5 Reasons to use a travel agent
Travel Agents know whether you’re actually getting a good deal or not. Most airline tickets that you book are for a domestic flight and typically consistent on price. If you are flying an hour or two away, the price point for that flight is pretty well known. But what about a trip to Japan, or a flight to London? There is a good chance that you do not know what a good deal is for those flights. A travel agent, however, books flights all day long, and is very much aware of the good deals out there.
- Travel agents know where to go in a city, or know someone who does. If you are headed to an unfamiliar city, it helps to have a reputable resource available who knows the best restaurants, dive bars, or hangouts, without having to read countless reviews that are typically written by people that like to complain. Since travel agents book trips all the time, they know this stuff like the back of their hands, or have access to someone that does.
- Travel agents got your back when it comes to flight delays and flight cancellations. If you have ever tried calling a website when your flight gets cancelled and the line to rebook stretches through the terminal, you know what I mean. Even if you get through to the airline directly, they still don’t have a clue as to whom you are. Call your travel agent, though, and they’ll get you squared away on another flight while you get squared away at the airport bar or restaurant.
- Travel Agents do all the research for you, saving you countless hours on the vast Internet. Websites don’t seem to understand that when you search “nearby airports”, it doesn’t mean that you want to travel hours away to save $40. Travel Agents know your airport preferences, and won’t offer you cheap flights that involve leaving and returning to airports that are in different cities far away. And remember, travel agents get better prices, first. That $49 one-way flight your email update indicated was a hot new deal was actually available to your travel agent a week or so earlier. Travel agents have better relationships with airlines and wholesalers, which means, their prices are usually BETTER than online specials.
- Travel agents have No-hassle 24-hour changes. A Non-refundable purchase on your online reservation usually means you have 24 hours to make changes without penalty. Most people don’t realize this. Yes, even a “non-refundable” airline ticket can be changed. The only catch is that you have to actually call and deal directly with the airline. But instead of spending hours on hold listening to soft music or a recording letting you know that all agents are currently busy, you can just let your travel agent happily fix the ticket for you.