At any given moment, there are groups of traders who are scratching their heads, punching their computer monitors or vomiting on their desk because what they thought was a golden ticket turns out to be anything but.
The agent told me that Delta had a special deal with Hotels.com, which is owned by Expedia, and that at the same time that I purchase my ticket she could transfer me on a direct line to a special desk at the Hotels.com reservation system and that I would receive a 25% discount.