How to Use a Travel Agent to Get the Best Deals
First, determine your travel needs. Are you looking for a nonstop flight from Chicago to New York, or are you looking for the cheapest flight between these two cities? They may not necessarily be the same. Will you be planning an entire trip – flight, accomodations, transportation, entertainment, etc – or do you just need a simple flight from place to place? Does your travel require any special consideration, such as a multi-city route (New York to Los Angeles to Washington D.C.), a refundable ticket, or a low date-change fee? Both routine and seemingly “difficult” plans are things travel agents deal with daily. A good travel agent will be able to tell you all the details about a flight, the airline’s rules, and even the best and worst days and seasons to fly.
Next, do a little research online. Seek out a few prices or ideas using the internet to help you better understand what an agent should be able to offer you. For instance, if you need to fly to Miami and your budget is $200, but prices are steadily holding at $400, you’re likely to be disappointed in what an agent can find for you, which may be less than prices you can find online. Conversely, if prices elsewhere are $200, but you’re not informed, the travel agency has the advantage of your ignorance. By knowing what it is you want from an agency, you’re in a better position to get it.
Travel agencies may specialize in specific types of travel on top of the tickets offered to the general public. For example, if you’re in the military, a senior citizen, a student, a youth under 26, a teacher, or a spouse of any of these, you may be eligible for special discounts. Call around to see if any travel agencies in your area cater to these types of customers. Agencies may also specialize in group travel, cruises, pre-packaged vacation tours to a specific area (such as Asia, Africa, South America, etc.), family travel, or volunteer travel. These specialties can work for you, as the travel agent you work with may be more informed on the topic than an average travel industry employee.
When talking with a travel agent, be as specific as possible. If you want to fly from Detroit to London and your budget is around $500, say so. Also speak up about the prices you’ve already seen on the internet. This way the agent knows that anything higher than that is a waste of your time, and they will work harder to look for the best price. On the other hand, if what you need is a nine-month student ticket to Australia with a flexible return date and a free week-long stopover in New Zealand, the ticket may cost a bit more than a no-refunds, no-changes ticket without a stopover. Some student travel agencies may be able to offer you this exact itinerary with a change fee as low as $25.
There may be times when your travel plans aren’t specific. A travel agent can come in handy then as well. Let’s say you simply want to go “somewhere hot” for the winter. A travel agent can help you figure out what location will be the best fit for your expectations, your personality, and your wallet. Another time when the internet is not as helpful as a real human being is when you’re planning an “around-the-world” trip. This type of trip, which usually includes several long stopvers around the globe, can be a daunting task for any traveler. However, not only should a travel agent be able to help you plan your flight route and times, but they should also be able to book at least your first night’s stay in any of the cities they fly you into!
Get your travel agent to work for you. They are clued in to things the internet won’t tell you; details like rules and regulations, how to route a flight for the shortest layover, and which hotel in London has the best reputation. By using a travel agent to help plan your trip, you’ll double your chances of finding the best deal. And as with anything else, if the travel agent can’t offer you the best deal you’ve found, you’re under no obligation to buy – but you can sleep easy knowing you’ve thoroughly researched the market and found the absolute best ticket out there.
