Are Travel Agents Worth Approaching for Better Deals?

kiwical on 05/01/2025 - 18:57

I haven't been overseas for 15 or more years. I've always assumed it's far cheaper to organise everything yourself. But now I'm wondering if it's worth asking a Travel Agent.

Trip is a fairly standard family week in Sydney in upcoming April school holidays. So flights, accommodation, maybe a tour or 2, tickets to attractions, theme park and zoo.

I'm also not good at saying nah, if the Agent puts in effort and I find I can do better myself. So that puts me off asking. Unless someone can placate me and say they are used to people doing that to them……

General Discussion

Comments

  • jackvdbuk on 05/01/2025 - 19:05
    +1

    Look on skyscanner…book direct always. So risky going through middle men imo.

  • joem on 05/01/2025 - 19:51
    +3

    For short and easy flights, like A to B, straight through the airline or some broker webpage.

    For multistops, I al always choose a Travel Agent. For example my next trip is going to be IVC-AKL-DXB-LIS-YYZ-LAS-YVR-AKL-IVC. In this case I am OK to pay the extra long haul service fee at FlightCentre, and have them look up the best deals, since they can see more options at once, than a simple user checking skyskanner, google flights & co.

  • apieceofpie on 05/01/2025 - 21:26
    +2

    I was always skeptical but my wife convinced me to go talk to one before a trip to Europe and the US, and the flight prices they found were SO much higher than even a cursory look on google flights was showing us, like 1.5 times more expensive. So I remain extremely skeptical. I assume you’re paying for the convenience and ease of mind.

  • Senior Mouse on 05/01/2025 - 22:12
    +1

    Agents are old hat. They basically use the same methods to find flights anyway (albeit with a different skin interface).

    If you know where you want to go at what time of the year, which it sounds like you do, then why lock yourself into an agent's schedule when you can be flexible?

    Flights - Book ~3-4 months or so ahead (average discount period) - Skyscanner Kiwi.com Google Flights

    Accommodation - Trivago Agoda Booking.com

    Attractions - Klook Google Maps TripAdvisor

    Other than that, you only need Maps, Uber etc.

    If you book it yourself you can research it thoroughly beforehand, and you can outsource tasks like ask the children to research free activities etc. or wife to find cheap but nice accommodation (women) perhaps.

  • Just Leads cheap on 06/01/2025 - 07:33
    +1

    The only advantage with travel agents is where visa requirements are to be met. Also, we found that having an agent whilst travel is in play helped alot in the event of flight delays or cancellations as they have direct access to the airlines booking system. Also, it takes the hassle out of searching online as many agents have an upfront fee but get the deals or better the deals we find online . They are very helpful with rebooking tickets too

    • Everettpsycho on 06/01/2025 - 10:16
      +1

      Pretty much this, you will often pay more for your travel but the money js going on knowledge, experience and assistance if you need whilst travelling. Personally i rarely use them but i don't mind doing my homework myself and understand the basics of what happens in delays or cancellations and what the airline is ultimately responsible for. If you don't like working out things like visas, routes, what to do at a destination, value your time more than spending it doing that leg work or just worry if it goes belly up you will be stuck in an indonesian jail its worth the outlay for the peace of mind. I'd imagine when covid hit those that booked via agents were less stressed than those that booked themselves.

  • Avantime on 06/01/2025 - 10:10
    +1

    You can try, but if I were to do it I would first get a quote from Google Flights (They don't sell tickets, so I see them as a neutral party) before I go talk to them.

    • FiveFeetUnder on 06/01/2025 - 13:15

      If you are looking at flights via SkyScanner / Google Flights, always look at the prices direct from the airlines, rather than the cheaper resellers. If anything goes wrong, you will be stuffed with the third party websites. Ask me how I know…

      • Alan6984 on 06/01/2025 - 15:07

        If you are looking at flights via SkyScanner / Google Flights, always look at the prices direct from the airlines, rather than the cheaper resellers. If anything goes wrong, you will be stuffed with the third party websites. Ask me how I know…

        You are so right. It hasn't happened to me personally, but I know someone who ran into that 'gotcha' too.

        Personally, I only book direct with the airline (if simple), or through an agent, most often Flight Centre or House of Travel, if a more involved trip.

        Flight Centre used to guarantee the lowest price for flights originating in NZ, but not sure if they still do that or not.

  • kiwical on 06/01/2025 - 22:33

    Thanks everyone. Great advice. I wasn't aware of google flights or skyscanner either so those look like the way to go.

  • Signit63 on 07/01/2025 - 18:41

    Travel Agent prices are a bit kore. What I’ve done in the past though is find what flights I want and go in to the agent, have used flight centre and helloworld.

    I used these agents for 2 main reasons: they offered good interest free terms on flights. (Gave me some a decent chunk of time to pay it off,/could save more for spending money and pay off flights post trip)

    And secondly they were able to extend lay overs (was travelling to europe but was able to get an extra day in Guangzhou on one trip and Singapore on another)

    But since you’re travelling to sydney booking direct or through a website like kayak is easier/cheaper. Package deals offered by agents are never good.

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