Travel agency vs. online booking

[angeljolie]

I was told mas mura daw kapag nagbook ng plane tickets sa travel agency kesa kung magbook online.

I've only tried booking online for Cebu Pac tickets, and thru an agency for PAL. So, I couldn't compare. Plus yung Ceb Pac na binook ko eh puro international tapos yung PAL puro domestic.

What about your experience? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

[aquacharly]

If you are watching out for promos -- do it online.  However, keep in mind that the promos put you on inconvenient flights or the less popular travel months (promos after all, are the "hedge" of airlines in anticipation of low passenger loads).

I prefer booking flights through travel agencies for the following reasons:
    1.  They are able to get tickets on better-timed flights
    2.  If your itinerary is complicated.. they are able to sort it out and
         propose the best combination of flights
    3.  If there are changes to your travel plans, they will work on it
    4.  I get better priced tickets from them than on-line (but that does not apply to promo offers)
    5.  Your travel agent will also alert you in advance of coming promos

I do now own a travel agency; nor do I have any investments in such.
But I always prefer booking international flights through my reliable travel agent. 
However for local flights, my secretary just handles it.. and sends the messenger off to buy at the ticketing office.

For international hotels -- I do it online.  I do it myself coz I like to compare features or accessibility. 

[angeljolie]

Thanks, aquacharly!

Hope you could PM your travel agent's contact info. Thanks again!

[Mayonays]

AQUACHARLY
I would love to know your travel agency too sis.
I always prefer online booking because it's way too cheaper. Mom booked a tour once thru travel agency. And it didn't go well.

[kimberly428]

hey! me too aquacharly, baka pwede makuha yun agency? thanks

[mooncake and leaves]

I used to think too that agencies are cheaper. But from my last trip to The Philippines, I learned that some agencies do charge higher. For instance, PAL in May of this year was charging me less than a thousand for RT, taxes included whereas most agencies were charging me a little over a thousand. So lesson yun- the old belief that agencies are cheaper doesn't hold true from time to time.

I did get a way cheaper ticket though from an agency hehe. But I don't believe in being loyal to any particular travel agency because you always get a better deal if you constantly canvass every single time. Nag-iiba presyo talaga. In all my trips and the trips of my dad and aunts, never pa ako umulit ng agency 

[honeyblue]

if domestic flights, online. but if international, i buy through an agency. i agree with sis mooncake and leaves, you should not be loyal to one agency because there are times when they charge more than the others. it's easy to canvass naman. just make a directory of trusted agencies and make calls. =)

[angeljolie]

Ngayon ko lang nabalikan ulit tong thread.

Anyway, I ended up booking online. I inquired from 3 travel agencies kasi and online booking was still cheaper (at least for airfare on the dates of my travel).

[mama squeak!]

Before nung wala pa online bookings, yes, travel agencies were the way to go. But that doesn't hold true anymore. I prefer DIYing my trips and I always look for good deals both with airfares and hotels and more often than not mas mura pa rin pag online. Not to mention the convenience of doing all the planning in the comfort of your home.

[mooncake and leaves]

^^ girl suggestion lang: next time, check with at least 10 agencies before booking. I just checked online and with a couple of agencies- cheaper ang agency. Paiba-iba talaga eh. Kelangan talaga check mo lahat- different agencies, online (side-step, expedia, etc.) and directly dun sa airlines. Advice lang naman kasi ganyan din ako before.

Saka feeling ko factor din kung kelan ka mag-canvass. Too early-mahal. Too close to the flight-mahal. I think 2-3 months ang pinaka-ok. Well, from experience lang naman yun

[freeswan]

i choose travel agency pag medyo complicated yung trip or pag madaming kasama. so for me, travel agency is stress free. pag mag isa lang ako magtravel or kami lang ni hubby, i book online.

[mama squeak!]

Forgot to mention pala, check also direct with the airlines. Sometimes they have promos specially during lean season for walk-in clients. Sa travel agency kasi meron silang patong na surcharges and that's how they make their money.

[parislady]

i prefer to book online rather than going through an agency. i usually buy my tickets through the airline's main website, not some other website that offers flights.  in my experience, the main difference in my experience is that the online fares don't include the phil. travel tax, whereas the when you buy your tickets through the ticket office, the phil. travel tax is usually included already.

if it's just PAL, my bets bet would be to wait for promos, kaso lately promos nila lately aren't that exciting.

i usually book Cathay Pacific for my overseaS travel. and i ALWAYS buy online.  tested na to that online is cheaper than through their ticket office.  i tried comparing before, and the ticket office was not even able get the low fare that i got online, and this was jjust a few  minutes after i booked online!

Plus, cathay pacific's website usually has promos in their philippine website.

it comes out na mas mura pa ng mga 1,500 ang cathay pacific than PAL, or sometimes just the same.i'd rather use Cathay Pacific than PAL kung ganun.

[angeljolie]

Thanks for the recos! I'll take note of them for future trips.

@mooncake and leaves, wow 10 agencies! Ok I have to collect some more. I only know a few.

Last time kasi 3 weeks prior to the trip, saka pa lang ako nag book. Kaya siguro lahat sila mahal hehe.

[Vera]

For tour packages, we usually go through our travel agent. We just say we want to go to these countries, please present us two itineraries. I am always pleased by how well our travel agent organizes our trip and how they can get us good rates on good airlines like SIA.

For land tours naman, I usually just book directly through the operator's website. Sometimes the tour, especially if it's a culinary tour, is unique to that tour operator or sometimes naman, it's organized by a local business. Example are tours unique to San Francisco.

I also do DIY trips. For airline tickets, I go through our travel agent but for local tours, I book through viator.com in advance. I've used them several times in Asia and the U.S. and they're always on-time, organized, very systematic, with enthusiastic and well-trained tour guides -- they actually save us money in the long run.

I echo some posts here about off-season offers. I, for one, subscribe to Sherman's Travel, Travel Zoo, and other travel websites that send out weekly deals to their subscribers. I think it's always a good idea to book discounted tours esp. if you're not too picky about the date and time of flights.

[theflygirl]

I prefer DIY for ALL my travel (I rarely go domestic anyway)...airlines AND hotels...I usually email attractions and hotels directly if they have special rates for the travel industry, which they usually do. I'm leaving on the 1st week of Nov and I planned on getting a land arrangement package since I have mileage tickets already, but I ended up arguing with the stupid liaison officer of the travel agency I called up. SO DENSE. As in. So, I decided to just do DIY again. 

[Karrie]

I learned that if you are to use Local airlines like PAL and Cebu Pacific you have to book it yourself.  You can save a lot.  As for other foreign airline carriers I usually use a travel agent.

As for hotels, I book it myself.  The travel agencies get commission on the rooms because of their IATA number.  What you pay for a Superior when you book on your own could be a Deluxe when you get there.  You can demand better service.

[akthung]

If you are watching out for promos -- do it online.  However, keep in mind that the promos put you on inconvenient flights or the less popular travel months (promos after all, are the "hedge" of airlines in anticipation of low passenger loads).

I prefer booking flights through travel agencies for the following reasons:
    1.  They are able to get tickets on better-timed flights
    2.  If your itinerary is complicated.. they are able to sort it out and
         propose the best combination of flights
    3.  If there are changes to your travel plans, they will work on it
    4.  I get better priced tickets from them than on-line (but that does not apply to promo offers)
    5.  Your travel agent will also alert you in advance of coming promos

I do now own a travel agency; nor do I have any investments in such.
But I always prefer booking international flights through my reliable travel agent. 
However for local flights, my secretary just handles it.. and sends the messenger off to buy at the ticketing office.

For international hotels -- I do it online.  I do it myself coz I like to compare features or accessibility. 

tama. mas gusto ko pa din na may travel agent. why? when you're out of the country and sh*t happens in the middle of your trip/vacation--you can count on them.

as in babantayan nila talaga every opportunity. plus in the course of business, they are able to gain/maintain friends/contacts sa mga airlines. and these contacts can do wonders for you.

now pag nag online booking ka...kanino ka mag complain? and kung sino man humawak ng complain mo, may guarantee ba na magmamalasakit sila para sa iyo? na they'll go out of their way for you. --don't think so.

and yeah...those promos may be cheap...but airlines will cut corners or be "grumpy" to you.

this is also one reason why some people, pinipilit nila mag business class or higher.

[Nuna]

Mga sis, san kayo nagpapa book kapag international flights? Yung youngest sister ko kase uuwi sa Italy ngayong summer. Ako pinapahanap ng tatay ko ng ticks baka raw makakita ko ng mas mura dito. E wala naman ako alam jan kase di pa ko naka travel outside the country..

Help?

[teejiko]

when you're out of the country and sh*t happens in the middle of your trip/vacation--you can count on them.

as in babantayan nila talaga every opportunity. plus in the course of business, they are able to gain/maintain friends/contacts sa mga airlines. and these contacts can do wonders for you.

I agree with sis aquacharly and ^ pero hindi ko pa naman na-experience to personally (and I hope not in the near future). For international bookings, I would suggest to go to a travel agency especially if it involves yung madaming layovers. Online kasi (expedia, cheapoair) they will offer the cheapest they could find pero the layovers are way too long. Unlike sa travel agency, they will search for the best itinerary they could find para hindi hassle. Also, for the special fares (like first time immigrant, dependents, seacrew and workers fare) hindi ito nakikita online.