Is It Better To Use a Travel Agent or Plan Your Own Vacation? (2024)

FAQs

Is It Better To Use a Travel Agent or Plan Your Own Vacation? ›

Travel Agents Take the Stress Out of Planning

With a few keystrokes, you can find cheap travel deals on the web. But travel agents can do that and more. Often, travel agents receive deals directly from hotels and tour operators that you may not have access to. They also have contacts with resorts and hotels, so they can bargain for better deals.

If you have credit card points or airline miles to cash in, a travel agent might not be the best fit since they typically can't help you redeem them for the trips they plan. However, niche advisors can best advise you on booking using your points and miles or use your stash to book for you.

A travel agent can save you money and time. Need to pivot your trip plans but don't want to deal with the extra time, money and hassle of rebooking flights and accommodations on your own? That's just one area where a knowledgeable travel agent (also commonly known as a travel advisor) can help.

As long as you are traveling to another place with enough knowledge about your destination, then it is safe to say that going there without any help from a travel agent is alright. If it is your first time to do so, going to countries with good safety records for tourists is advisable.

Con: Unless your trip is complicated a travel agent might be overkill. If you're an experienced traveler, you may find the process simpler than you think. And when you rely on a travel agent you have to interact, wait for business hours, and otherwise deal with someone else's schedule.

Travel agents can be worth it if you prefer to leave the legwork of planning a trip to someone else, or if you enjoy getting upgrades and visiting off-the-beaten-track destinations. They might even save you money on your trip. It all comes down to how you prefer to travel.

1. Skyscanner. Skyscanner is an aggregator site—it uses a metasearch engine to compare prices from all OTAs, airlines, hotels, and car rental companies. Skyscanner often finds the best prices and helps travelers make big savings on flights and accommodation.

Chargebacks are another reason to think about risk assignment of travel agencies since they most often have an elevated level of chargebacks and are highly susceptible to fraud. In addition, travel agencies reportedly have been used to transfer value through the provision of in-kind services.

Travel Agents Save You Time

With years of experience and knowledge about destinations, transportation options and vendors, an agent can eliminate hours of online research time. “The options come to my mind quickly as we speak about their trip vision,” said Allison Walker, a AAA Travel Agent in San Clemente, California.

Do people still use travel agents? ›

Yes. Many survive on corporate clients but they also have individual clients and walk-ins. Agents will also book attractions, activities, cruises, etc. Ethnic travel agencies are often able to get airfare discounts to their home countries.

Not only do you get to plan trips for others, but you'll also be able to take advantage of special discounts on many facets of travel. This is true for your clients, but also for yourself. Travel agents have access to a variety of discounted rates on both airlines and hotels, even when booking travel for themselves.

Travel agents are excellent problem solvers.

For simple trips, booking a flight and hotel yourself is manageable. For longer, more complicated trips, enlisting the help of a travel agent can help you make the most of your time.

As a general rule, leisure travel agents make money from commissions from vendors pay on vacation packages, cruises, air, and other add-ons. However, consultation fees and service fees are becoming more common as agencies try to diversify income sources to become less dependent on supplier commissions.

Solo travelers can often get stung by extra costs compared to those traveling as part of a couple or a group, where many costs can be easily shared. You can still save money if you plan ahead and are strategic about where and how you spend it. That doesn't mean you have to skimp on the fun.

If you break down the job title word-for-word, you can easily get a sense of what your role as an independent travel agent will be. “Independent” refers to being self-employed. You are your own boss, akin to a contracted worker, and therefore are not technically an employee of any other agency.

Not only do you get to plan trips for others, but you'll also be able to take advantage of special discounts on many facets of travel. This is true for your clients, but also for yourself. Travel agents have access to a variety of discounted rates on both airlines and hotels, even when booking travel for themselves.