case. You never know. Hopefully we don’t.

Xavier says

March 13, 2020 at 8:37 am

You have mentioned all the tips in a good way. I have read all. These are very helpful to me. Thanks

Karl Olsson says

August 24, 2020 at 11:17 am

I traveled with a Kiwi booking from Singapore to Alicante Spain. Missed my connection in Athens due to delay from the first leg. I called Kiwi and they sorted out accommodation and new flight the following day.in a timely manner. Very professionally. I can definitely recommend Kiwi. .

Alisha says

April 19, 2021 at 4:52 am

Hey there! Speaking of paying for baggage, do you know at all why the baggage costs on Kiwi seem to be at least twice as much as what the airline usually charges? Seems a bit excessive and I can’t seem to find any info on the price breakdown.Thanks!

April 19, 2021 at 1:37 pm

They basically take an average of baggage pricing, so sometimes baggage will cost more than directly with the airline, whereas other times it will be cheaper.

Clara David says

August 23, 2022 at 7:54 pm

Thank you for this informative blog! Helped me alot.

June 17, 2023 at 10:58 pm

re: luggage – what’s stopping you after purchasing from Kiwi to sign-in directly into the air company’s web site, and using the “carrier reservation number” (6 letters – you can find it on your e-ticket you download from Kiwi) to buy your luggage there in half-price?

Rob Larson says

November 11, 2023 at 10:25 pm

Sylvia – waited too long and missed an amazing fare of $342 on Veuling from Kiwi site BCN LAX one way.!! Jan 14

But flight was not listed on Veuling’s site – code share with Iberia – nor Iberia’s site for that price

How can Kiwi offer that ? I would have been nervous

and have you seen KIWI re post fares like these after a few days ?

Many thx in advance ! Rob

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When to Use Kiwi for Your Next Flight Booking

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Table of Contents

Is Kiwi legit?

What is kiwi, when should i use kiwi for a flight booking, are there downsides to kiwi, key takeaways of our kiwi review.

Kiwi is a tool for finding cheap flight pairings and other savings on transit.

You'll have to pay extra to get protection if your flight is delayed or canceled.

Say you see a great flight deal to Europe, but you don’t live anywhere near the departing city. Optimistically, you search for flights out of your home airport, but the price is more than double that of the flight deal you found. Rather than throwing in the towel and letting another travel dream pass you by, consider this:

There's a way you can combine another flight, train or bus with that specific flight deal to get you where you want to go at a good price. It's called Kiwi , and it's an online travel agency with precisely this idea in mind.

While Kiwi isn't the best online travel agency for every trip, it can be a tool to find bookings for unique and specific situations. Since it’s hard to pass up cheap flights, here's a look at how Kiwi works and when it’s most useful to book transportation through its site and warnings you should be aware of.

There are a myriad of poor reviews and concerning customer feedback surrounding Kiwi. This includes a one-star customer review rating on the Better Business Bureau website and 1.5 stars from over 60,000 reviews on TrustPilot, an online review platform. Customer complaints cover a range of issues from long-delays on refund requests to improperly booked tickets. It is recommended you proceed with caution using Kiwi.

Kiwi is an online travel agency, based in the Czech Republic, specializing in combining flights and other forms of transportation into a single booking to get you where you need to go for a low price. Kiwi utilizes an expansive database of different flight, bus and train schedules to piece together the cheapest, fastest or overall best trip option.

At times, this can lead to overly creative and complicated itineraries that only save a few bucks. Other times, however, the service can pair a flight deal with a positioning flight, train or bus to drastically reduce your travel cost.

For most travelers, using Kiwi will be a good option if flight prices are costly for the trip you want to take, you want to book a one-way international flight, you have a last-minute emergency or if you want to find a cheap and easy way to book a complicated itinerary. Here, we dive into the merits of using Kiwi flights and other transit for each of these situations.

Saving on expensive airfares

Even if you're booking a simple round-trip flight, it can be worth checking Kiwi for a better route or price option. Perhaps you can save $150 by driving to a nearby airport. Or, Kiwi can point out an option to fly a low-cost carrier to an intermediate airport and connect to another airline from there, saving on the overall trip.

For example, let's say you want to fly from Pittsburgh to Paris sometime in April 2025. According to a Google Flights search, the cheapest one-week trip would cost $940 on United Airlines.

However, by searching through Kiwi, you can find a travel hack itinerary that costs just $911 round trip.

Booking one-way international flights

Kiwi can also come in handy when you can only fly one direction using miles and need to pay for the other flight in cash. One-way international flights can be expensive on many legacy airlines, but you might be able to find a positioning flight with a low-cost airline to book the one-way flight for a lot less.

I've used Kiwi to book a one-way trip from Papeete, Tahiti, to Atlanta, Georgia. I used American Airlines AAdvantage miles to fly to Tahiti, but I couldn't find award availability for the flight back home. United Airlines has flights on this route, but a one-way flight can cost over $1,000.

By searching on Kiwi, I found a flight option for as little as $632 that combined a French Bee flight from Tahiti to San Francisco with a Frontier Airlines flight from San Francisco to Atlanta. While you'd need to collect and recheck any baggage between the two flights, this flight option could be worth it for saving a few hundred dollars.

» Learn more: Plan your next redemption with our airline points tool

Booking multi-city trips using Kiwi Nomad

Say you want to visit London, Paris, Madrid and Rome in one grand Europe trip . You could manually try to piece together the cheapest way to visit all of these destinations. Or, to save time, you could use Kiwi's Nomad search option, which searches for the best itinerary for you.

Start by entering the airports you'd consider departing from and the date(s) you'd consider leaving. Dates can be as specific as a single day or as general as several months. Then, choose the length of your trip — from one to 60 nights.

Next, Kiwi will prompt you to add all of the destinations you want to visit and the length of stay at each one. Finally, you'll be given the option to choose whether to return home or to yet another city.

By selecting "Search journeys," Kiwi will start piecing together the most affordable options to visit the destinations on your list. In this case, you can pay just $626 per person to fly from San Francisco to Paris, Paris to Madrid, Madrid to London, London to Rome and Rome back to San Francisco.

Kiwi has bag fees covered, too, as it gives an option to include the cost of cabin or checked bags in the total trip cost. In this case, by adding a cabin bag, the lowest price option is now $813. Notice that Kiwi doesn't just add bag fees to an existing itinerary — instead, Kiwi changes the recommended route to the cheapest option that includes a bag.

You also have the option to limit the number of stops for each leg of the trip. Using the same example, if you want to fly nonstop on all flights and include a cabin bag, you can do so for $1,051. Again, Kiwi automatically reorders the itinerary to get the lowest price options.

» Learn more: Tips to avoid paying checked bag fees

Managing last-minute emergencies

The Kiwi travel agency can also be useful if you need to get across the world in a hurry. Whether it's a family emergency or an incredible new (and fast-approaching) opportunity, you probably want the quickest possible flight option. Especially with limited availability at the last minute, the fastest flight option found through a typical flight search engine may not be quick enough.

For example, say you need to depart as soon as possible to get from Istanbul to El Paso, Texas for a work opportunity. When you filter Google Flights search results for flights departing within 24 hours and sorted by duration, the platform yields flights that require an overnight layover. All one-stop options require an overnight in either Chicago or Houston and cost over $1,700.

However, by searching through Kiwi, you can find a flight itinerary that gets in the same day. In this case, Kiwi pairs a Turkish Airlines flight with either a United or American flight for around $970 one way.

While Kiwi is a helpful tool for finding and booking trips, there are some downsides to note.

It won’t always be the cheapest

For one, while Kiwi can help you save money by finding low-cost travel options, you aren't always going to surface the cheapest flight by booking through Kiwi. That's because Kiwi makes money by charging a surcharge to book flights, trains and buses all in one itinerary.

Let's circle back to that European Nomad itinerary in the example above that costs $813 with one carry-on bag. If you price out the same route and dates in Google Flights, you'll find a slightly different, mostly nonstop option for $728, including one carry-on bag.

There’s another downside to booking this Google Flights itinerary worth mentioning, though: You need to book the five separate tickets individually. Some travelers may be more than happy to pay the $85 difference with Kiwi to get all of their tickets at once (and only have to enter all of their data one time instead of five).

Protections aren’t reliable without paying extra

Another critical aspect to note is that the Kiwi flight booking service no longer protects your flight connections without the purchase of Kiwi.com Guarantee.

Say your Kiwi itinerary books you on a Spirit Airlines flight to connect to a low-cost United flight to Europe . If Spirit cancels your flight and you miss your United flight, United has no obligation to rebook you on a later flight. In United's eyes, you simply missed your flight.

You have the option to protect all of your connections by purchasing the Kiwi.com Guarantee at checkout. You'll have to decide for yourself if the price (which varies by flight) is worth it for you — or if you want to risk dealing with any issues on your own.

» Learn more: Airline change and cancellation rules in the COVID era

Kiwi is a tool for finding unique and cheap flight pairings and other ways to cut the cost of transportation when traveling. You can use Kiwi to save hundreds of dollars on flights and other transit, get where you need to go fast or book complex multi-city itineraries.

However, you'll want to carefully consider the risks of booking flights with different airlines as well as their sub-par customer reviews. When booking through Kiwi, you are essentially booking separate tickets with different airlines — and Kiwi doesn't automatically protect you in the case of cancellations or delays. You can add the Kiwi.com Guarantee at checkout to reduce your risk, but this extra cost can eat into the overall price savings.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

TravelAsker

How do I check in on Kiwi.com?

Travel Destinations

December 12, 2023

By Kristy Tolley

Introduction to Checking In on Kiwi.com

Checking in for your flight can be a time-consuming and stressful process, but with Kiwi.com, it doesn’t have to be. Kiwi.com offers a seamless check-in experience that allows you to complete the process online, choose your seat, and even print your boarding pass from the comfort of your home. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of checking in on Kiwi.com, including step-by-step instructions, tips for a smooth check-in process, and troubleshooting common issues.

Step-by-Step Guide to Checking In

To check in on Kiwi.com, log in to your account and navigate to the "My Bookings" section. Select the flight you wish to check in for and click "Check-in." Follow the prompts to enter your travel information, including passport details and contact information. Once you’ve completed the check-in process, you’ll be able to choose your seat and add any additional services, such as baggage or in-flight meals.

Checking In Online with Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com offers online check-in for most airlines, allowing you to complete the process from your computer or mobile device. Simply log in to your account and follow the prompts to check in for your flight. You’ll be able to choose your seat and add any additional services, such as baggage or in-flight meals. Once you’ve completed the check-in process, you can print your boarding pass or save it to your mobile device.

Choosing Your Seat on Kiwi.com

When you check in on Kiwi.com, you’ll have the option to choose your seat. Depending on the airline and the fare class you’ve booked, you may be able to choose your seat for free or for an additional fee. Kiwi.com offers a seat selection tool that allows you to view the available seats and choose the one that best suits your needs.

Additional Services During Check-In

In addition to seat selection, Kiwi.com offers a range of additional services during the check-in process, including baggage, in-flight meals, and travel insurance. You can add these services to your booking during check-in, making it easy to customize your travel experience.

Can I Check In at the Airport with Kiwi.com?

While Kiwi.com offers online check-in for most airlines, some airlines may require you to check in at the airport. If this is the case, you’ll need to arrive at the airport early enough to complete the check-in process before your flight. Be sure to check the airline’s website or contact Kiwi.com support to confirm the check-in requirements for your flight.

Printing Your Boarding Pass with Kiwi.com

Once you’ve completed the check-in process on Kiwi.com, you’ll have the option to print your boarding pass or save it to your mobile device. If you choose to print your boarding pass, be sure to do so before you arrive at the airport. You’ll need to present your boarding pass at the security checkpoint and at the gate before boarding your flight.

What Happens If I Miss My Kiwi.com Check-In?

If you miss your Kiwi.com check-in, you may still be able to check in at the airport, depending on the airline and the fare class you’ve booked. However, you may be subject to additional fees or penalties for missing the online check-in deadline. Be sure to contact Kiwi.com support or the airline directly for assistance if you miss your check-in deadline.

Tips for a Smooth Kiwi.com Check-In Process

To ensure a smooth check-in process on Kiwi.com, be sure to have all of your travel information and passport details handy. Double-check your flight details and itinerary to make sure everything is correct. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact Kiwi.com support for assistance.

Common Check-In Issues and Troubleshooting

If you experience any issues during the check-in process, such as a technical error or incorrect travel information, contact Kiwi.com support for assistance. They can help you troubleshoot the issue and ensure that you are able to check in for your flight on time.

Contacting Kiwi.com Support for Check-In Help

If you need assistance with the check-in process on Kiwi.com, you can contact their support team via email, phone, or live chat. They are available 24/7 to help you with any issues or concerns you may have.

Conclusion: Enjoy Your Flight with Kiwi.com

Checking in for your flight doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. With Kiwi.com, you can complete the process online, choose your seat, and add any additional services you may need. By following the step-by-step guide and tips in this article, you can ensure a smooth and stress-free check-in process, allowing you to enjoy your flight with peace of mind.

Kristy Tolley

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Contact kiwi experience, auckland head office.

83 Beach Rd, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010, New Zealand

How do I book my buses?

Modified on: Thu, 13 Jul, 2023 at 9:11 AM

You can manage your bus bookings through our bus planner website. Your unique login details for the bus planner will be emailed to you after you have  purchased  your pass. If you need help with your bus bookings, our friendly reservations team are available to  assist  you via phone or email. Contact us.   

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Related Articles

How to potentially save money on airfare by booking through Kiwi.com

Update : Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

As someone who lives near a non-hub airport , I'm used to piecing multiple flights together in order to get the perfect trip.

Though this is incredibly common when it comes to award flights, it can also be a money-saving strategy on paid trips. After all, airline pricing is a complicated and mysterious thing. It's not unheard of to save hundreds of dollars by booking two separate tickets to get to your final destination instead of one ticket all the way through.

Enter Kiwi.com . Unlike most online travel agencies, the Czech Republic-based Kiwi creatively searches flight and other transit combinations to determine if booking two or more tickets and piecing them together will save you money compared to a traditional search from one airport to another. Their back-end search engine is already set up to look at hundreds of combinations, which saves considerable time over manual searches and may save you money, too.

Let's take a closer look at booking travel with Kiwi and discuss if you should use it to book your next big adventure.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter .

Searching with Kiwi.com

Kiwi takes advantage of several types of travel search tricks to find you the cheapest way to get from point A to point B.

They consider everything from far riskier endeavors we don't really endorse such as hidden city ticketing or throw-away ticketing to a cool feature they refer to as "Nomad" travel. Going to Asia and want to visit Singapore , Siem Reap, Cambodia; and Ko Samui, Thailand? They'll play around with shuffling the order to find you the lowest price.

However, Kiwi.com is probably best known for its "self-transfer" flights. They'll search hundreds of air and ground transit carriers to find flight combinations that result in the lowest price. They do all the piecing together on your behalf, which may include combining airlines that don't formally partner with each other or routing you through connecting airports that don't often show in traditional searches.

They may include ground transportation options in results, too. For example, you might save big by flying into Munich and taking a train to Salzburg rather than flying to Austria directly.

Since Kiwi looks at all types of unorthodox travel options, you can expect to be bombarded with lots of search results.

I suffer from analysis paralysis all too often, but take it from me: That won't be a problem. Compared to searching manually and keeping track of a thousand options using pen and paper, Kiwi.com offers filters to narrow things down quickly. With a few clicks, you'll limit yourself to relevant options.

Don't want to ride a bus or have too much luggage to realistically consider low-cost airlines? No problem.

If you do find a transit combination that works for you, you can buy it in a single transaction on Kiwi.com, which is a huge convenience compared to going to multiple platforms to buy each ticket one at a time. It's easier for record-keeping, too, since you can see your entire itinerary in one place.

Related: Strategies for booking great award tickets from non-hub airports

What is the 'Kiwi Guarantee'?

Booking separate tickets comes with another downside on top of the hassle. Unlike through tickets, if you miss a connection on separate tickets, airlines aren't obligated to reaccommodate you. That means if weather or a mechanical issue wreaks havoc on your plans, you'll be left to figure out a new way to get to your destination on your own. Because of this, travelers stringing tickets together often add plenty of padding to their connections, hoping the extra time compensates for the extra risk.

When booking trips through Kiwi.com, though, travelers have the option of purchasing their add-on "Kiwi.com Guarantee".

According to the guarantee, they'll protect you from unexpected changes to your booking even when you self-transfer between multiple tickets. You're covered against carrier cancellations, delays and schedule changes -- if something happens, they'll find alternative transportation on your behalf or offer you a refund.

In the past, the guarantee was included with all Kiwi flight bookings (with a built-in upcharge) but now you have to opt in when you make your original purchase. Sadly, it doesn't come cheap. On my sample searches, my offers consistently came in at around 25% of the ticket price. For example, on a $200 one-way ticket to Costa Rica, the Kiwi.com Guarantee was quoted at nearly $50 and on a $638 ticket to Spain, the guarantee was $159.

TPG's Points & Miles Editor, Andrew Kunesh, used Kiwi.com to book a flight from Berlin (SXF) to Newquay, England (NQY), via Dublin (DUB) in late 2019. Ryanair operated the SXF-to-DUB leg while Aer Lingus Regional operated DUB to NQY. He ended up missing his connection in DUB due to a flight delay and immediately contacted Kiwi. In minutes, he was rebooked on a flight the next day and put up at the Radisson Blu Dublin Airport on Kiwi's dime.

Downsides of the Kiwi.com guarantee

As any traveler who's had to make travel changes on the fly already knows, reaccommodation doesn't always mean you'll get your preferred flight. Just like when an airline rebooks you, you're limited to available seats and itineraries. You'll probably still need to be flexible and you'll have to accept some delays along the way.

It's also worth noting that their disruption protection won't necessarily compensate you for troubles or hardships; their sole goal is to get you to your final destination.

Like any type of travel protection, the fine print matters. You likely won't be surprised to find out that the guarantee doesn't apply when you're at fault for missing part of your transit (for example, if you arrive at the airport too late to check in). But you also won't be covered during some times when you need it most, even if it's not your fault at all.

Force majeure situations, like the airline strikes we see in Europe every so often, means your guarantee doesn't officially apply -- though it's worth noting that Kiwi.com still promises to make their "best effort" to offer alternate transportation. Extreme weather is considered a "force majeure" situation, which could be worrisome for those traveling in the winter.

Most worrisome to me were a few details buried in the legal fine print , which you should read in full if you're contemplating tacking on this purchase. Here's what stood out to me (emphasis is mine):

• They may rebook you, but be prepared for lengthy travel delays: "We are not able to guarantee You booking of the alternate Flight(s) departing sooner than 8 hours after Your initial contact with Our customer service ..."
• For flight changes announced 48 hours or more prior to your trip, you might not have as many rebooking options as you hope: "Should We find an alternate of the price not exceeding the price You paid for all the unused Flight(s), We may offer You (an) alternate Flight(s) or other means of transportation to Your Destination at no additional cost to You."

I'm great at searching for last-minute alternatives and have a stash of miles that I can use for last-minute rebooking emergencies if that's what it comes down to. As TPG readers, that might apply to you, too. In that case, this guarantee may have limited value.

Despite the limitations, this extra protection could still come in handy, especially while the coronavirus pandemic continues to keep flight schedules in flux. Unless you're booking last minute, you're likely to face schedule changes or even cancellations while airlines attempt to fine-tune operations. Yes, many fares now qualify for free cancellations, but refunds come in the form of airline vouchers whereas Kiwi.com would provide a true cash refund, even if your standard travel insurance wouldn't apply.

Related: Missed your flight? Here's what to do

Will I still earn miles on my flights?

Like any other online travel agency, you'll still earn airline miles on flights booked through Kiwi.com — but there are a few things to keep in mind.

If you're combining carriers, you might need to split your earnings. For example, say you're flying from New York-JFK to Prague (PRG) via Paris (CDG) and the first leg is operated by United while the second is operated by Air France. You'll need to credit the miles from the first flight to your Star Alliance loyalty program of choice and the second to your favorite SkyTeam program.

Do note that you won't usually earn hotel points when you book with Kiwi. This is the case across most online travel agencies, as hotel programs generally require that you book directly in order to earn points or use elite status benefits.

Of course, you should pay for your Kiwi purchases with a credit card that earns bonus points on travel . For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earn 3 and 2 points per dollar, respectively, on all travel purchases. Both cards also have solid welcome offers which can help you jump-start your Chase Ultimate Rewards balance.

Related: When you will (and won't) earn miles on your flight

Bottom line

Taking the cheapest option presented on Kiwi.com will not be right for all travelers. If you are mixing and matching tickets and carriers, you are increasing the odds that something will go wrong with your trip -- and you are increasing the complexities of fixing it.

While this risk may be worth it for large cash savings and/or when you are traveling solo or just with another adult and have some flexibility in your schedule, it may not be worth it for a small savings, when less experienced travelers are involved or when you have a very firm time you need to arrive at your destination or back home again.

I'm not convinced that I'm the target customer for Kiwi.com's optional add-on guarantee, but I still love the Kiwi search platform. It legitimately does find good transport options that you might not consider on your own (or want to take the time to sort through manually), and booking is a breeze with one-stop shopping instead of having to make separate purchases.

For me, booking through Kiwi.com doesn't always make sense, but it's usually at least part of my search strategy when ordinary flights are priced higher than expected. After all, you never know what it will come up with.

Can I cancel a flight I booked with Kiwi.com?

Do you have a flight you booked with Kiwi.com that you want to cancel?

Yes, you can cancel your booking but you are not guaranteed any refund for the money you spent in making the original reservation. You will have to submit a refund application when you cancel your booking online if you wish to get some of your money back. Please note that if you wish to cancel you must have a record of all receipts sent back to Kiwi for consideration of your case. Your refund depends on the fare type of your ticket. You will receive a 90% refund with Flexi Tickets and 10 EUR refund with Standard and Saver Ticket (in case the total cost of your booking was more than 10 EUR). Cancellations due to medical issues or death will not be honoured, unfortunately.

Can I cancel my Kiwi reservation within 24 hours of booking?

Yes but you will be charged 100% of the booking value as well as any potential fees from Kiwi as well as the airline. Kiwi does not offer a grace period for changes or cancellations.

How do I cancel my Kiwi reservation within 24 hours of booking?

Step 1: Sign into Kiwi.com to cancel your booking

Step 2: Open a particular trip, and click “Refunds and cancellations" at the top of the page. You’ll see three options to pick from.

Step 3: If you'd like to cancel your booking, it is possible up to 48 hours before your trip. Pick”Cancellation” and follow the instructions.

Step 4: Upload any receipts to make a complete refund application

Step 5: Wait to hear a response from Kiwi.com 

Step 6: If granted a refund, choose from the refund options they give you

How can I change my Kiwi booking?

Any amendments to your airline booking before confirmation are not permitted. If you made an error or wish to change the dates of your flight you must cancel the entire booking and a Kiwi representative will be in touch to let you know if a cancellation and refund is possible. However, if you wish to change your flight after it is confirmed and you have received your e-ticket, you can change your dates online but will be faced with a carrier fee. Changes are possible up to 48 hours before your trip.

To change the date, time or destination of your Kiwi reservation, follow these steps:

Step 1: Log into Kiwi.com to manage your booking

Step 2: To change your trip, scroll down to Trip summary and click “Change” or “Rebook”

Step 3: To update passenger details such as name, date of birth, or your passport/ID details, go to Passengers and click “Edit passenger” 

You won't be able to change your itinerary online if it's been changed before. If you need to make further changes, please contact Kiwi’s support team.

Kiwi name change policy

Kiwi’s name change policy states that if you wish to make amendments to your booking, and your airline allows it, then you may change the name of the passenger on the booking. Any amendments to the booking however, will be subject to an amendment fee by Kiwi. You are also responsible for paying any of the fees that the airlines subject to you. You can request changes up to 48 hours before the trip.

How can I change the name on a Kiwi reservation?

Step 1: Log into Kiwi.com to manage your booking and change the name

Step 2: Open a particular trip, and scroll down to the Passengers section. Click “Edit passenger”

Step 3: Pay any amendment fees

Can I sell my Kiwi booking?

Yes, you can! As long as your airline allows for name changes, you can resell your booking to another passenger. You can check this list of airlines, which allow name changes . If your airline is in the list, this means that it allows name changes and you can sell your flight. All airlines charge name change fees for this service, you can see how much it will cost you in that link as well. You may have to pay Kiwi an amendment fee on top of the airline charges.

Where can I sell my Kiwi booking?

You can sell your flight on SpareFare. We are like eBay for travel reservations, with the added benefit of secure transfers and expert customer support. Click here to sell your flight.

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Kiwi.com Review (Find Cheap Flights)

Introduction

Welcome to our comprehensive review of Kiwi.com, a popular online platform that helps travelers find cheap flights. If you’re planning a trip and looking for budget-friendly options, then Kiwi.com might be just what you need. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about using Kiwi.com to find great deals on airfare.

Founded in 2012, Kiwi.com has quickly become a go-to resource for travelers around the world. With their innovative technology and extensive network of airline partnerships, Kiwi.com offers a unique flight search experience. Whether you’re a budget traveler, a frequent flyer, or simply someone who wants to find the best prices, Kiwi.com can help you save money on your next trip.

One of the main advantages of using Kiwi.com is its ability to combine flights from different airlines to create the most cost-effective itinerary for its users. This means that you can find flights with layovers or even travel on multiple airlines while still saving money. Kiwi.com’s intelligent algorithms and vast database of flight routes make it possible to find connections and discounts that would be nearly impossible to find manually.

In addition to finding cheap flights, Kiwi.com also offers a range of additional features. These include 24/7 customer support, a Kiwi.com Guarantee that ensures you get to your destination in case of missed connections or flight delays, and a user-friendly mobile app for convenient on-the-go bookings. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a multi-leg international trip, Kiwi.com has you covered.

So, if you’re ready to find affordable flights without sacrificing quality or convenience, keep reading. In the following sections of this review, we’ll walk you through the process of using Kiwi.com, from searching for flights to booking your itinerary. We’ll also discuss the various filtering options, additional features, and even share some customer reviews to give you a comprehensive overview of what to expect when using Kiwi.com.

Background on Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com was founded in 2012 by Oliver Dlouhý and Jozef Képesi with a mission to make travel accessible and affordable for everyone. Originally known as Skypicker, the company rebranded as Kiwi.com in 2016 to reflect its global expansion and provide a more recognizable name in the travel industry.

Based in Brno, Czech Republic, Kiwi.com has grown rapidly over the years and now serves millions of travelers worldwide. The company has established partnerships with more than 800 airlines, allowing them to offer a wide selection of flight options and competitive prices to their users.

What sets Kiwi.com apart from other flight search engines is its unique “virtual interlining” technology. This technology enables Kiwi.com to combine various flights from different airlines, even those that do not have direct partnerships with each other. By offering these connecting flights, Kiwi.com opens up a world of possibilities for travelers, allowing them to reach destinations that may otherwise be expensive or difficult to access.

Another noteworthy aspect of Kiwi.com is its emphasis on transparency. The platform provides users with detailed information about each flight, including baggage policies, layover durations, and any potential risks or complications involved in the itinerary. This allows travelers to make informed decisions and choose the best options for their needs.

Over the years, Kiwi.com has received recognition and numerous industry awards for its innovative approach to flight booking. The company continues to expand its services and features, constantly striving to improve the travel experience for its users.

With its user-friendly interface, extensive flight options, and commitment to affordability, Kiwi.com has established itself as a trusted platform for travelers looking to find the best deals on airfare. In the next sections, we will delve into the benefits of using Kiwi.com and how to navigate the platform to find the cheapest flights.

Benefits of Using Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com offers a myriad of advantages that make it a popular choice for travelers seeking affordable flights. Here are some key benefits of using Kiwi.com:

• Cost-Effective Itineraries: One of the main advantages of Kiwi.com is its ability to combine flights from different airlines, allowing users to create cost-effective itineraries. This means you can find flights with layovers or even travel on multiple airlines while still keeping your travel expenses low.
• Extensive Network of Airlines: With partnerships with over 800 airlines, Kiwi.com provides users with a wide range of flight options, including both major carriers and regional airlines. This extensive network increases the chances of finding the most suitable and affordable flights for your travel needs.
• Transparent Information: Kiwi.com prides itself on providing users with transparent information about each flight. This includes details on baggage policies, layover durations, and any potential risks or complications involved in the itinerary. This transparency allows travelers to make well-informed decisions when choosing their flights.
• Cost-Saving Solution: Kiwi.com’s technology and algorithms are designed to find the best flight combinations at the most competitive prices. This means you can potentially save a significant amount of money on your airfare compared to booking directly with airlines or other travel agencies.
• User-Friendly Interface: Kiwi.com offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to search for and book flights. The website and mobile app are designed with intuitive features, allowing users to navigate through the site seamlessly and quickly find the flights they need.
• Additional Features: In addition to flight bookings, Kiwi.com provides extra features to enhance the travel experience. This includes 24/7 customer support to assist with any queries or issues, the Kiwi.com Guarantee that covers missed connections or flight delays, and a convenient mobile app for on-the-go bookings.

Whether you’re a budget-conscious traveler, a digital nomad hopping between destinations, or you simply want to make the most of your travel budget, Kiwi.com offers a range of benefits that can help you find cheap flights without compromising on quality. The platform’s unique ability to combine flights and its commitment to transparency provide users with a reliable and cost-effective solution for their travel needs.

Now that you’re aware of the benefits of using Kiwi.com, let’s dive into the next section where we’ll explore how to use the platform to search for flights.

How to Use Kiwi.com

Using Kiwi.com to find cheap flights is a straightforward process. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or new to booking flights online, the platform’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate and find the best travel options. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use Kiwi.com:

• Visit the Website or Download the Mobile App: Start by visiting the Kiwi.com website or downloading the mobile app from the App Store or Google Play Store.
• Enter Your Origin and Destination: On the homepage, enter your desired origin and destination cities or airports. You can also select whether you’re looking for one-way, round-trip, or multi-city flights.
• Select Your Travel Dates: Choose the dates you want to travel. If your travel dates are flexible, you can use the “Flexible Date” option to view flights within a range of dates to find the best deals.
• Choose the Number of Passengers: Indicate the number of passengers traveling, including adults, children, and infants. Kiwi.com provides options for both economy and business class flights.
• Click on “Search Flights”: Once you’ve entered all the necessary information, click on the “Search Flights” button to start the search process.
• View the Search Results: Kiwi.com will generate a list of flight options based on your search criteria. You can view the flights, layover durations, and prices for each option.
• Apply Filters and Sorting Options: Use the filtering options provided by Kiwi.com to refine your search. This includes filters for airlines, departure times, layover durations, and more. You can also sort the results by price, duration, or departure/arrival times.
• Review Flight Details: Once you’ve selected a flight, click on it to view more details, including baggage policies, transit airports, and any potential risks or complications involved in the itinerary.
• Proceed to Booking: If you’re satisfied with the flight details and price, click on the “Booking” button to proceed with the reservation process. Follow the prompts to enter passenger information and make the payment.
• Receive Booking Confirmation: After completing the booking process, you will receive a booking confirmation that contains your itinerary and important details. Make sure to review this confirmation and keep it handy for your trip.

Using Kiwi.com is a simple and efficient way to find the best deals on flights. The platform’s search features, filtering options, and comprehensive flight details ensure that you have all the information you need to make an informed decision about your travel plans.

In the next sections, we’ll explore the various searching and filtering options offered by Kiwi.com, as well as the seamless booking process. So, let’s continue our journey to discover more about this innovative travel platform.

Searching for Flights

Kiwi.com makes searching for flights quick and convenient with its user-friendly search interface. Whether you have specific travel dates in mind or prefer to be flexible, Kiwi.com offers a range of options to help you find the best flights. Here’s a closer look at the process of searching for flights on Kiwi.com:

• Enter Your Origin and Destination: Start by entering your departure city or airport and your desired destination. You can choose to search for flights between specific airports or even select entire cities if you are open to different airports within a region.
• Select Travel Dates: Next, specify your travel dates. You can enter exact dates if you have fixed plans, or you can choose the “Flexible Dates” option to explore flight options within a range of dates. This feature is handy if you have flexibility in your schedule and want to find the cheapest fares.
• Choose the Number of Passengers: Indicate the number of passengers, including adults, children, and infants, who will be traveling. Kiwi.com allows you to book flights for multiple passengers in one go, simplifying the process for families or groups.
• Include Additional Options: As you search for flights, you can customize your search using additional options provided by Kiwi.com. This includes the ability to search for one-way, round-trip, or multi-city itineraries, as well as specifying your preferred class of service (economy, business, or first class).
• Click on “Search Flights”: Once you have entered all the necessary information, click on the “Search Flights” button to initiate the search process.
• Explore Search Results: Kiwi.com will generate a list of flight options based on your search criteria. You can view flights from different airlines, along with prices, layover durations, and departure/arrival times. The search results can be sorted by price, duration, or departure/arrival times to help you find the most suitable options.
• Refine Your Search: Use the filtering options provided by Kiwi.com to narrow down the search results. These filters allow you to select preferred airlines, adjust layover durations, set specific flight times, and more. Refining your search can help you find flights that align with your preferences and budget.
• View Flight Details: Click on a flight option to view more detailed information about the itinerary. This includes baggage policies, transit airports, and any potential risks or complications that may be involved in the selected route. It’s essential to review all the details before making a final decision.
• Book Your Flight: Once you have found the perfect flight, click on the “Booking” button to proceed with the reservation. Follow the prompts to enter passenger information, review the total price, and make the payment securely.
• Receive Confirmation: After completing the booking process, you will receive a confirmation email with your flight details. Make sure to check this confirmation to ensure the accuracy of your itinerary and keep it handy for future reference.

By providing a seamless and user-friendly search experience, Kiwi.com simplifies the process of finding the best flights for your travel needs. In the following sections, we’ll explore the filtering options offered by Kiwi.com and delve into the details of the booking process. So, let’s continue our journey to discover more about this innovative travel platform.

Filtering Options

Kiwi.com offers a range of filtering options to help you refine your flight search and find the most suitable options. These filtering options are designed to cater to different preferences and needs, allowing you to customize your search based on your travel requirements. Here are some key filtering options provided by Kiwi.com:

• Airlines: You can filter search results by specific airlines, allowing you to choose airlines that you prefer or have loyalty with. This is particularly useful if you have a preference for certain carriers or want to earn frequent flyer miles on a specific airline.
• Layover Durations: Kiwi.com allows you to set minimum and maximum layover durations, helping you find flights with the desired connection times. Whether you prefer a shorter layover for a quick transfer or a longer layover to explore a new city, this filter ensures that your layover fits your travel preferences.
• Departure and Arrival Times: You can also filter flights based on your preferred departure and arrival times. This is helpful if you have specific time constraints or want to find flights that fit well with your travel plans.
• Price Range: Kiwi.com enables you to set a price range to filter out flights that do not fit within your budget. This allows you to focus on finding the most cost-effective options based on your financial constraints.
• Stops: If you have a preference for non-stop flights or want to explore itineraries with layovers, Kiwi.com provides options to filter flights based on the number of stops. This gives you the flexibility to choose between direct flights and flights with layovers.
• Flight Class: Kiwi.com allows you to filter flights based on your preferred class of service, whether it’s economy, business, or first class. This ensures that you only see options that align with your comfort and service preferences.
• Baggage: You can also filter flights based on specific baggage allowances or restrictions. This is useful if you’re traveling with extra baggage or have specific requirements regarding checked or carry-on luggage.

By using these filtering options, you can refine your flight search to match your preferences and requirements. Whether you’re looking for the most affordable flight, the most convenient schedule, or specific airline preferences, Kiwi.com makes it easy to customize your search and find the best options.

In the next section, we’ll explore the seamless booking process provided by Kiwi.com, so you can book your chosen flight with ease.

Booking Process

Kiwi.com offers a seamless and user-friendly booking process, allowing you to secure your chosen flight quickly and efficiently. Once you have found the perfect itinerary, follow these steps to complete your booking on Kiwi.com:

• Select Your Flight: After searching for flights and applying any desired filters, review the search results and select the flight that best suits your needs and preferences. Click on the flight to view more details about the itinerary.
• Review Flight Details: Take a moment to review the flight details, including departure and arrival times, layover durations, baggage policies, and any potential risks or complications associated with the selected route. Ensure that all the information aligns with your travel requirements and preferences.
• Enter Passenger Information: Proceed with entering the required passenger details for the booking. This typically includes full names, contact information, and any other necessary information for each traveler. Make sure to double-check the accuracy of the information before proceeding.
• Review Total Price: Kiwi.com will display the total price for the flight, including any additional fees or taxes. Take a moment to review the total cost to ensure that it fits within your budget. Kiwi.com aims to provide transparent pricing, meaning the displayed price is inclusive of all charges.
• Make Payment: Once you are satisfied with the flight details and the total price, proceed to make the payment securely. Kiwi.com supports various payment methods, including credit/debit cards and sometimes alternative payment options like PayPal or Klarna, depending on your location.
• Receive Booking Confirmation: After the payment is successfully processed, you will receive a booking confirmation via email. This confirmation will include your flight itinerary, booking reference number, and other important details. It is essential to review this confirmation and ensure that all the information is correct.
• Manage Your Booking: If you need to make any changes or adjustments to your booking, such as adding extra services, modifying passenger details, or updating your contact information, you can typically do so through the “Manage Booking” section on the Kiwi.com website or app.
• Contact Customer Support: If you encounter any issues or have questions about your booking, Kiwi.com provides 24/7 customer support to assist you. You can reach out to the customer support team via email, phone, or live chat for prompt assistance.

The booking process on Kiwi.com is designed to be straightforward and hassle-free. By following these steps, you can secure your chosen flight and have peace of mind knowing that your travel plans are confirmed. Kiwi.com’s commitment to providing excellent customer service ensures that you have support throughout the booking process and beyond.

In the next section, we’ll explore some additional features of Kiwi.com that enhance the travel experience and provide added value to users. So, continue reading to discover the full potential of this platform.

Additional Features of Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com offers a range of additional features and services that enhance the travel experience and provide added value to its users. These features go beyond just finding cheap flights and aim to make the entire journey more convenient and enjoyable. Here are some notable additional features of Kiwi.com:

• 24/7 Customer Support: Kiwi.com provides round-the-clock customer support to assist users with any inquiries or issues they may have. Whether you need help with a booking, have questions about your itinerary, or require assistance during your trip, the dedicated support team is available to provide prompt assistance.
• Kiwi.com Guarantee: One of the standout features of Kiwi.com is its guarantee to get you to your destination, even in the event of missed connections or flight delays. If your connection is disrupted, Kiwi.com will offer alternative options or arrange accommodations and meals if required, ensuring that you reach your final destination as smoothly as possible.
• Mobile App: Kiwi.com offers a user-friendly mobile app that allows travelers to search and book flights on the go. The app provides a seamless and intuitive experience, making it easy to manage your bookings, receive notifications about any changes, and stay updated throughout your journey.
• Pricing Alerts: Kiwi.com offers a pricing alert feature that notifies users when the price for a specific flight or route drops. This is especially helpful if you have flexible travel plans and want to snag the best deal possible. By setting up alerts, you can stay informed and take advantage of any discounted fares.
• Explore Map: The Kiwi.com website and mobile app include an “Explore Map” feature that allows users to visually explore flight options based on their budget and preferred travel dates. This interactive map provides a comprehensive overview of available routes and destinations, helping you discover new travel possibilities.
• Multi-City Bookings: Kiwi.com enables users to book multi-city itineraries, making it convenient for those planning trips with multiple stops or layovers. With the multi-city booking feature, you can easily create complex itineraries and customize your travel plans according to your preferences.
• Airport Guides: To help travelers navigate unfamiliar airports, Kiwi.com provides comprehensive airport guides. These guides offer information about airport facilities, transportation options, and other useful details that can make your travel experience more seamless.

These additional features enhance the overall travel experience for Kiwi.com users. From the convenience of 24/7 customer support to the peace of mind provided by the Kiwi.com guarantee, these features demonstrate the company’s commitment to ensuring a smooth and enjoyable journey for its users.

In the next section, we’ll explore customer reviews to gain insights into the experiences of those who have used Kiwi.com. This will provide further reassurance and help you make informed decisions about using the platform for your travel needs.

Customer Reviews

Reading customer reviews can be an excellent way to gain insights into the experiences of other travelers who have used Kiwi.com. Here, we’ll highlight some key points from customer reviews to provide you with a holistic view of the platform:

• Positive Experiences: Many customers express satisfaction with the affordable prices they found on Kiwi.com. They appreciate the platform’s ability to find creative flight combinations, which often resulted in significant savings compared to other booking options. Users also praise the transparency of information provided by Kiwi.com, particularly regarding layovers, baggage policies, and potential risks involved in the itineraries.
• Customer Support: Several reviewers commend the customer support provided by Kiwi.com. They highlight the responsiveness and assistance of the support team, especially during unexpected situations such as flight disruptions or changes. Customers appreciate the help and alternative options offered to ensure they reach their final destination without major inconvenience.
• Easy Navigation: Users find the Kiwi.com website and mobile app easy to navigate and appreciate the user-friendly interface. Many customers find it simple to search for flights, apply filters, and complete the booking process seamlessly. The Explore Map feature is often praised for helping users discover new destinations and plan multi-city itineraries with ease.
• Occasional Challenges: Some reviewers mention occasional challenges when it comes to flight changes, rescheduling, or refunds. While Kiwi.com strives to provide seamless experiences, there may be instances where disruptions in travel plans can occur. It is important for customers to read and fully understand the terms and conditions of their bookings and be prepared for any potential complications that may arise.
• Overall Satisfaction: Despite the occasional challenges mentioned, the majority of customer reviews express overall satisfaction with using Kiwi.com. Customers appreciate the competitive prices, the ability to create flexible itineraries, and the positive customer support experiences.

Customer reviews provide valuable insights into the experiences of those who have used Kiwi.com. While every travel situation is unique, reading reviews can help you understand the strengths and potential pitfalls of using the platform, empowering you to make informed decisions for your travel needs.

Having explored the additional features and reviewed customer experiences, we’ll now conclude our review of Kiwi.com in the next section.

Kiwi.com has established itself as a leading online platform for finding cheap flights and creating cost-effective itineraries. With its unique technology and extensive network of airline partnerships, Kiwi.com offers a range of benefits to travelers looking to save money and explore new destinations.

By combining flights from different airlines, Kiwi.com allows users to find creative and affordable flight options, often resulting in significant savings compared to traditional booking methods. The platform’s transparent information about layovers, baggage policies, and potential risks helps users make informed decisions about their travel plans.

In addition to its core flight search features, Kiwi.com provides a range of additional services. These include 24/7 customer support, the Kiwi.com Guarantee that safeguards users in case of disruptions, a user-friendly mobile app for convenient on-the-go bookings, and features like pricing alerts and the Explore Map to enhance the travel experience.

While occasional challenges may arise, such as flight changes or refunds, customer reviews generally reflect positive experiences, highlighting the affordability, transparency, and helpfulness of Kiwi.com’s customer support team. Users appreciate the intuitive website and app navigation, as well as the ability to explore various flight options and customize their travel plans.

In conclusion, Kiwi.com is a reliable and innovative platform for travelers looking for budget-friendly flights. With its extensive network, cost-effective itineraries, and additional features, Kiwi.com has established itself as a go-to option for those seeking affordable and convenient travel options. However, it is important for users to familiarize themselves with the terms and conditions of their bookings and to be prepared for any unexpected situations that may arise.

Whether you are a budget-conscious traveler, a frequent flyer, or someone who simply wants to make the most of their travel budget, Kiwi.com can help you find affordable flights without compromising on quality or convenience. So, next time you’re planning a trip, consider giving Kiwi.com a try and discover the possibilities of affordable travel.

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Kiwi.com Review: Think Before You Book

What's In This Article

A couple of years ago I booked through Kiwi.com. I hadn’t looked through many Kiwi.com reviews prior to booking my flights because they appeared to have a 5-star service. As depicted by my go-to flight search engine Skyscanner. They also appeared legit, containing Kiwi manage my booking sections and a Kiwi customer service. Once booked I really wish I had done a more thorough search for kiwi.com reviews. As these are still scarce, I am going to go through how you can book with Kiwi.com . Comparing my experience of booking through Kiwi in 2017 to whether I would book with them now in 2019. So I recommend you read through my whole kiwi.com review before deciding whether booking through kiwi.com is right for you.

Kiwi.com Review:

Similar to many commercial flight search engines. Kiwi.com provide a traditional flight search bar alongside weekly to monthly general searches and a dedicated page of trending destinations. Showcasing prices, a number of nights and cost. The latter of which can be adjusted to your home currency by selecting the currency icon next to manage my booking on the kiwi toolbar.

An aspect I really love about kiwi.com is the use of vibrant imagery. This for me really stands out amongst other providers. Especially when it comes to my kiwi.com review as this was not prevalent in 2017. With large tiles of beautiful hotspots in select countries, you can see kiwi.com are targetting those travelling for leisure purposes rather than for business.

Quite easy to navigate, kiwi.com provide extensive search features from my often used “Anywhere” Search. Alongside pricing tables, flight durations, stop over times and many more. With Kiwi.com its seem you can really find the perfect flights to make your trip perfect.

Something I’ve not seen at all with other providers of its kind. Following on my assumption of them targetting purely leisure travellers. Is Kiwi.com tour the world nomad feature. Which allows travellers to select continental regions such as Europe, Asia or South America. Once selected the Kiwi algorithm creates a random but coordinated trip for your dates. This feature was not available on kiwi.com in 2017 and something which I am personally excited to test out over the next few months.

Online Travel Agency

Kiwi.com unlike other flight search engines and providers allow you to book your flights directly on kiwi.com . They are able to do this as Kiwi.com is effectively acting as an online travel agency or OTA. Booking with an OTA online travel agent can have its benefits. One of the main selling points with Kiwi.com is that Kiwi really does manage your booking for you. Aspects such as online check-in are completed by Kiwi.com OTA. Boarding passes are both sent to your email and are accessible on kiwi manage my booking.

Manage my booking Kiwi.com

When it comes to managing your booking on kiwi.com . You don’t need your kiwi booking number to login. You just enter the email address and password you provided when booking your flights. Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten. As a really useful feature that speaks well for kiwi customer service. Is that you can be sent a login link to your designated email. With no change of password required.

One of the key benefits booking with OTA’s such as Kiwi.com . Is all your flight bookings regardless of the airline are accessible in one area. Kiwi manage my booking works as a perfect hub for managing multiple flights. You can select seats, meals and even baggage from within the manage my booking tab on kiwi.com . Making for the perfect companion for those frequent travellers or those taking lengthy routes.

My Experience With Kiwi.com 2017

I had regretted booking with Kiwi.com back in 2017. I was looking toward booking a quick getaway into Europe. As I tend to be quite indecisive I changed my choice destinations quite a few times. It had gone from Nimes to Nice , Murcia to Barcelona and adding in Lisbon and Faro into the mix. As I mentioned earlier when It comes to looking for flights I’m a keen user of Skyscanner. From experience, they do tend to give you the lowest prices, sometimes even £1-2 lower than those listed on competitor Kayak.com.

I wanted to keep my journey continuous so decided just to fly from each destination to the next. Utilizing the Skyscanner multi-stop search function, I was provided with appeared to be the cheapest flights from my selected dates. These were all direct flights between my destinations on the dates I was looking to travel. The total price appeared regular if not slightly more than then average spend for this route.

For those who have used Skyscanner. Know after your flights are listed you can proceed to book them with the suggested websites below. For me, only one option appeared: Kiwi.com . I clicked through and saw that booking with Kiwi.com  gave me the ability to book all my flights at once! Having to only enter my passport details once and pay! Usually, with multiple flights, websites would direct you to individual airline pages to proceed with the purchase.

Kiwi.com Review: At this point in 2017, I was not aware of OTA Online Travel agencies and how they operate. Nor was I aware Kiwi.com was an OTA.

Flights Booked Through Kiwi.com

I thought at the time how great! Why aren’t more people using this company? Obviously a bit sceptical I looked at their reviews on Trust Pilot with 95% of them overwhelmingly positive, knowing most people had a good experience with them I was confident enough to book my flight. Once completed, everything went smoothly! I received a booking processing email followed shortly by a confirmation email with my Kiwi booking number.

Kiwi.com Review: As mentioned earlier I had only reviewed Kiwi.com via TrustPilot and had not searched for further online reviews.

It was at this point that I became slightly apprehensive. I had only looked at the flights using Skyscanner multi-stop function. I assumed it would be fine. Booking with  kiwi.com  appeared at the cheapest option for my selected flight. With Skyscanner providing them as the only option to select from offering them as the cheapest price.

After further research. Entering my flight in multitabbed single searches on Skyscanner. I realised that by booking my flights separately I would have saved £70! Now I know this isn’t a lot of money but considering I travel a fair bit this could have been an extra trip! Not only could I have saved £70. This could have been saved by booking the flight separately via Kiwi.com also.

Reaching Out – Kiwi Customer Service

Coming to the realisation I’d been dupped. I decided to call  Kiwi customer service advertising that they have 24/7 support. In my mind, I’m thinking it’ll be fine they should be able to sort this out for me. As most people believe when they are contacting customer service.

After being unable to get through to Kiwi customer service for a good hour, I ended the call, as I had work to be getting back too. I decided to call them again the following day in hopes of being put through to someone. Calling the next day I was placed through to a kiwi customer service operative within 10 minutes. A minimal wait time compared to my hour plus the day prior.

One I had explained the problem to Kiwi customer service. Here is where it got interesting! I spoke to the customer service agent and I stated the issue to them. I informed them that I booked my flight through Kiwi.com and paid an extra £70. That I would have saved had I booked my flights separately. Asking if they would honour the correct prices of these flight? I was immediately shut down and told No.

I asked why and they stated that “prices always change” which of course is correct. Although not accurate for the situation as I had checked immediately after my confirmation came through. I was then provided with the same generic response, flight prices change consistently “our prices are  kiwi.com  prices” which shocked me slightly. As a first-time customer contacting Kiwi customer service I would have thought they would’ve aimed to make my experience as positive as possible.

Kiwi.com Review: Many established travel companies, such as Expedia and Last minute to name a few offer a price match services even after booking. I was shocked that Kiwi customer service did not offer a similar service.

Further, in the conversation, I exclaimed that this was terrible business practice. To which response I was shocked to hear and found hilarious at the same time. “ Kiwi.com is a company and they have to make money somehow”. At this point, I was beyond done with trying to debate with this kiwi customer service agent. I explained how that’s even worse practice to take advantage of your customers and there are better practices even enforced by similar agencies that are much more successful than you. Usually, I would try and fight to the end. However, I could see this company and its practices were ones that were stringently enforced and would not be subject to criticism.

2019 Kiwi.com Review – Would I book again?

I know now that  kiwi customer service cares very little about their customers. I also am aware they are in the business solely for monetary gain.

In hindsight, I have definitely learnt from my mistake. I am aware I was more at fault for not doing due diligence when it came to flight searches. However, this did bring to light Kiwi customer service and the experience of booking with an OTA online travel agency.

There are definitely positives to booking with  kiwi.com . Such as the benefit of an OTA online travel agency. Providing ease of booking multiple flights all at once. The ability to manage all your flight bookings in one place. Negatively I don’t think that these “benefits” are worth the potential excess amount you could pay for flights, booking through kiwi.com ! Which is why I would always suggest if you are looking to save money. Make sure if you are booking through Kiwi.com you are getting the best deal

Although I have yet to book with kiwi.com in 2019 I definitely would not be opposed to giving this company another try. Looking at how far their OTA has come in 2 years I am excited by their progress. They have built a beautifully functioning website. Perfect for leisure and long term nomad based travellers. I truly hope Kiwi customer service has followed in this development.

Well, I hope you guys found this guide article useful! Let me know below if you have any questions!

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Reviews 3.8.

108,587 total

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When I arrived at the airport, check-in was quick and simple, and I had a pleasant flight without any issues. This was actually my first time booking a flight on my own, so I was quite anxious that I might have overlooked something or done something incorrectly. I will not soon forget this amazing first-time experience.

Date of experience : June 27, 2024

Reply from Kiwi.com

Christopher Daniel, Thank you for sharing your fantastic first-time experience with Kiwi.com! We're thrilled to hear that your check-in was quick and simple at the airport, and that you had a pleasant flight without any issues. It's wonderful that we could make your first solo booking unforgettable. We can't wait to assist you again on your future adventures! Customer Advocacy Team

Easy as it should be

Easy as it should be, I had only a suitcase(huge advantage), I found a cheap flight =my goal , booked and paid, then almost immediately I was followed with messages to help me have un overview of steps, I got boarding pass at airport like other flights Mobile app didn't work for me, instead I had a link to my account, ( just follow steps it should be okay )

Date of experience : June 28, 2024

I was having trouble with getting my…

I was having trouble with getting my boarding pass, Louise on the phone quickly resolved my issue then checked me in and forwarded me all the details. Quick resolution and very polite customer service. Thanks :)

Hi Caitlin O'Kelly, Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that Louise was able to quickly resolve your boarding pass issue and provide you with all the necessary details. We hope you have a fantastic trip! Safe travels! Customer Advocacy Team

Helpful experience with Kiwi The lady answered promptly

The lady answered promptly, in a professional way, very helpful, knowledgeable, explaining things and giving clear details. She was very patient and made everything very clear.

Dear Maria-Ana, Thank you for your positive review! We're thrilled to hear that our agent provided you with prompt and professional assistance, explaining everything clearly and patiently. We strive to ensure a smooth experience for all our travelers, and we're glad that we met your expectations. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out. Best regards, Customer Advocacy Team

Promt costomer service , greate help

Promt costomer service call answering , very helpfull staff , trying their best to protect save clients money not empty their pockets . I love Kiwi.com

Dear Novin, Thank you for your positive review! We're thrilled to hear that you found our customer service prompt and our staff helpful. At Kiwi.com, we always strive to protect our clients' money and provide the best travel options. We're delighted that you love using our platform. Best regards, Customer Advocacy Team

Price and timing

Kiwi.com helped me to find the best prices and timing for transfer flights. The value-added services such as insurance were useful.

I enjoyed experience with you from A to…

I enjoyed experience with you from A to Z. You sent reminders, offers, boarding passes. Everything so smooth and easy. I will use kiwi.com in future for sure :)

Dear Friend of Ted, Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that you had a smooth and easy experience with Kiwi.com from start to finish. We're glad to have earned your trust, and we look forward to serving you again in the future. Best regards, Customer Advocacy Team

There’s. Lot of information to be taken in before booking

I made a mistake on the departure dates of my flights. I changed within 24 hours but hadn’t taken in I would lose nearly my entire payment. It would be useful to have important information all together in a succinct format then expanded on. My first experience was not positive though I realise it’s my own fault. It’s too difficult wading through all the relevant info.

Date of experience : June 24, 2024

Dear Customer, Thank you for leaving your valuable feedback regarding your recent experience with Kiwi.com. As we were able to locate the reservation in your system, we will proceed to investigate it on our side and contact you as soon as possible, and someone is going to take care of your case here. Thank you for your cooperation in getting back to us once we contact you to work on a solution for your case together. Yours sincerely, Customer Advocacy Team

I had a problem with my trip

I had a problem with my trip, but it got shorted out so fast by Kiwi and amazing lady called Sarah. She is a great person and takes the extra mile to help. To be honest I didn't expect that my issue would be resolved so fast and so well. I highly recommend Kiwi and team Kiwi.

Date of experience : June 26, 2024

Dear Paula, Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that Sarah, one of our amazing team members, went above and beyond to resolve your issue quickly. We pride ourselves on providing excellent service, and we're delighted that you had such a positive experience with us. We'll be sure to pass on your kind words to Sarah. Thank you for recommending Kiwi.com! Best regards, Customer Advocacy Team

Booking with Kiwi was easy

Booking with Kiwi was easy. The problems we experienced were WRONG Departure/Arrival times. Off by one hour. 10.50am instead of 11.50am. That caused scheduling issues prior departure and on the return after arrival. Other than that, transactions were easy.

Date of experience : June 22, 2024

Dear Remi, Thank you for sharing your experience with Kiwi.com. We apologize for the incorrect departure/arrival times that caused scheduling issues for you. We appreciate your understanding and are glad that the overall booking process was easy for you. Best regards, Customer Advocacy Team

I purchased the tickets through…

I purchased the tickets through Kiwi.com Denpasar - Don Mueng Phuket - Kuala lumpur - Denpasar... Flight Phuket - Kuala lumpur with layover only 1 hour and 40 min. Flight Phuket - Kuala was delay. Next flight from Kuala lumpur to Denpasar, of course took off without us... We reached KLIA 2 departure hall only 40 min before departure. I was forced to buy a new ticket and pay for the hotel, coz there is no tickets on the same day. Customer service no work, support no work.

Great support - confusing check-in process

The agent I was talking to was very informative. However the online check-in process is a bit convoluted and confusing. That's why I had to call an agent. I have checked in luggage allowance, yet the first question in the check in process asks me to buy check-in luggage. It would be great if it prompted me with the words: "you can buy additional luggage allowance". Agent assured me that I have indeed purchased check-in luggage options. So, if I wasn't paying attention I probably would have bought luggage allowance again.

Date of experience : June 23, 2024

Dear Tomasz Zima, Thank you for your positive review! Our agent is thrilled to hear that they were able to provide you with informative assistance. We apologize for any confusion you experienced during the online check-in process and appreciate your feedback. We will take your suggestion into consideration to improve the clarity of our prompts. We hope you have a wonderful trip! Sincerely, Customer Advocacy Team

DO not trust this site

DO not trust this site, it is 100% Fraud. I bought the ticket, never got an email confirmation. They have no email/mob to contact them. I approached via facebook and somebody called from a mobile number. They asked to open Remitly account to do the transfer, which actually ended up charging me money (their refund is actually you paying again, so charged twice). I contacted Remitly, they found this suspicious and cancelled the transection. Do not use this site, it is a Fraud. I am on the phone with my bank and will report to SkyScanner as well, as Kiwi tickets were offered via their site

Dear Customer, We appreciate your review of your recent experience with Kiwi.com and are sorry to hear it did not meet your expectations. To help resolve the issue, kindly provide a response to our request with your booking number and the email address used for the reservation. We will then ensure prompt assistance and a resolution. Thank you for your understanding. Best regards, Customer Advocacy Team

Better than American Airlines

Overall the flight was pretty smooth and the crew were friendly except one. When I asked one of the crew members to ask the passenger in front of me to recline her seat back so I could have the meal that they had just served, the air hostess refused and told me in an unprecedented manner to ask the passenger myself. I believe it is standard procedure and practice to recline seats to their original position during meals. It is the crew members responsibility to make sure that this is done, just like having your seatbelts on during tat.

Dear Mohammad Reza Behrooz, Thank you for your positive review of your recent flight experience with Kiwi.com. We're glad to hear that the overall flight went smoothly and that the crew were friendly. We apologize for the inconvenience you experienced with the crew member regarding seat reclining during meal service. We appreciate your feedback and will address this with our team to ensure consistent adherence to standard procedures. Best regards, Customer Advocacy Team

a non-refundable kiwi.com

I'm angry because they didn't even answer. The flight was canceled unilaterally. The airline told me that free cancellation was possible. But Kiwi.com says it will give an answer within 4 hours, but it hasn't answered for 12 hours. The inquiry also shows up as an error. If you're watching, give me a quick refund. Why haven't you even heard that the airline will do it for you? I've never seen a response like this before.

Dear Customer, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We genuinely care about your feedback and are committed to addressing the issues you have raised. Our team is conducting a thorough investigation, and we will keep you updated on the progress and outcome. Kind regards, Customer Advocacy Team

I already gave feedback on my last…

I already gave feedback on my last trip/experience. All great except having additional baggage from Easy Jet both legs. Very annoying and unfair.

Dear Kevin Maguire, Thank you for sharing your positive review of your recent trip with Kiwi.com. We're glad to hear that overall, your experience was great. We understand that having additional baggage from Easy Jet on both legs was annoying and unfair. We apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your feedback. Best regards, Customer Advocacy Team

Nothing went right

My flight was cancelled by transavia so i used kiwi to book a new flight. The flight randomly gets cancelled with no explanation. I book again, same problem, now im down 2400 euros. On the phone they kept lying about the money being held by my bank which isnt something thats possible where i come from. Eventually got my money back a month later after dozens of calls.

Date of experience : April 01, 2024

It was all smooth

Everything was extremely smooth. I especially liked getting the boarding passes automatically in the app. What's also good about Kiwi is that it displays so many possibilities when looking for an itinerary, including trains and buses.

Dear Geir, Thank you for your positive review! We are thrilled to hear that your trip with Kiwi.com was extremely smooth. Our automatic boarding pass feature in the app is indeed a convenient and time-saving feature. We are glad that you enjoyed exploring the various possibilities that Kiwi.com offers, including trains and buses. We appreciate your feedback and hope to assist you again in the future. Best regards, Customer Advocacy Team

Absolute thieves

Absolute thieves! Corendon which was the second leg of the trip absolutely tried to rob me blind. Although the ticket said the 8kg plus personal of 3kg they tried to charge me 75 euros for my 3kg backpack. Of course I argued and when I said I am not getting on board the plane cause this is theft and I wanted proof of what was going on. When I asked for proof they called security. If course security did nothing cause I did nothing wrong but this is a disgrace and I will not leave it here for kiwi or Corendon.

Date of experience : June 29, 2024

The Kiwi application was really…

The Kiwi application was really helpful. I had an opportunity to check my flight. It was very easy to printer the invoice and eTicket. What I loved the most was the travel history, I could check the previous journey.

Date of experience : June 25, 2024

Dear Zhana Chokheli, Thank you for your positive review! We're delighted to hear that our Kiwi application was helpful to you and that you found it easy to check your flight details, print your invoice and eTicket. We're also glad that you enjoyed our travel history feature, allowing you to check your previous journeys. We appreciate your feedback and hope to assist you again in the future. Best regards, Customer Advocacy Team

What is Kiwi.com and why is it important?

The kiwi is a unique and curious bird: it cannot fly, and has loose, hairlike feathers, strong legs and no tail.

Kiwi berries are edible fruits the size of a large grape, similar to fuzzy kiwifruit in taste and internal appearance but with a thin, smooth green skin.

Kiwi International Air Lines was an American airline that operated from September 21, 1992, for almost seven years. It was headquartered in Newark, and in its brief history, the airline flew eight million passengers without incident.

What is Kiwi.com?

Kiwi.com, though, is neither a flightless bird, nor a fruit, nor a defunct airline, but an Internet site. In its own words, when asked “Is Kiwi.com a legit website?” they follow it up with:

“We often see questions on various platforms online asking, ‘is Kiwi.com safe for booking flights with?’ The answer is yes, Kiwi is 100% safe and legit. We’re a reputable travel company with one objective, to use our innovative technology to help you find affordable flight options to get you from A to B.”

Kiwi.com, previously known as skypicker.com, is a Czech online travel agency founded in 2012. Kiwi.com provides a fare aggregator, metasearch engine and booking for airline tickets and ground transportation. Its ticket search features Kiwi.com’s “virtual interlining” concept – itineraries combined from over 750 carriers, including many that do not cooperate in online bookings.

Many of us are aware of investment scams that abound on social media – scammers promising guaranteed returns on investment. Consumers lost billions of dollars to them last year. Some start with a WhatsApp message apologizing for bothering you.

Kiwi.com has a great site, and its results prove to be very enticing to millions of clients. In fact, it goes further than any site or travel agency by stating that it will handle everything with the airline, including preparing your boarding passes. This is a tedious yet vital procedure these days. Curiously, though, it doesn’t give the airlines your details – neither your phone number nor your address. All communications are done solely between Kiwi and the airline. And that raises a lot of questions.

Kiwi.com is without any doubt a legit online travel agency. However, booking a flight through it increases the risks of issues as compared to booking directly with the airline, since Kiwi works as a middleman between the traveler and the airline. Although problems can occur even with direct booking with the airline, the chances are much lower compared to booking a flight through Kiwi.com.

Why Kiwi.com causes problems

Here’s why:

Kiwi.com basically acts as an intermediary between you and the airlines. As a middleman, Kiwi collects your payment, and it – not the airline – is responsible for your booking, since your contract is not directly with the airline; it is with Kiwi.

In the event that something goes wrong between you and the airline, you will have to contact Kiwi.com, and then it will reach out to the airline you are booked with, and Kiwi will then get back to you. But how fast Kiwi.com’s customer support will help you resolve your issue depends on the level of customer service you choose at the time of booking.

Kiwi.com basically offers three types of services:

• Basic Service : Under this service, neither immediate response will be given to your phone calls, nor can you contact Kiwi.com through email.
• Plus Service : With this service, you can contact Kiwi.com through email, and your phone calls will be given medium priority.
• Premium Service : Under premium service, your phone calls will be given high priority, and you can contact Kiwi.com through email.

Kiwi.com basically provides three types of tickets, and each one has its own refund and booking changes rules:

• Saver Ticket : You can neither make changes nor can you get a refund if you cancel your trip.
• Standard Ticket : You can make changes but can’t get a refund if you cancel your trip.
• Flexi Ticket : You can make changes and also will get a 90% refund if you cancel your trip.

Kiwi.com definitely saves you money over direct bookings with the airline, and it works out just fine, as long as everything goes smoothly. But when you’re booked through Kiwi and something goes wrong or any unexpected circumstances happen, Kiwi can make things more complicated to resolve. You’ll most likely be stuck in a lot of back-and-forth between the airline and Kiwi.com before your issue is resolved.

It all seems to be what one would expect from an Internet booking site, an aggregator, as it’s called in the industry. But appearances can be deceiving.

It was last week that I received a message from a family of five who were due to fly back on Wizz Air from Rome after a wonderful holiday traipsing through Italy.

Kiwi had informed them that Wizz Air had canceled its flight, and the woman representing the family asked me to confirm whether this was true. Kiwi told her she could get a €10 refund or credit for a future flight, which she rejected outright. We all know that one of the biggest risks of low-cost carriers is they can cancel a flight with little advance notice.

Surprisingly, I told her Wizz Air was indeed flying that day, and there was no reason to believe the flight would be canceled. I told her to bring her family to the airport directly to Wizz Air, and that in the worst-case scenario there would be an El Al flight that evening if she had to buy five new tickets.

When she got to the Wizz site, the attendant was most accommodating and confirmed what I had advised her, that the flight was operating as scheduled and was in fact not canceled.

Nonplussed, she asked him to dig deeper, and upon inspection, he notified her that Kiwi had canceled all five tickets and refunded the money. The Wizz Air ground attendant’s reaction was quite serene, and he was not at all surprised that it had occurred.

Together, they contacted Kiwi, which at first reiterated that she had canceled the flights, but upon further review owned up to its mistake. Even more bizarre, the phone number, email, and physical address that Kiwi provided to Wizz Air were all fake. Not erroneous, but outright nonexistent. Wizz Air tried to accommodate her, even offering them seats on the next day’s flights or a partial refund, but the client realized that throwing good money after bad money was absurd and purchased five new one-way El Al tickets.

My client was quite savvy, and, with some assistance from my office, received all the documentation necessary to get a full refund. She knows that as Kiwi.com has no physical representation in Israel, she cannot sue it for restitution in small claims court, but followed assiduously every obstacle they threw at her to get a full refund of what she had paid to Kiwi. Not, of course, the difference for the new ticket, nor, of course, the compensation due for the delay in flying back to Tel Aviv, nor for any mental anguish, but still she learned a valuable lesson.

SOME AIRLINES have taken Kiwi’s cavalier attitude into consideration and gone to the courts.

On 14 January 2021, Southwest Airlines sued Kiwi.com, alleging that its scraping of fare information from Southwest’s website was a breach of contract and that Kiwi.com’s use of Southwest’s logo in its search results constituted trademark infringement.

In response, Kiwi.com removed Southwest’s logo from its search results, but continued to sell Southwest tickets despite Southwest sending Kiwi.com a series of cease-and-desist demands.

In December 2021, a Texas court ruled in favor of Southwest, permanently banning Kiwi.com from scraping and harvesting information from Southwest’s website, republishing the airline’s schedules, and selling Southwest tickets without permission.

On SiteJabber, Kiwi.com has a rating of 1.08 stars from 1,882 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Kiwi.com most frequently mention customer service, credit card, and full refund problems. Kiwi.com ranks 258th among plane ticket sites. Mirana gives an almost identical report from last June.

From another site reviewing Kiwi.com:

“I don’t generally [leave], in fact have never left, bad reviews, but just as a warning:

“I think Kiwi is safe and legit, so roll the dice if you want, but the only thing they did well was leave a lot of time between flights, cuz you’re going to need it to sort things out on your own and deal with delays.

“Paid for checked bag, second airline didn’t honor. Baggage requirements for two airlines were totally different. We only had info for the first flight; that was problematic. Couldn’t check bags all the way through. Also, wasn’t well informed of changes to flights.”

The Better Business Bureau in the United States has a litany of complaints about Kiwi.com just in the last month.

Tiffany’s review was nearly identical to what my client encountered. She asserted the company is a complete scam. She, too, bought her flights through its website. She, too, got a notification through its app that the flight had been canceled. She, too, was told her only options were to spend hundreds more dollars, over twice what she had paid, or she could seek a refund.

But that was not true. I could see that according to her airline, the flight was not canceled. In fact, I could still purchase tickets to that flight online!

After hours of arguing and talking between Kiwi.com and the airline, it came to be understood that the airline had not canceled the flight but had canceled the booking made through Kiwi.com. Kiwi.com refused to allow me to speak to a manager, and it refused to give me a way to submit a complaint. I ended up having to get a refund through my bank and had to repurchase tickets directly from the airline, and for a higher price.

If it happens once, we’ll call it a mistake. A second occurrence, we call it a coincidence. A third incident, and it is obvious that this is a pattern repeated over and over again. See this site to read claim after claim of fraudulent behavior: Kiwi.com, Inc. | Reviews | Better Business Bureau® Profile (bbb.org)

My client was fortunate; her instinct that something was rotten was immediately raised, and she had the wherewithal to reach out to someone inside the industry. She will prevail in getting compensated for what she paid it. Hopefully, her story and others’ will get the authorities in other countries to act against it. Lawsuits against airlines or Internet sites are not rare and in themselves are not indicative of illegal activities.

Kiwi.com is a different kettle of fish, and something doesn’t smell right. Airline scams are easier to detect. Never give money until you see a confirmation number. Anything else could just be a reservation, and that is not a confirmed ticket. Book directly from the airline’s website or a trusted travel agency. You may not get the lowest fare, but you will be getting a legitimate ticket. Read reviews; service matters; and if you have to pay more for that, then make the decision to do so. If you’re worried about a ticket, talk directly to the airline’s customer service department.

Check official resources: The Better Business Bureau in the United States is a great place to start. The agency lists real companies; if you can’t find the one you’re working with, walk away.

Online reviews and ratings: Read online reviews and ratings on sites like TripAdvisor, Yelp, or Google. Keep in mind that extremely positive and negative reviews could be bogus. Watch for a balance of reviews and consistent themes.

Bottom line, if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.

The writer is the CEO of Ziontours, Jerusalem, and a director at Diesenhaus. For questions and comments email him at [email protected] •

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What To Do About The Kiwi.com Refund You Didn’t Get During COVID-19

Written By Kelly Branyik

6 mins read

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*Disclaimer: Articles hosted on Travel Branyik may include affiliate links.

This morning, I woke to over $900 missing from my bank account. And in my panic, I start scrolling through the activity on my app only to see a very infuriating reversal on a dispute I submitted months ago for a flight I never got on. The dispute was for Kiwi.com, a booking company that I attempted to use when I was traveling back home from China during COVID-19.

About Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com is a travel booking site that promises you can organize your travel plans the way you want to while avoiding the many hurdles you might need to overcome when booking your travel. It was founded by two men and has since expanded to 600 IT developers. The site reportedly averages 100 million searches per day. The site hasn’t yet surpassed a decade of existence.

You can read more about how they work as a company and their response to COVID-19, by going here .

My Refund Update – Status as of 12/17/2020

I received 2/3 of my refund on 12/17/2020, after trying all of the methods below. Keep in mind, everyone’s method of getting their refund back varies. I managed to get mine after filing a formal complaint with the Department of Transportation. But that may not work for everyone. Be sure to try all avenues and hit all your bases when trying to get your refund back.

Be sure to try all methods below.

My Incredibly Kiwi.com Refund Experience

Now I admit, I didn’t research this company before purchasing my ticket. I was desperate to get home and had already faced two other canceled flights. When I booked with Kiwi.com they promised the flights would be guaranteed and if not, they offer a guarantee to support you should you get delayed or cancel, see the bogus guaranteed here . Less than two days after I booked my flight from China to the US, the flight was canceled due to issues with a connecting flight.

I was then met with their sorry excuse for a refund policy.

I applied for a Kiwi.com refund using one of their many refund options and waited. One month went by… then two, then three, then four, and then five. Now I’m here because Kiwi.com has deemed my ticket “non-refundable” displaying that I had “traveled” on this trip.

I started my journey home on May 16, 2020 , not April 2020. I have screenshots, tickets, blog posts, and photos to prove it.

For the next few months, I furiously contacted Kiwi.com to address a few things:

• Where is my refund?
• Why is my booking saying that I traveled?
• Why wasn’t my booking fully canceled when it was canceled by the other carriers?

When I finally got a hold of someone at Kiwi.com about why it appears I traveled even though the flights were canceled, they told me, “The airlines know you didn’t travel because you didn’t check-in. Don’t worry.”  I took their word for it, even though they were far surpassing their promised refund date.

Then this morning, I decided to check out my Kiwi account to view my booking. When I discovered the ticket had been deemed non-refundable, the pop-up insisted it had sent me details regarding my non-refundable purchase, yet I haven’t received any notification about this nor the reason why it wasn’t refunded.

The Kiwi.com Refund Policy

While many might just look at this site like booking.com or Priceline, this site has a sketchy refund policy that causes more stress than it alleviates. They will provide you a refund based on your circumstance and in some cases, they will make you pay them to get a certain kind of refund .

It has been over 5 months since I have seen my refund as a result of COVID-19. Originally, when I had requested a refund, they promised it would take up to 3 months to see anything.

Kiwi.com offers three types of refunds to their customers in the event that their flight is canceled. In some cases, you actually have to pay them money to get a refund. Like, what? In most cases, you are highly unlikely to receive a full refund and are more likely to receive a partial refund.

THOUSANDS of Dissatisfied Customers

Thousands of people have attempted phone calls, emails, and literally, any sort of human correspondence with reps regarding their Kiwi.com refund and have been ignored.

So they took to Twitter and Facebook to comment on whatever blogs Kiwi.com is posting (attempts to look good I guess) to voice their disgust for the less than mediocre customer service and the refund policy.

If you mosey on over to Kiwi.com’s Facebook Page , (which very shockingly has over 490k followers, which I don’t understand), you’ll be able to feast your eyes on the comments spitting with dissatisfaction and anger over the Kiwi.com refund process.

I’d like to mention, that a lot of Kiwi.com’s responses defer blame to the airlines and their refund policies. A convenient way to avoid any accountability around this mess they’ve created by leaving booking options open during the COVID-19 crisis.

Here are some comments along with Kiwi.com’s social media managers less than stellar and quite aggravating responses:

These responses and their attempts at reputation management is just a myriad of weak and empty apologies that really don’t provide a solution. I truly wonder what they are even doing over there to actually please the hundreds of customers they’ve upset.

What You Can Do From Here as a Kiwi.com Customer

If you’ve been affected by the asinine experience regarding your Kiwi.com refund, don’t stop voicing your upset. Times are hard, but we CANNOT let corporate companies like this get away with taking funds that we rightfully deserve back.

1. Contact The Airlines in Your Booking

If you haven’t done this already, or you’ve attempted to contact anyone at Kiwi.com to get help, call the airlines directly to address the booking you made. If they have not refunded you or have already deemed your booking non-refundable, ask them why.

2. Call Your Bank Directly to Dispute the Charge

Contact your bank and talk to a person. Don’t try and dispute your charge via your banking app or online. Talk to a human person and tell them that thousands of people still haven’t received their refunds from Kiwi.com. Ask your bank to PLEASE visit the Kiwi.com Facebook page when investigating the dispute so they have tangible proof that thousands have not been paid by this company.

Additionally, it’s harder to dispute a charge or reverse a dispute if when they are dealing with the actual human and not just an account.

3. Submit an Official Complaint with the Department of Transportation

This was the method that ended up working for me. A few weeks after I filed the complaint, I got an email from the Kiwi.com rep saying my refund was on the way and they were still working on the last portion of obtaining my refund. She detailed that the Department of Transportation reached out to them with the dispute

If you are feeling like things just aren’t moving, trying filing a complaint and see how things move along from there.

See links below to DOT sites where you can file a complaint.

• US Department of Transportation
• EU Department of Transportation
• Canadian Department of Transportation
• UK Department of Transportation
• Still trying to find other links to DOTs around the world… bear with me.

4. NEVER Book With Kiwi.com Again and Tell Your Friends To Do the Same

One way to bring a company to its knees so they can change is to stop support their business. Do not endorse them. Shout to the rooftops that this company cannot be trusted, at least right now. They have handled this COVID-19 crisis poorly and too many have been taken advantage of. They need to change how they conduct their business and they won’t be able to do it if we stay silent.

Denounce them as a travel booking site.

5. Leave A Review About Your Experience

Sitejabber is a place where you can leave a review about your experience with Kiwi.com. I encourage you to visit the site to leave a review about your experience so people considering them are forewarned.

6. Sign This Petition

Over 10,000 people have signed this petition already! Be part of the change and visit this website to sign the petition !

7. Join the Facebook Group and #KiwiScam

Thousands are already working together to fight Kiwi.com’s thievery. Join the group to see how you can help support each other in getting your money back!

Also, be sure to follow #kiwiscam on Facebook and Twitter .

8. File a Complaint with FTC

Escalate this to every place you can imagine! You can go to the Federal Trade Commission’s website and file a formal complaint about Kiwi.com’s scamming. Just visit the website here to file your complaint.

P.S. I’m SO Sorry You’re Going Through This

My dearest traveler, I am just as frustrated as you, but we will get through this unbelievable trickery if we work together. Just hang in there, keep fighting, and don’t give in until you get what you deserve.

Please leave a comment if you feel there is any more support we can offer each other during this fiasco!

Other Posts You Might Like…

Heyo, i'm kelly.

I'm a Returned Peace Corps China Volunteer, author, blogger, Content Director trying to become fluent in Mandarin Chinese. I'm living and traveling in Colorado during some of the best years of my life. Thank you for joining me on my adventures!

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What It Was Like Booking a Flight on Kiwi.com

Posted by The Unaccompanied Flyer | Dec 24, 2021 | Airlines , Travel Tips | 1

If you’re like me, you probably spend a great deal of time looking for cheap flights using Google Flights. However, if you’ve ever tried to book flights, especially those departing outside of the United States, you have probably come across Kiwi.com. Kiwi.com is often the least expensive option when booking a flight found on Google Flights.

After years of seeing Kiwi.com listed in the results below my desired flight, I finally booked a flight through the travel agency.

My experience was seamless but it was not without its quirks and hurdles. It’s pretty clear that Kiwi.com makes its money not through flight bookings but through additional paid services offered by the online travel agency. It turns out that these services are, for the most part, completely useless. Here’s what it was like booking flights with Kiwi.com.

Here’s what you should know before booking a flight on Kiwi.com

Table of Contents

What Is Kiwi.com?

Most travelers have probably heard of sites like Expedia, Orbitz, and CheapOair. These three sites are popular online travel agencies or OTAs. An OTA is a private third-party company that sells seats on flights, rooms at hotels, or allows customers to book rental cars. Customers are booking the same flight, hotel, or rental car as those booked directly through an airline, hotel, or rental agency. In many instances, travelers save money when booking through an OTA.

It is worth noting that travelers who book with OTAs usually don’t save much at all . There are instances in which travelers snag an amazing deal through an OTA, but this is a rare occurrence.

With the bulk of travel reservations being handled online, there is an almost endless list of online travel agencies. One of these newer OTAs is Kiwi.com .

This TAP Portugal flight from Miami to Madrid via Lisbon can be booked through a number of OTAs, including Kiwi.com. (Image via Google Flights)

Kiwi.com was founded in 2012 as skypicker.com. Like any OTA, Kiwi.com serves as a search tool and flight aggregator. This enables users to see all of the flights available for their given search as well as most of the available fares for a flight.

However, Kiwi.com is somewhat unique in that the website provides virtual interline itineraries . This means that Kiwi.com will allow customers to book an itinerary that includes flights operated by multiple different airlines. According to Kiwi.com, the company wants to go so far as to become a “virtual global supercarrier.”

An interline agreement is an agreement between two or more airlines. These agreements allow an airline to sell seats on another airline’s flight as a part of a single itinerary. For example, American Airlines and JetBlue have an interline agreement allowing the two airlines to sell seats on each other’s flights on select routes.

What is unique about Kiwi.com is that the OTA allows travelers to book interline itineraries with airlines that do not already have an interline agreement. This might sound like an ingenious business model. However, as you will see later in this post, Kiwi.com’s virtual interline agreement itineraries are not all that passenger-friendly and could cost travelers hundreds in unexpected travel costs.

Kiwi.com offers its customers the ability to book “travel hacks” through its virtual interline agreement booking concept. (Image via Kiwi.com)

Here are some of the things that passengers are informed of when booking a “travel hack” on Kiwi.com. (Image via Kiwi.com)

Aside from the ability to book complex itineraries with flights operated by numerous different airlines, Kiwi.com offers little more than existing websites like Expedia or Orbitz. So, why book with Kiwi.com over one of these other sites?

Related:  Is Agoda a Legit Booking Site?

How Is Kiwi.com Cheaper?

The reason Kiwi.com is able to offer flights at a lower price than most other sites is thanks to its somewhat questionable ticketing practices. As previously mentioned, Kiwi.com will let customers book complex itineraries with flights operated by numerous airlines that do not already have existing interline ticketing agreements. Additionally, the OTA attempts to force customers to rely on their customer service team for all itinerary changes, cancellations, and refunds.

More popular OTAs like Expedia and Orbitz allow travelers who book using their platforms the flexibility to manage their itinerary with the assistance of the airline on which they booked. Typically, the only thing an airline cannot do for travelers who booked through an OTA is issue refunds.

Instead, the travel agency that a passenger uses must issue refunds or handle canceled itineraries. Aside from canceled itineraries and refunds, passengers are almost always able to go through an airline to manage their third-party booking.

Excessive Upselling on Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com is an exception. Kiwi.com’s booking process makes it appear as though travelers can only manage their itinerary through the Kiwi.com customer service team. As a matter of fact, the OTA goes so far as to upsell its customers on the ability to contact its customer service team. It is important to remember that, aside from refunds, airlines have the ability to manage a passenger’s itinerary even if they book through a third party.

The only instance in which it would make sense to utilize Kiwi.com’s customer service team is in the event that a passenger books one of the platform’s “virtual interline agreement” itineraries. According to Kiwi.com, these itineraries can be managed like most other interline itineraries if a customer has purchased the ability to access the platform’s customer service team.

Still, Kiwi.com upsells its customers on all itineraries. Even the most basic itineraries require customers to decline multiple customer service add-ons.

Here are some of the bundled services offered to customers when booking a flight on Kiwi.com (Image via Kiwi.com)

Customers are informed that they might not have access to customer service unless they pay for it at the time of booking. (Image via Kiwi.com)

In addition to travel insurance provided by AXA, Kiwi.com offers its own insurance. (Image via Kiwi.com)

Customers can select a seat, even when booking a basic economy fare on American Airlines. Of course, it does come at a cost. (Image via Kiwi.com)

Selling Services It Can’t Guarantee

Kiwi.com also sells additional services and amenities. This is similar to an airline upselling passengers on seats and in-flight services. What is important to understand about a third-party OTA upselling customers is that there is no way to guarantee that an airline will honor any of these services or amenities.

If you have ever booked a flight using American Express’ booking platform, you likely encountered the following message when selecting seats. “Seat Requests are passed to the airline, but cannot be guaranteed. Check with the airline soon after booking to confirm.”

American Express makes it abundantly clear to its customers that seat requests are sent over to an airline but there is a chance they will not be honored. This is because American Express is simply requesting those seats for the passenger.

Deep in Kiwi.com’s terms and conditions, the OTA notes that services and seats are not guaranteed. Most passengers likely overlook this as it is not made clear during the booking process. It is also quite odd for an OTA to push any services that are not checked bags and seats. Nevertheless, Kiwi.com does just that.

Even after a customer pays to access Kiwi.com’s customer service, there are more fees to make changes to itineraries. Fees are incurred when changes are made to a Kiwi.com itinerary even if the airline has a no-change fee policy.

Kiwi.com’s aggressive upselling is likely one of the main reasons the OTA can offer flights at such a low price. OTAs like Kiwi.com also earn a commission from the airline each time a flight is booked. But a cheap flight is a cheap flight. If someone is willing to forgo the ability to make changes to their itinerary or forgo access to customer service in return for a cheaper flight, why not book through Kiwi.com?

Should You Book a Flight on Kiwi.com?

In most cases, I always bypass the savings offered by online travel agencies in return for the peace of mind I receive when I book directly through an airline. Airlines also place restrictions on benefits and the ability to earn points or miles when a traveler books through a third party.

However, there are some instances in which the savings are worth the risk. The question as to whether or not you should book a flight on Kiwi.com depends on the specific flight or itinerary.

The main question you will need to ask is “How much are the savings worth to me?” How much of a risk are you willing to take? Do the fees associated with booking with a third party outweigh the savings?

How Much Are The Savings Worth To You?

I recently made the decision to forgo booking directly with the airline and instead booked a flight on Kiwi.com. I made this decision based on how much I valued the money I would save by not booking directly with the airline. In this case, VivaAerobus, the airline operating the flight, was selling a ticket on the airline for around $70 USD. Kiwi.com was offering the same flight at around $46 USD. I decided the $30ish in savings was worth it.

If I had been traveling a few days later, the same flight when booking through VivaAerobus is currently available for just $19 USD. Meanwhile, that flight is available for $16 USD on Kiwi.com. In this case, I would have booked directly with VivaAerobus as the $3 USD savings are just not worth the risk that comes with booking through an OTA.

How Much of a Risk Are You Willing to Take?

In the case of the flight I had booked through Kiwi.com, there was already a significant amount of risk associated with this itinerary. The flight departs on the first day that the departure airport opens its doors to the public. There is a relatively high chance that this flight will be canceled should the airport delay its opening date. Getting to the airport for this flight is also going to be somewhat of a challenge as I am taking multiple airlines and connecting through multiple airports.

Since the risk was already quite high, the risk associated with booking through Kiwi.com was insignificant. Something like a delay in a connecting flight will most likely make this itinerary impossible.

Do The Fees Outweigh The Savings?

Since this was my first time booking a flight on Kiwi.com, I took a risk and decided to decline all additional fees. This came with the possibility of incurring an itinerary modification fee for something as simple as selecting a seat. In the end, the risk paid off.

Once my flight was ticketed with VivaAerobus, I was able to select a seat using the airline’s website. I also had the option to select additional services including priority boarding and an increased baggage allowance using the VivaAerobus website. All of these add-ons offered through the VivaAerobus website were quite inexpensive.

In this case, since I did not incur any fees when booking on Kiwi.com, the fees associated with the savings offered by the OTA were definitely worth it.

This upcoming trip was the perfect opportunity to allow me to try out booking a flight on Kiwi.com. With my flight now ticketed and additional services paid for using VivaAerobus’ website, I am pleasantly surprised by my experience with Kiwi.com. At the time, however, the constant offers for additional services including customer service (something already offered by VivaAerobus) was a major red flag.

Related:  The Hotel Chain That Loves OTA Bookings

The Bottom Line

There is an inherent risk when booking with any third-party booking platform. After having booked a flight on Kiwi.com, it is apparent that not all online travel agencies are the same. Though the platform often features the least expensive fares and even allows customers to book extremely complex itineraries, there are notable cons to this OTA.

Kiwi.com actively works to get customers to book add-ons and services that are entirely unnecessary. If you are able to navigate around the platform’s nickel-and-diming, you may be able to snag a great deal on your next flight. It comes down to how much a traveler values the savings and how much risk a traveler is willing to take. If all of the pieces fall into place, Kiwi.com may be a good option when booking your next trip.

Have you ever booked a flight using Kiwi.com? What are your thoughts on online travel agencies like Kiwi.com?

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Max Prosperi is a business major based out of the Midwest. A college student stuck with the task of receiving an education, he still makes time to fly throughout the world. He’s learned how to maximize earning points and miles and travel cheaply even in premium cabins.

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If Kiwi does interline, it might prove interesting for fuel dumping.

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