Agree or Disagree? Travel agents vs. Online Bookings

[Hybrid88]

Do you agree or disagree that travel agents have better prices than online bookings when it comes to flights, hotels and rentals?

When replying please give an example and pricing of your flight, hotel or rental.

I'll start off first.

+1 Travel Agent
Cheapest flight to Asia was provide by a travel agent when compared to online booking, with a saving of $800USD/pp.

+1 Online Booking
Booking hotel rooms in Vegas was way cheaper than a travel agent quote. Actually, codes here on RFD gave me the best deal and I booked directly through the hotel website.

[shybutsly]

I think it really depends on where you are going and how good the travel agent is.

I don't believe a travel agent can get you any better deal than booking online yourself when it comes to the US and much of Europe. When it comes to some asian countries, it seems as though a travel agent can usually get you a much lower airfare.

A few travel agents are really good and can provide sound advice on things such as good hotels in other places. But I feel that most are just using Sabre and no nothing about the markets they are booking you into.

I would probaly trust trip advisor for hotel opinions over a travel agent.

[Audiogenic]

Print off the very best deal you see online and go into Flight Center in the last week of the month when their sales quotas are due and ask them to beat it by at least 3% to 5%. Even if they won't make very much if anything off the order, it will still count towards the travel agents sales quota so it's a win win for both.

[canabiz]

I have had pleasant experience dealing with travel agents in Chinatown when I booked my tickets to Vietnam and South Korea. I punched in some numbers on some on-line companies and it was simply staggering, maybe i didn't visit the *right* websites but I would rather take it easy for this type of long-haul flight.

On the other hand, I have used online bookings for destinations closer to home

Flexibilities are key!

[rockster]

Flight to Osaka from Vancouver
-Expedia, Air Canada website and some other discount websites starting from $1,400.
-Small travel agency, $780 (direct flight)
-Flightcentre $980 (direct flight)

Las Vegas
-online through airline around $380 including taxes
-Hotel online through Travelworm $60 (contacted the hotel directly with the Travelworm price but they would not match it)
-Travel agency quote for hotel and air package close to $1,000

I always check both, but prefer the agency or direct booking through the airline/hotel but price always plays a major factor unless I'm booking a really complicated trip with stopovers.

[Sylvestre]

very hit and miss.

but bottom line, if it's somewhere I'm not familiar with, or a vacation, I got with an agent. Mostly for the recourse option should something go wrong.

[Axe50]

I usually go for online as I can research it on my time, plan it exactly and see fluctuations in fares. Besides I've had experiences with travel agents back in the day...a lot of them have 'preferred' airlines that they keep trying to sell..
No thank you..I'll stick to the dozens of websites and tripadvisor reviews for me!

[viper123]

Two years ago, when I was going to Korea for my honeymoon, the cheapest rates online was $2500 per person, and that required multiple stops through the US. Someone suggested a travel agency in Chinatown and she offered me $1500 per person, with one stopover in Vancouver.

[JulieH]

For domestic flights, I find the difference between online sites and travel agents is negligible. But for international flights, my travel agent always seems to find me the best deals.

Plus, I've had way too many 'I'm stuck in a foreign airport and missed my connection" moments that I really value being able to call my travel agent to sort it out. No gnome will do that for me.