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Seaton says booking through a travel agent typically won't cost you more. She says while some agents will charge you a nominal planning fee, many agencies like hers do not charge anything extra for their services.

Fees can range from $50-$500 based on their years of experience and destination knowledge. Some luxury agents will charge a percentage in advance of booking private jets and islands.

The commission is paid to the travel agent. For most trips, the vendor pays 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).

Yes—and now they're called travel advisors. They could be more helpful than you may think. If the idea of using a travel agent to plan your next trip sounds like recommending a rotary phone to confirm your flight reservation, think again

As we enter 2022, it's still just as crucial to use a travel advisor for booking your vacation. Agents get the latest news in all things travel delivered right to their inbox, and they have the most important websites bookmarked and ready access when you call in to start planning.