Hear me out: Why finding a Travel agent is actually a good call.

Ok folks, I’ve been doing a lot of writing about all the deals you can find on your own, without a travel agent. Then I realized how much I love finding deals for my friends and did a bit of research as to what benefits agents actually do have. It was eye-opening. 

They work very hard to make sure you have the best trip of your life. 

I can appreciate hard work, and I can appreciate people who turn their passion into something that pays the bills. As I embark on this adventure of building a bonafide travel advisory business I have come accross 5 of the best, legit reasons to use a travel agent when booking travel. I know I’m biased, but I wouldn’t have even started on this journey if I didn’t discover these facts about the business. 

1. They DO have some insider discounts.  

They don’t always have the best deals, but the best agents will know your needs and your budget and can tell you which deals they DO have access to, and can still book other cheaper options for you even if they get a lesser commission on it. Rest assured, some hotel chains really do have “travel agent pricing”. It’s not a myth. 

2. THEY ARE FREE (for the most part).  

Travel agents work off of commission from hotels and car rentals. Rarely they get a commission on flights. They typically only charge a small fee if they need to book flights or non-commissionable accommodations. For the most part, it’s worth it to have them dig into their resources for little to no money from you. What’s there to lose?   

3. THEY CARE- A LOT - ABOUT YOUR TRIP.  

They really, really care. it’s literally their job. If the airline screws up your flight they will fight for you. They will ensure (and insure!) your trip so there is no worry. They can provide decently priced trip insurance and remind you not to forget your passport when leaving for your flight. I once had to bail my parents out at the bus station when they forgot a passport at home and were trying to board a bus to Cananda. It happens. Travel agents think of everything. Literally,

E V E R Y T H I N G. 

They will think of your hotel’s proximity to the airport and attractions. Will you need a car? Are attractions walkable? Uber-able? Are Uber’s plentiful? When is prime time in that area and will it cost $50 to get to the hotel every night in a Lyft?!? Can you use American dollars? What’s the exchange rate? Do most of the locals speak English or do you need a translator app? Which app is the best? 

Did I just blow your mind a little?  

Because those are all of the questions that a Travel agent would have already thought to research, and about a million more.  

4.   They do the WORK. 

There are hundreds of flight booking sites, hundreds of hotel discount sites, vacation rental sites and car rental companies. There are hours and hours of research required to truly find the best deal on travel. Why not have someone who Loves to do this tedious work do the tedious work.  

5.  If something goes wrong, you have someone in your corner. 

Everyone (yes, EVERYONE) has dreaded the situation we all fear from budget hotel sites: You book your trip months in advance and you are looking the front desk clerk in the eye as they say “we don’t have your reservation”. You have all of your emails saved and confirmations screen-shotted, but there’s always that worry that somehow it will just get “lost” in the online universe. 

With a travel agent this is far less likely to happen. A travel agent has direct contact to the hotel, even if it’s in another country, and they will FIGHT for you. After all, their reputation and commission is on the line. In fact, they probably want you in that room more than you do. At the very least, you can sleep easy knowing someone else will have to be the one to yell at some poor customer service rep over the phone who has no idea why your reservation “got lost”.  

I get it, there are a lot of old school travel agents out there. Some are still using the same tools and resources they did ten or fifteen years ago. That’s why I like to call myself a “travel advisor” instead of an agent. You may not need me to hold your hand and take over your booking, but you may need a little guidance or an opinion. So feel free to reach out.  

Happy travels,

Steph