DevilsPGD

I'm planning a trip to Dallas and then to Phoenix for a few days in
October. In Dallas, my hotels are taken care of, but in Phoenix I'm on
my own for arranging everything.

Think it's worth bothering a travel agent? Will I get better rates on
flights and/or hotels? More or less hassle?

I know basically what I want and where I want to stay, but my dates are
flexible (plus/minus a couple days), so I'm wondering if I should bother
or if I should just do my own thing?

PeterL

x-no-archive: yes

DevilsPGD wrote:
    > I'm planning a trip to Dallas and then to Phoenix for a few days in
    > October. In Dallas, my hotels are taken care of, but in Phoenix I'm on
    > my own for arranging everything.
    > Think it's worth bothering a travel agent? Will I get better rates on
    > flights and/or hotels? More or less hassle?
    > I know basically what I want and where I want to stay, but my dates are
    > flexible (plus/minus a couple days), so I'm wondering if I should bother
    > or if I should just do my own thing?

Are you in the US? Why not use one of the many web sites to book your
hotel?


    > --
    > You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.

PTravel

"DevilsPGD" <> wrote in message
news:...
    > I'm planning a trip to Dallas and then to Phoenix for a few days in
    > October. In Dallas, my hotels are taken care of, but in Phoenix I'm on
    > my own for arranging everything.
    > Think it's worth bothering a travel agent? Will I get better rates on
    > flights and/or hotels? More or less hassle?

If it's the right travel agent, it's considerably less hassle.

My travel agent knows my preferences for airlines, seat selection, aircraft
type (there are some I will not fly on), airports, hotels, room
configurations, etc. I just give her the departure dates and times and she
does the rest. I get an itinerary which, more often than not, I don't even
look at 'til I get to the airport.

If I need a change mid-trip, I just call her office (it has a 24 hour
number) and tell them what I want, and it gets handled.

Of course, I've been working with her for years and travel quite frequently.
I don't know whether you could expect this kind of service on a one-shot
basis.

    > I know basically what I want and where I want to stay, but my dates are
    > flexible (plus/minus a couple days), so I'm wondering if I should bother
    > or if I should just do my own thing?
    > --
    > You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.

Frank F. Matthews

For the most part you are probably better off doing the reservations
yourself. A TA will charge significantly for not much information.
They do have to charge for their time these days. It doesn't sound as
though your trip is complicated enough to need a TA.

PTravel wrote:

    > "DevilsPGD" <> wrote in message
    > news:...
    >
    >>I'm planning a trip to Dallas and then to Phoenix for a few days in
    >>October. In Dallas, my hotels are taken care of, but in Phoenix I'm on
    >>my own for arranging everything.
    >>Think it's worth bothering a travel agent? Will I get better rates on
    >>flights and/or hotels? More or less hassle?
    >
    >
    > If it's the right travel agent, it's considerably less hassle.
    >
    > My travel agent knows my preferences for airlines, seat selection, aircraft
    > type (there are some I will not fly on), airports, hotels, room
    > configurations, etc. I just give her the departure dates and times and she
    > does the rest. I get an itinerary which, more often than not, I don't even
    > look at 'til I get to the airport.
    >
    > If I need a change mid-trip, I just call her office (it has a 24 hour
    > number) and tell them what I want, and it gets handled.
    >
    > Of course, I've been working with her for years and travel quite frequently.
    > I don't know whether you could expect this kind of service on a one-shot
    > basis.
    >
    >
    >>I know basically what I want and where I want to stay, but my dates are
    >>flexible (plus/minus a couple days), so I'm wondering if I should bother
    >>or if I should just do my own thing?
    >>--
    >>You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.
    >
    >
    >

PTravel

"Frank F. Matthews" <> wrote in message
news:LO3Ue.48824$...
    > For the most part you are probably better off doing the reservations
    > yourself. A TA will charge significantly for not much information.

My TA charges me $39/ticket. I just booked a three-city, 6 leg trip with
her. If I had to do it myself, laying out all the different permutations
and flights, it would have taken me hours. My billable rate is $425/hour.
By paying her $39, I saved $900 or more.

    > They do have to charge for their time these days. It doesn't sound as
    > though your trip is complicated enough to need a TA.
    > PTravel wrote:
    > > "DevilsPGD" <> wrote in message
    > > news:...
    > >
    > >>I'm planning a trip to Dallas and then to Phoenix for a few days in
    > >>October. In Dallas, my hotels are taken care of, but in Phoenix I'm on
    > >>my own for arranging everything.
    > >>
    > >>Think it's worth bothering a travel agent? Will I get better rates on
    > >>flights and/or hotels? More or less hassle?
    > >
    > >
    > > If it's the right travel agent, it's considerably less hassle.
    > >
    > > My travel agent knows my preferences for airlines, seat selection,
aircraft
    > > type (there are some I will not fly on), airports, hotels, room
    > > configurations, etc. I just give her the departure dates and times and
she
    > > does the rest. I get an itinerary which, more often than not, I don't
even
    > > look at 'til I get to the airport.
    > >
    > > If I need a change mid-trip, I just call her office (it has a 24 hour
    > > number) and tell them what I want, and it gets handled.
    > >
    > > Of course, I've been working with her for years and travel quite
frequently.
    > > I don't know whether you could expect this kind of service on a one-shot
    > > basis.
    > >
    > >
    > >>I know basically what I want and where I want to stay, but my dates are
    > >>flexible (plus/minus a couple days), so I'm wondering if I should bother
    > >>or if I should just do my own thing?
    > >>
    > >>--
    > >>You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.
    > >
    > >
    > >

Frank F. Matthews

The OPs travel was quite simple and shouldn't take 15 minutes.

If you billed the time that you saved by using the TA then you are ahead.

PTravel wrote:

    > "Frank F. Matthews" <> wrote in message
    > news:LO3Ue.48824$...
    >
    >>For the most part you are probably better off doing the reservations
    >>yourself. A TA will charge significantly for not much information.
    >
    >
    > My TA charges me $39/ticket. I just booked a three-city, 6 leg trip with
    > her. If I had to do it myself, laying out all the different permutations
    > and flights, it would have taken me hours. My billable rate is $425/hour.
    > By paying her $39, I saved $900 or more.
    >
    >
    >>They do have to charge for their time these days. It doesn't sound as
    >>though your trip is complicated enough to need a TA.
    >>PTravel wrote:
    >>>"DevilsPGD" <> wrote in message
    >>>news:...
    >>>>I'm planning a trip to Dallas and then to Phoenix for a few days in
    >>>>October. In Dallas, my hotels are taken care of, but in Phoenix I'm on
    >>>>my own for arranging everything.
    >>>>Think it's worth bothering a travel agent? Will I get better rates on
    >>>>flights and/or hotels? More or less hassle?
    >>>If it's the right travel agent, it's considerably less hassle.
    >>>My travel agent knows my preferences for airlines, seat selection,
    >
    > aircraft
    >
    >>>type (there are some I will not fly on), airports, hotels, room
    >>>configurations, etc. I just give her the departure dates and times and
    >
    > she
    >
    >>>does the rest. I get an itinerary which, more often than not, I don't
    >
    > even
    >
    >>>look at 'til I get to the airport.
    >>>If I need a change mid-trip, I just call her office (it has a 24 hour
    >>>number) and tell them what I want, and it gets handled.
    >>>Of course, I've been working with her for years and travel quite
    >
    > frequently.
    >
    >>>I don't know whether you could expect this kind of service on a one-shot
    >>>basis.
    >>>>I know basically what I want and where I want to stay, but my dates are
    >>>>flexible (plus/minus a couple days), so I'm wondering if I should bother
    >>>>or if I should just do my own thing?
    >>>>--
    >>>>You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.
    >
    >

DevilsPGD

In message <>
"PeterL" <> wrote:

    >x-no-archive: yes
    >DevilsPGD wrote:
    >> I'm planning a trip to Dallas and then to Phoenix for a few days in
    >> October. In Dallas, my hotels are taken care of, but in Phoenix I'm on
    >> my own for arranging everything.
    >> Think it's worth bothering a travel agent? Will I get better rates on
    >> flights and/or hotels? More or less hassle?
    >> I know basically what I want and where I want to stay, but my dates are
    >> flexible (plus/minus a couple days), so I'm wondering if I should bother
    >> or if I should just do my own thing?
    >Are you in the US? Why not use one of the many web sites to book your
    >hotel?

No. The issue is simply that I don't know the tricks for getting better
flights, and I know my parents have sometimes gotten better prices
through a TA then by calling hotels and asking.

Juliana L Holm

DevilsPGD <> wrote:

    > No. The issue is simply that I don't know the tricks for getting better
    > flights, and I know my parents have sometimes gotten better prices
    > through a TA then by calling hotels and asking.

YMMV. I don't think that you can get a better airfare via a travel agent
than on the web. Check out expedia, travelocity, orbitz, qixo, to compare
then go to the airline's own site to book.

Hotels you can often do yourself, but it does take work. If you are a member
of AAA, their travel book is going to give you good rates, otherwise, you
might find a TA worthwhile. If you go to a TA try to find one you have some
connection to, maybe your work uses a TA and the same TA can get you hotels
personally (everywhere I have worked that had a travel office/travel agent
they could do it, until my current employer.). Otherwise ask friends and
family. A TA does more if he/she has a relationship than for a one time
person out of the blue.

Julie

Shawn Hirn

In article <>,
DevilsPGD <> wrote:

    > I'm planning a trip to Dallas and then to Phoenix for a few days in
    > October. In Dallas, my hotels are taken care of, but in Phoenix I'm on
    > my own for arranging everything.
    >
    > Think it's worth bothering a travel agent? Will I get better rates on
    > flights and/or hotels? More or less hassle?

Its up to you. Travel agents do not charge fees to their customers, so
call around and see what prices they can come up with, then go to the
individual hotels' web sites and see what rates you can get by booking
the rooms directly, then also compare those rates with travel related
web sites such as Orbitz, Expedia, Hotels.com, and Travelocity. Frankly,
I think the days of independent travel agents are quickly coming to an
end, but you really have nothing to lose by calling two or three agents
in your area to see what they can come up with.

Juliana L Holm

Shawn Hirn <> wrote:
    > Its up to you. Travel agents do not charge fees to their customers, so
    > call around and see what prices they can come up with, then go to the
    > individual hotels' web sites and see what rates you can get by booking
    > the rooms directly, then also compare those rates with travel related
    > web sites such as Orbitz, Expedia, Hotels.com, and Travelocity. Frankly,
    > I think the days of independent travel agents are quickly coming to an
    > end, but you really have nothing to lose by calling two or three agents
    > in your area to see what they can come up with.

Most travel agents do charge fees on the sale of airline tickets now, at
least domestic ones in the US, since the airlines are no longer paying
meaningful commissions to them. Mine charges $10, about the same as
Travelocity.

They do not use Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity. Indeed thoste three Booking
sites are, in fact, travel agents.

Julie