One of the reasons it's important to use a travel agent and open your mind to the difference in costs, loyalty and fees.
Here is one note - Only use a travel agent to book air - listen to the cost savings you will realize, we may charge you a fee for our service - not a hidden fee! A fee that is disclosed up front and agreed upon.
A good travel agent will analyze the ticket values and rates, sometimes if you are a client who likes to change his/her flights booking a highly discounted ticket is an option and we offer you a higher price ticket that is changeable. Do the math, if you book a flight for $49 with a change fee of $150 plus new fare, why not book a full fare ticket at $179 or even $229 and change it if needed - these are also upgradable; where the budget fare isn't. Everyone likes to upgrade at a minimal cost or minimal usage of their mileage program. You might say, wait - I will not change my plans so book me the cheapest and yes I will do this - the math shows that even at full rate; you should just buy a new ticket as it will be less then exchanging the lowest airfare. This isn't true in all situations, but more often the not a passengers ends up paying more for a ticket then they ever intended.
A good travel agent will try to book you on airlines and airline partners that you have a membership -- there is nothing better then walking up to the desk and having the counter person recognize you and offer you a complimentary upgrade to First Class! Now that rocks and during these poor economic times happens more often then not for members who are Platinum, Gold Plus, 1K or million mile clubs -- Elite status with an airline or hotel chain offers perks you can't imagine. So if your hiding & earning miles with more then two airlines you are wasting your money! Yes! You are wasting your money and you will never reach the status you need to be considered a VIP. Airlines like Delta/Northwest partners with Air France and many others including Alaska Airlines. US Airways, Continental, United and others are all partner lines together under Star Alliance, why not have one membership on the line you travel the most and use the same membership on partner lines. You might say, hey you earn less miles for partner airlines; and you would be right - but what is the worth of having 30K miles with Alaska and 90K miles with Delta - ??? Think about it - your status level isn't measured in miles! It is measured in flights! So even though you use your credit cards to earn miles, these miles are good for upgrading on partners as miles, they are good for purchasing air travel -- however; if you earn more "legs" or trips with a membership line, you suddenly are considered an elite flyer and upgrades start flowing.
Folks, use a travel agent, you are being hit with tons of hidden charges, such as luggage fees - Elite passengers don't pay fees - Fees for more leg room, Elite flyers get seats not available to the general public, even if not first class you get priority boarding, better seats and the best options for in flight perks.
Luggage fees -- the difference between full fare coach and biz class is often LESS! So have your agent look at the options -- no baggage fees for elite and biz or first class.
Here is a shocker! Why are you paying the airlines from $15 to $50 a bag? Ship your bags via Fed-Ex ground, UPS or even the United States Post Office. I do this when I cruise - send my second bag a week in advance to the hotel I will be checking into and carry on my smaller bag. There is nothing more frustrating then arriving to your airport and finding during the change in planes or somewhere during loading your bags have been misplaced. It hard to wash out your undies every night on the cruise ship -- and very expensive to by "ship labeled" clothes to keep you looking cool!
Bigger shocker then that -- some airlines are charging $75 to $125 for the third bag! On a 21 day cruise or world cruise you are being dinged to death and it cuts into your "beer money" spending an additional $250 per couple for bags -- a good agent will offer you some options to save you money. As we will!
Don't fall for the mega web sites - they don't tell you everything unless you read the terms and conditions pages that are longer then my blogs.
Happy Travels
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