Pros of using a travel agent
- Connect you with trusted tour operators
- Find the right airfare, rental cars, and cruise lines to suit your itinerary
- Help you save money with exclusive upgrades, travel tips, discounts, and perks
- Offer personalised service and peace of mind
- Find the best travel insurance options
- Help you organise vacation packages and family or group trips that meet all traveller requirements
- Manage trip cancellations and last-minute changes
- Find flexible fares that suit your budget
Cons of using a travel agent
- Less convenient: Many travel agents only offer services during limited office hours. When booking online, you can make travel plans whenever you want, with some booking sites offering 24/7 customer support.
- Biased advice: Travel agents have incentives to steer you towards booking certain flights and hotels; they earn commission from some hotel operators and airlines.
- Limited choice: Many travel agencies, especially small, consumer-facing agencies, have limited inventories. Online, there’s a wide variety of travel products and tour operators to choose from.
- More expensive: Travel agencies often charge booking fees for their services.
- Lack of flexible payment options: Some travel agencies, such as business travel management companies, ask clients to sign contracts with complicated fine print.