For travel enthusiasts, the anticipation of upcoming adventures and meticulous vacation planning can be as exciting as the journey itself. Modern technology has simplified destination research and booking, but the vast array of options for flights, accommodations, and activities can overwhelm even seasoned travelers. Whether you’re planning international travel, a solo trip, or a cruise, the question often arises: Should I Use A Travel Agent?
Today, travel professionals offer expertise to streamline trip planning and ensure smooth execution. AAA Travel Agents highlight compelling reasons to consider their services.
1. Travel Agents Save You Time
Image: A travel agent assists a client with their travel plans, saving them valuable time.
Travel agents eliminate the guesswork involved in researching and evaluating top destinations, saving time and reducing vacation planning hassles. With extensive experience and knowledge of destinations, transportation, and vendors, agents can significantly cut down online research time.
Allison Walker, a AAA Travel Agent, explains, “The options come to my mind quickly as we speak about their trip vision. I can create a short list that only includes reputable, quality options that are appropriate to their trip destination objectives.”
Lisa Landay, another AAA Travel Agent, adds, “Travel is my job, but for my clients, it’s a passion or a hobby. Sometimes they only know about the vendors that have the most prolific marketing. It’s my job to listen, listen, listen to what my clients want. And then, cut to the chase by recommending a vendor that would be a good fit for them. This way, they don’t end up wasting time and money on a bunch of ‘trial and error’ experiences.”
Travel agents not only save time on research and decisions but also manage changes and issues that may arise before or during a trip. Ashley Andrews, a Travel Agent with AAA Oregon/Idaho, shares, “I was able to quickly handle a hotel closure, rebooking and flight schedule change for my client’s upcoming trip to Palm Springs while they continued on with their day. We are here to do the work so you don’t have to!”
2. Travel Agents Take the Stress Out of Planning
Image: A stress-free traveler enjoying a vacation, highlighting the benefit of using a travel agent.
Travel agents are immersed in travel full-time and assist clients with various situations, making them aware of details often overlooked during self-planning. Their expertise and experience allow them to anticipate potential issues.
Walker emphasizes, “’You don’t know what you don’t know.’ Sometimes consumers don’t realize there is something really important for them to include or arrange. Thankfully, experience has taught me most of these things, and when I’m not certain, I know where to check and who to ask.”
Melanie Manzi, a AAA Travel Agent, notes, “We take care of all the details — those little things that are not fun to plan like transfers, checking in, etc. We’ve got you covered from A to Z — reminders about what to pack, temperature, side trips, adventures, where to get the best coffee, or that Instagrammable spot to make your friends jealous they are missing out!”
Melinda Sue Platero, a AAA Travel Agent, explains, “My job is to make my clients’ travel vacation seamless. If someone comes in and wants to go to three countries in Europe in seven days, I will generally go over travel days, amount of physical time one would be in each city, to show them that itinerary may be too ambitious, and then we can create an itinerary that will work in their time frame and will be more manageable. Travel planning can be overwhelming when there are so many choices online. A travel advisor has quick access to pricing a package with airfare, hotels, tours, transfers, rail tickets if necessary — in one visit.”
Felicia Troy, a AAA Travel Agent, points out the value for large groups: “We can be the middle man. We can handle each person’s needs while still coordinating with the group, and for those honeymoons, we take the stress out of the trip planning so that the couple can focus on the wedding.”
3. Travel Agents Offer Expert Recommendations
Image: A travel agent providing expert travel advice and recommendations to a client.
A key advantage of using a travel agent is the personalized recommendations and tips they offer regarding destinations, activities, and the best and worst times to travel.
Walker suggests, “I may suggest to take a train for a certain portion where I know the driving is too difficult or it takes too long and their vacation time is not being best spent. Or because the sights en route are so amazing, they will want to watch the view and not the road. Cost versus time versus experience — all need to be in balance.”
Troy adds that agents continuously update their destination knowledge through client feedback: “As each traveler returns, we get up-to-date info on that particular destination, resort or cruise. First-hand experiences from trusted sources are crucial to planning the best vacation. This is especially true right now. The world of travel has changed and we are out there getting current information to give to our travelers. This can range from which restaurants are open to the tourist attractions that now require reservations when they did not previously.”
4. Travel Agents Have Been There, Done That
Image: A well-traveled travel agent sharing their personal experiences with a client.
Travel agents often possess firsthand experience, having visited the destinations and enjoyed the vacations they recommend.
Platero explains, “First-hand experience is immeasurable — and extremely important depending on the needs of the client.” She ensures hotels, attractions, and restaurants are genuinely accessible for clients with mobility challenges.
Mindy Hardaker, a AAA Travel Agent, says, “At AAA Northeast we like to say, ‘We know because we go’ — and you are not limited to only the destinations I have ever traveled to. We have a large community of advisors that willingly share their expertise, feedback and recommendations with each other so that we are all providing the highest level of service for our members.”
Walker notes, “When I can give them details about everything from currency to adapter plugs to local transportation, it makes their trip more enjoyable and less of a struggle. I’ve had clients come home to say, ‘We knew exactly what to do because you taught us before we left,’ or ‘the European hotel room was small, but you told us what it would be like there, so we were happy with it.’”
5. A Travel Agent Can Handle the Unexpected
Image: A travel agent assisting a client during an unexpected travel disruption, showcasing their problem-solving skills.
From weather delays to lost luggage, unforeseen events can disrupt vacations. Travel agents act as the traveler’s advocate, navigating itinerary changes when things go wrong.
Troy states, “As travel agents, we have seen it all. While the traveler may have never had to deal with a weather delay, we have. We know the details and the best way to handle the situation. We can talk to the airlines, resorts, etc., to make sure you are fully taken care of in the best way possible. We will find the best possible solution for the given situation whether it means changing dates of the trip completely or just rebooking them on the next available flight.”
Ashley Knebelsberger, a AAA Travel Agent, shares, “My clients have my cellphone number and at times I have gotten a call in the middle of the night. When a couple was accidentally left behind while a tour bus went from Prague to Berlin, I was able to recommend train transfers to Berlin and secured a taxi ride to the appropriate hotel to rejoin the group.”
Platero recounts, “If their flight is cancelled, I get them another flight out and secure it while there are 50 people waiting in line to talk to the customer service person. I have had clients put off ships into the hospital and I have coordinated a hotel for the loved one and flights home when needed. (I) also helped clients cancel tours and hotels when they have been injured in the middle of their trip so they won’t be penalized.”
Landay helped honeymooners whose flight to Hawaii was canceled, securing them seats on an earlier flight after the airline indiscriminately pushed passengers to later flights.
Teri Reilly, a AAA Travel Agent, used her experience and contacts to reroute clients heading to Rome after their flight was canceled, even enlisting a tour guide friend in Italy to assist with transportation during a strike.
6. A Travel Agent Can Help You Navigate Changing Travel Conditions
Image: A travel agent providing up-to-date travel information to a client, highlighting their knowledge of current conditions.
Keeping up with travel restrictions and unpredictable events is challenging.
Jeanne Miller, a AAA Travel Agent, explains, “Here at AAA Northeast we are all SmartDepart Certified. What that means is we have been trained to navigate the changing protocols and resources to take the stress out of travel planning. We have identified key resources to keep us on top of all of the changes. We will make sure you have all the resources, links and the phone numbers you need so that you are able to enjoy your experience knowing that we have you covered.”
Platero adds, “We get updates from vendors and destinations about the necessary protocols that are constantly changing. We can give them current information, and if the situation changes — like it seems to daily — we inform them of the new rules and make sure they understand and can do the correct forms, documents or whatever is necessary to be able to go on their vacation.”
Andrews shares how she secured a future credit for a client uncomfortable traveling to Croatia during the pandemic, and Elizabeth Guy helped clients in Hawaii return home quickly during a shutdown.
7. A Travel Agent Can Help You See the Big Picture
Image: A travel agent inspiring a client with the potential of travel experiences, emphasizing the broader impact of travel.
While it’s easy to get lost in travel planning details, agents can help you focus on creating lasting memories.
Landay shares, “I always tell my clients the story of when I was in Hong Kong. I was sitting in the breakfast room of my hotel … looking out at the street at 8 a.m., watching moms holding their children’s hands on the way to school, watching people carrying their dry cleaning over their shoulders, buying coffee, commuting to work. We are all the same on some very basic human levels. We work, provide for our children, worry about the same things, take joy in the same things. That experience made me passionate about travel. Travel can truly change the way you see the world. I want my clients to have that experience, too.”
Should You Use a Travel Agent? The Verdict
Using a travel agent offers numerous benefits, including saving time, reducing stress, receiving expert advice, leveraging firsthand experience, managing unexpected events, navigating changing conditions, and focusing on the big picture. If you value a seamless, stress-free travel experience, consider partnering with a travel agent for your next adventure.
Start Your Next Vacation with AAA
AAA Travel provides peace of mind when you travel — before, during and after your vacation! Members enjoy the advantages of membership including exclusive benefits, map routing, savings with the AAA Discounts & Rewards® program as well as recommendations for AAA Diamond-designated hotels and restaurants across the U.S. and Canada. Let AAA provide the rest of your travel needs with AAA Travel Guides, AAA Digital TourBook®, access to travel agents and counselors and travel insurance. Your next vacation starts with AAA — your complete travel solution. Visit AAA.com/Travel.
