It’s a fact that I love to plan my own travel, help other people plan their travels, talk about traveling, etc. The list goes on. If it involves wanderlusting, I’m there. So much so that I actually started my own travel agency this year: Flyy Family. I’m so excited to now officially be a travel agent and I can’t wait to help people plan their dream vacations!

While I currently plan all of my own travel, I have also used a travel agent to book a vacation and plan to use one in the future for a big dream trip that’s yet to be determined. At first it can be hard to justify working with a travel agent and paying a fee for something that you can generally do yourself. I get that. But there are so many other reasons to work with someone when planning a vacation. Below are my top 5 reasons to use a travel agent.

1. Travel Agents are Destination Experts

Most travel agents are experts on a specific destination or region of the world. Their expertise should include things that you can’t easily find online such as the best neighborhoods for shopping or what attractions to recommend based on your travel goals.

I once told a travel agent that all I wanted was a nice beach and not go over X amount of money for my trip. She recommended an all-inclusive resort in Cancun and to this day that trip is still one of my most memorable. She took saved endless hours looking up and comparing destinations and that alone made her small fee worth it.

2. Travel Agents Save You Time

Trip planning can be so time consuming. Between work and home obligations, some times it takes me months to sort the details for my trips because I just don’t have the time to devote to it. Travel agents are not only resources but they also save time because they plan the details for you.

At Flyy Family, I work closely with my clients to get an idea of what kind of travelers they are, what kind of experiences they hope to have on their vacation, how much they expect to spend, etc. I create their perfect itinerary and all they have to do is yay or nay it before I confirm the details.

In the age of convenience (think grocery delivery and even companies that fill up your gas tank), using a travel agent is just one more way to make your life easier.

3. Discounts, Perks, and Freebies, Oh My!

Travel agents and consultants get freebies all the time including cabin upgrades and resort credits which they can then pass on to their clients.  And each agent offers their clients something different depending on their agency standard of service such as roundtrip airport transfers, a welcome gift at their destination or discounted fees.

Cruise lines often give additional credits to travel agents that the agent then passes on to their client to incentivize them to book. And the client often times doesn’t spend any more money than they would have if they’d booked that cruise on their own.

4. Travel Agents do the Messy Work

One thing I especially looked forward to when working with a travel agent is knowing that any hiccups will be taken care of by someone else. Travel professionals have companies and brands that they work with regularly and have built a relationship and a rapport with. Because of this, it is easier for them to fix any problems that come up by going straight to the source/their direct contact.

It’s the reason Executive Assistants (i.e. ME) are so efficient at their jobs. Relationships make all the difference.

5. Travel agents are a no brainer

Not sure if you need a visa? Vaccinations? A power adaptor? The list goes on and on of things you may not think about when it comes to taking a big trip.

I have planned trips from California to Pakistan so I know just how much work can go into traveling to certain places. You would be devastated if you traveled 10+ hours only to learn once you land that you can’t actually leave the airport. So instead of worrying about the big and small important things, let someone else (me) handle all of that for you.

Have I convinced you to use a travel agent on your next trip? If so, head over to Flyy Family and schedule some time to chat with me. I can’t wait to work with you 🙂