Are travel agents worth it? Pros, cons and alternatives

Travel agents, also known as travel advisers, plan trips for individuals and groups. Their services can include everything from booking flights, rental cars, hotels, restaurants and tours to purchasing travel insurance, obtaining necessary visas for international travel and more. Generally speaking, travel agents take on the research and logistics of trip planning so you can focus on the trip itself.

But are their services worth it? That might depend on many factors, like the cost of their services, the complexity of your trip, your own preferences and your comfort level with booking travel yourself. Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of using a travel agent.

What you’ll learn:

• Travel agents can plan your trips for you, from booking hotels to making sure you have the right documents for traveling.

• The costs associated with working with a travel agent could range from nothing at all to hundreds or thousands of dollars.

• Travel agents may help you access upgrades and benefits that you may not find on your own, but finding the right travel agent could take time.

• Many travel credit cards come with access to online reservation portals that make booking your own travel easy and rewarding.

Travel agents may charge service fees, flat-rate trip fees or consultation fees. For example, you might pay a flat rate of between $100 and $500 for a travel agent. Some travel agents operate at no cost to customers and instead receive commissions on the flights and accommodations they book. Others may offer more high-end, customized travel experiences at premium rates in the thousands.

Travel agents may help you save money by using their know-how to find the best price on your airline tickets or hotel room—or even secure upgrades. However, with so many online booking resources available, finding inexpensive flights and booking all your own travel is easier than it used to be. And doing so might outweigh the price of a travel agent.

Deciding whether a travel agent is worth it to you will depend on your financial situation, your personal preferences and the type of trip you’re planning. Whether you want to leave the travel planning to someone else or plan your next trip yourself, it can be helpful to consider all the factors.

A travel agent could offer the following advantages:

• Handing off the research and booking to a travel expert can save time in the trip-planning process.

• Travel agents could assist in cases of emergencies, flight cancellations and other travel complications.

• An agent’s travel industry knowledge can help in finding benefits that may not be accessible to you, from flight deals and upgrades to extra credits to use aboard cruise lines.

• Travel agents could plan more exclusive activities for you away from the crowds and find you more unique experiences tailored to your interests.

• Many travel agents offer the option of an all-inclusive fee up front, so you likely won’t have to worry about additional costs once you’ve booked the trip.

There are also some potential disadvantages to using a travel agent to consider:

• You may prefer booking your own trip if you have specific tastes and like to handpick each stop along your journey.

• Depending on the trip you have in mind, you might save more money by organizing it yourself rather than through a travel agent, especially if you opt for an affordable vacation spot or want to leverage budget-friendly travel tips.

• While a travel agent can save you research time for your trip, you’ll still need to spend time finding the right agent in order to stick to your budget and needs.

• If you’re the spontaneous type, booking an itinerary may feel restrictive. Doing things your own way can offer greater flexibility.

• If you have a travel rewards credit card, you may not reap its full benefits if you book through a travel agent. For instance, you may earn more rewards by booking your trip through your credit card issuer’s travel portal—something your travel agent may not be able to do.

Travel agents can take some of the hassle out of travel planning, but if you’re the type of person who wants control over your itinerary, reservations and other aspects of your trip, opening a travel rewards credit card may be a better option.

Travel rewards credit cards can come with benefits that travel agents may not be able to offer. For example, with a Capital One travel rewards credit card, you could enjoy access to exclusive features like Capital One Travel, a TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry credit, Priority Pass™ and more.* You’ll also earn rewards on every dollar you spend, even if it’s not related to travel. And you can use those rewards toward airfare and hotel stays.

Keep in mind that you’re free to open a travel rewards credit card and use a travel agent. And if you use your card to pay for their services and the reservations they make, you might earn rewards for those purchases too.

Travel agents can be worth it if you prefer to leave the legwork of planning a trip to someone else or if you enjoy getting upgrades and visiting off-the-beaten-track destinations. They might even save you money on your trip.

But it all comes down to how you prefer to travel. If you’re looking for a simple way to earn rewards that you can use toward your airline tickets, hotel stays, rental cars and other travel-related costs, you might want to consider a travel rewards credit card from Capital One.