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Is a travel agent worth it the pros and cons.

Travel experts agree there are several advantages to hiring a vacation planner.

The Pros & Cons of Using a Travel Agent

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A travel agent can save you money and time.

Need to pivot your trip plans but don't want to deal with the extra time, money and hassle of rebooking flights and accommodations on your own? That's just one area where a knowledgeable travel agent (also commonly known as a travel advisor) can help. Read on to discover the other benefits – as well as the downsides – of using a travel agent, so you can confidently decide whether or not a travel agent is worth it for your next trip.

The Pros of Using a Travel Agent

Travel agents can save you money – and get you other perks.

"In some cases, you'll actually get a better  deal by working with a travel agent," says Jackie Steele, travel expert at MagicGuides . "This could be in the form of a cruise onboard credit (free spending money to use on the ship), access to special agency/group rates, or even just learning about a discount you qualify for but weren't aware of." The best agents will even keep an eye on new discounts as they're announced and apply them to your trip even after you've booked, he notes.

Travel agents handle all the details

Hotel room? Booked. Dinner reservations? Made. Tour tickets? Ready to go. A travel agent handles every detail of your vacation itinerary. "The traveler still gets to be involved in the fun part of dreaming up ideas and providing their travel wishes, while we take and perfect them," says Jessica Parker, founder of Trip Whisperer .

Molly McShea, owner and travel advisor at McShea Travel , points out that travel agents can also help with timing logistics. "Travel agents know how many days should be spent in each destination, which tours go together, and how many things you should do in a day," she says, adding that crafting an itinerary can be challenging if it's not something you regularly do. Additionally, travel agents can help you choose the best time to visit your preferred destination(s) based on seasonality and your budget, and sift through travel insurance policies to find the best option for your needs.

Travel agents can provide local expertise

"A travel advisor's industry connections and relationships provide added value to their clients," says Valerie Edman, a luxury travel advisor and agency owner at Cultured Travel LLC. She says when working with a travel agent, travelers gain access to a global network of connections including:

• In-destination specialists who work exclusively with travel advisors and can connect travelers with unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences they wouldn't otherwise know about
• Exclusive experiences not available to the general public

You'll avoid surprise fees

When deciding if a travel agent is worth it for you, remember this: A reputable agent can guarantee you won't encounter any surprise fees on accommodations and activities once your trip is booked.

You'll have someone to troubleshoot unexpected travel issues

A travel advisor is essentially your personal vacation concierge. "Because they've been around for so long, agents really know what to look for," says Christopher Elliott , a consumer advocate and journalist. "Travel agents are among the first to know about flight cancellations and delays , making it easy for them to rebook itineraries right away." 

The Cons of Using a Travel Agent

It might not be your cheapest option.

There are some instances when it makes more sense to plan your own trip. "If you're planning a quick flight from New York City to Los Angeles, it's easy enough to book it yourself online directly or through a third-party booking site," says Elliott. "If you're planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip or bucket list honeymoon , that's when you call the experts."

You'll have less flexibility in your itinerary

The upside of working with a travel agent is having someone plan an epic vacation for you based on industry knowledge and local expertise. But this can also be a downside in the event you discover an activity you'd like to do or a restaurant you'd like to try that isn't on your pre-planned itinerary. If you alter your plans, you risk losing money; plus, the time it takes for you and your travel agent to coordinate your change of plans may not be worth the hassle.

You still have to do some research

It's important to find an agent you can trust, which means you still have to do some of the vacation planning. For this part, Parker recommends picking up the phone. "Lots of people avoid or don't pick up the phone as much anymore," she says. "That's where you get the high-touch service, tone of voice, excitement or concerns to manage." She advises to look for the following red flags:

• No fees: " Travel advisors are charging planning fees more now or increasing them, so the client knows more confidently than ever, we work for them, not the suppliers with the best commissions," Parker explains. "There are a lot of things that are non-commissionable and the advisor's time and expertise shouldn't be given away for free, either. That's the best way to show an advisor takes their business seriously."
• Limited options: If you work with someone who is inexperienced or has an incentive to book you with a certain supplier, they may not be prioritizing your best interests. "It's important to check if they are with a larger consortia, accreditations and network, typically listed on their website and signatures," says Parker. "That level of mindshare doesn't come with a lone advisor unless they have many, many years of experience."
• Slow response times: If communication is delayed, that's a sign they may be too busy to plan your trip – but again, this is something you can avoid by having the right conversations early on.

Edman suggestes starting your search with the American Society of Travel Advisors . "ASTA-verified travel advisors are committed to the highest industry standards and have verifiable industry knowledge so consumers can feel confident in working with them," she says.

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Travel Agent vs. Booking Online: What Is More Reliable?

Should You Book Online or Use a Travel Agent?

Are you planning a big trip soon? Before you start packing your bags, you need to figure out how to book your airfares and accommodation. Thanks to the internet and online booking technology, you no longer have to hire a travel agent, but does that mean you should always book online? In this article, we will look at the pros and cons of both options! 

Differences Between Booking Online and Travel Agents

Travel agents are brokers who help travelers find the best accommodation, airfares, transport, and activities. Travel agents can book everything for you, from flights and hotels to concert tickets and more! These travel experts can also advise on where to go, where to stay, sights you need to see, and more. They can use their skills and relationships with hotels and airlines to plan an incredible trip for you. 

In contrast to letting a travel agent handle all the logistics, you can hop online and book everything yourself. You can now go to a hotel or airline’s site and book directly with them, or you can use an online travel agent such as Booking.com or Expedia. Thanks to the internet and online booking technology, you can play the role of your agent, but before you start booking flights and hotels, check out the pros and cons of both options below!

Pros Of Using Travel Agent

Before you book that around-the-world trip all by yourself, consider using a travel agent. Here are the top reasons why millions of people prefer using travel agents!

• Exclusive deals  – Travel agents can often get you deals that you can’t find on the internet. They are especially skilled at finding you all-inclusive package options where your flights, hotels, and entertainment are combined for an amazing below-market price. Hiring travel agents can leverage their relationship with airlines and hotels to put together packages with unbeatable prices.
• Save efforts – It can be a massive headache jumping from one airline to another looking for a good flight. And then trying to book hotels can also be a nightmare; it is easy to lose hours of your life scrolling through Booking.com! Luckily, you can tell your travel agent exactly what you want; for example, you want to go to Rome and Paris on these dates, you want a mid-range hotel in the center of the city, and here is your budget. Then your agent will handle everything! 
• Provide expert advice – Travel agents don’t just help you book your dream trip; they can also offer advice and tips. They know where the best locations are, what the best hotels are, and which airlines to avoid. With a travel agent’s expert advice, you can discover places you never thought of visiting, stay at incredible hotels and have a once-in-a-lifetime trip! 

Cons Of Using Travel Agent

While travel agents do offer some unique advantages over booking online, they also have a few cons; check them out below:

• Not in complete control – While using a travel agent service may save you time, it also involves entrusting a 3rd party to book your trip. Using a travel agent may not be suitable if you like to be hands-on and are very particular about things. 
• Finding a trustworthy company is not always easy – While there are a lot of travel agents out there, many cannot provide significantly better deals than booking directly with hotels and airlines. Also, it is not uncommon for travel agents to make mistakes, such as booking the incorrect date or choosing the wrong hotel.
• Not suitable for quick trips – If you wake up one day and decide you want to go to London next week, then you are betting off booking online. Travel agents are often unable to accommodate spontaneous trips and need some time to sort out your travel logistics.

Pros Of Booking Online

Now you know the pros and cons of using a travel agent, it is time to check out the advantages of booking online:

• Faster – If you know exactly where you want to go and when it is typically faster to book online. You can hop an airline’s site and book your flight in a couple of minutes, and then do the same for a hotel. You don’t need to waste your time calling up travel agents, visiting physical offices, and chatting about different offers. Save time by just booking online!
• Lower cost – Sometimes, it is much cheaper to book online than use a travel agent. Travel agents usually can offer great deals on packaged holidays to touristy destinations such as the Maldives or Greece. However, if you are planning a week in New York and then a week in LA, they often can’t compete, and it makes sense to book online. 
• Book whenever you like – The beauty of the internet is that it is limitless! If you want to book your flight and hotel at 2 am, you can! You don’t have to wait for office hours from Monday to Friday to book your dream holiday.
• Complete control of your trip – When booking online, you don’t have to cede control of your travel logistics over to someone else. Whenever you add additional people to a task, it increases the risk of miscommunication. If you book everything yourself, you don’t have to worry about your travel agent booking the wrong hotel or airline or selecting an incorrect date! 

Cons Of Booking Online

Don’t go booking online just yet! Make sure you consider these disadvantages prior to whipping out your credit card and booking everything yourself:

• Easy to make mistakes – Booking hotels and tours in countries halfway across the world that you have never been to before is difficult. A few pictures and online reviews are often not enough to determine if a place is good or not. This is where travel agents can really shine by offering their expert advice!
• Customer service can be poor – Unfortunately, online travel agents are known for their horrendous customer service. It can be almost impossible to speak to someone if something goes wrong, and getting a timely refund can be a nightmare. 
• You need internet – If you are a little more old school and prefer to call your travel agent or go to a physical location, online booking is not for you!
• Too many options – It can be a little intimidating going online and seeing 30 different flights, hundreds of cities, and hotels. It is easy to develop decision paralysis and conclude it is all too difficult. Travel agents can simplify the process by coming up with 3 to 5 amazing options for you.

Final Thoughts

After cruising through this article, you should now have a pretty good understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of using travel agents to book online. We recommend you contact several travel agents and see what offers they have and then compare them with the online booking prices and choose the best!

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The Complete Guide to Booking Travel Online

What is an online travel agency, and what are the best sites and apps to use to search for hotels and flights we break it all down for you..

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There’s a lot to navigate when researching and booking travel online.

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My first travel adventure was to Venezuela. I booked the ticket with a travel agent over a pay phone. The agent searched a dozen flight itineraries over a few days, all so I could save $15.

Times have changed. Today, flight searches start online , often on your mobile device. Passengers book either directly with the airline or hotel or with online travel agencies. Rarely do we get on the phone. In fact, American Airlines and United Airlines charge $25 to make a domestic flight booking by phone. And pay phones hardly exist anymore.

So, what is the best way to book online? Here is our complete guide to online travel agencies, search tools, and the variety of booking options available on both mobile devices and desktops.

What is an OTA?

An online travel agency, or OTA, is a website or mobile app that allows users to search for and book travel services such as flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and activities. The booking is made directly with the online travel agency but confirmed by the service provider, such as an airline or a hotel. As a customer, your relationship is with the OTA.

What are the main OTAs?

Many online travel agencies nowadays are owned by two main companies: Expedia and Priceline. The Expedia Group is the largest online travel agency in the United States with 70 percent market share, according to travel data firm Phocuswright. Expedia Group operates Expedia.com , Orbitz, Hotels.com , Trivago, CheapTickets , Hotwire , Vrbo , and Travelocity .

Priceline is a major competitor to Expedia, with global revenues larger than the Expedia Group. The company owns Priceline.com, Booking.com, Cheapflights, Momondo, and Kayak—the latter two being metasearch engines (more on that below).

There are also independent newcomers such as Hopper (a mobile-only booking tool) and Kiwi.com (which allows you to book flights on air carriers that don’t normally have a commercial relationship).

Are OTA fares lower than booking directly?

Generally, no. The fares that are displayed by an OTA will be similar if not slightly more expensive when compared to an airline’s website. They’re usually only a few dollars higher or lower. The OTAs charge a booking fee to the airlines, and often that fee is passed directly to consumers. For example, Lufthansa tacks on an additional $18 to any booking made through an OTA for Lufthansa flights. The same flights are exactly $18 cheaper on the airline’s website.

Where you can score a good travel deal through an OTA is when booking a last-minute hotel and flight package. Many OTAs have cut agreements with airlines allowing last-minute travelers to access lower rates than are typically available when passengers book a flight alone.

Are all airlines available to be booked through OTAs?

No. Many OTAs do not display flights from some of the low-fare leaders. For example, Southwest and Allegiant flights are not available through OTAs; the same goes for Ryanair in Europe. And, earlier this year United Airlines threatened to pull out of Expedia altogether, only recently signing a multi-year agreement to stay in. The airlines would rather not lose any margin to online travel agencies in an already low-margin industry and would rather maintain a direct relationship with the customer.

Are smaller OTAs safe to use?

Expedia and Priceline are the two largest players in the online booking space, but there are dozens of independent OTAs, such as CheapOAir, OneTravel, JustFly, and SmartFares. Confusingly, you might actually stumble on ads for these OTAs while using Expedia or Priceline sites. That’s because the larger OTAs earn revenue through advertising, sending passengers to smaller OTAs and charging those OTAs for the favor.

Buyer beware: some of these lesser-known OTAs are masters at hidden fees. For example, a flight search on JetBlue allows for free seat selection in many instances. If you perform the same search on FlightNetwork, an independent OTA, and select a seat, you will be charged an additional $25—despite the fact that JetBlue doesn’t charge a seat selection fee if you book directly.

What if you need to change your itinerary?

Itinerary changes are often a pain. If your plans change, it won’t matter whether you’ve booked directly with an airline or with an OTA—you’re going to pay fees for the privilege, if you can even change your ticket at all.

For example, CheapTickets.com, which is part of the Expedia Group, charges $25 to change or cancel a ticket if that change is requested after 24 hours of making the booking—it is free if you do so within 24 hours of booking. However, the fees go up from there. JustFly, an independent OTA, charges a $75 fee for changes to domestic flights in addition to airline change fees, plus the difference in fare, for tickets that can be changed. For an international trip, the fee rises to $200. That means to change an international flight with Delta (which charges a $100 change fee) booked through JustFly, you’ll be assessed $300 in fees, plus the difference in fare. At that rate, you may as well book a new flight. FlightNetwork indicates in its terms of service that changes may incur a change fee but doesn’t specify what those fees are. That hardly makes the few dollars you saved by booking with the OTA in the first place worth it.

What is an OTA price match policy?

To assure travelers that they are getting the lowest fare possible, many OTAs have a price match policy. The rules vary and so do the benefits.

For example, if you book with Orbitz and find a less expensive flight, car rental, or activity on any U.S.-based website within 24 hours of your booking, Orbitz will refund you the difference you paid. And it works: I have personally found a flight in the same class, on the same airline, for the same origin and destination cities, and requested Orbitz to refund the difference of around $35. Within a few weeks, I received a check in the mail. A similar program applies for CheapOAir, but there’s a catch—the price difference must be found on a major OTA such as Expedia or Travelocity.

Expedia has a particularly good price match policy, but you have to pay extra for it at the time of booking. Expedia offers the price match option as an add-on that costs between $5 and $30 when you book. With the price match applied, if the airfare on Expedia drops between 120 days of the flight and up to six hours before the flight, Expedia will automatically refund you the difference in fare. Unfortunately, fares generally do not drop substantially as the travel date approaches, so while this might give you peace of mind, it’s probably not worth the expense.

How do Google Flights and other travel metasearch engines work?

Frequent fliers are likely familiar with websites such as Google Flights, Kayak, Momondo, or Skyscanner. On these websites, passengers search on the site but are redirected to the service provider to complete the booking, such as an airline, rental car company, or hotel.

Metasearch started with a product called ITA Matrix, which is a tool for searching airfares online but not for actually booking online. ITA Matrix allows for multi-city searching, such as setting two different departure or arrival airports, and for offering a calendar view of fares for easier comparison. That company was acquired by Google in 2011, and savvy travelers swear by it to help find the least expensive fares online. Most consumers are more familiar with Google Flights, which has gained traction more recently not least because it has the benefit of being displayed first in search results on Google.

Metasearch engines receive distribution fees from the airlines for sending traffic to the supplier websites. There are no additional hidden fees for using a metasearch engine because you’re booking directly with the airline or hotel.

A major benefit of the metasearch engines is their price tracking tool, which lets users know whether the displayed fares are low, average, or high for the flight, allowing travelers to make a more informed decision on whether to book a flight or not . Google Flights and Kayak, for instance, both have price tracking tools.

Why not just book directly?

The airlines would definitely much rather you book directly with them. Over the past five years, they have gotten much better at marketing and selling their product directly to consumers online and through mobile sites and apps. But in the past, they weren’t so good at it. In fact, Delta, Northwest, United, American, and Continental got together to invest $145 million to launch Orbitz in 1999 to counter the threat from Expedia. Now Orbitz is owned by Expedia.

The airlines also try to encourage customers to book directly so that they can maintain a closer relationship with them. It allows carriers to connect bookings with loyalty programs and create special offers and discounts catered to individual passengers.

There is another benefit to booking directly. The U.S. Department of Transportation requires carriers to hold a reservation at the quoted fare for 24 hours without payment or allow a reservation to be cancelled within 24 hours without penalty, so long as the booking is made at least seven days before travel. The law applies, however, only to U.S. and foreign air carriers that have websites marketed to U.S. consumers. This means that, in theory, an online travel agency does not have to offer such a policy, although most OTAs do.

What are the options for booking on your mobile device?

Airlines and the major OTAs all have apps to help you book and manage your trip on your mobile device, but their functionality is lacking compared to these websites’ desktop editions. For example, Expedia’s app doesn’t allow you to view flights on a month-view calendar. Kayak has an app with more bells and whistles and a better user interface, including a month-view calendar with color-coded pricing. It also has a handy “augmented reality” function to help you see if your carry-on bag will fit in the overhead bin (a feature originally developed by KLM). Point your phone’s camera at the luggage, and it’ll give you the dimensions.

While apps are improving and gaining in popularity, you still might find it easier to locate the best deals on flights and hotels by using your desktop, where you can have multiple tabs open and have all the available search tools at your disposal. Apps are fine for booking directly with an airline once you know which flights you want to book.

If you’re determined to use your mobile device, you may want to look into Hopper. Hopper is a mobile-first flight booking tool that has a solid price prediction tool. You can research travel options and book directly on the app. Another benefit of Hopper: Of its team of 300 employees, nearly half are dedicated to customer support and are based in Canada versus some OTAs and airlines that outsource much of their customer service further afield.

The bottom line?

Like many travelers, I enjoy a flight deal as much as the next person, but I also don’t like any added hassle. I typically start my travel searches using the ITA Matrix or Google Flights to get a general sense of the fares. It helps to know what is a good deal and what is expensive for a particular route. I do my research, typically on a desktop computer. When I’m ready to book, I’ll book directly with the airline. I’ve found that customer service is better when booking directly with the service provider. But I’ve also saved money by using OTAs and have booked with them, too. Whichever way you choose to book, you can be safe in the knowledge that finding and purchasing travel online is a lot easier today than searching for a deal with a travel agent on a pay phone.

>> Next: How to Get the Best Last-Minute Travel Deals

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Is it cheaper to hire a travel agent or book on your own? We looked into it

How much time do you spend researching your next vacation? According to Expedia , Americans visit 140 travel websites before booking their next vacation. Could you be saving time and money using a travel agent?

"Really truly what we work on is value, you're getting someone with knowledge and experience on your side, so you don't have to do all of the work," said Crystal Seaton with Road to Relaxation Travel .

Seaton says booking through a travel agent typically won't cost you more. She says while some agents will charge you a nominal planning fee, many agencies like hers do not charge anything extra for their services.

"We get paid a commission on the back end from the vendor, so that's how we make our income," she said.

She did say they sometimes charge a fee if it's for a major complex trip with extensive planning.

When it comes to getting the same deals offered online, Seaton says, "99 percent of the time we can get the same deals."

"What I caution people," she said, "is to look beyond price to value because sometimes those digital deals come with a lot of small print that you don't notice upfront."

You need to make sure the advertised price is the final cost, and there are no extra taxes and fees added on after booking.

Seaton gave examples of when travel agents can save their clients' money on trips to Disney.

"We monitor promotions," she said. "Disney had a fall promotion that's come out recently. Our agents were up through the night waiting for it to drop based on what we're hearing, and then we go through the reservations that are booked for us and see who qualifies for it and apply it."

She says agents do the same thing when it comes to cruises and all-inclusive trips.

When you book on your own, you could be locked in on the price. The biggest difference is time.

According to Expedia, Americans spend nearly 23 hours on travel websites six weeks prior to booking a vacation. Those are hours that you could save for other things and let a travel agent do the work for you.

If you prefer booking your trip on your own online, Rob Stern, with RobPlansYourTrip.com says consider this: " Travel agents offer many things that the Internet does not, including personal knowledge of destinations and our recent travel experiences, knowing the quality of different travel suppliers, and providing a live resource for help during your trip. We have access to some industry only booking engines for travel packages as well."

If you book through an agent, they can also help when problems arise on your trip.

"Travel agents can help with troubleshooting when suppliers don't come through, in cases of bad weather, labor strikes, lost luggage, flight delays and cancellations," he said. "If there's an issue at a hotel or with a car rental when can often resolve it. We can explain what types of travel protection plans are the best for your type of trip."

Whether you are booking on your own or with an agent, Seaton says, "My best advice is to plan early. Your better deals are almost always early."

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Using a Travel Agent vs. Booking Online: An Infographic

What would you say if I told you that travel agents aren’t in competition with online travel agency giants like Trip Advisor, Booking.com, Expedia, Priceline, and others? Maybe you’re waiting for a punchline, but I’m honestly not telling a joke.

While starting a home-based travel agency in the shadow of internet giants like Expedia can feel like a David vs. Goliath scenario, I’m here to bring you glad tidings of the ways in which travel agents have an edge over OTAs.

Looking ahead to 2026, OTA market share is projected to dip one point to 21% while travel agencies are predicted to increase their market share 5 points to 26%.

Not only that, but travelers are beginning to recognize the value of an advisor. In 2023, the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) reported 50% of travelers were more likely to use a travel advisor than in the past. 1 .

Want more good news? Phocuswright reported that in 2022 travel agencies comprised 21% of US travel market channel share, only one point behind online travel agencies (22%). Looking forward to 2026 however, OTA market share is projected to dip to 21% while travel agencies are predicted to increase their share 5 points to 26%.

So yes. Travelers are using advisors! And yes! Travel agencies compete with OTAs. So suspend your doubt and hear me out. We're going to chat on how travel agents save travelers TONS of time (and money) on their vacations!

No Seriously, Americans Spend So Much Time Online Planning Travel, It’s Ridiculous.  

Expedia Media Group's research documented that American travelers spent an aggregate of 8.7 capital-B-BILLION minutes of travel planning and booking time in 2015. It seems ludicrous, right? I know, I did a double-take. But that is the amount of time Americans spent consuming digital travel content in 2015, according to their white paper, “ The American Traveler’s Path to Purchase .” 2

In the 45 days prior to booking travel—from beginning research to final purchase— the traveling American visited a whopping 140 travel websites . No seriously, that is not a typo.

How much time does this add up to? Well, the report indicated that in the six weeks prior to booking, Americans consumed 22.95 hours of digital travel media .

Is your jaw on the floor yet? Well, it’s about to get even more slack: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average hourly wage in the U.S. as of Jan. 2021 registered at $29.96/hr 3 , which means that it costs American travelers roughly $687.58 of work time to plan and book vacations.

What does this mean for travelers?

A). A traveler can plan and book their vacation while they’re on company dime (preferably not one they own) and hope they don’t get fired for it. Or, better yet . . .

B.) Go with a travel agent, don’t get fired, and save over $700 of their time.

How OTAs Work, and Why They Don’t Save Travelers Money Anymore

The $700+ savings in work time really just scratches the surface. There are tons of other ways that using a travel agent vs. booking online saves clients money.

1. OTA Access to Inventory Is limited

When you were a kid and asked your parents for a snack, they probably didn’t open the fridge and cupboards and let you have at it (let alone take you to the grocery store to pick whatever you wanted). No, they probably pulled out a few choice items and said, “this is what you can choose from.”

OTAs operate in the same way. OTAs used to rely on ample off-peak inventory, and empty seats on planes and rooms in hotels to offer discounts, and it worked 4 . Vendors would dump their excess inventory on OTA sites for a premium commission to OTAs. Heck, at the end of the day, selling a hotel room for cheap is better than zippo, right? But the OTAs are no longer the land of milk and honey they used to be.

There was a huge rise in the number of OTAs and suppliers smartened up, doing things like having contracts where OTAs were not able to offer prices lower than what the traveler could find directly on the brand site. They stopped offering premium commissions, and some vendors (like Southwest) even refused to sell their inventory on OTAs. (Does this sound familiar? Airlines did the same thing, cut commissions to travel agents in the 90s).

In fact, it’s the vendors that price the products—not the OTAs themselves. So, like the stingy parents, OTAs will not offer the smorgasbord of travel products and discounts they used to. They can’t.

Now let's jump back to the travel agent vs. booking online thing. A travel agent will open all their cupboards and find the best value available. Heck, they’ll even take you to the grocery store and present a full range of available travel options. Travel agents not only have access to products and pricing, but they also have the savvy to know the nitty-gritty of things like which airlines offer more spacious seating or provide better beverage service for the same price.

2. Price Discrimination and “Steering”

According to the same Wired article above, the OTAs' pricing would shift constantly due to supply and demand. This means that customers could potentially be directed to sites that weren’t the best deals, depending on the quantity demanded while the traveler books their trip, trying to create a false sense of urgency for travelers to book with warnings like, “2 rooms left at this price?”

OTAs with their Big-Brother-like technology know when and how a traveler is booking. So if a traveler is attempting to book a hotel on a mobile phone the same evening of their desired reservation date, the OTA’s magic algorithm will smell their desperation and potentially steer the customer to a more expensive booking.

Price discrimination comes into play when they charge different consumers different prices for the same product (which is illegal). According to the Wired article, at one point, “Orbitz was steering Apple OSX users, for example, to more expensive hotels, since the algorithm assumed that an Apple user was more affluent than a PC user.”

Agents don’t, and can’t, do that. There is a level of price stability when purchasing from a travel agent—who can put holds on tickets and packages to preserve the price until the end of the day or for 24 hours.

3. Fine Print

Surprise! There are taxes and fees that might sneak up on the purchaser when they get to the checkout of an OTA. With travel agents, the full cost to clients is transparent at the time they are quoted the price. (Enough said!)

4. Group Bookings

Travel agents can especially save money for clients traveling in groups. According to SmartFlyer’s CEO Mike Holtz in a Travel Market Report's "Here's Why You Should Use a Travel Agent Instead of Booking Online" article , “travel websites will only show the lowest fare available for four tickets. But an advisor might be able to find three seats at a fare hundreds of dollars less, with savings into the thousands of dollars.”

Travel agents, who are not governed by algorithms, have the experience and ability to analyze the options in front of them, filtering through them quickly in order to build group packages that maximize value and save money for their clients. Yet another reason to use a travel agent vs. booking online.

I know, I’m probably preaching to the choir. But what does this mean, and what does this add up to? Well, according to ASTA’s 2016 study, “Best of Both Worlds: Quantifying How Travel Agents Save Consumers Time and Money," a travel agent saves the traveler, on average, $452 per trip. 5

So if you count money and time, that brings up our tally of savings to $1,170+. Dang. Good job, travel agents.

But how do you articulate that to clients? How can you tell them that you’ll save them a ton of time and a nice wad of cash by booking their trip for them? They might look at you like you’re bonkers. But that’s okay, we’re here to help you with talking points with a snazzy infographic explaining the differences between using a travel agent vs. booking online.

How to Talk to Clients About Using a Travel Agent vs. Booking Online

Don’t you get tired when people express alarm at the existence of travel agents? Does it take a little restraint and energy not to roll your eyes when people say they can just book online? I know it does for me.

So we made an infographic that walks you through the data. You can print it out and post it above your office desk to use as talking points when your clients call and ask why they should use a travel agent vs. booking online. Better yet, just send it directly to your client and save yourself a lot of talking. 

Do you want it for a keepsake? You can go ahead and sign in below to download the infographic! You can even print it and use it to wallpaper your office, or better yet, post it on your own travel agency website!

This Is to Mention Nothing of Customer Service and Client Satisfaction

Travel agents save clients money, but the benefits of booking with a travel agent go way beyond. Travel agents also create high-value travel over OTAs because (the living, breathing, talented humans that they are) are able to advocate for clients when things go awry.

Travel Market Report published an article, " What We Did for Love: Tales of Travel Agents Who Went the Extra Mile, " in May 2019. It recounts stories of travel agents like Linda Schreiber, who pulled her bride out of a hurricane-riddled Cancun to the safety of home and rebooked the 70 other guests for the following month. Or Valerie Gossett's warm fuzzy in our Travel Agent Chatter podcast who coordinated with her BDM to have her client's father, a 90-year-old retired colonel, celebrated and honored for his service on his last cruise with his family.

What can an OTA do for a traveler who is unhappy with a hotel room, let alone stuck in the middle of a natural disaster? The answer? Not much, if anything at all.

Travel agents are able to leverage their relationships with vendors in order to provide the best customer service possible to travelers. So not only will the traveler save money, but they can travel with the peace of mind that a travel agent can help them out in a bind if they transfer hotels, switch rooms, or re-book a flight.

In the same ASTA study referenced earlier, it was documented that “ 63% of consumers polled said using an agent makes their overall trip experience better.” So not only will travel agents save travelers time, money and stress during the planning and booking process—they’ll also help create a more satisfying and relaxing travel experience during the trip itself . . . and that, my friend, is the entire purpose of a vacation.

Now Go Tell Your Clients (and Friends, and Travel Agent Naysayers)

Nothing speaks louder than data, right? Go let those skeptics know. If you don’t want to go on a monologue about the value of travel agents, just direct them to the infographic, and save your breath (and sanity).

What are some other ways you help save clients time and money? How do you pitch your value to clients? I want to hear about it in the comment section below!

[This blog was originally published in Oct. 2017. We periodically update this article with new data as it becomes available.]

• Source: ASTA’s 2023 March Consumer Research Headlines ↩
• As of 2022, this study has not been republished with more current numbers. ↩
• Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics ↩
• Source: Wired article, "Why Bargain Travel Sites May No Longer Be Bargains" ↩
• Source: Travel Market Report, "Why Consumers Don't Use Travel Agents" ↩

About the Author

Mary Stein has been working as a writer and editor for Host Agency Reviews since 2016. She loves supporting travel advisors on their entrepreneurial journey and is inspired by their passion, tenacity, and creativity. Mary is also a mom, dog lover, fiction writer, hiker, and a Great British Bake Off superfan.

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Using a travel agent vs. booking yourself: what’s best?

Pros of using a travel agent.

• Connect you with trusted tour operators they’ve worked with before
• Find the perfect airfares, rental cars, and cruise ships/cruise lines to fit your itinerary
• Help you save money with exclusive upgrades, discounts, and perks that aren’t available to the general public
• Offer personalized service and peace of mind
• Help you organize a group trip or family trip that meets all travelers’ requirements, saving you time and effort
• Manage trip cancellations and changes, and find flexible fares that fall within your budget

Cons of using a travel agent

• Less convenient - Many travel agents only offer services during certain limited office hours. On the other hand, by booking online, you can make your bookings any time you want. Some travel booking sites also offer 24/7 customer support.
• Biased advice - Travel agents earn commissions from hotel operators and airlines, so they have an incentive to push you towards booking flights or hotels that they choose.
• Limited choice - Many travel agencies, especially small consumer-facing agencies, have limited inventories. Online, you’ll find a wide variety of different travel products and tour operators to choose from.
• More expensive - Travel agencies often charge large booking fees for their services.
• Lack of flexible payment options - Some types of travel agencies, such as business travel management companies, ask all their clients to sign a rigid one-year contract with complicated fine print.

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Why use a travel agent instead of booking online? 12 Benefits

You could book your vacation yourself but is it better? Here are 12 benefits and reasons to use a travel agent instead of booking online.

If you thought travel agents were dead, think again. Sure, you could do it all yourself but do you want to and is it really better? It really depends. In addition to saving you time and money, here are some reasons people still use travel agents and the many benefits you might not have considered. 

Jump to section ↓

What is a travel agent? 

A travel agent, sometimes called a tour operator, sells or arranges trips, tours or excursions for customers based on their special needs, budget and time constraints.

Before the Internet, if someone wanted to plan a vacation, they used a travel agent. Their main duties were to book your cruises, flights, excursions, hotels, honeymoons and more.

All you had to do was tell them what you wanted, your budget and pay.

From then on out, your travel agent was your liaison. If there was a problem, you called up your travel agent, and they would iron out the details and make it all better.  That was then.

Travel Agents are not as popular anymore

Thanks to the internet, sharing economy sites like Airbnb, and review sites like Trip advisor, finding good deals, information and booking online is easier than ever. 

As a result travel agency numbers have dwindled. In the early 2000s, there were over 120,000 independent travel agents compared to 50 000 in 2021.  

That’s quite a drop; however, that’s still a lot. And that’s just in the US. 

So why use a travel agent instead of booking online, and why are they still relevant?

People still use travel agents to book travel because they still offer value for some people. 

For certain types of travel, using a travel agent can get you a better deal than booking online yourself or give you a happier travel experience and peace of mind, not to mention the number one reason, it saves time . 

Here are more of the many ways a travel agent is helpful in this day and age of the DIY travel booking world. 

Why Use A Travel Agent Instead Of Booking Online Yourself: 12 Benefits That Might Make It Worth It

1) travel agents can save you time..

Finding a good travel deal on the Internet can be time-consuming, even for a simple trip.

A travel agent can act as personal travel advisors and do the heavy lifting for you quickly and efficiently, leaving you time to live your life, take care of your family or do whatever it is that you need to do.

If you’re a road warrior and travel a lot for business, a travel agent can help you find the best way to manage your travel activities; from finding hotels that have meeting rooms to booking tours so you can play golf with clients.

And for families with children, a travel agent can arrange vacation activities based on your needs.

2) Using a travel agent can help you stitch together a complicated itinerary

If you want to book an around the world trip or a trip that involves multiple stops in multiple countries, multiple guided tours, hotels, cars, trains or whatever else you can think of, then an experienced travel agent can help you stitch everything together more easily and faster than you could ever do on your own.

3) A travel agent can save you money, including on fees

I used to think travel agents were more expensive than looking up flight deals on my own, but that’s not always the case.

For one, a travel agent or consultant is privy to certain deals that aren’t available to the public.

Two, they can suggest travel dates and times you didn’t know about to save you money. For instance, maybe flying to Hawaii on a certain airline is cheaper on Monday rather than Thursday by almost 500 dollars. (This really happened to someone I know).

Some airline companies sucker punch you with hidden surcharges and other fees that increase the total cost of your trip that they don’t tell you about until you pay. Travel agents can help you avoid these hidden charges or at least make you aware of them. 

4) A travel agent has a face and a voice: Google search doesn’t

Travel agents are real people you interact with.

In other words, agents can suggest things you hadn’t thought about; alternate routes, cruise lines, advise you on visas and act, well, more human than a search engine. They can guide you, rather than you leading a faceless search engine hoping to find the answers. 

5) A travel agent knows which hotels are the best for cash-strapped travellers.

A travel agent has access to secret deals and preferred rates and can negotiate the price of a vacation. 

6) Using a travel agent can help you avoid information overload and analysis paralysis

The internet is an amazing research tool. However, it does have its downsides, such as TOO MUCH INFORMATION.

If you’re like me, you start your travel research with the best intentions but then after a few nights of researching hotels, airline deals, mixing and matching dates, suddenly all that wonderful information turns into one big harry ball of confusion.

That’s right about when analysis paralysis kicks in. A travel agent can help you cut to the chase, so you don’t have to deal with all that.

Analysis paralysis is a condition in which a person becomes so caught up in planning that he or she can’t actually take action

7) A travel agent can share exclusive perks and give you access to VIP status

Travel agents are better connected and have special relationships with the travel industry than mere mortals like us who don’t have access.

 They can sometimes get you free room upgrades, private guided tours, a better seat on an airplane, event tickets , line cutting and cheaper deals on premium airfares.

8) A travel advisor will work hard to give you excellent customer service

A travel advisor will usually work hard to find their clients the best deals and upgrades to make sure they keep coming back. If you are a frequent traveller, this can be invaluable because once you’ve established a relationship and trust, you can keep going to that person over and over again.

9) Agents can help solve problems if something unexpected happens.

If your flight is cancelled, you’re stuck someplace or face some other unforeseen problem; a travel agent may be able to help you find a better solution more quickly than you could on your own. All you have to do is pick up the phone and call them.

10) A travel agent can help clear up confusing fees and restrictions.

Many of the restrictions and fees imposed by airlines, baggage fees, hotels or car rental companies are not obvious to the casual buyer. A travel agent can help you understand them all so that you can make more informed choices. 

11) Avoid frustration when planning a complicated travel itinerary.

Obviously, sifting through all the information can be very frustrating so it goes without saying that you can avoid a whole lot of frustration by letting someone else do most of the heavy lifting in planning your itinerary.

12) Help you choose a destination and activity

 Travel agents are travel professionals and travel advisors.

If you would like to book a vacation but aren’t sure where or what to do, a travel agent can act as your travel advisor and help you choose between locations, cruises, activities and more. T ravel agents also have inside information on the best times to go to crowded destinations.  

Questions to ask before booking with a travel agent

Not all travel agents/consultants are created equal, so if you are considering hiring one, here are a few questions you should ask them.

• What are the fees? This will help you determine if it will be worth the investment to work with them vs. the time to do it yourself.
• What is their refund and cancellation policy?
• If need be, can the agent work entirely by e-mail? If one of the reasons you want to work with a travel agent is because of a lack of time, then you don’t want to be stuck on a phone for hours while they research your itinerary for you. You should also expect them to respond within minutes or hours by email and not days.
• If there is a problem with my booking while I’m on vacation, can they help me and how can I get hold of them?
• Are they certified, and by whom? There are no regulations that prevent anyone from calling themselves a travel agent. Please make sure they are certified and reputable. Depending on which country the travel agent is based in, they will have different certifications. In the US, a travel agent is usually ASTA certified (American Society of Travel Agents), but in the UK, it is ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents).
• Ask for references
• Check online reviews and search engine results.
• In the US, ask for Errors and Omissions liability insurance. Most US professional travel advisors carry errors and omissions liability insurance which protects them and you against the financial consequences of a travel agent’s mistake.

ONE LAST TIP: Always pay with a major credit card

How you pay the travel agency matters.

If you pay your travel agent invoice with a debit card, wire transfer, or check, your money is gone. 

But what if you run into problems and need to challenge a charge or request a refund when a travel agent doesn’t fulfill what was promised?

By using a major credit card with consumer protection programs built-in, you have the full force of the law. If the company draws out the refund process, you can file a chargeback. 

Bon Voyage!

Disclosure : This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a 'petite commission' at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through my links. It helps me buy more wine and cheese. Please read my disclosure for more info.

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Annie André

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I'm Annie André, a bilingual North American with Thai and French Canadian roots. I've lived in France since 2011. When I'm not eating cheese, drinking wine or hanging out with my husband and children, I write articles on my personal blog annieandre.com for intellectually curious people interested in all things France: Life in France, travel to France, French culture, French language, travel and more.

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Should I Use a Travel Agent? Our Travel Expert Says It Makes All the Difference.

The new age of travel agents know how to find deals, book off-the-beaten path adventures, and get you out of any jam. Especially if you know who to use.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

I’ve always thought that planning my own trips was the most cost-effective way, but I’ve been hearing more about travel agents making a comeback and saving their clients a lot of money. What kinds of outdoor trips should I turn to a travel agent for, and are there any who specialize in working with adventurers like me?

Technically, I’m a professional traveler. As a journalist, it’s my job to research and connect with locals to get beneath the surface of a destination. So I have never really used travel agents. What could they plan better than I could?

A lot, it turns out. Over the years, I’ve gotten to know many travel specialists, and I consider them magicians. My big aha moment happened two winters ago on a trip to Iceland . A massive storm shut down internal flights for a day, causing me to miss my return flight to the U.S. Normally, I would have spent frustrating hours on hold with the airline. But because I’d paid $65 to have Ana Gloria Garcia, an air-support specialist at the travel agency EmbarkBeyond, find and book the most affordable and convenient flight option for me, she handled the rebookings while I soaked in the Blue Lagoon.

During the pandemic, agents became advocates helping travelers get refunds on canceled flights and trips. As travel has come roaring back, an agent’s superpower is now their access to the best hotel rooms, most in-the-know guides, free amenities, and more, says Cory Hagopian, senior vice president of sales and partnerships for Virtuoso , a global network of travel agencies.

And they’re attracting a young clientele. According to a recent industry survey , 38 percent of millennials and Gen Zers are opting to use travel agents as opposed to booking on their own trips. That number is far greater than Gen Xers and baby boomers, of whom only 12 and 2 percent respectively use agents.

What Do I Gain from Using a Travel Agent?

I recently had a friend tell me she spent close to 40 hours researching a family trip online. She probably could have gleaned the same intel from an hourlong conversation with a travel adviser. Knowledge is priceless, and advisers act as your insiders. They know what you don’t and fill in the blanks for things you might not have considered, says Erika Richter, a spokesperson for the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA). Their firsthand knowledge, vast network, and on-the-ground connections all combine to provide a unique perspective for crafting the perfect itinerary for you.

Most travel advisers specialize in certain regions and countries and travel to them frequently, so they have up-to-date intel on not only the best safari camps but the perfect tent to book for the most incredible views and the best local restaurants you won’t find on Tripadvisor. They want their client’s trips to go well to keep them coming back, so it’s in their interest to have sussed out hotels and itineraries before they send you out into the world.

Nicole Forster, 29, considers herself a savvy traveler. She’s been to 20-plus countries and enjoys destination research. But when it came to planning her honeymoon in Africa, she felt overwhelmed, so she reached out to Danielle Meyer at Coastline Travel Advisors , which specializes in bespoke itineraries. “Originally, I wanted to go to South Africa, Victoria Falls, and Madagascar,” Forster recalls. “Danielle convinced me that if we wanted to relax, we should stay in South Africa and save the other countries for separate trips.”

Over five phone conversations and multiple emails, they crafted a 15-night itinerary that included Cape Town, the winelands, the Cape Peninsula, and a safari at the Thornybush Game Reserve. Forster established her budget early in the process, and Meyer sent her a variety of lodge options to choose from.

“I initially wanted to start with the safari, but she pointed out that we’d be jet-lagged and would need to wake at sunrise for game drives,” says Forster. “The safari was our highlight, so it was a perfect way to end the trip.”

Not only did Meyer book all of the flights, hotels, and transfers, but she created a detailed, day-by-day trip app for the couple that included useful information like check-in times at hotels and how much to tip guides .

Agents also act as advocates. If something goes wrong during your travels, they’re on call 24/7 to handle it. When Forster left the battery and charger for her camera at a hotel, Meyer arranged for an on-the-ground contact to go to a camera store and buy new ones that would be delivered to her hotel the next day.

The cost for the honeymoon planning: $150 per person. “I wouldn’t use a planner for a trip to Hawaii ,” Forster says, “but if I ever took a big trip like this again, I’d 100 percent work with an expert.”  

When to Consider Using a Travel Agent

For savvy trip planners, the best time to use a travel agent is for complicated international travel. It can save you hours of planning and peace of mind that if anything goes wrong in your chosen far-flung destination, there’s someone a What’sApp message away to handle it.

Domestically, I’d consider using a travel agent when planning a multi-week national park trip or multi-island trip in Hawaii. They will save you time, guarantee you get the best guides, and help you land reservations at always-booked lodges and hotels.

Dream Trips Delivered

Jessica Cook and her husband both work in the travel industry. Decision fatigued, they handed their honeymoon logistics over to the team at Askari Travel , an agency that specializes in South Africa. Their original plan was also an African safari, but just as they were about to put a deposit down, the Omicron variant of the coronavirus made headlines. Worried about getting stuck abroad, they reached out to Askari’s founder, Muriel Truter, who is from Zimbabwe, and upon her advice, changed their focus to South America.

Knowledge is priceless, and advisers act as your insiders. They know what you don’t and fill in the blanks of things you might not even have considered.

Truter suggested they stick to Colombia rather than country-hop. Cook supplied a budget and a wish list: 12 days, no more than three destinations, a barefoot-luxe feel, and adventures like horseback riding and mountain biking. The rest was a surprise that Askari pretty much nailed, with the exception of one hotel.

“Everything felt so authentic, but this one hotel on Barú island felt really fabricated and was full of American tourists,” recalls Cook. She immediately messaged the Askari team, saying, “Hey, this place really isn’t our vibe,” and within an hour they were on a water taxi headed to Blue Apple, a B Corp hotel—and an Outside pick for tropical adventures —on Tierra Bomba island. “It was honestly the best trip we’ve ever taken,” she says.

Are Travel Agents Expensive?

It depends. Cost varies. Some travel agencies won’t charge any fee, as they receive a commission from the bookings, while some high-end agencies will charge pricey annual membership fees for their services. Still others charge nominal “professional” fees starting at $150. Fees often fluctuate based on the length and intricacy of a trip and how far out you do the planning (6 to 12 months is recommended). You may occasionally come across agents who charge a percentage of the total trip price or hourly rates.

Basic travel enquiries are generally free. In 2016, Leah Smith, founder of Tafari Travel , opened an old-school brick-and-mortar location in Denver’s Cherry Creek neighborhood so her services would feel less intimidating to first-time users. “With our retail-office location, we’ve become part of the community, and both clients and non-clients are welcome to pop in and ask whatever questions they may have, no charge,” she says.

Matt Lindsay, founder of the surf-guiding and travel company LuxSurf Travel , builds relationships with resorts and property owners to get discounted rates that he can then pass on to guests.

Dominic Allan, the founder of Real Latin America , specializes in travel to Belize and Nicaragua and caters to independent travelers who are happy to book their own flights and hotels but are seeking his local intel. Allan’s three-tier pricing structure starts at $300 for up to three hours of phone calls, during which he might weigh in on where to eat (or not to), the best room to request in a certain lodge, or whether you really need a guide to hike.

Value Versus Savings

If you’re just looking for deals and steals, you might not be ready to work with a travel adviser, says Richter of the ASTA. “Anything you invest in with a travel adviser comes back to you in the form of amenities, customer service, peace of mind, better access to unique experiences, and handcrafted itineraries,” she says. “You could save money by cutting your own hair, too, but most people go to someone who knows what they’re doing.”

Agents work with preferred partners who can guarantee perks for clients, such as free upgrades, early check-in or late check-out, and resort credits. Those add-ons often translate into savings, says Justin Huxter, cofounder of the UK-based Cartology Travel . “We had a client go to Maui for a week, and because of our partnership with the resort, breakfast was included,” he says. When breakfast costs $120 for two, that’s a savings of $840.”

Some of the Best Travel Agents in the Adventure World

Some of my go-to resources for finding a person to work with include travel expert Wendy Perrin’s annual Wow List of tried and trusted agents, the Adventure Travel Trade Association’s adviser network , and the ASTA’s advisor directory .

In addition to the agents mentioned throughout this story, others I highly recommend for adventurous travelers include:

• Dan Achber of Trufflepig , for Africa and the Middle East
• Miguel Cunant of Sri Lanka in Style
• Javier Echecopar of Journey Costa Rica
• Daniel Fraser of Smiling Albino , for Southeast Asia
• Elizabeth Gordon of Extraordinary Journeys , for Africa
• Kleon Howe of the Art of Travel , for French Polynesia
• Jay Johnson of Coastline Travel , for Hawaii and California
• Antonello Losito of Southern Visions Travel , for Puglia, Italy
• Rabia Malik of Fora Travel , for general worldwide travel
• Robyn Mark of Mayamaya Travel , for Africa, the Alps, Patagonia, and Japan
• Marisol Mosquera of Aracari , for Peru and Bolivia
• Zach Rabinor of Journey Mexico
• Raluca Spiac of Beyond Dracula , for Romania

Travel-advice columnist Jen Murphy is now a believer in using a travel agent. Thanks to their expertise and connections, she’s avoided dozens of trip catastrophes. 

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Is It More Expensive To Book Flights With a Travel Agent?

Budgeting for a trip can be far trickier than it initially seems. In addition to hotels, rental cars, food, souvenirs, and event tickets, there’s also transportation to consider. And if you’re hoping to lower your overall vacation costs, your airline tickets are a great place to start.

It’s more expensive to book flights with a travel agent than to book online from home. That’s because travel agents typically charge for their services, even booking a flight on your behalf. Still, an agent’s services could be worthwhile for some travelers hoping to avoid stressful vacation planning.

Figuring out your travel itinerary can be stressful and challenging, especially if you’re unfamiliar with your destination. Booking your flight with a travel agent could be an excellent alternative to booking from home, but is it more expensive to book flights with a travel agent? Let’s find out!

What Factors Influence Flight Prices?

The factors that influence flight prices include the seat type, arrival and departure times, flight duration, airport size, and the time of the year.

For example, if you’d like to fly first class to a remote destination during a busy time of the year, you’ll likely pay more than someone traveling in economy seats during the off-season .

Let’s go over each of the factors below.

Most flights offer several different types of seat classes or types. The most affordable of these is often called Economy (or Coach), while the priciest airline classes are often Club, Business, or First Class. As you might expect, each airline class comes with specific perks.

If you’re determined to keep your travel costs low, you might happily choose a budget seat that allows for just enough leg space and a mid-flight snack. But if you’d rather experience the best service your airline has to offer, you could spend extra to upgrade to a better seat in the sky.

Of course, seating type isn’t the only aspect to consider when budgeting for a flight. It’s also wise to consider your flight’s arrival and departure times. After all, flights that fall within the standard nine-to-five range can be far pricier than red-eye flights.

Arrival and Departure Times

Did you know that your flight’s arrival and departure time can affect the price of the ticket? If you’ve ever been amazed at the low cost of a late-night flight, you might be familiar with the concept.

Generally, people prefer to travel during the waking hours of the day. The demand for daytime flights is far higher than the demand for pre-dawn or late-night options. Consequently, if you’re comfortable with arriving at the airport very late or very early, you may be able to reduce the overall cost of your airfare.

In addition, there may be good and bad times of the day to book your flight. So before you start browsing for flights or contacting your local travel agent, be sure to double-check your flight and booking times.

Flight Duration

This factor is relatively straightforward. The longer your flight, the more jet fuel your plane needs to stay in the air. Additionally, longer flights tend to offer comprehensive meal services. As such, international or lengthy flights tend to cost a little more than shorter flights .

Airport Size

Are you flying into or away from a remote, regional airport? If so, you can expect to spend more than those utilizing larger, international airports. That’s because smaller airports in challenging locations tend to have few operating airlines—if any.

This means that pilots can charge far more for their services, knowing that they’re often the only option for some passengers. Additionally, some regional airports enforce punitive charges that make it challenging for pilots to lower airfare prices.

Time of the Year

In addition to the time of the day, the time of the year can significantly impact your flight cost. If you’ve ever tried to catch an affordable last-minute flight around Christmas or New Year’s, you’ll probably have a good idea of just how important it is to time your flight booking.

Be sure to brush up on some of the most expensive days to fly , and if you’re traveling to a new destination, take the time to research any upcoming holidays or festivals. Doing so could help you save a little money on that airfare.

How Much Does It Cost To Book Flights Yourself?

The cost to book flights yourself varies depending on your chosen route. For example, you could contact a specific airline and purchase airfare directly through them or through a third-party aggregator. True airfare costs vary based on dates of travel, airports utilized, seat preferences, and airline.

Of course, you could also choose to use one of the many travel fare aggregators, like Expedia, Hotwire, and KAYAK. But which is the most affordable option? We designed a handful of hypothetical travel plans and tested them to find out.

Travel Fare Aggregators

If you decide to go without a travel agent, you’ll likely end up using a travel fare aggregator to find an affordable flight. These can be useful in finding low-cost flights, as they typically show all available flights for your specific dates and destination versus having to search each airline individually.

Still, some aggregators are more capable than others. After testing several hypothetical routes, we found that Google Flights had the best prices on the best possible flights. While travel fare behemoths like KAYAK and Priceline had some super-low fares, they were for hellish multi-change flights with 12-hour layovers.

In terms of non-stop (or minimal-stop) routes and low prices, Google Flights slightly outdid the competition. Still, a flight is only the first step toward a vacation or business trip. After that, you’ll need to consider lodgings, food, transport, and recreation.

If you’re not sure how to plan a trip for yourself, or you feel stressed out each time you consider looking for flights and hotels, you could entrust your time away to a travel agent. However, booking with a travel agent does pose some potential drawbacks.

Is It More Expensive To Book Through a Travel Agent?

The cost to book a flight with a travel agent varies, often depending on the precise services you need. For example, if you only want a travel agent to book a flight for you, you might pay an agent fee of about $40 in addition to the cost of your ticket. This fee is to reimburse them for their time searching, booking, and managing your flight.

When you use a travel agent, they don’t just book the flight and leave. They also help you make the right decisions, know how to find the best rates, and then keep an eye on the flights for any changes or problems. If your flight is canceled or you get bumped, they are also there to help get you back on track. The extra fees can be well worth it to have the extra expertise and support.

If you’d like a travel agent to book your flight, reserve a hotel room for you, and create a jam-packed itinerary on your behalf, you’re looking at a slightly steeper agent fee as this would take them far more time to plan and book.

Still, no matter what services you opt for, one thing is evident: Booking flights with a travel agent is almost always more expensive than booking online from home. However, booking through a travel agent could be the better option if you’d like help choosing a flight or hotel.

A travel agent can also recommend local attractions and restaurants to help guide you through your destination comfortably. This kind of peace of mind could be the perfect way to kickstart your vacation, so it might be worthwhile to consider using an agent’s services.

Booking flights with a travel agent is more expensive than booking with a travel fare app or website. That’s because travel agents charge more for their services than travel fare aggregator websites.

The most straightforward and affordable option for travelers might be Google Flights. But that doesn’t mean booking through a travel agent is a bad idea or that it’s unaffordable. On the contrary, these professionals can book flights for you and plan your vacation for you. As such, booking with a travel agent provides a little extra peace of mind.

• Forbes: What’s The Difference Between Business and First Class?
• Google: Flights
• Reader’s Digest: Here’s the Most Expensive Days to Fly
• Southern Living: This Is the Cheapest Time of Day To Book a Flight

Linda Jones

Linda Jones is a professional travel advisor, author of Travel Agent Secrets and The Ultimate Travel Planner + Journal, and founder of Crafted Travel Company. She has helped thousands of people plan better vacations and travel more.

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Why Booking Directly With Airlines Can Be More Expensive

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Early in the pandemic, many travelers experienced headaches while trying to rebook air travel purchased through third parties such as Orbitz and Kayak. Overloaded customer service centers and constantly changing airline policies resulted in a big mess at these agencies, prompting many travelers to book directly through the airline to avoid future issues.

Yet as the dust settles on the pandemic and travel begins to return to normal, air passengers are experiencing a different reality: Booking directly through airlines involves navigating a maze of fees, add-on offers and confusing seat selection choices. The resulting price at checkout is often higher — much higher — than the advertised price.

The issue has become so problematic that even President Biden has joined the fray. “You should know the full cost of your ticket, right when you’re comparison shopping,” he said in a press conference announcing a new Department of Transportation initiative to force airlines to disclose these fees. “So you can pick the ticket that is actually the best deal for you.”

Efforts to rein in airline fees are nothing new. The Obama administration tried and failed to enact similar regulations. And until meaningful changes are made, airline customers will be the ones footing the bill, especially if they use the airlines’ own websites and apps to make their purchases.

The fee era

Since the rise of budget airlines such as Spirit and Frontier, U.S. airlines have dramatically shifted how they make money. Rather than earning profit margin on airfare itself, which is highly competitive, airlines are increasingly focused on “ancillary revenue” from add-on fees, credit card rewards programs and seat upgrades.

Between 2019 and 2021, ancillary fees as a percentage of total revenue for major U.S. airlines jumped six percentage points, from 16.1% to 22.2%, according to a report by IdeaWorksCompany, an airline industry reporting firm. That follows a steady drumbeat of increased fee revenue going back to at least 2007.

The upshot for customers: Saving money on air travel depends less on the base cost of the ticket itself and more on the add-ons avoided while checking out. Some of these add-ons, such as fees for carry-on bags, are relatively simple to avoid, while others, such as the difference between basic economy and regular economy (or “main cabin”), can be far more complex decisions.

Mismatched priorities

Airlines want customers to book through their own websites and apps for a simple reason: They tend to spend more money on ancillary fees. In a Security and Exchange Commission filing, American Airlines made this preference clear, citing its dependence on third parties such as online travel agencies as a potential risk factor.

“We are also dependent upon the ability and willingness of these distribution channels to expand their ability to distribute and collect revenues for ancillary products (e.g., fees for selective seating),” the filing read.

Basically, American Airlines admits that it makes a lot of money from ancillary fees, and is worried that third-party sellers won’t push these fees as aggressively as it does. And this mismatch is exactly what provides an opportunity for savvy customers.

Third-party services have an incentive to clarify rather than obscure these choices for customers, explained Melanie Fish, a spokesperson for Expedia, a third-party travel booking platform.

“When shopping for flights in the app, travelers can select a fare and see what’s included by the airline in the ticket price, such as seat selection, cancellations or changes, as well as the cost for checked baggage, if applicable,” Fish said by email.

The choice between basic economy and main cabin fares offers an example of how airlines’ interests are mismatched with those of their customers. Airlines want to promote lower basic economy fares in search results and then persuade shoppers to upgrade to more expensive main cabin fares during checkout. This not only increases the cost of the ticket, but makes comparison shopping difficult. Online travel agencies can clarify these differences and save customers money.

“Travelers can scroll through the various available fare choices such as basic economy, economy, etc., and view all the options, costs or add-ons side-by-side, making it easy to select the best fare for their needs,” Fish explained.

Of course, online travel agencies have their own incentives to add on extra charges, like rental cars or trip protection. So customers should still be wary of add-on costs, even when booking through these platforms. But while airlines continue to push ancillary fees and travel booking platforms have more incentive to show you the costs of flights upfront in their search results, travelers can save money by booking through third parties.

This article was written by NerdWallet and was originally published by The Associated Press.

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Travel agent vs do it yourself

With so many websites offering discount holiday bookings, do you even need a travel agent.

We wanted to compare travel agents with DIY travel bookings to see which option saved the most money and uncovered the best holiday deals. 

So we set up three hypothetical trips to one of the most popular holiday destinations for Australians – Bali – and approached travel agents as would-be travellers looking for prices.

Our three types of hypothetical holiday-maker are: 

• a couple wanting a luxury romantic escape
• a solo traveller seeking adventure
• parents with young children needing some time out.

As well as reaching our own verdict, we also checked in with the travel agents to get their take on people arranging their own trips.

On this page:

Our verdict

Scenario 1: luxury romantic escape, scenario 2: solo traveller, scenario 3: family holiday, what the travel agents say, your rights and travel agents.

It may take more time to DIY your holiday, depending on how computer savvy you are, but it can lead to huge savings.

Doing it yourself

Booking holidays ourselves worked out cheaper than using an agent in all three scenarios. The DIY booking for the luxury holiday saved a massive $2451, more than a third less than the agent's price. 

In most cases it was pretty quick and easy to make bookings online, although this was because we knew exactly what we were looking for and the itineraries were fairly simple. 

Using a travel agent

If you didn't know what to look for, travel agents' suggestions and advice could save hours of research by quickly narrowing down the endless options of hotels and tour packages available in Bali. 

Each agent was knowledgeable about the destination and happy to tweak the itinerary according to our preferences.

Booking holidays ourselves worked out cheaper than using an agent in all three scenarios

Booking through an agent also came with a comforting certainty that all the details were correct, whereas when booking online we had to keep double checking that dates and details all lined up. This would become even more laborious with more complex itineraries.

Combined approach

If you want the best of both worlds, you can always get an itinerary and quote from an agent, do your own search for the cheapest prices online, and then ask the agent to match or beat the prices you've found (although not all offer a 'price beat' guarantee). At the very least, it's worthwhile quickly checking the hotel's and airline's own websites in case they're offering a significantly lower price than the agent. 

It's also worth looking at flights with other airlines. Although this introduces many more variables, changing airlines can result in big savings. But make sure you're aware of the airline's safety record and track record for delays and cancellations. 

What about hotel comparison sites?

We checked at least one hotel price comparison website for each itinerary, but their price always came in higher than both the agent's quote and the hotel's own website.

Booking a romantic luxury escape ourselves rather than through an agent saved us the most out of the three scenarios. Credit: themulia.com

7 nights' accommodation at The Mulia in a Baron Garden View Suite, including breakfast, flights and airport transfers.

We presented as a couple wanting to stay somewhere luxurious on a total budget of $7000. 

Travel agent

The travel agent responded to our online enquiry within a couple of hours, suggesting two resorts: Anantara Uluwatu and The Mulia. 

We chose The Mulia in Nusa Dua and the agent quickly sent through a package quote just under budget at $6887. 

The package included seven nights' accommodation with breakfast, airport transfers and return Qantas flights, as well as an add-on product ($49 per person) giving extra benefits and services such as price-drop protection. 

We asked for the add-on product to be removed and for a price breakdown. The agent sent through a revised quote for $6789, but said a price breakdown wasn't possible.

• Seven nights in The Baron Garden View Suite at The Mulia including breakfast, airport transfers and Qantas flights 
• Total: $6789

The Mulia's own website offers hotel and flight packages, so we checked this option first. 

A package including the same room (with breakfast, but no airport transfers) and return flights with Garuda Indonesia airline cost $6113 – significantly less than the agent's quote. We emailed the hotel about adding transfers to this package and were told it would cost $84 return (800,000 in Indonesian rupiah, or IDR), taking the total price of the package to $6197.

We then looked at booking the room and flights separately. The Mulia website offered seven nights' accommodation in the Baron Garden View Suite including breakfast and transfers for $3045 (IDR 29,148,000).

We then found the same return Qantas flights for $1293 using a price comparison site. Combined with the accommodation and transfers booked directly through The Mulia website, the flights took the total DIY package cost to just $4338, saving a whopping $2451 on the travel agent's quote. 

• Seven nights in The Baron Garden View Suite at The Mulia including breakfast and transfers – $3045
• Qantas flights – $1293
• Total: $4338

Result: DIY is $2451 (36%) cheaper

Booking a solo trip with adventure activities was straightforward without the help of a travel agent.

9-day Intro Travel Bali Intro tour with activities, accommodation and flights, plus one extra night's stay in Bali and airport transfer.

The second enquiry was for a solo traveller who had a budget of $3000. We asked for adventure activities and the chance to meet other solo travellers.

The agent asked some questions about what kind of activities and experiences we were looking for before talking us through three different tour packages. 

We chose the Bali Intro tour and the agent sent through a quote several hours later for $2204, which included the tour (eight nights' accommodation, one-way airport transfer, eight meals and activities), return flights with Virgin, two nights' stay in a hotel before the tour and one night after it. 

After some discussion about the extra accommodation, we decided to remove the two-night stay before the tour but keep the post-tour stay, as the agent recommended allowing plenty of time to return to the main island for the flight the next day. 

The revised quote was well under budget at $1984. A $2 charity donation was added to the bill, which the agent hadn't mentioned.

• Bali Intro tour – $1099
• Flights – $797
• Departure transfer – $35
• Post-tour hotel – $51
• Charity donation – $2
• Total: $1984

Booking the same holiday online was straightforward. We booked the Bali Intro tour directly through the company's website for the same price ($1099). Using Virgin's own site, we found the same flights for $777. The Virgin flights were also available on a flight comparison site for $723. Flying with Jetstar on the same dates would have cost $629, including 20kg of luggage, entertainment and meals.

The post-tour hotel (with breakfast) was available on Agoda for $54, $3 more than quoted by the agent. We emailed the hotel and were told an airport transfer would cost $21 (IDR 200,000).

Overall, it cost $181 more to book through the agent. And although some people use agents for the perceived convenience, all the emails back and forth actually ended up taking up more time than the DIY option.

• Flights – $629 (Jetstar)
• Departure transfer – $21
• Post-tour hotel – $54 
• Total: $1803

Result: DIY is $181 (9%) cheaper

We saved $585 by booking a Bali family holiday ourselves. Credit: booking.com

9 nights at Bali Mandira Beach Resort and Spa including breakfast, flights and transfers.

The third enquiry was for a family of four (two adults, a five year-old and a three year-old) with a budget of $7000. We said we wanted a family-friendly resort that had child-minding or kids' club facilities.

The travel agent responded to our online enquiry with two flight options and detailed information on three resorts, along with pricing for each package. 

We chose the Bali Mandira Beach Resort and Spa and flights on Malindo Air, which the agent said was $350 cheaper than flying with Garuda. 

The agent sent through a package including return Malindo Air flights (with 20kg baggage per person but no meals), nine nights at the Bali Mandira in a Superior Room with breakfast, and two-way airport transfers – all for a total of $6570. 

The accommodation came with a number of extras or 'value adds', including a 10% discount at an on-site restaurant, a half-price kids' meal at a buffet and theme dinner, free meals for kids when dining with their parents from the à la carte menu at the main restaurant, and  $11 spa credit for each adult. The agent said they weren't able to break down the package pricing.

• Nine nights at Bali Mandira Beach Resort and Spa including breakfast, flights and transfers
• Total $6570

We found the same room on the hotel's website including breakfast and return airport transfers for $3349. This room also came with some value adds: 10% discount at an on-site restaurant, 15% discount at the main restaurant, 10% spa discount for one treatment, and 20% discount for pre-booked signature spa treatments. 

The flights on Malindo Air's website cost $3481, which, combined with the accommodation found on the Bali Mandira's website, would take the total package to $6830 – higher than the agent's quote. But flights on the same dates with Jetstar (with 20kgs luggage, no meals) cost $2636, although the outbound flight arrived in Bali at 9pm rather than 4.50pm, which might be less convenient for people with young children. The total for the DIY package with Jetstar flights was $5985.

• Nine nights at Bali Mandira Beach Resort and Spa including buffet breakfast and transfers – $3349
• Return flights – $2636 (Jetstar)
• Total: $5985

Result: DIY is $585 (9%) cheaper

A professional travel agent can make your entire experience hassle free.

The Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) says booking with an ATAS (AFTA Travel Accreditation Scheme) accredited travel agent has many benefits.

Professional and personal travel specialists  

A professional travel agent is trained to make your entire experience – from start to end – hassle free. They also tailor the itinerary to suit specific requests and find packages and products that suit your unique wants and needs. 

Customer advocacy 

If you experience a problem while travelling, your agent will act on your behalf, and is there to rectify any travel-related issues you encounter. 

Expert guidance  

Agents are trained destination and product experts and know how to sort through the myriad of travel information available. Their knowledge and network means they also have access to the best deals. 

Time saving

An agent has a world of travel information at their fingertips, saving you countless hours of online searching and frustration. 

Convenience

Travel agents are a 'one-stop shop' that can handle every aspect of your travel – from booking airline tickets, ground transfers, tours and activities to arranging travel insurance. 

A personal touch 

A travel agent will ensure the accuracy of your booking details, advise with visa applications, assist with travel documentation, and provide valuable travel hints and tips.

In 2014 the Australian travel industry became deregulated as the Travel Compensation Fund (TCF) was abolished, backed by industry and government. 

The TFC had ensured consumers were compensated when travel agents went broke, but under new rules travel agents no longer have to be licensed. It means you could be left stranded and out of pocket if a travel agent goes bust (although if you act fast, you can ask your bank for a credit card chargeback .) 

There's now only the voluntary Australian Travel Accreditation Scheme (ATAS), run by the peak body Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA), which vets travel agents to make sure they meet certain standards such as being reliable and properly trained. 

Stock images:  Getty, unless otherwise stated.

Join the conversation

To share your thoughts or ask a question, visit the CHOICE Community forum.

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Why Is Car Insurance So Expensive?

Soaring premiums have become a prominent driver of inflation, and insurers say that more increases could be on the way. How did it get like this?

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By Emily Flitter

If your car broke down two years ago, it probably became a bigger problem than you bargained for.

A confluence of forces were to blame: The Covid pandemic disrupted supply chains, pushing used car prices to record highs and making spare parts hard to get; out-of-practice drivers emerging from lockdowns caused more severe wrecks; and technological advancements like motion sensors made even the simplest parts, like a fender or a rim, expensive to replace .

Things have since improved for car owners — except when it comes to insurance bills. Car insurers are still raising prices steeply: The price of motor vehicle insurance rose more than 22 percent in the year through April, the fastest pace since the 1970s, according to a report the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Wednesday. According to calculations by the Insurance Information Institute, a trade group, the average 12-month premium for car insurance was $1,280 in 2023, the industry’s most recent figures.

That has made car insurance a prominent factor preventing overall inflation from cooling more quickly, which could force the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates higher for longer even as the prices for many other essential goods and services have slowed.

Geico recently reported a big jump in quarterly profit on higher premiums and lower customer claims. The share prices of other big auto insurers, like Allstate and Progressive, have beaten the rise in the overall market this year.

That has attracted scrutiny from economists . A key reason car insurance costs are rising so fast right now has to do with how the industry is regulated.

How does insurance regulation work?

Insurers are regulated by the states, not the federal government. In all 50 states, insurance companies must follow specific rules about how and when they can raise the price on their policies.

Each state’s laws are broadly similar, and require insurers to ask regulators for permission to raise prices. Insurers have to make a case — with data to back it up — that the increase is necessary and that they will not make too large a profit on the re-priced policies. This application, known in the business as a “rate filing,” involves complicated paperwork that may take weeks or months to resolve.

The data has to include an analysis of loss trends from the past couple of years, as well as projections for replacement costs and profits. If insurers are deemed to profit too heavily, regulators can make them return money to customers.

The threat of returning money is not an idle one. At the height of pandemic lockdowns in 2020, when many cars sat idle, insurers returned almost $13 billion to customers through dividends, refund checks and premium reductions for policy renewals, according to the insurance ratings agency AM Best.

California was one of the most active states: Insurers there returned $3.2 billion to customers in 2020.

Ricardo Lara, the state’s insurance commissioner, “directed the department to do a very close analysis to make sure that drivers weren’t overcharged,” said Michael Soller, a spokesman for the California Department of Insurance. But starting in late 2021, the state became the poster child for a new problem: an epic backlog of insurers’ requests to raise prices.

How a massive paperwork jam explains rising prices.

When the pandemic shut down most economic activity, it messed up insurers’ ability to use the past to predict the future. For months, they were frozen. They did not submit new rate filings to regulators for a spell — until they did, all at once, in the second half of 2021.

The prices of cars and parts were jumping and drivers were back on the roads and crashing left and right after a hiatus behind the wheel.

“You went from this period of incredible profitability to incredible losses in the blink of an eye,” said Tim Zawacki, an analyst who focuses on insurance at S&P Global Market Intelligence. No companies were willing to stick their necks out by offering lower premiums in the hope of winning new business, he said.

“Everyone was together in significantly pushing for rate increases.”

In California, the most populous U.S. state, insurers were getting creamed by expensive claims.

But the state’s regulator did not start approving insurers’ requests to raise rates until near the end of 2022. The backlog grew so large that the average wait time for approvals was longer — by several months — than the six-month policies that insurers wanted to sell.

“When state regulators delay or prevent companies from accurately pricing insurance, insurers may not be able to absorb the costs,” said Neil Alldredge, the president of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, a trade group that represents many home and auto insurers. The squeeze can lead insurers to leave some states or stop some business lines, he added. “Inefficient regulatory environments in states like California, New Jersey and New York, combined with inflation and increased catastrophic losses, have left consumers with fewer choices of insurers and higher costs,” he said.

California is still the slowest state in the continental United States for auto insurance rate filings, taking an average of 219 days to approve a price proposal for a personal auto policy, according to S&P data provided by Mr. Zawacki.

“We fight for consumers by analyzing all of the data, not just what insurance companies spoon-feed us,” Mr. Soller, the California Department of Insurance spokesman, said.

The S&P analysis showed that New Jersey, the 11th-most populous state, had the sixth-longest wait time, while New York, with the fourth-largest population, had the 7th-longest wait times.

“The department performs a comprehensive review of requests to amend rates or rating systems to ensure compliance with New Jersey law,” said Dawn Thomas, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance.

Ms. Thomas said the regulator needed to ensure that each proposed premium increase was “reasonable, adequate, and not unfairly discriminatory,” and that sometimes the insurers’ requests needed to be challenged or denied.

A spokeswoman for New York’s regulator declined to comment.

When will the jam clear?

Shortly before the pandemic, the umbrella organization for state insurance regulators, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, formed a team of data scientists to help regulators deal with their rate filings, which has gotten more complicated in recent years.

The data team became fully operational in 2021 and its mission is now to help speed up the review process: 37 states have signed up to use it.

This month, during a call with analysts to discuss Allstate’s earnings, company representatives said they had recently reopened their California auto insurance business after getting permission to charge higher rates. The company still wanted to raise prices in other states.

In New York and New Jersey, for example, “even with the rate approvals that we got late last year, we still don’t feel like we’re at the appropriate rate level to want to grow in those two states,” said Mario Rizzo, the president of Allstate’s property-casualty business.

How much higher will premiums go?

In 2021, insurers’ personal auto businesses started recording losses. According to David Blades, an analyst for AM Best, the industry lost $4 billion in 2021, $33 billion in 2022 and roughly $17 billion last year.

According to Dale Porfilio, the chief insurance officer at the Insurance Information Institute, the trade group, many companies still need to raise prices to make up for those bad years.

Last year, insurers raised auto premiums by 14 percent, the biggest increase in over 15 years. Mr. Porfilio’s best guess is that premiums this year will rise another 13 percent.

“It’s going to take time for every company to get their rates to where they want to be,” he said.

Emily Flitter writes about finance and how it impacts society. More about Emily Flitter