An airline consolidator is a company that buys tickets in bulk from airlines at a discount, then resells them to consumers. Theoretically, this can save the buyer money, but some consolidators are actually scam artists. These unethical companies take your money and give you a fraudulent ticket or reservation, which you won't even realize until you get to the airport.
Make sure that the company you're buying your ticket from is a member of the trade group the United States Air Consolidation Association. Use the link below for a list of members.
Search for the company on the website of the Secretary of State for the state in which the airline consolidator is located. There should be a business name search link. If the company does not show up in the search, it is not registered in the state it claims to be in, and is almost certainly a scam.
Get the company's address. If it is not stated on the company's website or it is unwilling to disclose it, it is probably fraudulent.
If the company is fraudulent, there is a good chance that there is a complaint about it on the Better Business Bureau's website. Perform a search for the company there.
Read the fine print. If it indicates that the ticket is nonrefundable, you should consider going with another consolidator. If it indicates that a particular state has jurisdiction, you should go with another airline ticket agent unless you live in that state. Otherwise, you would have to actually visit the state in question to take legal action.
