In our private Facebook group, Experience Chasers United, the question was asked, “How much does it [working with a travel agent] cost?”
In this article, I would like to answer that question and provide a few benefits of working with a travel agent.
How Travel Agents Get Paid
To understand the cost of working with an agent, one should first understand how travel agents are compensated for their services.
Commission
The primary way travel agents get paid is through direct commissions from supplier partners and vendors. This is typically based on a percentage of commissionable services, including hotels, cruises, car rentals, travel insurance, transportation, and tours. For you, the traveler, this means that you get access to professional services at no additional cost.
Service Fees
A secondary method of compensation for travel agents occurs in the form of service fees. Service fees differ from agent to agent, and many professionals in the industry forgo the charge in hopes of building a long-term relationship with customers that would result in repeat business and referrals.
For those agents that do charge fees, they do so in several varied circumstances. Airlines, for example, do not pay commissions. As a result, some agents may tack on a nominal service fee of $25 for flight-only bookings. International flights may incur a service fee of up to $100.
Another case where a service fee may be applied is when custom itineraries are being created. Some agents require a deposit that would be later refunded or applied toward the trip once a booking is complete. Additional fees may be used for group bookings or concierge-type reservations at popular restaurants.
What are the benefits of using a travel agent?
As discussed in the previous section, travel agents can be a very cost-effective addition to your list of service providers. In this section, we will discuss the benefits of using a travel agent.
Save Time and Money
Travel Research and Itinerary Planning
One of the most notable advantages of using a travel agent is allowing their experience, knowledge, and resources to work for you. While many savvy travelers can take the time to do research and build itineraries, employing an agent to handle those tasks can help free up your valuable time to be applied elsewhere.
Discounts
In addition to saving you time, a travel agent can also help identify opportunities for add-ons, resort credits, upgrades, and other discounts not available to the public. Often, these additional benefits are the result of insider relationships and agent-only promotions.
Work Behind-the-Scenes as Your Advocate
Another perk of working with a travel agent is knowing that you have someone on your side that will help handle unplanned circumstances when they arise. As your advocate, the agent will work behind the scenes to resolve issues and help take the stress out of travel.
Schedule a Free Consultation Today
I hope that I have answered your questions about the cost and overall benefits of working with a travel agent. If you are interested in learning how we can help you with an upcoming trip, I invite you to complete the contact form, and one of our passionate agents will reach out to schedule a free consultation.
Until next time.