Is JustFly legit? What you should know before booking

JustFly is a legitimate online travel agency (OTA) that has garnered attention due to its competitive pricing on flights, hotels, and other travel services. It can be a good place for finding affordable travel deals, but before booking, it’s worth understanding how the platform works and what to watch out for.

This guide will show you how JustFly works, why it seems so affordable, and how to protect your personal data and payment information while using it.

What is JustFly?

JustFly is an OTA that lets you find and book travel arrangements through its website or app. It launched in 2014, and since then, JustFly has gone on to become a big name in the travel industry, offering its services to millions of customers traveling around the world.

What services does JustFly offer?

On the JustFly platform, you can book:

• Flights: Low-cost flights to destinations across the globe from over 400 airlines.
• Hotels: Accommodation in both popular and lesser-known travel destinations.
• Cruises: Options for ocean and river cruises to a wide range of destinations.
• Car rentals: Various automobile rental services with airport and city pickup points.
• Vacation packages: Bundled flight-and-hotel deals designed to offer extra savings.

The platform essentially functions like a search engine. You can search for a specific flight or destination, and JustFly will look through its vast database of airline partners and other travel providers to find the cheapest options.

For flights and bundled flight-and-hotel deals, JustFly acts as the booking platform, so you don’t have to leave the site to complete your purchase. For other services, like booking a hotel room, renting a car, or booking a cruise, it redirects you to its partner sites where you can browse options, confirm details, and finalize your reservation.

Who owns JustFly?

JustFly.com is owned and operated by JustFly Inc., a Canadian company based in Montréal. It’s a subsidiary of FlightHub Group, one of Canada’s largest online travel agency networks. FlightHub Group also operates FlightHub.com, a sister site that provides similar booking services, primarily targeting the Canadian market, while JustFly focuses on U.S. travelers.

Is JustFly legit?

JustFly is a legitimate online travel agency. That said, booking through JustFly can include some challenges. As a third-party service, it acts as an intermediary between you and the airline or hotel, which can lead to complications with refunds, cancellations, or itinerary changes.

What real customers are saying

Online reviews of JustFly are mixed. On TrustPilot, many reviews of the site are entirely positive, with users saying that they got the flight tickets or hotel bookings they paid for at discounted rates and largely had a hassle-free booking and travel experience. Many users appreciate JustFly’s alerts, which allow you to monitor for price reductions on flights.

Others, however, are more negative, with some users complaining about hidden charges, a confusing booking process, poor standards of user support, and other issues when dealing with JustFly.

Common complaints and red flags

When looking through the more negative reviews of JustFly, there are some recurring themes and common topics of complaint. These include:

Hidden fees

One of the reasons JustFly is popular is due to its much-publicized discount rates, and the site aims to help customers find the best prices for their travel. However, some customers have complained of hidden or unexpected fees, like cancellation fees of $75 or more per ticket, or final order totals that are notably higher than the price that was initially advertised.

These problems tend to come down to how fees are shown. JustFly does mention extra charges in its fine print, but the details can be easy to miss (and it’s part of the reason why the company has faced regulatory scrutiny and penalties in the past).

Slow or unresponsive support

Some negative reviews of JustFly cite the company’s support staff as being either slow, unavailable, or entirely unresponsive in some rare instances.

While JustFly offers numerous ways for users to get in touch, along with FAQs and other resources on its site, some say that they had to wait on hold when calling the JustFly helpline or weren’t able to get immediate assistance when they needed it.

Issues related to bookings

Some travelers have reported challenges using JustFly’s booking and trip management tools. In some cases, users have accidentally booked the same flight twice or entered incorrect personal details and then struggled to correct those mistakes. Others have mentioned difficulty transferring tickets or canceling bookings when they were unable to travel.

Many of these issues stem from the interaction between airline fare restrictions and JustFly’s booking system. Most tickets sold through the platform are non-transferable and can’t easily be modified after purchase, which limits what changes are possible. These rules are disclosed in the company’s policies, but they can still create confusion during booking or when changes are needed.

Refund-related issues

Refunds are one of the most common sources of frustration for JustFly users. Some travelers report being unable to get refunds, even when flights were canceled or when they had purchased the optional Cancellation Protection service.

JustFly’s terms and conditions state that most bookings are non-refundable, and refund eligibility under Cancellation Protection depends on specific, documented reasons.

Late or absent notifications about flight changes

Some travelers report that JustFly doesn’t always send timely updates when airlines change or cancel flights. In a few cases, passengers only discovered schedule changes directly from the airline or at the airport.

This seems to happen because flight status updates rely on data sharing between airlines and third-party platforms, which can occasionally lag or fail. As a precaution, it’s best to confirm flight details directly with the airline before departure.

Is it safe to use JustFly? Security and privacy considerations

Yes, it’s safe to use JustFly. The site is legal, legitimate, and official, and there are security systems in place to keep user data safe, including encryption and secure payment options.

Is JustFly secure for online payments?

Yes, generally speaking, JustFly is a secure platform for booking and buying flights and other travel services. In terms of payment options, It offers several secure methods, including debit and credit card payments, plus PayPal.

The site also operates over HTTPS/TLS encryption, which means that any information you enter, like your name, contact details, or payment data, is encrypted, or “scrambled,” while it travels between your browser and JustFly’s servers. This prevents outsiders from intercepting or reading the data and keeps your personal and financial details private and secure during the booking process.

What personal information does JustFly collect?

According to its privacy policy, JustFly collects various pieces of personal information from its customers and collates this into customized “Traveler Profiles” for each user. Your Traveler Profile will include your name, contact details, and payment information, along with passport details, data about your device, and behavioral data based on how you use the platform.

How can a VPN help when booking flights on JustFly?

Using a virtual private network (VPN) for JustFly improves your online privacy and reduces the risk of data interception when you’re booking flights and accommodation.

Avoiding Wi-Fi risks and public network traps

Some public Wi-Fi networks have weak security, making it easy for bad actors to intercept traffic. Others can be fake hotspots that cybercriminals set up pretending to offer free Wi-Fi. When you connect to one of these networks, any information you send or receive can be monitored or captured by whoever controls or snoops on that connection.

A VPN helps prevent this by creating a secure, encrypted tunnel for your data. Even if someone tries to intercept your traffic, all they’ll see is unreadable, scrambled information. This makes it much harder for any cybercriminals to spy on your activities or steal your data through man-in-the-middle attacks.

Hiding your IP address and location

When you connect to a VPN, it encrypts and routes your traffic to one of its VPN servers (you typically choose the server location). When your data reaches the server, it hides your real IP address with one that belongs to the VPN server, making you appear as if you’re browsing from the server’s location.

In practice, this helps you browse JustFly more privately and better compare prices, as some flight listings or fees may vary depending on where you appear to be searching from. Just be sure that the personal and payment details you enter during booking are accurate and match your real information to avoid issues with ticket verification or check-in later.

Reducing third-party data tracking

Travel platforms like JustFly often employ third-party trackers to gather data about users, which can then be used for advertising or personalization. A VPN helps reduce this kind of tracking by masking your real IP address. This limits how much identifiable information is visible to advertisers or analytics networks when you search for flights, which helps make your browsing less personalized and harder to trace back to you.

ExpressVPN’s Threat Manager can block your browser’s background connections to a selection of known ad-tech and analytics servers. That means it reduces how much information about your activity is shared outside JustFly’s own system while you search or book flights.

Tips to protect yourself when booking travel online on JustFly

JustFly is a legit and safe site, but no online platform is ever 100% secure, and there are always risks when entering personal payment details or buying goods and services online. Here’s what you can do to mitigate travel-related risks, in addition to using a VPN.

Use trusted payment methods

JustFly offers several secure payment options, including credit and debit cards, PayPal, or flexible monthly payment plans via Affirm. Whenever you’re paying for hotels, flights, auto rentals, or other travel services, it’s always best to exclusively use secure, trusted payment methods to minimize the risks of any issues or fraudulent activity.

Check for HTTPS and site validity

Since JustFly is such a popular platform, cybercriminals could create fake versions of the website to fool users into handing over their personal data or even paying for services they’ll never receive. Always make sure that you’re on the official JustFly.com website before booking, and look for “HTTPS” in the web address and the padlock symbol in your browser, too.

Avoid clicking on suspicious ads or pop-ups

Cybercriminals may also make use of techniques like malicious advertising and drive-by downloads, creating fake JustFly ads or links that could cause you to inadvertently download malware to your device. Always be cautious if you see suspicious pop-ups, ads, or emails, and avoid clicking anything that could send you to a fake or fraudulent site.

Why is JustFly so cheap?

There are several reasons why JustFly is able to keep its prices low, including its online-only operations, which help keep its overhead costs down, and its strict policies around refunds, cancellations, and booking modifications.

Bulk ticketing and supplier agreements

JustFly, like most online travel agencies, negotiates with hundreds of travel providers around the world and often bulk buys flight and hotel reservations to acquire discounted rates, passing the savings on to its customers. It can also work out long-term deals with certain suppliers to obtain exclusive low prices.

Pricing models and hidden fees

JustFly’s pricing reflects how many online travel agencies structure fares. The prices shown in search results usually represent the base fare, while service fees, taxes, and optional add-ons, such as seat selection or travel protection, are added later in the booking process. The final total depends on which extras are selected and any fees that apply to the chosen itinerary.

JustFly’s refund and cancellation policy

JustFly’s refund and cancellation rules are fairly strict, and they vary depending on the type of ticket and the airline involved. In most cases, bookings made through JustFly are non-refundable, though limited exceptions and credits may apply. The company also charges its own cancellation and service fees in addition to any airline penalties.

Can you get a refund from JustFly?

Most JustFly tickets are sold as non-refundable, which means you usually can’t get your money back if you cancel or miss your flight. Refunds are only possible in certain situations, depending on the airline’s own rules and fare type.

When a refund is allowed, it’s typically issued to your original form of payment, though you may not receive the full amount back, because some costs, such as seat selection or baggage add-ons, tend to be non-refundable. In some cases, you might receive a travel credit instead of a direct refund.

Cancellation fees and limitations

If you cancel within 24 hours of booking, you may be eligible for a full fare refund, depending on the airline’s rules. However, JustFly will still charge a cancellation fee of up to $75 per passenger, per ticket.

If you cancel after 24 hours, JustFly typically charges:

• Up to $75 per passenger for domestic flights.
• Up to $125 per passenger for transborder flights (between the U.S. and Canada).
• Up to $200 per passenger for international flights.

You may also have to pay additional cancellation fees imposed by the airline if you decide to cancel your booking.

Refund processing time

JustFly states that refunds should be processed within 7 to 10 days from the date of their request. It’s worth noting, however, that some users have reported having to wait significantly longer than this.

Refund eligibility criteria

Refund eligibility on JustFly bookings depends on the policy of the airline or travel provider providing the service, as well as the nature of your booking and the reason for your refund request. You may be eligible if:

• You paid extra for the optional “Cancellation Protection” service when placing your order.
• The travel provider’s policies allow for full or partial refunds.
• Your flight was cancelled or significantly postponed.
• You are unable to attend your booking due to one or more reasons that JustFly deems valid, which include illness, injury, the death of a family member, transport breakdown, a home emergency, redundancy, and severe weather, among others.

How to avoid problems when booking with JustFly

If you want to go ahead with a JustFly booking, there are several steps you can take to minimize your risks.

Tips for safer booking

• Double-check your details: Airlines require passenger information to match travel documents exactly. If you enter something incorrectly, even a small typo, you may need to pay a correction fee or, in some cases, rebook your ticket entirely.
• Look at the final total before paying: The advertised fare may not include taxes, service fees, or optional extras that appear later in the checkout process.
• Read the fine print: Read through JustFly’s various policies related to refunds, cancelations, and so on, so that you know exactly how the platform works before you book.
• Review your confirmation: After you book a flight or hotel on JustFly, you should receive a confirmation email containing the details of your order. Review it carefully, checking that your name and other information are all correct.
• Alert JustFly about any issues as soon as possible: If you notice any errors on your confirmation email or encounter any other issues when booking with JustFly, don’t wait to let the company know. Contact the support staff right away so they have time to address your issue.

How to contact customer support

You can simply click the Support button on the JustFly website to access the customer support interface. There, you’ll be able to send a direct message to JustFly’s live support team or AI chatbot or access various resources that may help you solve problems by yourself, like adjusting your booking information or adding extras to a booking you previously made.

JustFly also offers additional ways to get in touch via its support page, including text, phone, and even WhatsApp.

Try to provide as much information about your issue as possible to help the support team, and keep evidence of all your interactions, including emails, receipts, chat logs, and screenshots.

What to do if you have an issue

If you have any issues with JustFly, and the company doesn’t respond right away or fails to help, you could contact a higher authority, such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or your bank or payment provider. You can also leave an online review to share your experience with others.