Questions tagged [travel-agents]

Professionals in the business of organising trips and selling travel services.

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27 votes
3 answers
5k views

Why does Kayak have a a 'secret carrier' option for a flight?

When searching for a flight on kayak.com (not for me, I don't fly business), it shows a "Secret Carrier" option. What gives? Why are they unable to tell us even the code-share partner? What if you ...
Mark Mayo's user avatar
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16 votes
2 answers
1k views

Are there "traditional" travel agents receiving requests online for ITA fares?

I found a really nice fare in ITA. I cant get that price in any of the usual flight search engines. I tried hipmunk with its extended search capabilities (maybe I didnt explore them to the max) and I ...
nsn's user avatar
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24 votes
3 answers
134k views

How to best respond to a request to send a passport scan by unsecured email?

It is not uncommon for travel or holiday accommodation companies to ask for a scan of your passport by email. Sometimes local laws require them to keep a record of the passport numbers of all visitors....
user2800708's user avatar
15 votes
3 answers
4k views

What potential issues may arise from using the Kiwi online travel agency?

I added an answer mentioning the Kiwi online travel agency. I received some feedback that it may not to be the best online travel agency in the world. What potential issues may arise from using the ...
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
1k views

How do I recognize a scam website?

Inspired by How to get my passport back to me in Michigan from a travel agent in California, when he wants me to buy his services? I feel we should have a canonical place to deal with these. While not ...
user avatar
22 votes
3 answers
1k views

Where can I find and book plane tickets on date not on destination?

I have a holiday coming up and I would like to travel with the family somewhere. I have specific wishes regarding departure and arrival times, but the destination is less relevant. Where can I search ...
user avatar
70 votes
3 answers
19k views

Job interview in London requires me to wire money to the travel agent. Is this a scam?

I was told that I can have a visitor visa to UK, is this legitimate? I have received an invitation letter and a job offer, and I was contacted by the appointed travel agent to prepare all related ...
O.Mustafa's user avatar
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35 votes
9 answers
35k views

What do I lose by not booking flights through a travel agent?

I take quite a lot of flights for both business and pleasure, and although I typically book my business flights through a (corporate-mandated) travel agent, I always book my personal flights directly ...
Andrew Ferrier's user avatar
18 votes
1 answer
4k views

Travel agents - can they match ITA Travel Matrix prices?

(applies to all travel agents, I'm just using FC as an example) Flight Centre - the world wide travel agent, often boasts "lowest prices guaranteed". I've had trouble getting them to actually hold ...
Mark Mayo's user avatar
  • 159k
8 votes
3 answers
3k views

Flight with stopover: How to find a similar flight but with 1-week stopover?

Using some website, the cheapest Tokyo→Paris flight has a 5-hours stopover in Dubai. I would like to make this stopover 7-days, so that I can visit around that place too. I can't express this ...
nic's user avatar
  • 9,311
9 votes
2 answers
282 views

What are the cheapest ways to get a flight booking out of China needed for my visa application from here in Mexico City?

I've been in Mexico for a month and a half and I'm currently heading to Mexico City to apply for a Chinese visa since I already have a flight back to China but my previous visa expired. China ...
hippietrail's user avatar
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54 votes
8 answers
12k views

Why would a company want me to book a flight via a travel agent if it is more expensive?

I am trying to book a flight. My university usually asks that we book a flight via a travel agent, but the prices he gives me are about $50 higher than the prices I can get by online booking in the ...
Erel Segal-Halevi's user avatar
32 votes
3 answers
6k views

How to get my passport back to me in Michigan from a travel agent in California, when he wants me to buy his services?

An agent who was supposed to get me a visa to Saudi Arabia is not returning my passport. He wants me to send him extra money or buy his services, to mail my passport. I am time constrained, as I have ...
penguin's user avatar
  • 451
15 votes
1 answer
3k views

Huge difference in price between online travel agents and airline website

I often notice this rather strange occurrence when searching for fares through Kayak (it may not be specific to Kayak but it is the tool I use the most). It is that, for the same flight, there is a ...
karancan's user avatar
  • 3,135
12 votes
3 answers
1k views

Can a group of people become a travel agent, with the purpose to get direct access to professional travel resources?

At work we travel frequently. Finding the appropriate deals is always a balance between saving time and saving money. Booking through corporate travel agencies is often the most time efficient way of ...
user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
1k views

If I find a cheap flight on a site that doesn't sell tickets, can I buy them online somewhere? [duplicate]

Recently I have learned about the one truly amazing cheap flight finding service, matrix.itasoftware.com. But it's not a travel agent, it's only a search engine. So this site gives you the full and ...
hippietrail's user avatar
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9 votes
3 answers
1k views

How do I find a travel agency that issues Chinese train tickets? Is there a map or listing of such agents?

I am in China and want to buy a train ticket neither online nor at the station but from a travel agent that is able to issue such tickets. How do I find a travel agency that issues Chinese train ...
mts's user avatar
  • 26.3k
7 votes
3 answers
240 views

Booking a Vietnam Tour through a Vietnamese operator - what to be aware of?

Myself and my partner are planning a two week trip to Vietnam from the UK As part of this we've contacted a bunch of tour companies for possible itinaries and quotes. (We're aware that doing it alone ...
CMaster's user avatar
  • 13k
6 votes
1 answer
234 views

How do travel sites get cheaper air fares?

I was searching for a few flights for my parents, specifically from JFK to visit India (bucket list trip). Emirates was their airline of choice. On directly checking on Emirates.com, the shown fare ...
Craig's user avatar
  • 163
6 votes
2 answers
2k views

What recourse do I have if travel agent (Gotogate) claims airline can cancel my ticket, but airline asks me to call my agent, which charge a fee?

I bought a Singapore Airlines flight ticket via Gotogate, which I'd like to cancel or change. Their policy states (mirror): You can also contact the airline directly to cancel your tickets. However, ...
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
-6 votes
1 answer
468 views

Why do some airlines forbid their customers from using travel agents to book their flight tickets?

I read: Ryanair does not allow you to book via a travel agent, so if you book a Ryanair flight via Kiwi you are in breach of their terms. Krist van Besien 7 hours ago Why do some airlines forbid ...
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar