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How Do Travel Agents Make Money?

When people find out I work with travel advisors, one of the first questions they ask me is how do travel agents make money? Do they charge fees or do they earn a living from commission?

Usually, the people asking are either those who are interested in becoming a travel agent or they're thinking about trying one out and want to better understand the income model a travel advisors operates under.

I'll go more in-depth in just a second, here's a list of steps that show how travel agents make money:

• Depending on the booking type and the agency, the travel agent may also charge the traveler a consultation fee. (Our travel agent research shows about 50-60% of advisors charge some sort of a fee.)
• A traveler works with a travel advisor to plan and finalize their travel itinerary .
• The travel advisor books the trip , often within the agency's preferred supplier list .
• Advisors are recognized by suppliers because they give an accreditation number specific to their agency. The number signals to the vendor/supplier who the agency is and if the supplier pays the commissions, the travel agency's commission level .
• The commission is paid to the travel agent. For most trips, the vendor pays a commission to the travel agent after the client has traveled . For most cruises, the travel agent is paid their commission after final payment (typically about 60-90 days before the sailing).

Now, if you're looking for how travel agents make money that are employees of an agency, that falls more into the territory of travel agent salaries. You're at the right site, just the wrong article. :) Here's our article that deep dives into travel agent salaries .

A Short History

To give you an answer on how travel agents make money, it's important to know a little history. I promise to keep it short—it's actually pretty fascinating how the industry has changed over the years.

In the good 'ol days, a large portion of travel agency income came from airline commissions. Since tickets were expensive, in demand, and could only be ticketed by agents or the airlines, they were the bread and butter of every agency.

What about commissions from tours, hotels, and cruise lines? Those were just icing on the cake.   

They were travel agents in every sense of the word because they were agents of travel vendors.  Their revenue came from the commissions earned from selling travel products. However, when airline commissions were cut and capped in the 1990s — sad face! — the main revenue base for travel agents disappeared. It hurt. A lot.

Airlines cut their commission because they could now reach travelers via the web and online travel agencies (OTAs) like Expedia and Booking.com. Travel agents, who were once wined and dined by airlines, were left out in the cold. Ouch.

With this rapidly changing travel landscape, travel agents needed to find a new way to make money . . . and fast. And that's where our modern-day story of 'How Do Travel Agents Make Money?' begins.

A Shift in Business Models

With commission cuts and clients' ability to book online, agencies needed to adapt to the new landscape of planning and booking travel. The travel agency community was, quite honestly, fumbled for about a decade. Many agencies that didn't adapt quickly enough had to close their doors.

From Storefront to Home-Based

But kiddos, I got news for you! While the storefront travel agencies that once peppered towns across the US aren't as numerous, there is a BUSTLING group of agencies that are less visible, working remotely.

There's been a HUGE influx of new advisors, especially after the pandemic. Call them solopreneurs/home-based/location-independent — whatever hip term you want to use. They may be harder to see without a storefront, but this new segment of the industry is now a force to be reckoned with!

By and large, the most popular agency model has switched from the storefront agencies of the past to the remote agencies of today.

Starting around 2013, travel agents started to see their numbers increase. When there was once a worry that there wouldn't be any travel agents to fill the shoes of those retiring, there was an influx of new blood, eager to take advantage of the flexibility and travel opportunities a travel agent career provides.

Check out these industry stats:

• In 2013, according to the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) , nearly 70% of the agency workforce was older than 55. Not only that, but the percentage of agents over age 65 had nearly doubled, from 17% to 32%, over the prior decade. 
• Year after year, stats from our HAR's surveys indicate that the median of an agent lands in the early to mid-50s, with the majority working from home. (In 2022, the median age was 55).

Did you catch that?!? We went from 70% of the workforce being over 55 in 2013, to 50% of the workforce being younger than 55 in 2022!

While ASTA and HAR do tend to attract different demographics — ASTA was traditionally larger, retail storefronts and HAR is typically smaller, non-storefront agencies — but even so, the trend is clear. Travel agents are no longer in danger of going extinct. (HUZZAH!!!)

A big reason for this new influx? The rise of the agent that works remotely.

Call them solopreneurs/home-based/location-independent — whatever hip term you want to use. They may be harder to see without a storefront, but this new segment of the industry is now a force to be reckoned with!

Moving to Diversify Income

Along with the loss of airline commissions, travel agents face the challenge of many major cruise lines' non-commissionable fees (NCFs) .

Yup, it's self-explanatory: They're miscellaneous fees that are not commissionable. While a cruise sale may be $2,000, it's possible only $1,400 of it will be commissionable. (That deserves a boo from you as the audience.)

Travel agency business models (both corporate and leisure) are moving to become less dependent on commissions alone . Why the change? Not only did commissions from airlines and other vendors lower than in the past, but the industry has experienced huge industry and economic ups and downs including 9/11, recessions, and pandemics. (Am I missing any? PHEW, travel agents sure are resilient!)

Commission income went on rollercoaster rides during these times. During the coronavirus pandemic, for example, advisors were working overtime canceling trips, bending over backward to get their clients home safe, spending oodles of time to keep up to date with constantly-changing travel regulations, and rebooking trips despite the fact that commissions came to a halt.

That's right, they were working overtime for essentially no pay.

These major pitfalls helped advisors realize the importance of diversifying revenue streams to help stabilize income.

One solution for advisors to counteract diminishing commissions was to diversify their income by charging fees.

So how do travel agents make money in a world where their commissions are lower (and even unpredictable at times)? One solution for advisors to counteract diminishing commissions was to diversify their income by charging fees. This helped agencies steer away from complete reliance on vendor commissions, helping them pad a bottom line that was once cushioned by generous airline and vendor commissions.

The Breakdown of How Travel Agents Make Money

Okay, before we really dig into things, it's important to understand that different kinds of travel agencies make money in different ways.

To make it easier, we've broken down the question of how travel agents make money into 4 main types of travel agencies:

• corporate travel agencies,
• leisure travel agencies,
• travel agencies planning custom itineraries,
• and 'the big players'

How Do Corporate Travel Agents Make Money?

Corporate travel agencies make money mainly from service fees, net/private fares, and from airline commissions.

Airline tickets are the lifeblood of corporate agencies (also known as TMCs or travel management companies). Were TMCs going to stop selling airline tickets just because airlines stopped commission? No way. They had to get creative to offset lower commissions. What did these corporate agencies do? They implemented a service fee when they booked a ticket.

In 2023, HAR research reports show the median service fee charge for international air was ~$60 and ~$40 for domestic air.

In addition to air, corporate travel agencies earn commissions from booking cars and hotels for business travelers (typically 8-10% commissions). Corporate travel agencies make money mainly from service fees, overrides from the GDS and airlines, net/private fares , and from airline commissions.

The average service fee for air ticketing in 2022 was $39 for domestic air and $63 for international air for agents who booked corporate travel.

Travel agencies, depending on the airline contracts they have access to, are able to earn commissions on both domestic air (typically 0-5%) and international air (roughly 10-22%).

How Do Leisure Travel Agents Make Money?

After the commission cuts, many travel agencies shifted their focus to leisure products that still paid travel agent commissions. These products were essentially vacation packages and cruises. Nowadays, these are your leisure travel agencies (the ones you probably think of when you think of a travel agent.)

Charging a fee helps agents boost a travel agency's bottom line and compensates them for their expertise.

As a general rule, leisure travel agents make money from commissions from vendors pay on vacation packages, cruises, air, and other add-ons. However, consultation fees and service fees are becoming more common as agencies try to diversify income sources to become less dependent on supplier commissions.

If you're wondering how many travel agents make money by charging a fee, what are the most common fee structures and ranges, you'll want to take a peek at HAR's research reports .

In 2023, 49% of hosted advisors and 67% of independent advisors reported charging fees. Just to compare to the days of yore, only 33% of advisors charged a fee in 2017. Holy smokes, that's a big increase!

Charging a fee helps agents boost an agency's bottom line and compensates them for their expertise. Some agencies have what's called a 'look-to-book' fee or a "plan to go fee." This is an up-front fee for research, which an agency may apply some or all of it to your booking once you book, and keep it if you decide to go elsewhere. Other agencies charge a straight-up non-refundable fee for consultations.

If you're coming to an agency with an air-only booking, you can pretty much bet there will be a service fee (median international air was ~$60 and ~$40 for domestic air in 2023). But travel agents also make money by charging fees for things like FITs (custom trips), air-inclusive packages, tours, accommodations only, and cruises.

How Do Travel Agents Make Money with Custom Itineraries?

Mass market trips like cruises, all-inclusive resorts, or group bus tours around Europe aren't for everyone. When you want an itinerary built just for you, travel agents call that an F-I-T trip — in plain-speak, you'd call that a custom itinerary. But why be simple like that when you could come up with an acronym, right?! ;)

Custom itineraries are more time intensive and may involve booking with multiple companies, some that may not pay travel agent commissions. Agents that build FITs typically charge higher consultation, trip planning, and/or service fees to compensate.

FIT travel agents make money not only through the fees mentioned above but also through net pricing mark-ups and commissions from the different vendors they're booking.

There's no one-size-fits-all fee when it comes to custom itineraries. But if you're curious about learning more about what kind of fee structures an agency might have, check this out:

How Do the Big Travel Agencies Make Money?

Let's first define what a big travel agency is before we talk about how they make money. When we're talking about a 'big player', we're talking about an agency that has tens of millions of sales revenue. There isn't really a cut-off on when you hit this threshold. The reality is that if you're in this circle, you'll know it. They're the 1% of the travel agency world. :)

While most agencies earn commission based on their sales tiers, these 'big players' travel agencies earn overrides based on their revenue, as well as earn commissions.

What's an override? It's best to think of it as a bonus.

When a travel agency meets a pre-determined sales goal or move market share, the vendor compensates them. These overrides can come from any number of vendors including airlines, GDSs , cruise lines, tour operators, car rental companies, and more.

Now that you're aware of how travel agents make money, maybe it's time to consider it as a career? Join the free trial for our 7 Day Set Up Accelerator course .

So, next time someone asks you 'How do Travel Agents Make Money?' you can now give a thorough answer, full of information that will blow their mind.

If that's where you're at right now, great. That was my goal.

Feel free to ask any other questions about how the land of travel agencies work in the comments below. I grew up in the travel industry and have worked with many agents to start and grow their travel agencies. If you still have questions, drop us a line , join the conversation in the comments below, or connect with me on   Facebook ,  Twitter , LinkedIn , or Instagram .

Editor's note: This post was originally published in July 2012 and has been updated annually to keep up with current data.

About the Author

Steph grew up in the travel industry. She worked with thousands of agents in her role as a former host agency director before leaving in 2012 to start HAR. She's insatiably curious, loves her pups Fennec and Orion, and -- in case you haven't noticed -- is pretty quirky and free-spirited.

If you’re looking for Steph, she leaves a trace where ever she goes! You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest as 'iamstephly'. 🙂 She doesn't do TikTok as no one would ever see her again.

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How Do Travel Agents Make Money? [The Travel Agent Business Model]

In the past, travel agents made money from commissions from airlines and hotels. And while this is still a key revenue source for travel agents, the increasing prevalence of online booking has made them look for new sources to diversify their income. So, how do travel agents make money today?

Below, we explain the different ways in which independent professionals and online agencies generate revenue in the ever-changing travel industry. By understanding the rewards that come with taking on the role of a travel agent, you will gain insight into this often-overlooked career path and how it could fit into your own life goals.

How Do Travel Agents Work?

Travel agents work to provide their clients with a stress-free and personalized travel experience by taking care of all the details and providing expert advice and support. Travel agents can work independently or for travel agencies. 

The key role of a travel agent is to assess their client’s needs and make the necessary recommendations and arrangements based on them. Services provided by travel agents include:

• Consultation – Determining the client’s travel needs, budget, and preferences. This includes asking questions about the purpose of the trip, the desired destination, preferred travel dates, accommodation preferences, and any specific requests or requirements.
• Research – Identifying the best travel options available for the client (flights, hotels, rental cars, tours, and activities).
• Booking – Making travel arrangements on behalf of the client.
• Confirmation – Verification of all details related to the booking, including providing the client with the necessary information, such as flight times, hotel reservations, and tour details.
• Follow-up – A travel agent may provide advice on travel visas, travel insurance, packing tips, and other travel-related issues.

How Do Travel Agents Get Paid?

The most common way a travel agent gets paid is from commissions from airlines, cruise lines, or tour companies for packages sold. The commission rate varies depending on the type of travel and the agreements with travel providers. 

Additionally, travel agents get paid a fee by their clients for their services. The amount of the service fee is entirely up to the agent and is related to the type of services provided. Typically, it’s charged for arranging some or all segments of the travel.

If the travel agent is employed by an agency, then just like any other employee, they’ll receive a salary or hourly wages.  

Net price overages are also an option for many agencies. So, for instance, if an agent books a certain number of hotel rooms, the vendor gives them a discount which is then marked up, and the difference is kept by the agency. 

Some travel agents may also earn additional revenue by offering travel insurance or upgrades to accommodations or transportation.

Travel Agent Business Model

The simplest way to describe the business model of travel agents is to go by the main source of income. Based on this, there are two types of business models:

• Commission-Based 

The commission-based business model allows travel agents to earn a percentage of the total cost of a travel package, such as flights, accommodations, and activities. Depending on whether the package is domestic or international, travel agent commissions may be as low as 5% or as high as 20% or more. 

• Service-Fee-Based

In a service-fee-based business model, travel agents charge their clients a service fee for their expertise or assistance in planning a trip. If the travel agent is in the role of an advisor, they may recommend a popular destination or deal on a specific trip. 

Alternatively, they may provide help for any given element of the trip, from booking a hotel room or flight to booking a spa treatment. The fee charged can be a flat rate or a percentage of the total trip cost. 

It’s important to note that with the rise of online booking platforms, the travel industry has become more competitive, and many travel agents use a combination of commission and service fees, plus access to exclusive deals and pricing. This way, they’re able to offer their clients a unique and personalized experience while staying competitive in the market. 

How Travel Agents Make Money

Here are the most common ways travel agents make money.

1. Travel Insurance Sales

Travel insurance is essential to ensure your trip is protected in case of any unexpected changes or emergencies. Travel agents can sell insurance policies for their clients, which provide coverage for things like flight cancellations, lost luggage, and medical expenses. Depending on the policy sold, agents can earn up to 40% in commission.

2. Cruise Sales

Travel agents may receive a high commission or bonus on cruises based on the number of rooms booked by their clients. Typically, the commission rate for cruises is around 12%. This is because a large number of passengers are required to fill a ship.

Note that a significant portion of clients’ bills is taxes. For instance, a booking for cruise berths priced at $4,000 might include taxes amounting to $1,500. When booking cruises, agents earn commissions only on the portion of the cost that is not taxed.

3. Car Rental

Depending on the car rental agency, agents may earn between 8% to 10% commission on bookings. Other travel agents charge a flat fee of $20–$40 for making the reservation with the car rental company. 

The car rental industry is highly competitive, so the key here is for travel agents to establish relationships with different companies and shop around for the best rates for their clients.

From visiting vineyards in Tuscany to exploring the rainforest in Costa Rica, tours are an excellent way for clients to get the most out of their travels. Agents can earn commissions ranging between 10% and 20% when they book a tour package and may also receive incentives such as free rooms or discounts on future trips.

5. Premium Listings

Car companies, airlines, and cruise lines pay handsomely for premium listings on travel agents’ sites. This gives the company more visibility and may help them generate more revenue. Typically, agents negotiate a commission for booking trips with these companies or charge a flat fee for providing access to the website.

6. Vacation Packages and Deals

If a travel agent is employed, they can use the buying power of their agency to get discounts and special offers which they can then pass on to their clients in the form of reduced hotel rates, exclusive deals, and other incentives. Usually, the commission rates for booking vacation packages range between 10% and 15%.

7. Niche Travel

Focusing on a niche area can be highly profitable for travel agents because it allows them to refine their expertise and cater to clients seeking a specific type of trip, like wedding and honeymoon or sports travel.

Some agents have two distinct branches of their business. The first covers travel to various destinations worldwide, while the second specializes in a particular theme like yachting, wine, or culinary adventures. For instance, an agent could sell packages for resorts and cruises while also organizing unique wine or food-related trips.

8. Mode of Travel

Vacationers have options beyond just using traditional modes of transportation like planes, trains, and cars. For instance, they can choose to explore an area by cycling from one spot to another. It’s the agent’s responsibility to arrange the logistics of the trip, from transportation to the actual adventure.

9. Corporate Travel

Many travel agents make their money by organizing custom trips for corporations. From organizing team building, corporate retreats, or special rewards trips, corporate travel is an excellent source of revenue and provides the opportunity for the agent to make long-term relationships with companies.

Travel agents may be paid an hourly fee for their services and/or a commission on airline tickets, cruises, and hotels and resorts. They could also receive incentives to book certain properties or activities, such as golf courses or spa treatments. 

How Much Do Travel Agents Make Per Booking?

A travel agent’s commission may be as low as 5% or as high as 30% and depends on various factors such as the type of booking, the element of travel, and the vendor they book with. In addition to commissions, travel agents’ income can come from other sources, such as service fees. 

For example, if a travel agent earns a commission of 10% on a $2,000 booking, they would make $200. However, if the booking is a complex itinerary, such as a multi-country trip, and the travel agent charges a service fee of $200, their total income from that booking would be $400.

Do Travel Agents Get Paid Hourly?

Yes, travel agents can be paid by the hour, and it’s a more common type of compensation for travel agents who work for larger agencies. The average hourly pay of travel agents in the US currently stands at $17.71 and goes as high as $28 per hour in states like New York, California, and Nevada.

However, travel agents are typically compensated in different ways, and their pay structure may depend on the company they work for and the type of travel they book. And while some are paid on an hourly basis, most receive a salary or are paid on a commission basis.

THE JOURNAL

Travel Advisor Resources

How Much Do Travel Agents Make? Fora’s Full Guide

The Modern Travel Agency

Fora Travel

https://www.foratravel.com/the-journal/how-much-do-travel-agents-make

How much do travel agents make? What factors go into how much a travel agent — or as we prefer, travel advisor — earns? We’re telling all. 

Alternatively, you can learn exactly how much you can make by becoming a Fora Advisor . Sign up today and we’ll answer all your questions. 

First, is there a high demand for travel agents? (Hint: yes!)

And demand is growing. Since travel restrictions were lifted after the COVID-19 pandemic, more people than ever are going on vacations and business trips (check out jobs where you travel ) — more importantly, they’re smarter about how they go about it. And there’s no better way to book a trip than to use a travel advisor to get awesome perks, deals and the kind of personal touches that turns a good trip into a great one. 

(Wondering how to become a travel agent ? Our guide has you covered.)

How do travel agents get compensated?

There are a few different ways travel advisors earn income, and the source typically depends on the service. Here’s how it breaks down.

(Wondering about startup and upkeep costs? Check out our guide to how much it costs to become a travel agent .)

Travel partners (or suppliers, in industry lingo) pay commissions: think hotels, travel insurance, rental cars, cruise incentives, tours…

Image courtesy of Turtle Bay Resort

A large portion of a travel advisor’s income comes from commissions, which are a percentage — usually between 10 and 15 percent — of whatever service their client is benefiting from, be it a hotel reservation, travel insurance and so on. (Here are 5 types of bookings you can make as a Fora Advisor that aren’t hotels .)

Suppliers, such as hotel brands, cruise lines and rental car providers pay these commissions; and Fora Advisors don’t charge their clients for commissionable services. In other words? Fora Advisors get paid, and their clients don't have to pay anything extra.

The cool thing is that many of the best hotels and services know that happy travel advisors will send new clients back, so the suppliers will throw in complimentary perks to sweeten the deal. This is why Fora Advisors can offer the same rate as an online travel agency for a hotel room at, say, Virgin Hotels New Orleans (one of the most unique places to stay in New Orleans , by the way), yet offer cool extras for their clients at no additional cost. 

Our guide to how much do travel agents make per booking gets into the details of the process if you’re curious.

Clients pay planning & service fees: non-commissionable bookings, vacation packages & custom itineraries…

Besides commissions, planning and service fees are the other major sources of income for travel advisors. 

Why might advisors charge fees? In most cases, an advisor may charge a fee to develop a custom itinerary for a client. In this case, the client compensates the advisor for their time, much in the same way one would pay a financial advisor. 

At Fora, it’s generally up to the advisor to decide how much to charge (if at all) for custom itineraries.

How much do travel agents make exactly? It depends

There’s no simple answer to this question, because Fora Advisors have the flexibility to work as much or as little as they want. Some treat their advisor position as a travel side hustle , only spending a few hours per month on booking rooms for friends and family, while others make a very lucrative living. 

Can you make ‘good’ money as a travel agent? You bet

Is being a travel agent worth it ? Fora Advisors will say yes. Many top Fora Advisors earn six figures per year. Again, when you join Fora, you can work as much or as little as you'd like, so the money earned will vary, but regardless, we'll teach you how to maximize your earnings.

Ready to start your lucrative career in travel? Become a Fora Advisor today .

What’s the average travel agent salary in the USA?

We can’t speak for all travel agencies, but some of the top Fora travel advisor salaries are measured in seven figures. And while such a salary is quite a bit above average, these top earners put in a lot of work, and have been doing this for a while.

On the flip side, plenty of Fora Advisors treat their travel business like a side hustle on top of their day job, earning an extra couple of hundred to several thousand dollars per month.

Factors that might affect how much a travel agent makes

A lot of factors go into how much travel agents make per month. Here are some of the most common.

Remote vs. brick-and-mortar travel agencies

There are a lot of advantages to becoming a travel agent online , but the biggest might be the substantial difference in overhead. 

Travel agents who work from brick-and-mortar establishments have to pay rent or property taxes for office space. Remote travel agents only have to worry about internet connection and a comfy spot to sit.

In either case, you have to factor in your expenses when calculating how much you’re making as a travel agent, and remote agents have a clear advantage.

Independent vs. employed travel agents

Let's break it down. There are essentially three different types of travel agent jobs .

Employed travel advisors — that is, advisors who work for a company that sells travel — typically earn base pay, but there are a lot of trade-offs that make this business model less attractive to the advisor. Most importantly, there may be caps on the number of clients you have and / or reduced commissions that severely impact your bottom line. 

One potential positive: marketing resources may be available through the company, but oftentimes, they’re not exactly modern in their approach (unlike Fora's!). And finally, employed travel advisors generally have to adhere to a traditional nine-to-five schedule — with little flexibility.

Fully independent travel advisors, on the other hand, can enjoy all the flexibility they want. But, as business owners, they also have to consider things like licensing fees, marketing materials, business insurance and so on that employed advisors don’t have to worry about. These fees and extra expenses can dampen profit margins, and can be prohibitive for prospective advisors who don’t necessarily want to risk the startup costs. 

Our guide on how to start a travel agency from scratch provides more details, but we’ll be frank: there’s a much easier path to making great money as a travel agent.

The third option (and sweet spot)? Join Fora. Fora Advisors are technically independent travel agents — sometimes referred to as independent contractors — except they operate under Fora’s licenses and have access to an incredible wealth of resources (including extensive travel agent training ).

Plus, thanks to Fora's global network of travel partners, our advisors unlock tons of exclusive client perks at thousands of hotels. 

Want to learn more? Here’s how to become an independent travel agent through Fora. 

In a literal sense, how do travel agents get paid?

Across the industry, travel advisors are paid via the old-school, commission-check-in-the-mail method. At Fora, travel advisors are paid via direct deposit. And our advisors don't have to chase down their commission payments. We take care of all that.

Read about how travel agents get paid for more details.

Are there ways to maximize the earnings a travel agent makes?

Certainly. How much a travel agent makes depends heavily on factors like their niche, host agency (if applicable) and — of course — travel planning skills.

Can’t wait to start your travel career? Become a Fora Advisor .

1. Consider adopting a niche

A niche can go a long way in boosting how much a travel agent makes because it gives them a focus. Rather than trying to be good at everything, niche travel agents become great at only one or two aspects of travel — at least to start. This allows them to build a wealth of knowledge in their niche that will impress clients, potentially drawing in business from new clients seeking a similar trip. 

At Fora, there’s no limit to the type of niches an advisor adopts. You could specialize in selling cruises, Disney vacations, trips to a certain location (such as Las Vegas or Barcelona) — whatever you’re most passionate about.

(BTW: learn how to become a cruise travel agent or how to become a Disney travel agent .)

2. Expand your partnerships with hotel reps, tour operators and other travel-related services

Image courtesy of The Rubens at the Palace

Incentives like VIP hotel perks — complimentary hotel upgrades, meals, etc. — give travel advisors an edge over online travel agencies (OTAs) like Booking.com. As such, expanding these partnerships allows travel advisors to offer a wider range of trip benefits while remaining competitive. 

Fora Advisors can unlock awesome perks for their clients at over 4,500 hotels around the world and counting. And Fora’s HQ is constantly working to expand its network of partnerships.

3. Work with a travel company that cares about your success

This may be a shameless plug, but our advisors will back us up on this one. Just check out our advisor-sourced guide to the best reasons to become a Fora Advisor . 

In any case, your choice of host agency is critical. Plenty of old-school agencies essentially throw their advisors into the wild, only stepping in if sales quotas aren’t met.

At Fora, we offer unwavering support to all our advisors, plus loads of awesome resources, including a bevy of marketing materials, thorough travel agent training and access to an engaged community filled with travel experts. 

Here are a few insider tips for how to be a successful travel advisor . 

4. Give your clients the star treatment (because thoughtful advisors will get repeat business)

Possibly the most important factor affecting how much a travel agent makes: their customer service skills. 

The simple truth is that clients will only use your services if you actually help them. Putting the time and effort into making sure your clients have an amazing experience will pay dividends later. Not only will you likely win their future business, but you could win the business of their family members, friends and peers, too. 

(Read about how travel agents get clients .)

5. Keep at it: being a travel agent can be stressful, but so worth it

Finally, patience and dedication have a dramatic effect on how much travel agents make. 

Chances are, you’re not going to start with a dozen clients planning 20 trips. It takes a lot of time and effort to get to that point, but if you can, you’ll find that travel planning can be a very rewarding career. 

Need to know more? See what it takes to become a travel agent .

How much do travel agents make? Ask (or become) a Fora Advisor

Ultimately, the best way to find out how much you can make as a travel agent is to try it out for yourself. Sign up to become a Fora Advisor today .

Not quite ready? Check out these travel advisor resources, too:

How to Market Your Travel Business Like a Pro: Tips from the Experts  

How to Become a Luxury Travel Agent: the 2023 Guide  

Travel Agent Certification: Options and FAQs  

Debunking 3 Myths about Becoming a Travel Advisor  

A Window into Fora's Certified Training   

Book a Cruise With a Virgin Voyages Travel Agent   

Why Group Bookings Are Great: Tips from an Expert

Are you the go-to person for travel tips?

Transform your passion for travel into your dream job. We'll set you up with everything you need to succeed as a travel advisor. From training to top-notch tech, marketing assets, community, commission tracking & payments (and more), we've got you.

How Do Travel Agencies Make Their Money? (The Ultimate Guide)

How Do Travel Agencies Make Their Money?

Have you ever wondered how travel agencies make money? After all, they don’t seem to do much besides book your flights and hotels. In fact, there’s a lot more to it than that. Travel agencies act as middlemen between you and the airlines, hotels, and other travel providers. They negotiate rates on your behalf, and they earn a commission for each booking they make.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how travel agencies make money, and we’ll discuss the different types of commissions they earn. We’ll also explore the pros and cons of using a travel agency, and we’ll provide some tips for finding the best deals on your next vacation.

So, if you’re curious about how travel agencies make their money, read on!

Travel agencies are a vital part of the tourism industry, helping people book flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements. But how do travel agencies make money?

There are a few different ways that travel agencies generate revenue.

Commissions from Travel Providers

One of the main ways that travel agencies make money is through commissions from travel providers. When a travel agency books a flight, hotel, or other travel arrangement for a customer, the travel agency receives a commission from the travel provider. The commission is typically a percentage of the total cost of the booking.

The amount of commission that a travel agency receives varies depending on the type of travel arrangement and the travel provider. For example, airlines typically pay higher commissions than hotels.

Service Fees

In addition to commissions, travel agencies also charge service fees. These fees are typically a flat fee, regardless of the total cost of the booking. Service fees can range from $20 to $100, depending on the travel agency.

Some travel agencies also charge cancellation fees if a customer cancels their booking. These fees can range from $25 to $100, depending on the travel agency and the length of time before the booking is cancelled.

Other Revenue Sources

In addition to commissions and service fees, travel agencies also generate revenue from a variety of other sources. These sources include:

• Advertising revenue: Travel agencies often sell advertising space on their websites and in their marketing materials. This advertising revenue can come from travel providers, as well as other businesses that target the travel industry.
• Affiliate marketing: Travel agencies may also earn affiliate marketing revenue by referring customers to other travel websites and businesses. When a customer clicks on a link from a travel agency’s website and makes a purchase, the travel agency earns a commission from the sale.
• Membership fees: Some travel agencies charge membership fees to their customers. These fees can provide access to exclusive discounts and benefits, such as free cancellation or priority customer service.

How Much Do Travel Agencies Make?

The amount of money that a travel agency makes depends on a variety of factors, including the size of the agency, the type of travel arrangements it books, and the commissions and fees it charges.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for travel agents was $41,950 in 2020. However, the top 10% of travel agents earned more than $76,000 per year, while the bottom 10% earned less than $25,000 per year.

Travel agencies play a vital role in the tourism industry, helping people book flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements. There are a few different ways that travel agencies make money, including commissions from travel providers, service fees, advertising revenue, affiliate marketing revenue, and membership fees. The amount of money that a travel agency makes depends on a variety of factors, including the size of the agency, the type of travel arrangements it books, and the commissions and fees it charges.

3. Other Revenue Sources

In addition to commissions from travel suppliers, travel agencies generate revenue from a variety of other sources, including:

• Service fees: Travel agencies typically charge a service fee for booking flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements. These fees can range from a few dollars to several hundred dollars, depending on the complexity of the booking and the agency’s fees.
• Cancellation fees: Travel agencies also charge cancellation fees if a customer cancels a booking. These fees can range from a small percentage of the total cost of the booking to the full cost of the booking.
• Package deals: Travel agencies often offer package deals that include airfare, hotel accommodations, and other travel-related expenses. These packages can be a great way to save money on your next vacation, but it’s important to read the fine print carefully before you book to make sure you understand all of the terms and conditions.
• Membership fees: Some travel agencies offer membership programs that provide members with discounts on travel-related purchases. These programs can be a good way to save money on your next trip, but it’s important to weigh the benefits of membership against the cost before you sign up.

4. How Much Do Travel Agencies Make?

The amount of money that a travel agency makes depends on a variety of factors, including the size of the agency, the type of travel arrangements it books, and the commissions it receives from travel suppliers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for travel agents was $45,370 in 2020. However, the top 10% of earners made more than $75,570, while the bottom 10% earned less than $25,630.

Some of the factors that can affect a travel agency’s revenue include:

• The size of the agency: Larger agencies typically have more employees and book a wider variety of travel arrangements, which can lead to higher commissions.
• The type of travel arrangements booked: Agencies that book more expensive travel arrangements, such as international flights and luxury hotels, typically earn higher commissions.
• The commissions received from travel suppliers: The commissions that a travel agency receives from travel suppliers can vary significantly. Some suppliers offer higher commissions than others, and some agencies are able to negotiate higher commissions than others.

Travel agencies make their money from a variety of sources, including commissions from travel suppliers, service fees, cancellation fees, package deals, and membership fees. The amount of money that a travel agency makes depends on a variety of factors, including the size of the agency, the type of travel arrangements it books, and the commissions it receives from travel suppliers.

How do travel agencies make money?

Travel agencies make money by charging a commission on the sale of travel products, such as flights, hotels, and car rentals. The commission is typically a percentage of the total cost of the trip, and it is paid by the travel supplier (e.g., the airline or hotel).

What is the average commission rate for travel agencies?

The average commission rate for travel agencies is around 10%. However, this rate can vary depending on the type of travel product being sold, the supplier, and the agency’s negotiating power.

How much money do travel agents make?

The income of a travel agent depends on a number of factors, including the size of the agency, the number of clients they have, and the commission rates they earn. However, the average salary for a travel agent is around \$50,000 per year.

Are travel agencies a good way to book travel?

Travel agencies can be a good way to book travel, as they can provide expert advice and help you find the best deals on flights, hotels, and other travel products. However, it is important to shop around and compare prices before booking through a travel agency, as you may be able to find the same or better deals online.

What are the benefits of using a travel agency?

There are a number of benefits to using a travel agency, including:

• Expert advice: Travel agents can provide expert advice on everything from choosing the right destination to booking the best flights and hotels.
• Convenience: Travel agents can take care of all the details of your trip, so you can relax and enjoy your vacation.
• Peace of mind: Travel agents can help you avoid any travel problems, such as flight cancellations or lost luggage.

What are the drawbacks of using a travel agency?

There are a few drawbacks to using a travel agency, including:

• Cost: Travel agencies typically charge a commission on the sale of travel products, which can add to the cost of your trip.
• Time: It can take some time to work with a travel agent to book your trip.
• Lack of control: When you book through a travel agency, you give up some control over your trip. The agency may not be able to accommodate all of your requests, and you may be limited to the products and services that they offer.

How do I choose a travel agency?

When choosing a travel agency, it is important to consider the following factors:

• Size: The size of the agency can affect the level of service you receive. Larger agencies typically have more resources and can offer a wider range of products and services. However, smaller agencies may be more personal and attentive.
• Experience: The experience of the agency’s staff is important, as they will be able to provide you with expert advice and help you find the best deals on travel products.
• Reputation: It is important to choose an agency with a good reputation. You can read reviews of different agencies online or ask for recommendations from friends or family.

How do I book a trip through a travel agency?

To book a trip through a travel agency, you will need to provide the agency with the following information:

• Your desired destination
• Your travel dates
• Your budget
• Your preferred mode of transportation
• Your accommodation preferences

The agency will then use this information to help you find the best deals on flights, hotels, and other travel products. Once you have selected the products you want, the agency will book them on your behalf.

What happens if I need to change my trip after I have booked it through a travel agency?

If you need to change your trip after you have booked it through a travel agency, you will need to contact the agency and let them know what you need to change. The agency will then try to make the changes for you, but there may be a fee involved.

What happens if I cancel my trip after I have booked it through a travel agency?

If you cancel your trip after you have booked it through a travel agency, you will typically forfeit your deposit. You may also be responsible for paying a cancellation fee. The amount of the deposit and cancellation fee will vary depending on the terms and conditions of your booking.

travel agencies make money by providing a variety of services to their customers. These services include booking flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements; providing travel insurance; and offering advice and assistance on planning trips. Travel agencies also earn commissions from the companies they book travel with. By providing these services, travel agencies help their customers make the most of their travel experiences and ensure that they have a smooth and enjoyable trip.

Here are some key takeaways from this article:

• Travel agencies make money by providing a variety of services to their customers, including booking flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements; providing travel insurance; and offering advice and assistance on planning trips.
• Travel agencies earn commissions from the companies they book travel with.
• By providing these services, travel agencies help their customers make the most of their travel experiences and ensure that they have a smooth and enjoyable trip.

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How to Become a Travel Agent: Turn Your Passion Into Perks and Cash

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Raise your hand if you love to travel. Whether you’re often on the road or take a vacation just once a year, you’ve probably heard of travel agents. These folks help plan and book itineraries for you, eliminating a lot of the pain points when it comes to traveling.

These days many people skip out on a travel agent in lieu of booking their trip online, but if you’re a frequent traveler, you may want to become a travel agent yourself. Why? Because it can save you a lot of money — and may even earn you some in the process.

Let’s take a look at how to become a travel agent, why it’s something you may want to consider and the ways it can work for you.

Why become a travel agent?

Have you ever obsessively researched the best hotels in a city you’re planning to visit? How about checking seat maps on an airplane? If getting into the nitty-gritty of travel logistics is something you do in your spare time, you might also enjoy becoming a travel agent.

Not only do you get to plan trips for others, but you’ll also be able to take advantage of special discounts on many facets of travel.

This is true for your clients, but also for yourself. Travel agents have access to a variety of discounted rates on both airlines and hotels, even when booking travel for themselves.

» Learn more: How to get a refund from a travel agency

How to become a travel agent

Find a program.

Becoming a travel agent isn’t as simple as declaring yourself one. Typically, the first step is to sign up for a program that’ll teach you the basics of running your own travel business.

There are a variety of programs to choose from, depending on your interests and career goals. Most programs will teach you about the business side of being a travel agent as well as how to plan trips, so your courses in itinerary planning and travel insurance will be coupled with business ethics and customer service.

If you’re wondering how to become a travel agent from home, don’t worry. Many of these courses don’t have to be done in person; there are online programs that will teach you everything you need to know from the comfort of your living room.

Apply for certification

Once you’ve completed your coursework, you’ll want to apply for certification. Although there is no single standard that designates you a travel agent, there are a number of different identifiers that you can acquire. Some of the more common ones are:

International Air Transport Association, or IATA, which allows you to book travel on domestic and international airlines.

Travel Industry Designator Service, or TIDS, which allows agents to book trips with a variety of travel suppliers and receive commissions.

Cruise Lines International Association, or CLIA, which provides agents the ability to book trips on cruises around the world.

In order to access Marriott’s travel advisor rates, for example, you can use any three of these designations, along with a variety of others.

Each of these associations and identifiers have different implications for your business, so you’ll want to be sure you’ve fully researched them before applying for membership.

» Learn more: Do travel agents really save you money?

Save money as a travel agent

Once you’ve qualified as a travel agent, what comes next? If you travel frequently, becoming a travel agent can be a huge benefit to you, as it offers discounted rates and access to luxury travel options.

Discounted rates

Travel agents have access to negotiated rates that aren’t available to the general public. The exact amount will vary depending on the business. Hilton, for example, will give personal travel discounts of 50% off at newly-opened hotels and up to 25% off at the remainder of hotels within Hilton’s portfolio.

Hyatt, meanwhile, will give you a discount on personal travel of up to 50%, but only during select dates of the year. And although not all airlines give discounts to travel agents, many do.

Regardless, these are some pretty spectacular savings, and if you’re looking to save money on your vacations, being a travel agent can help.

Luxury programs

Becoming a travel agent isn’t only about saving money, however. It also grants you access to many hotel chains’ luxury travel programs.

If you’re big into elite status benefits, this is definitely something you’ll want to consider — especially since you don’t need any status at all to receive these perks, as long as you book through the hotel’s agent portal.

Most major hotel chains have these programs, including Hyatt Privé, Hilton Impresario, Marriott STARS & Luminous, Four Seasons Preferred Partner, Belmond Bellini Club, Rosewood Elite, Mandarin Oriental Fan Club and Shangri-La Luxury Circle.

While benefits vary by brand, many of these offers include things like room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, early check-in or late checkout and credits for expenses like dining or spa services. General consumers aren’t eligible for these programs, but once you’ve become a registered travel agent, they become accessible to you; however, some programs — such as Hyatt Privé — are invitation only.

For the most part, booking rooms through these programs shouldn’t cost more than the standard rate you’d be paying anyway, so you have the potential to get big benefits without shelling out any additional money.

However, note that these numbers don’t take into account any other discounted rates for which you may be eligible, such as those offered to American Automobile Association members and veterans .

» Learn more: Uncommon tips for saving money on travel

Earn money as a travel agent

Of course, becoming a travel agent isn’t all about scoring discounts for yourself. If you’re looking to earn some money, being a travel agent can be a good way to do so.

Note that travel agents operate in a customer-facing role, so you’ll also need to be able to build client relationships and be comfortable with sales. Courses such as those mentioned above can help train you to do this and run a successful business.

If booking travel and organizing trips for others is something that appeals to you, there’s definitely money to be earned. Marriott, for example, gives agents a commission of between 8% and 10% for all eligible stays booked.

» Learn more: The pros and cons of booking through online travel agencies

If you’d like to become a travel agent

There are a few good reasons to become a travel agent, especially if you travel a lot. Although it takes time and effort to complete training and apply for accreditation, the benefits you’ll receive as a travel advisor can be significant. This is true whether you’re booking personal travel or have built yourself a client base. Either way, there’s money to be had — and saved.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

BUSINESS STRATEGIES

How to make money as a travel agent

• Rachel Bistricer

Making money as a travel agent is a viable business idea that taps into the multi-trillion-dollar global travel and tourism industry.

In an age where experiences are valued more than material possessions, individual travel agents have a unique opportunity to capitalize on this trend. They can offer personalized service, expert advice and stress-free planning that online booking sites can't match. The role of a travel agent has evolved with technology, and now, more than ever, agents have access to a vast array of tools and platforms to enhance their services and increase their revenue.

Whether you're an aspiring travel agent or you're already navigating the travel industry, understanding how to monetize your passion effectively is crucial. The journey from a travel enthusiast to a profitable travel agent involves mastering the art of client service, identifying profitable travel business ideas and executing strategic promotion when starting a business .

Making money as a travel agent: the essentials

The travel industry is dynamic and competitive and to make money as a travel agent you must have a strong foundation built on several key elements. Understanding these essentials can help turn a passion for travel into a profitable venture.

Tip: Learn how to start a service business  with our guide.

Build a strong brand identity

A strong brand identity is crucial for any business, but in the travel industry, it's essential for standing out in a crowded market. Your brand is what sets you apart from competitors and speaks to your target audience. It encompasses everything from your logo and company colors to your messaging and customer service style. A memorable brand can foster loyalty, encourage word-of-mouth referrals and create a lasting impression that draws clients back time and again.

Offer unique value propositions

To make money, travel agents must offer something that clients can't easily find elsewhere. This could be exclusive deals, specialized knowledge of a niche market or exceptional customer service. Your value proposition should answer the question, "Why should a traveler book with me?" By clearly defining and communicating your unique offerings, you can attract and retain a client base that values what you provide.

Leverage technology and tools

In today's digital age, the right technology can make all the difference in managing and growing a travel business. From CRM systems that help maintain client relationships to booking software that streamlines the reservation process, technology can enhance efficiency and improve the client experience. Social media platforms and online marketing tools are also invaluable for promoting your business, reaching a wider audience and making money as a travel agent.

Establish strategic partnerships

Partnerships with other businesses in the travel industry, such as hotels, airlines, and tour operators can lead to mutual benefits. These relationships can provide access to better rates, special promotions and additional resources that can be passed on to clients. Networking within the industry can also open doors to new money-making opportunities and help you stay informed about the latest trends and developments.

13 ways to make money as a travel agent

The travel industry offers a myriad of opportunities for agents to earn income. Here are 13 diverse ways to monetize your travel agency business.

Niche travel

Unique experiences

Group travel packages

Earn booking commissions

Consultation fees

Educational travel workshops

Travel insurance services

Create a travel blog

Sell travel products

Destination wedding planning

Corporate travel management

Social media marketing

Membership program

01. Niche travel

Catering to niche travel markets such as luxury travel, adventure tours or ecotourism can set you apart as a travel agent and attract clients looking for specialized knowledge and experiences. If you make a successful name for yourself in your niche and become the go-to travel agent for it, it’s a sure way to increase your chances of making money.

02. Unique experiences

Offering unique travel experiences, such as private tours, exclusive access to events or bespoke travel itineraries, can help make you stand out in a competitive industry and make money as a travel agent. If you can make your experiences truly unique, in that no one else offers them, your potential for loyal customers and profit is even higher.

03. Group travel packages

You can make money as a travel agent by organizing and selling travel packages to groups based on interests like culinary tours, yoga retreats or volunteer travel, which can lead to bulk bookings and higher profits.

04. Booking commissions

Partnering with travel suppliers means you can earn commissions on accommodations, flights, cruises and tours that you book for your clients. This is a great way to make money as a travel agent because you earn when clients use your services and you earn through booking their services. However, it's important to always act with your customers' best interest in mind, over prioritizing earning commissions.

05. Consultation fees

As an expert in travel, you can make money by charging for creating personalized travel plans and complex itineraries. This can be even more profitable if you offer it as a service for corporate clients and work on a retainer, where you get paid over a set period of time for advice or consultation. If you have a lot of experience as a travel agent and an extensive network it can be easier to find consulting opportunities.

Learn more: How to start a consulting business

06. Educational travel workshops

If you’re looking for extra ways to make money as a travel agent, you could consider conducting workshops or webinars on travel-related topics and then charging for attendance or securing sponsorships. These workshops can be a way to impart your travel knowledge and secure new customers for your business. They can be in-person or online, depending on your location and target audience.

07. Travel insurance services

As part of your travel agent services, you can offer travel insurance to make more money, as you have the potential to earn a commission for each policy sold.

Learn more:

Service business ideas

Service business examples

08. Create a travel blog

Start a travel blog to share travel tips, reviews and potential itineraries. You can build a readership and then make money by monetizing your blog through advertising, affiliate marketing or sponsored content. Starting a blog can also be an effective way to market your travel agency and attract potential clients.

Check out these travel blogs for inspiration with starting your own:

Anika Pannu

Zion Adventure Photog

Get started with a blog maker.

09. Sell travel products

You can make extra money as a travel agent by selling travel gear - this could be luggage, travel accessories or equipment needed for specific trips, such as hiking or mountain climbing. You can choose to sell from a brick-and-mortar store or with an eCommerce website .

How to start an eCommerce business

How to make an eCommerce website

Best eCommerce platforms

10. Destination wedding planning

A creative way to make money as a travel agent is by planning and coordinating destination weddings. These often require a large number of different services for significant numbers of people. Anything from travel arrangements for guests, venue selection and event or party planning . This variety of services can make it a profitable idea for a travel agent to pursue.

11. Corporate travel management

If you’re looking to make a steady income as a travel agency, corporate travel management is a good B2B business idea to develop. It usually involves managing the corporate travel arrangements for an entire company. This means organizing flights and accommodations for employees when they travel for business. You can work with companies of all sizes but those with a global presence and a large number of employees would help you maximize your profitability from your services.

12. Social media marketing

A great way to market your business and make more money as a travel agency owner is to build a strong brand and presence on social media. You can develop this further by becoming a travel industry expert and partnering with travel brands and large agencies to help promote their services in return for commissions.

How to make money on YouTube

How to make money on Instagram

How to make money on TikTok

13. Membership programs

By offering a membership or subscription service as a travel agency you can make a consistent income by providing exclusive deals, perks or content for repeat customers. For example, a membership program could give subscribers early access to special trips or discounts.

How to start making money as a travel agent

Launching a travel agency can be an exciting venture and with a strategic approach, you can set the foundation for a successful business. Here's a step-by-step guide to get you started.

Research and plan your business

Begin by conducting thorough market research to identify your niche and target audience. Develop a business plan that outlines your vision, goals, services, pricing structure and marketing strategies . This document will serve as a roadmap for your business and can be crucial for securing financing or partnerships.

Register your business and make it legal

Choose a business structure that suits your needs whether it's a sole proprietorship , partnership , LLC or corporation . Register your business , come up with a business name , obtain the necessary licenses and permits and ensure you’re complying with all travel industry regulations. Don't forget to purchase liability insurance to protect your business.

Create a strong brand identity

Design a logo and create branding materials that reflect your business's personality and appeal to your target market. Your brand identity will be instrumental in all your marketing efforts and client interactions.

Set up your working space

Decide whether you'll work from home, rent an office space or operate completely online. Ensure you have the necessary equipment and technology to run your business efficiently, such as a reliable computer, phone system and travel agency software.

Build relationships with suppliers

Establish relationships with suppliers like hotels, airlines and tour operators. These partnerships will be key to providing value to your clients and may also allow you to earn commissions on bookings and find different ways to make money as a travel agent.

Develop an online presence

Making a website that showcases your services, offers valuable content and includes clear calls to action is important. Optimize your site for search engines to increase visibility.

Implement marketing strategies

Develop a marketing plan that includes both online and offline strategies. Consider email marketing, content marketing, pay-per-click advertising and networking events to reach your audience and build your client base.

Provide excellent customer service

From the outset, prioritize customer service. Satisfied clients are more likely to return and refer others to your agency. Establish clear communication channels and ensure you're responsive to inquiries and feedback.

How to make money as a travel agent FAQ

How much do travel agents make per booking.

Travel agent income per booking varies widely depending on factors such as the type of booking (flight, hotel, tour package), the supplier's commission rate, and whether the agent adds a service fee. Commissions can range from 5% to 20% or more, and service fees are typically set by the agent based on the complexity of the itinerary.

Can travel agents work from home?

What are the startup costs for a travel agency, is it necessary to have certification to become a travel agent, how can travel agents stay competitive with online booking platforms, what's the best way to find clients as a new travel agent, how important is social media for promoting a travel business, other ways to make money you might want to consider.

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Small Business Trends

How do travel agents make money industry secrets revealed.

Travel agents, versatile in their professional capacities, have the option to be employed by a travel agency or to branch out as independent, self-employed agents.

In either scenario, their primary source of income is generated through planning and booking various components of a journey.

This could involve airline tickets, car rentals, hotel accommodations, among other aspects, all tailored to suit the needs of an individual client or a larger group.

Importantly, their remuneration comes at the end of the process, only after the client makes the final payment, signifying the completion of the travel booking.

Those who are employed by major travel agencies generally earn a steady salary, providing a certain level of financial security.

These agencies often incentivize their employees through additional remuneration models such as commissions, which are based on the volume of business each travel agent is able to generate.

The more travel plans they book, the higher their potential earnings. This effectively encourages agents to increase their productivity and customer base.

On the other hand, self-employed travel agents have a slightly different model of income generation. Their earnings primarily come from commissions they receive from suppliers or by imposing specific fees for their planning and consulting services.

This allows them the freedom to set their own rates and work at their own pace.

In today’s era, characterized by the convenience of the internet and a plethora of travel information available at one’s fingertips, it might seem counterintuitive that the demand for travel agents or agencies remains high.

However, many travelers find the vast array of choices and the necessary time to meticulously research these options to be overwhelming. This is where the value of a travel agent comes into play.

Their expertise in sorting through this abundance of information and crafting a streamlined, personalized travel plan is highly valued.

Consequently, the travel industry continues to thrive, proving that the role of travel agents and agencies is far from becoming obsolete.

12 Ways Travel Agents Make Money

How exactly do travel agents generate income? They have a diversified income model, deriving their earnings from a variety of sources. Whether it’s via commission-based earnings or fixed service fees, they collaborate with travel vendors and utilize numerous strategies to sell travel.

Let’s explore these diverse income channels:

1. Service Fees

A travel agent’s revenue can be significantly supplemented through service fees, charged for distinct elements of the travel planning process. Instead of solely relying on commissions for securing airline or hotel reservations, agents can levy a service fee for each component they book.

Additionally, their role often extends beyond mere booking; they serve as travel advisors, highlighting popular destinations or lucrative deals, thus enhancing the overall travel experience for clients.

A consultation fee for this advisory service may also be part of their earnings.

2. Cruise Incentives

The cruise industry, aiming to ensure maximum occupancy on their vast ships, often extends attractive commission rates or bonuses to travel agents based on the number of cabins they book.

Commissions could be as high as 12%. However, significant portions of the cruise fares, for example in a $3,000 fare around $1,000 might be attributed to taxes.

Agents only earn commission on the non-taxed portion of the cruise fare.

3. Commissions

Prior to the digital revolution in the 1990s, commissions from airline tickets and hotel reservations served as the primary income source for travel agents.

When online platforms enabled easy self-booking, these traditionally high commission avenues began to wane.

Today, although these commissions still constitute a part of an agent’s earnings, the rates have lowered considerably.

Domestic flights typically fetch around a 5% commission, whereas international bookings can secure between 10-20%.

A roundtrip within the US coupled with a $200 hotel room would thus generate a modest $20 commission. With this shift, many travel agencies and self-employed agents have pivoted towards a flat fee model to ensure a steady stream of income.

4. Travel Insurance

For many travel agents, selling travel insurance is a significant part of their revenue. Not only does this service offer lucrative commission rates, but it also fulfills a critical need of travelers, providing financial protection against unforeseen events during their journey.

By offering insurance, agents can enhance their service portfolio, ensuring a comprehensive travel experience for their clients, while also boosting their own earnings.

5. Car Rental

Facilitating car rental bookings presents another avenue for income for travel agents. Agents can secure a commission of approximately 8%, or opt for a flat fee model that could range between $25-40 per booking.

By collaborating with rental companies, they ensure convenience for their clients and augment their income stream.

6. Airline Tickets

Collaborating with an Airline Consolidator, agents can help clients secure the most economical airfare. These consolidators scan a vast network of domestic and international airlines to find the most cost-effective options.

If the travel agency or agent charges a flat fee for this service, the final ticket price can still be considerably lower for the traveler, offering them value for money while ensuring steady income for the agent.

Tour operators curate unique experiences, from a week-long fly fishing adventure in Montana’s pristine rivers to a wine tour in California’s top vineyards or a journey through Route 66. Travel agents play a vital role in promoting and booking these exclusive trips, providing their clients with memorable experiences while gaining a part of their income from this segment.

8. Premium Listings

Promoting premium listings is another avenue that travel agents leverage. Companies in the travel industry, such as cruise lines, airlines, or car rental businesses, pay for their services to be highlighted on a host agency website.

This prominent feature attracts potential customers to the premium services. The travel agent gets assigned an accreditation number by the vendor, which helps in keeping track of their sales.

By showcasing premium listings, the agent not only facilitates the client’s search for high-quality services but also secures a payment from vendors for the marketing service.

9. Specialized Travel

In the realm of specialized travel, agents can carve out unique experiences tailored for specific events, such as the Olympics, or particular demographics, like veterans or disabled persons.

They can also curate travel arrangements for niche groups, such as corporations or hobby-based organizations like gardening or cooking clubs.

Corporate travel arrangements are a lucrative sector that can provide a steady income stream.

By ensuring seamless corporate travel experiences and promptly addressing any issues, agents can enhance their reputation, and consequently, their business prospects. Many travel professionals have started their journey by establishing a stronghold in this area.

10. Vacation Packages

Travel agents understand the essence of leisure travel – a carefree experience devoid of hassle for the traveler.

Thus, all-inclusive vacation packages, including resorts, are extremely popular. These packages often comprise of airfare, accommodation, and rental cars, eliminating the need for travelers to worry about separate bookings.

Destination weddings, a trend that has gained significant traction over the years, is another variant of such packages.

Agents, by offering these comprehensive packages, can cater to clients’ needs while securing their earnings.

11. Mode of Travel

Travel isn’t always about planes, trains, and automobiles. Some vacationers desire unique modes of travel—bicycling from one New England Inn to another, journeying down a river on a houseboat, or canoeing in northern Maine’s rivers.

Savvy travel agents cater to these desires, meticulously managing the details and logistics of such unique travel experiences.

By doing so, they create unforgettable memories for their clients while expanding their range of services and income potential.

12. Custom Itineraries

Custom itineraries for clients with distinct travel desires can be a profitable niche for travel agents.

These clients may wish to eschew traditional bus tours in favor of unique adventures, like hiking in Peru’s Andes Mountains, paddling on the Amazon, or birdwatching in the Everglades before heading off to the Florida Keys.

y catering to the specific desires of these often affluent clients, travel agents can build a robust reputation and a steady stream of income.

13. Group Travel Coordination

Travel agents expand their earnings by arranging group travel, such as family reunions or club outings. These bookings often secure better rates and higher commissions. Agents can add a coordination fee for managing the complex logistics of group travel, enhancing their income while providing valuable, organized experiences for groups.

14. Referral Fees

Agents enhance their income by recommending additional services like travel insurance or tour packages, earning referral fees. This involves collaborating with other service providers and earning commissions for each customer referral, broadening their revenue sources beyond direct sales.

15. Membership Programs

Establishing a membership or loyalty program can provide a consistent revenue stream. In this model, clients pay a subscription fee for access to exclusive deals and personalized services, creating a sense of exclusivity and enhancing customer loyalty.

16. Hosting Workshops and Webinars

Travel agents can capitalize on their expertise by hosting paid workshops or webinars. These sessions, covering travel tips, destination insights, or planning strategies, provide an additional revenue stream while positioning the agent as a knowledgeable industry leader.

17. Affiliate Marketing

Agents can utilize their online presence, through websites or blogs, to participate in affiliate marketing. By promoting travel-related products or services, they can earn commissions, diversifying their income streams while offering valuable content to their audience.

18. Social Media Influencing

For agents with a robust social media presence, monetizing their platforms through sponsored content or brand collaborations can be lucrative. This strategy leverages their follower base and influence in the travel industry to generate income.

19. E-commerce and Merchandising

Selling travel-related merchandise, such as guidebooks or travel gear, directly through their website or office allows agents to tap into the retail aspect of the travel industry, creating another avenue for profit.

20. Virtual Travel Planning Services

In an increasingly digital world, travel agents can offer virtual travel planning services. This involves creating detailed itineraries, virtual tours, and travel advice through online consultations.

Agents can charge for these personalized digital services, catering to clients who prefer planning their travels from the comfort of their homes. This service is especially appealing to tech-savvy travelers or those seeking unique experiences that might not be available through traditional travel packages.

How Much Money do Travel Agents Make?

As per national statistics, the typical income for individuals in the travel industry stands at approximately $39,000.

However, one must bear in mind that this figure is an average that amalgamates the incomes of individuals working for an agency and those who are self-employed.

It doesn’t delve into the nuances that come with these different forms of employment or the variable income patterns associated with each.

Interestingly, despite this average, many agents in the industry surpass this figure significantly, earning incomes well into the six figures.

These individuals typically have an expansive network of clients, offer highly specialized services, or have carved out a niche for themselves in the industry.

Their success underscores the potential for substantial earning within the travel industry for those who can differentiate themselves and cultivate a robust client base.

Types of Travel Agent

The working environment within the travel agent community can be highly varied.

How do travel agents make money in these diverse settings?

They may choose to operate either from a home-based office, offering flexibility and personal convenience, or opt for a traditional office setting, which can provide a more structured work environment and greater opportunities for collaboration with peers and clients.

Regardless of their chosen work setting, the aim remains the same: crafting ideal travel experiences for clients.

How to Maximize Your Earnings

• Diversify – Your revenue streams should come from several different sources.
• Sell Add ons – Especially travel insurance. Also seek to sell “side tours” with hotel bookings.
• Work for a Corporation – Cha-ching. It’s not only a great way to make money. It’s a great way to bolster your reputation.
• Make Arrangements for Group Travel – This can be a headache. At the same time, it’s a way to prove your organization talents.
• Specialized Trips – This type of organized travel is increasingly popular. Specialized travel includes honeymoons and anniversaries, retirements and other milestones.

How do travel agents get paid?

• Commissions – you are paid a percentage of the cost.
• Service fees – you charge a fee for arranging each segment of travel.
• Salaries – you work for a large travel company.
• Net price overages – the vendor gives a price break, for example, for a number of hotel rooms (100). You add to the per room fee by a chosen dollar amount.
• Travel perks – This isn’t a dollar figure, but vendors may give you a price breaks on things like hotel rooms or airline seat upgrades.

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A Look at How Travel Agents Make Money

The average travel agent earns between $47,000 and $55,000 annually.

Most travel agents’ income is made up of their salary, but they also earn from commissions, service fees, and markups.

Generally, the more experienced and niche a travel agent is, the higher the commission and other fees they charge.

They are also multiple types of travel agents, with some specializing in leisure travel, others in business travel, and some offer niche travel services, like adventure or eco-tourism. 

Table of Contents

• 1.1 1. Leisure Travel Agents
• 1.2 2. Business Travel Agents
• 1.3 3. Niche Travel Agents
• 2 How Much Commission Travel Agents Make on Flights
• 3.1 1. Markups
• 3.2 2. Service fees
• 3.3 3. Package deals
• 3.4 4. Incentives
• 4.1 1. Commissions
• 4.2 2. Service Fees
• 4.3 3. Salaries
• 5 Travel Agent Commission Rates
• 6 Travel Agents Make Good Money
• 7 Travel Agents Don’t Expect Tips
• 8 Who Even Uses Travel Agents Anymore?

3 Different Types of Travel Agents

These are the three main types of travel agents. 

1. Leisure Travel Agents

Leisure travel agents specialize in vacation and leisure planning for both individuals and families.

They can book flight tickets and hotels and arrange tours and activities for travelers. 

2. Business Travel Agents

Business travel agents specialize in business travel for businesses and their employees.

Their services include booking flight tickets, hotel rooms and coordinating ground transportation. 

3. Niche Travel Agents

Niche travel agents specialize in niche types of traveling, like adventure travel or eco-tourism.

Each niche travel agent specializes in a specific niche, and use their niche travel knowledge to plan customized trips for niche travelers.

How Much Commission Travel Agents Make on Flights

Travel agents commonly receive commissions for selling travel products and services.

For flights, a travel agent can make 5% commission on domestic flights, and 10-20% for international flights.

For instance, a travel agent could sell an international roundtrip flight for $1,000. And if their commission rate is 15%, they’ll receive $150 for the sale. 

When it comes to cruises, travel agents can expect to make approximately 10-15% of the pre-tax price on a cruise.

4 Ways Travel Agents Make Money

Besides commission, travel agents make their money through the following four ways.

Travel agents sometimes add a markup to their travel products and services to earn extra income.

For instance, a travel agent could add a $10 markup to a hotel room that costs $90.

They’ll charge the traveler $100 total for the hotel room, with the $10 being their fee for finding and booking the room. 

The exact markup an agent charges depends on the products they’re selling and their arrangement with their supplier.

The most experienced travel agents naturally have the highest markup. 

2. Service fees

Travel agents also sometimes charge a flat or percentage service fee.

For example, they could charge you a flat $200 for arranging your trip, or they could charge 5% for the total cost of your trip. 

The service fees are charged for providing you with their services, including booking your flights and hotels, arranging for tours and transport, and filing your visa applications. 

The exact fee depends on the agent’s experience and reputation.

The most experienced and well-reputed travel agents charge the highest fees.

Inexperienced agents may not charge any service fees at all. 

3. Package deals

Travel agents often create and sell packages, which contain a group of products or services given at a discounted price.

These packages can be customized to specific travelers or designed to decrease costs for them. 

There are four main types of package deals. 

• Flight and hotel ticket packages: This package will have discounted flight and hotel tickets. 
• All-inclusive packages: This will include everything from flight and hotel tickets to meals and activities – all at a discounted price. 
• Tour packages: This package will include guided tours and activities in addition to flight and hotel tickets. 
• Cruise packages: This package includes a cruise vacation along with pre-cruise and post-cruise flight and hotel tickets. 

The agents earn from packages by adding markups, service fees, and commissions to their packages. 

4. Incentives

Travel companies often provide incentives and bonuses to agents for selling a specific number of services.

The incentives range from cash rewards to complimentary trips and other benefits.

Travel agents often earn additional income from these incentives. 

How Travel Agents Get Paid

Travel agents are paid via the following three ways.

1. Commissions

The travel agent receives a percentage of the sales they make for a product or service. 

2. Service Fees

Travel agents sometimes charge the traveler an upfront flat or percentage service fee directly. 

3. Salaries

Travel agents earn a base salary of $39,770 according to Salary.com

Travel Agent Commission Rates

Most host agencies provide between a 7% and 8% commission. 

These are the usual commission tiers for annual sales:

• $0 to $49,999: 10% 
• $50,000 to $249,999: 13% 
• $250,000 to $499,999: 14%
• $500,000 and higher: 15% 

These are the normal commission tiers in terms of passengers:

• 0 to 20 passengers: 10% 
• 21 to 49 passengers: 11% 
• 50 to 199 passengers: 13% 
• 200 and more: 15%

Travel Agents Make Good Money

Most travel agents earn between $47,000 and $55,000 annually, including their salary and other payments.

The exact income of a travel agent depends on their skills, experience, and relationship with suppliers. 

Experienced travel agents with a high number of sales and a good relationship with suppliers can earn substantially more than $55,000 per year, though. 

All travel agents receive their salary every month. But the rest of their payments depend on the specific business arrangement with their clients and suppliers.

Most agents receive commissions after a customer finishes their travels. Most also receive their service fees upfront.

Travel Agents Don’t Expect Tips

Travel agents sometimes receive tips from wealthy customers.

But it’s not particularly common for them to receive tips, nor do most travel agents depend on or expect tips as part of their job. 

Who Even Uses Travel Agents Anymore?

Many people still use travel agents today because they provide a personalized service, such as luxury travelers looking for a luxurious vacation that exactly matches their tastes and needs.

Travelers with complex trips that involve multiple destinations may hire travel agents to better manage their trips. 

In conclusion:

• Most travel agents earn between $47,000 and $55,000 annually.
• This figure includes a salary of around $45,000, with the rest of their income coming from commissions, service fees, and markups on goods and services.
• The exact income for a travel agent depends on their skills, experience, and relationship with their suppliers.
• An experienced travel agent with a large number of annual sales, a good relationship with their suppliers, and high commission rates can earn more than $55,000. 

Ella Dunham

Ella Dunham, a Freelance Travel Journalist and Marketing Manager, boasts an impressive career spanning eight years in the travel and tourism sectors.

Honored as one of "30 Under 30" by TTG Media (the world’s very first weekly travel trade newspaper), a "Tour Operator Travel Guru" and "Legend Award" winner, Ella is also a Fellow of the Institute of Travel, a Member of the Association of Women Travel Executives, has completed over 250 travel modules, and hosts travel-focused segments on national radio shows where she provides insights on travel regulations and destinations.

Ella has visited over 40 countries (with 10 more planned this year).

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5 Ways a Travel Agent Can Make Money

By Travefy Academy

When asking how a travel agent can make money, the obvious and simple answer is that they sell travel! But in this article, we want to expand on what a travel agent can sell instead of focusing on high-level thinking of selling flight tickets or booking hotels. There’s so much more a travel agent can target and sell that the possibilities are almost endless in creating revenue as a travel business.

Commissions

The most important way that a travel agent earns money is by receiving a commission on travel sold. This can include a commission from booking flights, accommodation, tours, car rentals, entertainment tickets, insurance, and so much more. An agent will always earn a commission on selling travel but commission fees can differ based on the supplier they are purchasing from and if they are affiliated with a consortium or host agency, who will take a percentage of the commission as well.

Travel Agents can also earn more commission by selling add-ons such as additional days of travel, tours, and trip insurance. A helpful example to explain what a commission could look like is if a travel agent sold a 5 night, 6-day cruise to a couple traveling. The travel agent would earn the cruise commission but could also earn more if the travelers decide to purchase tours from the cruise line and trip insurance as well. Maybe they end up staying an extra night at the final destination too, which in return will add up in commission for the agent.

Service Fees

In addition to receiving commissions when booking travel, many travel agents will also have a set service fee they charge to all clients. This can look different for all travel agents. An agent might have a service fee they charge (ranging from $100-$250+) for all trips or offer a fee just to help plan the travel.

Pro Tip: Not charging a fee? Check out our article on charging fees here to see if charging a fee is right for you.

Instead of booking all of the travel for a client, travel agents can also charge clients just to do the planning and itinerary building and let the client book travel on their own. Travel agents might charge a flat “planning” fee and then just hand over the travel plans to the client once they are finished and that’s all they will do.

Group Tours

Planning group tours as a travel agent can be a popular money avenue because of the large number of travelers at one time. A lot of travel agents will specialize in group travel whether that is planning family reunions, destination weddings, hobby travel, sports travel, you name it!

As an example, a travel agent might book 50 cabins on a cruise and work on filling each cabin. They might focus on a niche like a certain hobby or event that would help encourage many people to book a cruise at the same time. That way, the agent earns a commission on 50 cabins instead of 1 when a traveler books a one-off trip.

There are a lot of agents who will only do group travel since the value of earning a large income is so high. Some agents may even focus on planning 1-2+ large travel groups a year and earn their yearly revenue just by that alone. The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to group travel which brings us into our next way of making money: Niche Travel. Combining a niche with group travel can be a great way to earn a lot of money from one trip.

Niche Travel

Another popular income source for travel agents is focusing on a niche so that they can create group trips or become a go-to source when a traveler is looking for a particular travel experience. Many agents even have two businesses under one umbrella where they will sell travel to anywhere in the world but also have a side that is dedicated to a niche. As an example, a travel agent might sell a lot of resort packages and cruises but then have a second business just for wine and food travel.

Even though there are hundreds of different niche travel options, here are a few to give you an idea of what niche travel can look like:

• “Surprise” Travel: This has been a growing sensation for many travelers. Surprise Travel is when a travel agent books an entire trip for someone but the traveler doesn’t know where they are going until the day before or when they get to the airport!
• Sports Travel: An agent might rent a charter bus and find 50 people who are interested in traveling to a sports game and book hotels, activities, and transportation for the group.
• Destination Weddings and Honeymoons: If weddings and honeymoons are your jam, this is a great option for you!
• Disney: Many agents focus solely on Disney experiences and these agents live and breathe it. They know all the in’s and out’s of each park and can help customize your trip to fit your families needs.
• Special Needs: Focusing on a demographic can help when choosing a niche. Someone who focuses on special needs travel will be a pro at knowing what to look for when booking, what types of accommodation might need to be made, where to rent equipment, and so much more. For more information on this type of niche, check out our webinar here .

Above are just a few examples but there are so many different niches available and many that haven’t even been thought of yet. If you’re interested in niche travel, ask yourself where your passion lies and see what types of travel experiences can come from that.

Corporate Travel

Focusing on corporate travel is another option for your travel business. Instead of booking leisure travel, some agents will only work with corporate clients. This can be a great option because you will have your main clients and know that you will continuously be booking travel just for them. Booking corporate travel mostly includes booking flights, accommodation, and rental cars but since you know that the quantity is greater, you can end up making great revenue from commissions in return. Corporate travel can also include booking incentive travel or group retreats and events.

The Sky’s The Limit: How Do Travel Agents Make Money?

How do travel agents make money?

• Charging a flat fee for their services
• Earning commissions through vendors
• Selling airfare through airline consolidators

When people start inquiring how to become a travel agent, their first question is always, “but how do travel agents make money?”  The idea of being a professional travel consultant is really appealing because of the flexibility and perks that come with it. However, many people hesitate to pursue it because they’re not sure exactly how travel agents make an income.  There is a little mystery surrounding this question, partly due to the fact that things have changed for travel agents over the past 20 years or so.

How technology changed everything

In the 1990s, most travel agents received their income from commissions. When airlines stopped offering travel agents commissions on airfare, it was a huge blow to the industry. Online travel agencies made it possible for travelers to book their own airfare and the Internet age allowed people to feel empowered to do their own trip planning. Many predicted the end of the travel agent. But then something happened that no one could have predicted.

Travelers came back to travel agents in unprecedented numbers.

Travel agents make an epic comeback

So what drove travelers back to travel advisors? Surprisingly enough, the very thing that pulled them away in the first place  — the Internet. Yes, we have a fount of knowledge at our fingertips. But we also have a lot of useless, confusing, and factually incorrect information floating around. Fishing through it for helpful answers is time-consuming and overwhelming. Today’s traveler craves a unique, custom-designed itinerary with lots of local flavor. They are willing to pay a travel expert to do this research for them. Using a travel advisor ensures they can get exactly what they want and avoid feeling too much like a tourist.

So now that we have a little history, how do travel agents make money today?

Three w ays travel agents make money

1. travel agents make money by charging a flat fee.

You’re not doing yourself any favors by promising the world on a shoestring budget.

If a travel agent can offer expert knowledge and a bespoke itinerary, travelers are more than willing to pay a flat fee for their time and service. In order to be successful and confident with charging a fee you have to t arget the right customer. You’re not doing yourself any favors by promising the world on a shoestring budget . You’re not Costco. You don’t sell travel… and patio furniture and mattress toppers, and bulk-packaged hot dog condiments. You are an expert at one thing and you do it really well . Customers whose top concern is the price tag might go elsewhere and you have to be okay with that.

2. Travel agents make money with commissions

While consultation or trip planning fees are starting to take the center stage, commissions are still out there! Cruiselines, hotels, and other travel vendors may offer commission or other perks for selling their products. In order to do this, you will usually need an accreditation number such as an IATA or CLIA. If you aren’t looking to start a travel agency from the ground up, you can get accreditation by working through a host agency .

3. Travel agents make money selling airfare

This is one of the easiest ways to increase your bottom line. If you’re not offering your clients airfare, it’s time to include it. Why? First and foremost, your clients come to you because they want to   save time  and because they trust you  to create a seamless experience. If you’re not offering a full service, they will have to go elsewhere for their air. You run a risk of eventually losing them to a travel agent who will offer a full service. But selling airfare can also add a quick chunk of change to each sale, especially if you are going through an airline consolidator,  like Centrav.

[Consolidator] fares are often low enough that travel agents can build in a good markup and still provide their clients with airfare saving…

An airline consolidator contracts special negotiated rates directly with airlines and then offers them to qualified travel agents. These fares are often low enough that travel agents can build in a good markup and still provide their clients with airfare savings they are unable to get anywhere else.

We’d love to show you how Centrav’s powerful, easy-to-use booking tools help travel agents make money on every ticket. Register here  to begin or read more about how Centrav works.

Shawna Levet

Shawna is passionate about helping travel agents grow their business and expand their knowledge as travel experts. She has been in the travel industry since 2011, helping agents and travelers alike find the best negotiated airfare and travel coverage to meet their needs.

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This was an excellent article. If an advisor is afraid of air they need to get training, as they are leaving money on the table!

Thank you, Sheryl! Yes, this is important!

Hello Shawna, Thanks for all your articles. It has given me a lot of information as to how to run my agency effectively. I am very grateful

Thank you, Victoria!

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How Much Do Travel Agents Make?

If you possess an entrepreneurial spirit, love visiting amazing destinations and enjoy the freedom to work practically anywhere, then becoming a travel agent may be just the right career move for you. Best of all, you’ll get paid for doing what you love!

Therefore, one of your first questions before making the decision to start your own travel business will most likely be, “How much money do travel agents make?” Providing an answer to the seemingly simple question of travel agent pay is a lot more complex than you might think.

Our comprehensive guide below will address all your travel agent salary questions as you consider embarking on an exciting new career in the travel industry!

How Much Do Travel Agents Make Working From Home?

If you are considering starting your own home-based travel business, you’ll naturally want to know how much your travel agent salary will be. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to the question, “How much do travel agents make working from home?” That’s because travel agent salary varies depending on several factors, including:

• Location — Average travel agent salaries vary considerably according to where you locate your business. Remember that it doesn’t necessarily matter where you live, it’s more important how and where you market to travelers that will make the difference.
• Niche — Setting yourself apart from other travel agents by specializing in specific types of travel or destinations can increase your travel agent salary.
• Experience — Becoming an expert in specific destinations can help you gain new clients and increase your travel agent income.
• Marketing Strategy — Marketing your business directly to target clients will determine the amount of leads you will receive and sales you will make.

Other issues to consider when trying to figure out how much travel agents make include the average hours worked per week, travel industry training, and whether being a travel agent will serve as your primary income.

Another important factor when considering travel agent salary is getting the right tools and partnerships in place to make your travel business successful. This involves connecting with a host agency such as TPI to provide the expertise and resources you need to start your own travel business. Your travel agent salary can increase significantly through the partnership with a host agency.

What Do Travel Agent Salary Surveys Tell Us About Travel Agent Income?

Beware of typing “travel agent salary surveys” into Google because you will come across a lot of wildly fluctuating travel agent salary data. For one thing, there are a variety of different types of travel agents – ranging from home-based travel businesses that partner with host agencies to traditional storefront travel agents and corporate travel agents.

Therefore, lumping all the different kinds of travel agents into an average travel agent salary can result in very misleading data to say the least. If you want to find out more specific data related to travel agent salaries, you’ll need to search by the specific type of travel agent (for example, “average home-based travel agent salary for 2021”).

In addition, Host Agency Reviews offers a detailed breakdown of different travel agent salaries in its annual Travel Agent Income Survey. Another important travel agent salary resource to consult is the Travel Institute’s report, The Changing Face of Travel Agents, which covers the four “Cs” of today’s rapidly changing travel agency environment: composition, certification, contentment and compensation.

How to Become a Higher-Earning Travel Agent with TPI

Higher-earning travel agents usually possess more travel industry training and experience than those less experienced travel agents who are just starting out. However, by partnering with a host agency like TPI, these higher-earning travel agents can get even more revenue out of their travel business. That’s because they can enjoy the rewards of the host agency’s strong vendor relationships, which will, in turn, allow them to earn higher commissions.

Why Earning Commission Means You Can Make More As A Travel Agent

Starting a travel business out of your home means that your earnings will typically come in the form of commissions, as well as service fees. A commission is simply a percent-age of the total cost of the booking that gets set aside for the travel agent who booked the trip. Therefore, the more you book, the more commissions you earn!

Travel agents receive commissions from various suppliers such as:

• Hotels and Resorts
• Ocean and River Cruises
• Tour Operators
• Car Rental Agencies
• Travel Insurance Carriers

For example, if you book a cruise for a client that costs $1,500 and your commission is 10 percent, you will earn approximately $150 from booking the cruise.

When you work with a host agency like TPI, you pay a travel agency fee. TPI determines its fees based on our commission split structures. We offer multiple split structures, so you decide how much you pay in fees and how much of your commission you keep.

In exchange for the resources and benefits of partnering with a host agency like TPI, you can expect to take home approximately 70 to 90% of your total earned commissions. Since major vendors work in bulk with host agencies, you can expect to earn higher commissions.

Now Is The Perfect Time To Become A Travel Agent

After a turbulent year in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, now is the perfect time to become a travel agent and run you own travel business! That’s because the travel industry has regained momentum in 2021 for the following reasons:

• Travel restrictions have become less stringent in many of the most sought-after destinations.
• Most Americans have received vaccinations and are anxious to travel and explore the world again.
• These travelers will want to rely on the expertise of travel agents to navigate the ever-changing travel landscape brought forth by the pandemic.

Best of all, an experienced host agency like TPI can support you on the journey to a successful career as a travel agent. With our extensive training and support system, you will learn all the ins and outs of the travel industry. From then on, you’ll be on the path to achieving success as a travel agent in no time!

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I've worked incredibly hard to get to where I am today, and it's nice to know I have a company like TPI supporting me as I continue to make my place in the travel industry.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a travel agent’s salary.

How much money a travel agent makes depends on a variety of factors, including where you live, how much experience you have, your marketing strategy, and what kind of travel niche you choose to focus on, among others.

How much money does a travel agent make in Florida?

As one of the world’s top vacation destinations, Florida is home to world-famous theme parks and a cruise industry that’s on the verge of a major post-pandemic comeback. Therefore, travel agents who start their businesses in Florida typically make salaries slightly above the national average.

How much money do travel agents make per booking?

How much a travel agent makes per booking varies widely depending on the type of booking. That’s why many travel agents wisely choose to specialize in a lucrative niche travel market.

What is the average salary of a travel agent?

According to Host Agency Reviews, the average annual salary for a hosted travel agent with 3+ years of experience was $44,312 in 2020. Keep in mind that travel agent salaries fluctuate significantly based on many of the factors listed throughout this article. In addition, since the travel industry is gaining post-pandemic momentum, the average 2021 travel agent salary should end up being higher than the past year.

How do travel agents get paid?

Travel agent pay usually comes from commissions vendors provide on vacation packages, tours, cruises, hotels, resorts, travel insurance and other add-ons.

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If you’re ready to become a successful travel agent and rock the travel industry, TPI is here for you! At TPI, we will provide you with all the training, marketing tools and latest technology you need to get started as a home-based travel agent. Then you can start growing your travel business very quickly. Find out how you can connect with TPI today.

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How do Travel Agents Make Money: 7 Reliable Ways

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Have you ever wondered how travel agents make money in the travel industry? Explore the reliable and varied ways in which travel agents make money. From commissions and service fees to supplier incentives, and markups, we will uncover the diverse methods that sustain the financial viability of travel agencies.

Travel agents earn a huge chunk of their money from 7 reliable ways: Commissions, Service Fees, Supplier Incentives, Markups, Specialized Group Tours, Travel Insurance, and the new trend of Destination Weddings.

In this article, we will delve into how travel agents get paid. We will offer you insights into their business models and financial strategies. This guide will entertain, educate, and reveal how travel agencies get paid. We will unveil the secrets behind how do travel agents make money, delving into how do travel agencies work.

From the traditional model of commissions to innovative approaches – we will provide a comprehensive overview of the financial strategies that sustain travel agencies. Whether you’re considering a career in the travel industry or planning your next vacation, this guide will offer valuable insights into the business side of travel agents and how they ensure their financial viability.

Discover the reliable and varied ways of how do travel agents get paid in the travel industry. Explore the intricacies of how do travel agents make money!

Read also: How to Make Money with Land?

Source of Money

Table of Contents

Commissions: The Traditional Revenue Model

Travel agents have long relied on commissions as a primary revenue source. When they book flights, hotels, cruises, or other travel arrangements for their clients, they receive a percentage of the total cost as a commission from the suppliers. These commissions can vary depending on the type of travel arrangement and the travel agency’s agreements with suppliers. While the commission model has been a longstanding revenue stream for travel agents, changes in the travel industry have led to the adoption of additional revenue streams.

Service Fees: Earning for Expertise

Many travel agents charge service fees to compensate for the time and expertise they invest in curating personalized travel experiences for their clients. These service fees can be a flat rate or a percentage of the total trip cost. By charging service fees, travel agents demonstrate the value of their services and provide transparency regarding their earnings. This approach ensures that travel agents are fairly compensated for planning and coordinating complex travel itineraries.

Supplier Incentives: Collaborative Earnings

In addition to commissions, travel agents often receive incentives from suppliers for promoting and booking their products or services. These supplier incentives can come in various forms, such as cash bonuses, free upgrades, or special discounts for the agent’s clients. By building strong relationships with suppliers, travel agents can take advantage of these incentives while providing added value to their clients.

Markups: Adding Value to Travel Packages

Some travel agents apply markups to travel packages, allowing them to offer bundled services at a competitive price while earning additional revenue. Markups can be applied to various travel package components, such as flights, accommodations, tours, or other add-on services. Travel agents carefully assess the market and negotiate with suppliers to ensure that their markups are fair and in line with the value they provide to their clients.

Group Travel and Specialized Tours: Profitable Niche Markets

Organizing group travel and specialized tours can be a lucrative niche for travel agents. By curating unique travel experiences, such as destination weddings, corporate retreats, or themed tours, travel agents can attract a specific clientele and charge premium fees for their expertise in coordinating these specialized trips. These niche markets allow travel agents to leverage their knowledge and connections to create unforgettable travel experiences, resulting in higher earnings.

Travel Insurance Sales: Protecting Clients and Earning Commissions

Travel agents often offer travel insurance to their clients to protect against unforeseen circumstances, such as trip cancellations or medical emergencies during travel. In addition to providing valuable protection for clients, selling travel insurance can earn travel agents commissions from insurance providers. This revenue stream benefits the travel agent and enhances the overall customer experience by offering comprehensive travel protection.

Read also : How to Change Registered Agent in California?

Destination Weddings and Honeymoons: Celebrating Love and Earning Income

Organizing destination weddings and honeymoons is another lucrative travel industry segment for travel agents. Travel agents can earn a substantial income through service fees and commissions by assisting couples in creating their dream wedding or honeymoon experience in exotic locations. This specialized service requires meticulous planning and attention to detail, showcasing the travel agent’s expertise and earning their clients’ trust.

See also: How Much Money Does Disney Make in a Year?

How do travel agents make money?

Travel agents make money through commissions, service fees, supplier incentives, markups, and niche market opportunities.

What are commissions in travel agency revenue?

Commissions are a percentage of the total cost of travel arrangements that travel agents receive from suppliers when they book flights, hotels, cruises, and other travel services for their clients.

Do I need to pay service fees to a travel agent?

Some travel agents charge service fees to compensate for their expertise in curating personalized travel experiences and planning complex itineraries.

How do supplier incentives benefit travel agents?

Supplier incentives come in various forms, such as cash bonuses or free upgrades, and provide additional earnings for travel agents who promote and book products or services from specific suppliers.

What are markups in travel packages?

Markups are additional charges applied by travel agents to bundled travel packages, allowing them to offer competitive prices while earning extra revenue.

How do travel agents profit from group travel and specialized tours?

Travel agents can charge premium fees for organizing unique experiences like destination weddings, corporate retreats, or themed tours, catering to a specific clientele, and earning a higher income.

Can selling travel insurance be a source of income for travel agents?

Yes, selling travel insurance protects clients during their trips and earns travel agents commissions from insurance providers, providing an additional revenue stream.

As the travel industry evolves, travel agents continue innovating and adapting to their revenue streams to remain competitive and financially viable. By combining traditional methods such as commissions and service fees with new approaches like supplier incentives, markups, and niche market opportunities, travel agents ensure a sustainable income while providing valuable services to their clients.

Whether you’re a travel enthusiast looking to understand the travel agency business model or an aspiring travel agent seeking insights into earning potential, this article will offer a comprehensive understanding of how do travel agents make money in the dynamic world of travel.

See also: Salary Breakdown: How Much Do Chiropractors Actually Make?

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Feds raid diddy’s miami beach home, sources say, agents also raid music mogul’s other properties.

Chris Gothner , Digital Journalist

Michael Balsamo and Colleen Long , Associated Press

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Rapper Diddy’s home on Miami Beach’s exclusive Star Island was among three of the music mogul’s properties raided by federal agents Monday, law enforcement sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News and the Associated Press.

Federal agents also searched the star’s home in Los Angeles, ABC News reports.

It’s all over a federal investigation into human trafficking being led by prosecutors out of the Southern District of New York, sources said.

It’s not clear whether Combs was the target of the investigation.

“Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners,” a U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Local 10 News via email. “We will provide further information as it becomes available.”

Video from Sky 10 showed Homeland Security Investigations agents at the scene Monday afternoon.

Sources say while the investigation has been ongoing for several months, an arrest isn’t believed to be imminent.

A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan declined the AP’s request for comment.

A representative for Combs did not immediately respond to the AP’s request for comment Monday.

Diddy, whose real name is Sean Combs, has previously been accused of sex trafficking and sexual assault in lawsuits filed by multiple women . A man also filed suit in February, accusing Combs of sexually assaulting him and forcing him to have sex with prostitutes.

“We will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law,” Douglas Wigdor, an attorney for two of the accusers, said in a statement to ABC News on Monday. “Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct.”

Combs has denied any wrongdoing.

“I did not do any of the awful things being alleged,” he said in a statement after the lawsuits.

Combs is among the most influential hip-hop producers and executives of the past three decades. Formerly known as Puff Daddy, he built one of hip-hop’s biggest empires, blazing a trail with several entities attached to his famous name. He is the founder of Bad Boy Records and a three-time Grammy winner who has worked with a slew of top-tier artists including Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans and 112.

Combs created the fashion clothing line Sean John, launched the Revolt TV channel with a focus on music, and produced the reality show “Making the Band” for MTV.

Copyright 2024 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

About the Authors:

Chris gothner.

Chris Gothner joined the Local 10 News team in 2022 as a Digital Journalist.

Local 10 News @ Noon : Mar 27, 2024

Local 10 news @ 9am : mar 27, 2024, local 10 news @ 6am : mar 27, 2024, local 10 news @ 5am : mar 27, 2024, local 10 news @ 4:30am : mar 27, 2024.

Diddy’s Private Jet Goes Off Radar After Being Traced to Antigua Amid Armed Agents’ Raids on His L.A. and Miami Homes

When federal agents were raiding the Los Angeles and Miami homes of Sean “Diddy” Combs on Monday, March 25, the disgraced music mogul was nowhere in sight. Left to face the law enforcement personnel searching the L.A. home were his sons, Justin , 30, and Christian , 25, while Diddy’s private jet apparently had left the country.

The search by federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations was conducted in connection to allegations of sex trafficking , sexual assault, and involvement in the solicitation and distribution of illegal narcotics and firearms. The warrant for the raid originated from the Southern District of New York, NBC News reports.

While multiple men were detained and placed in handcuffs on Diddy’s properties, noticeably missing was the 54-year-old music exec himself. In an attempt to solve the mystery of Diddy’s whereabouts, an X user began tracking a $60 million blacked-out Gulfstream G550 jet .

Using flight tracking software, the X user by the name of @mvz77dallas was able to locate Diddy’s aircraft, tail number N1969C, just north of Puerto Rico at around 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The flight number revealed the plane was registered to LOVEAIR LLC and operated by luxury private jet company Silver Air.

“@Diddy Gulfstream G550 (N1969C / SIS69) departed LAX earlier today. Destination unknown. Currently flying at 42000 feet north of Puerto Rico,” tweeted the X user.

@Diddy Gulfstream G550 (N1969C / SIS69) departed LAX earlier today. Destination unknown. Currently flying at 42000 feet north of Puerto Rico. #Diddy #TMZ #DailyMail #NBC #Fox #ABC pic.twitter.com/On6zbVpxoo — Mike Sadeghpour (@mvz77dallas) March 25, 2024

At around 6:05 p.m. ET, the aircraft was spotted near Barbuda before turning and doing a 180 loop to Antigua.

“UPDATE @Diddy Private Jet (Gulfstream G550 N1969 / SIS69 ) departed Van Nuys airport earlier today now descending to land at remote airfield in Barbuda,” the X user tweeted in his update.

The X user clarified in a follow up tweet, “FYI it was difficult to figure out his exact landing spot due to the aircraft’s erratic descent. I thought he was landing at Barbuda’s, but turned and did a 180 loop to Antigua at about 2,200 feet. Also, the aircraft turned off its radar signature within seconds of touchdown.”

FYI it was difficult to figure out his exact landing spot due to the aircraft’s erratic descent . I thought he was landing at Barbuda’s , but turned and did a 180 loop to Antigua at about 2,200 feet. Also, the aircraft turned off its radar signature within seconds of touchdown. — Mike Sadeghpour (@mvz77dallas) March 26, 2024

It is unclear whether Diddy was aboard the private jet when it landed in Antigua.

Social media responded to the possibility of the “THE LOVE ALBUM : OFF THE GRID ” rapper getting out of dodge during the federal investigation and not taking his sons along.

“Fled and leaving your kids in the house that’s being raided is crazy,” one comment read .

“Leaving your kids behind is so dirty,” said another .

Some assumed Diddy was tipped off and fled to a country that won’t send him back to face his alleged crimes.

Not sure his jet has the fuel to get him somewhere that won't ship him back — 🅿️ete Ⓜ️anning (@PeterFManning3) March 25, 2024

Antigua and Barbuda, the twin-island nation that Diddy is believed to have gone to, is a small country in the Caribbean, near the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

If he had been the subject of an arrest warrant instead of a search warrant, that nation might not have exempted him from extradition to America.

According to the U.S. State Department, the nation entered into an agreement in 1981, following its independence from the United Kingdom, to work in partnership together regarding some matters of law enforcement.

“Antigua and Barbuda’s location close to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico makes it an attractive trans-shipment point for narcotics traffickers,” the State Department reports . “To address these problems, the United States and Antigua and Barbuda signed a series of counternarcotic and anticrime treaties and agreements, including a maritime law enforcement agreement subsequently amended to include overflight and order-to-land provisions, a bilateral extradition treaty, and a mutual legal assistance treaty.”

Diddy has been the subject of a federal investigation since November and has faced a wave of lawsuits filed against him, particularly concerning his role as a powerful fixture in entertainment. With power, the lawsuits suggest, also came abuse.

One example was a lawsuit filed by his former girlfriend Cassie under the New York Adult Survivors Act, which accused him of long-term physical and sexual abuse. Her lawsuit originally asked for $30 million and was settled in less than 24 hours for an undisclosed amount.

The lawsuit ticked off a legion of other filings — leading to the aforementioned raid.

Amidst the raid, Cassie’s lawyers have released a statement saying, “We will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct.”

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Fans Draw Parallels Between T.D. Jakes and Late Pastor Eddie Long’s Speeches Following Jakes’ Response to Firestorm Over Diddy Party Allegations

‘Unequivocally False and Baseless’: Bishop T.D. Jakes Issues Statement Denouncing Explosive Allegations Linking Him to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

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NV obtains new photos and videos of the elimination of traitorous ex-MP Ilya Kyva near Moscow

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

Photos and videos of the elimination of pro-Russian ex-MP Ilya Kyva in a Moscow suburb were obtained by NV from sources in Ukraine’s SBU Security Service on Dec. 11.

This special operation was meticulously planned and successfully executed, the SBU informant confirmed.

Read also: “Surrender for your own safety” advises Ukrainian intelligence to traitors

In one imgae, Kyva's lifeless body can be seen in the snow surrounded by bloodstains. The location where “deserved punishment awaited the traitor” is near the place that Kyva filmed many anti-Ukrainian videos, sources say.

Kyva was a high-priority target, SBU said. His daily routines, movements, and habits were extensively studied in the operation. Despite strong security, the SBU managed to eliminate him just outside Moscow.

“This [Kyva’s elimination] serves as a signal to all traitors and military criminals who have sided with the enemy. Remember: Russia will not protect you. Death is the only prospect awaiting enemies of Ukraine,” SBU Chief Vasyl Malyuk said.

Ukraine’s SBU eliminated Kyva in a special operation in Moscow Oblast on Dec. 6, said NV sources in the intelligence service.

Kyva's “bloodied body”, discovered with a shot through the head, was found in the park of an elite club hotel in the Moscow region on Dec.6, Russian propaganda Telegram channels reported.

Read also: Former Ukrainian MP and traitor Illia Kyva found dead in Moscow Oblast – NV sources

Kyva was shot with an unidentified firearm and died from the injuries on the scene, the Russian Investigative Committee claimed.

Kyva had fled to Spain ahead of Russia’s full-scale invasion. He then appeared in Russian propaganda broadcasts in Moscow, actively spreading lies about Ukraine. Kyva also sought “political asylum” and citizenship from the enemy aggressor.

The Ukrainian parliament stripped Kyva of his MP status in March 2022, charging him with treason. He was additionally charged with publicly calling for a violent change in the constitutional order and propaganda on behalf of the aggressor state in Aug. 2023.

We’re bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron !

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine

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13 Super Common Jobs That Won’t Be Around Anymore in 20 Years

Posted: March 23, 2024 | Last updated: March 23, 2024

Technology is one of the greatest forces of change in our lives. By all accounts, we can expect even more advancements in the future.

On the one hand, that should be great for consumers. However, technological advancements are sure to shake up the economy, which could mean the end of certain jobs.

Here are 13 careers that could disappear in the next 20 years. If you work in one of these fields, there's no need to panic. However, it might be time to begin investigating other ways to make money  in the future.

Make Money: 8 things to do if you're barely scraping by financially

Travel agents

Technology has undermined the role of the travel agent. Internet search engines from Google to Bing let people work out their own travel plans. Sites like Tripadvisor also offer guidance. You can even tell your phone to book a flight or hotel for you.

The power is now in the consumer’s hands. There is little reason to use a travel agent when an internet search will help you make decisions.

Each year, the IRS forgives millions in unpaid taxes. If you have more than $10,000 in tax debt, or have 3+ years of unfiled taxes, you could get forgiveness too. You might be eligible to lower the amount you owe, or eliminate your tax debt completely.

While most tax companies just put you on a payment plan and file your taxes for you, this company talks to the IRS directly . They can help you pay off your tax debt faster while potentially reducing what you owe.

With more than 3.3 million people working in this capacity, the cashier job isn’t going to disappear anytime soon. However, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of people with this job is projected to drop by 10% through 2031.

Automation is a big reason for the projected decline. Customers can grab what they want off the shelf and pay for it at a kiosk — and they never need to talk to a single person.

Bank tellers

Tellers are another job that is expected to decline through 2031, losing more than 43,000 openings as automation grows, according to BLS.

If you need cash, you probably head to an ATM — literally an “automated teller machine.” You can check your balance online or on your phone. 

Paychecks are typically automatically deposited into your checking account. We simply don’t go to the bank anymore unless we need specialized service.

Make Money: Discover 17 legit ways to make extra cash

Drivers are in demand today, so this is another job that won’t disappear quickly. However, people in this job can expect a rougher road over the long haul.

Automated vehicles will eventually arrive. When they do, they may reach a level of sophistication that means there will be less need for drivers.

Egon Spengler, portrayed by the late Harold Ramis in 1984’s “Ghostbusters,” succinctly predicted: “Print is dead.”

And it’s true. The rise of digital media has been catastrophic for newspaper publishers. There will always be a need for reporters and editors, but overall, print is a ghost town.

Fast-food workers

Labor shortages and higher wages are accelerating the drive toward automation in the fast-food industry.

There’s already Flippy, a burger-grilling machine that White Castle plans to use in some locations. Delivery robots are also on the way.

Get Out of Debt for Good: Try these 6 clever ways to crush your debt

Telemarketing

Telemarketers are another sales-oriented occupation expected to lose out as the years roll on.

The big reason is web-based advertising. According to BLS, digital ads reach more people and allow companies to target users based on their browsing history and what they’re looking for.

Warehouse workers

Warehouse jobs will be among the first to disappear as robots take over. According to management consulting firm Bain & Co, at least 70% of warehouse job roles could be lost through automation.

The Brookings Institution projects that 92% of forklift operator jobs and 80% of package-handler jobs could disappear.

Accountants

This one seems a bit out there, but software increasingly handles the role of basic accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll.

There isn’t much use in having a human around when computers and algorithms — or even an Excel spreadsheet — can do it for you. However, accountants will still be needed for more complicated tax issues.

Break the Cycle: 8 moves to escape the paycheck to paycheck grind

Data entry and typist jobs are still around, but they probably won’t last much longer. As voice recognition and dictation software improves, there’s a good chance those roles will be automated.

This is a career path to avoid. Or, if you’re already in it, find something else.

Taxi dispatchers

Hailing a taxi was once a common occurrence in big cities like New York or Chicago. Now, Uber and Lyft have taken over, and traditional taxi drivers are struggling.

The dispatchers who send those cabs where they're needed are also in less demand.

Machine workers

The men and women who set up and operate machinery that cuts and forms metal and plastic materials are at high risk of being replaced by robots.

BLS says the job market for machine workers will shrink by almost 67,000 through 2031.

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Postal workers

The U.S. Postal Service motto is that nothing will stop the mail from getting through, but automation could put a dent in postal employment. 

According to the BLS, USPS “likely will need fewer workers because new mail sorting technology can read text and automatically sort, forward, and process mail.” 

Overall employment at the Postal Service is expected to decline by 8%.

Bottom line

There’s no stopping technology. It will continue to advance. Some jobs will fall by the wayside — either because automation has replaced workers or because they simply aren’t needed anymore.

But the human touch will always be necessary. Just try to avoid these jobs if you want to stay relevant and earn enough money to move beyond living paycheck to paycheck .

Instead, you may want to consider a career as a wind turbine service technician, nurse practitioner, data scientist, statistician, or information security analyst — all of which are on the BLS list of fastest-growing job occupations.

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How Much Do Travel Agents Make?

Curious about travel agent salaries and commissions? You’re certainly in the right place! This detailed guide covers everything you need to know about travel agent salaries, from how commissions work to whether it’s better to be independent or work with an agency.

Whether you’re just curious or considering becoming a travel agent yourself, this guide is all you need to know what to expect from the job. Read on to learn how much travel agents make on average, and all the juicy details about commissions and fam trips!

What Does A Travel Agent Do?

A travel agent is someone who helps clients make travel plans. You just need to tell them when and where you want to travel, and they do all the other work – book flights, accommodation, arrange tours, etc., depending on what you asked them to do. Travel agents will consult with their clients before they book anything, to ensure that everything is exactly how the client wanted it to be.

They will also inform clients of any visa requirements, rules they need to know about, currency exchange rates, and other things. Using a travel agent is a great idea if you’re planning a special trip and you want everything to be perfect. You’re paying for their experience, connections, and vast knowledge of various international destinations, so you can be almost certain that the trip will turn out exactly how you want it to. Using travel agents for short trips to close destinations is not recommended, mostly because it’s just not worth it.

Travel Agent Salary

 According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of travel agents is $42,350 per year or $20.36 per hour. However, that’s just the average recorded salary – the actual amount of money travel agents make depends on a lot of different factors.

Travel agents earn most of their money through commissions, meaning that they take a percentage of everything clients book through them. It also depends on whether they’re an independent travel agent or if they work for an agency – if it’s the latter, there are even more factors in play.

Some travel agencies will give their agents base salaries, and then all the commissions are split between the agency and the agent – usually, it’s either 70/30 or 80/20 in favor of the agency. Other agencies will let their agents keep the entire commissions, but they don’t get a base salary, meaning that they earn all their money through commissions.

Travel Agents Commissions

Commissions are extremely important for travel agents because that’s how the vast majority of them earn money. In most cases, the minimum commission a travel agent takes is 10%, but again, this varies from supplier to supplier. Cruises will often offer higher commissions (16-18%), while Disney has a flat commission rate of 10% for their theme parks, but tiered commission rates for their cruises and adventure packages.

Tiered commissions usually start at the minimum rate, and then they increase the more sales an agent (or agency) makes. The Disney Cruise is a good example here – a new agent will get a 10% commission for every sale, but someone who has already made thousands of sales for the cruise will likely have a top-tier commission of 18%.

Let’s say you book a trip through an independent travel agent, and the total cost of everything is $5000. The minimum commission is 10%, so the travel agents will earn at least $500 from that trip. This is where all talk of average salary goes down the drain – if an agent can do two of these sales per week for an entire year, they’ll get paid around $52,000 just on commissions. Double the bookings, double the money, and that’s how some travel agents manage to earn six-figure salaries.

In addition to that, some travel agents will charge a consulting fee. Say you want to travel but you’re not ready to book anything just yet, you just want to talk to a travel agent to discuss the logistics of the trip. Some will talk to you for free, and others will charge you a consulting fee to give you all the information you want.

Independent Vs. Hosting Agents

What’s the difference between an independent agent and someone who is hosting through an agency? In terms of the work they do, there’s really not much of the difference – the job description is still the same.

An independent agent is someone who doesn’t have an agency to fall back on in case something goes awry, but they get to keep 100% of their commission. If you’re hosting or using the credentials of a travel agency, you need to give a percentage of your commission to that agency. The exact percentage varies from agency to agency, and it depends on a few other things.

Is it better to be an independent agent or work for an agency? It depends – independent agents have the luxury of working from wherever they want and keeping all of their commissions. But they also must do all the work themselves and take all the responsibility. Independent agents also need to purchase omissions and error insurance, which can get pricey but is ultimately worth the money.

That’s the main advantage of working for an agency – when the plans fall through or something unexpected happens, the agency takes the blow instead of the actual agents.

Do Travel Agents Travel For Free?

Yes, but it’s not as glamorous as it looks. Travel agents go on “fam” trips every few months, for the sole purpose of familiarizing themselves with a specific destination. They’ll also go on plenty of discounted trips to luxurious destinations, but they’re expected to work while they’re there. A travel agent needs to know a destination inside and out, in order to be able to book the best hotels, experiences, recommend restaurants, etc.

Hotels, tour operators, restaurant owners, and others see travel agents as giant talking advertisements. They want them to recommend you their hotel and their restaurant, and not anyone else’s. That’s also why most travel agents stop traveling for fun – if a hotel rep sees on your Instagram you’re in Dubai or Singapore , you can bet they’ll contact you to come to check out their brand new remodeled suite.

About the Author Anna Timbrook

Anna is the co-owner of expert world travel and can't wait to share her travel experience with the world. With over 54 countries under her belt she has a lot to write about! Including those insane encounters with black bears in Canada.

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Travel agent won’t cancel my sick mother’s holiday

She suffered a stroke just three weeks before the cruise and can’t speak

Ten months ago, my parents paid £4,000 for a holiday with Princess Cruises through the travel agent cruise118.com. Last month, three weeks before departure, my mum suffered a stroke. She’s now in intensive care, unable to speak and or move. I tried to cancel the holiday and claim the 25% refund due under the booking terms and conditions. BA immediately agreed to refund the flights, but cruise118.com informed me that, due to data protection rules (GDPR), only my mother, as the lead passenger, could cancel. My parents had annual travel insurance but it did not cover the region they were going to. My mother applied to upgrade it the day before her stroke, but by the time the quote arrived it was too late. LHV, York

This is terribly sad. Your mother is only in her 60s and was active and healthy. Cruise118.com’s stance strikes me as utterly unreasonable. You had sent a letter from the hospital confirming her condition and offered to put your father, as a named passenger, on the phone.

I asked it how its interpretation of GDPR worked if a customer could not speak for themselves. Whereupon it acknowledged a “misunderstanding”. “We have an established process that allows cancellation to be processed on a lead passenger’s behalf, by providing appropriate medical documentation,” it said.

Because the window for the 25% refund had closed, it agreed to refund you and Princess Cruises, on discovering the circumstances, magnanimously returned the rest of the holiday cost as a goodwill gesture. My advice to travellers is take out travel insurance as soon as you book so you are covered from the outset. Email [email protected] . Include an address and phone number. Submission and publication are subject to our terms and conditions

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Leaders Release $1.2 Trillion Spending Bill as Congress Races to Avert Shutdown

The bipartisan bill emerged one day before the federal funding deadline, and it was not clear whether Congress could complete it in time to avoid a partial shutdown after midnight on Friday.

By Catie Edmondson

Reporting from Capitol Hill

Top congressional negotiators in the early hours of Thursday unveiled the $1.2 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September, though it remained unclear whether Congress would be able to complete action on it in time to avert a brief partial government shutdown over the weekend.

Lawmakers are racing to pass the legislation before a Friday midnight deadline in order to prevent a lapse in funds for over half the government, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Pentagon and health agencies. They are already six months behind schedule because of lengthy negotiations to resolve funding and policy disputes.

Now that they have agreed on a final package, which wraps six spending bills together, passage could slip past 12:01 on Saturday morning because of a set of arcane congressional rules . House Republican leaders on Thursday evening scheduled a vote on the bill for Friday morning, bypassing a self-imposed rule requiring that lawmakers be given at least 72 hours to review legislation before it comes up for a vote.

There could be additional hurdles in the Senate, where any one lawmaker’s objection to speedy passage of legislation could prolong debate and delay a final vote. White House officials urged Congress in a statement on Thursday to “send this critical legislation to the president’s desk for signature without delay.”

Democrats and Republicans both highlighted victories in the painstakingly negotiated legislation. Republicans cited as victories funding for 2,000 new Border Patrol agents, additional detention beds run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and a provision cutting off aid to the main United Nations agency that provides assistance to Palestinians. Democrats secured funding increases for federal child care and education programs, cancer and Alzheimer’s research.

“We had to work within difficult fiscal constraints — but this bipartisan compromise will keep our country moving forward,” said Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington and the chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee.

The legislation funds roughly 8,000 more detention beds than last year’s bill, a provision House Republicans bitterly fought for. Congress funded 34,000 beds through the fall of 2023, but under the stopgap measure currently funding the department, the number of beds rose to about 42,000. Negotiators agreed to keep funding flowing to support that higher number.

It also increases funding for technology at the southern border by about 25 percent.

Lawmakers wrote the measure to comply with the debt and spending deal negotiated last year by the speaker at the time, Kevin McCarthy, and President Biden. It called for keeping spending on domestic programs essentially flat — even as funding for veterans’ programs continues to grow and military spending increases slightly.

That translated, in part, to cuts to the State Department’s budget and foreign aid programs, a frequent target of G.O.P. criticism.

Republicans also successfully inserted a provision in the legislation barring funding from going to UNRWA , the main U.N. agency that provides aid to Palestinians in Gaza, through March 2025, which could create a shortfall of hundreds of millions of dollars for the agency. The measure would extend a pause in funding that the White House and lawmakers from both parties supported after Israel accused at least 12 UNRWA employees in January of participating in the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel led by Hamas.

“House Republicans made a commitment to strategically increase defense spending, make targeted cuts to overfunded nondefense programs and pull back wasteful spending from previous years,” said Representative Kay Granger, Republican of Texas and the chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee. “I am proud to say that we have delivered on that promise, and this bill is proof.”

Democrats were able to secure significant increases in spending on child care and education programs, as well as health research, driven by the two top Democratic appropriators, Ms. Murray and Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, who have spent decades working on initiatives to lift children out of poverty.

The legislation contains a 9 percent increase in funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, the nation’s primary child care program, and a $275 million increase for Head Start. It also includes a $120 million increase in funding for cancer research.

“This bipartisan bill ensures our work force is strong, that families are healthy and safe, and that the future of our children is secure,” Ms. DeLauro said.

Also included in the legislation is $200 million for the construction of a new headquarters for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Maryland, funding that ultraconservative House Republicans had clamored to block.

Lawmakers also appear to have fulfilled a request by the Supreme Court for an increase in security funding. The court asked for an additional $19 million for protection of the justices’ residences, as well as 33 new security-related positions.

Eileen Sullivan contributed reporting.

Catie Edmondson covers Congress for The Times. More about Catie Edmondson

A Divided Congress: Latest News and Analysis

Ukraine Aid: Speaker Mike Johnson has expressed a personal desire to send aid to Ukraine despite voting against it repeatedly. Now, he appears to be in search of the least politically damaging way to do it .

Spending Bill: A  bipartisan spending package  approved by Congress ended the prospect of a government shutdown. But the legislation also represented a major defeat for ultraconservatives in the House, who immediately turned on Johnson .

A Dwindling Majority: Representative Mike Gallagher, Republican of Wisconsin, announced that he would resign from Congress months earlier than expected on April 19, bringing the already minuscule G.O.P. majority down to a lonely one vote .

An Invite for Netanyahu: Johnson said that he planned to invite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to address Congress, moving to welcome a leader who has become a flashpoint for partisan disagreement  over the war in Gaza.

TikTok Ban: After a bill that would force TikTok’s Chinese parent company to sell the app or face a nationwide ban sailed through the House  at breakneck speed, its progress has slowed in the Senate .