Q&A: Is it free to have a travel agent help you find the cheapest rate on air flights?

Question by Sasha: Is it free to have a travel agent help you find the cheapest rate on air flights?
Im trying to book a flight thats not for another 2 1/2 months. Im on a very tight budget and want to know the cheapest way to get a round trip ticket (if I can keep it under 0 that would be great). I was told to contact a travel agent b/c they can get you the best deals…but what is their fee? And are there any catches I’d need to know about?

*Thanks…Im a first time flyer and very nervous!!!

Best answer:

Answer by Marc T
Whether (and how much) they charge you depends… have you or your family done business with that agent often? In that case, they might decide to just throw this service in as a freeby. On the other end, if he doesn’t know you, he may simply tell you to go to the usual search engines like kayak.com and do the work yourself.

Of course, this being yahoo answers, why don’t you ask people here how to get the cheapest flight? I’m sure some people will try to help, if you provide the necessary details, like from where to where you want to fly, when, and if there is any flexibility in your plans.

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Comments (3)

  1. Gerald J says:
    February 12, 2012 at 5:32 pm

    You can try calling a travel agent, but should compare prices on the internet first to get an idea of what the cost is for the flight you plan on taking. Kayak.com is a good place to start, they compare different airline and travel sites. Also check Southwest, JetBlue and Virgin America for low fares. For a flight 2½ months from now you should buy your ticket very soon for the best price.

    A good travel agent can often find you the best fares, usually at no cost to you since their commission is paid by the airlines.

  2. Terry says:
    February 12, 2012 at 6:25 pm

    Agent fee’s vary. It sounds like you’re travelling domestically? If so then I’d recommend trying one of the agrigator sites such as Webjet.com. These list all of the flights that operate on a certain route, with their prices.

  3. Smi Fli says:
    February 12, 2012 at 7:09 pm

    you can search and compare the cheapest airline tickets and airfares online within one website, and grab the best deal ever. http://www.finddirtcheapairlinetickets.com