What is a travel agent? What they do, how they earn, and the main types
Tripdash Team
March 5, 2026
A travel agent plans and sells trips for travelers. What they do day to day, how they earn from commission, fees and host splits, and the main types of agent.
A travel agent is a person who plans and sells trips for other people. They book flights, hotels, cruises and tours, advise on destinations and documents, and fix things when plans change. Most earn from supplier commission, many add service fees, and independent agents share their commission with a host agency.
Here is what the job involves day to day, how the money works, the main types of agent, and where to go next if you want to become one.
What is a travel agent?
A travel agent arranges and sells travel on behalf of travelers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says travel agents sell transportation, lodging, and admission to entertainment activities to individuals and groups planning trips. They also "offer advice on destinations, plan trip itineraries, and make travel arrangements for clients."
The US Department of Labor's O*NET adds that agents determine destination, modes of transportation, travel dates, costs, and accommodations required, and "may assist in resolving clients' travel problems."
The agent doesn't own the hotel room or the airline seat. The supplier does. The agent is the person who picks the right one, books it and stays on the trip until the traveler is home.
The title varies. O*NET's sample of reported job titles includes travel consultant, travel counselor, corporate travel consultant and destination specialist.
Travel agent or travel advisor: is there a difference?
No. It is the same job with a newer name.
In August 2018, the American Society of Travel Agents renamed itself the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), keeping its acronym. Its then president, Zane Kerby, said the new name "more accurately describes the value our members provide to consumers". Trade publication Associations Now likened the new role to a financial advisor's.
Government data still uses the old term. BLS and O*NET both file the work under travel agents, occupation code 41-3041. Both names describe the same work.
What does a travel agent do day to day?
Most of the day is talking and booking. BLS says agents spend most of their time talking with clients, promoting tours, and contacting airlines and hotels. Much of it happens on the phone and on the computer.
Here is how the BLS and O*NET duty lists map onto one trip.
| Stage of the trip | What the agent does |
|---|---|
| The first conversation | Determine clients' needs and preferences, such as schedules and costs |
| Building options | Find fare and schedule information, plan tour packages and excursions, and calculate total travel costs |
| Booking | Book transportation and hotel reservations, using computer or telephone, and collect payment for transportation and accommodations from customer |
| Before departure | Give details on required documents, such as passports and visas, and advise on local customs and attractions |
| During the trip | Make alternative booking arrangements if changes arise before or during the trip |
| Behind the scenes | Record and maintain information on clients, vendors, and travel packages |
Two more parts of the job don't fit a single trip. Agents may visit destinations to get firsthand experience, touring hotels, resorts and restaurants. And self-employed agents also run a business, with recordkeeping, managing staff, and marketing.
The hours can stretch. Some agents work additional hours during peak travel times or when clients change plans at the last minute.
How do travel agents get paid?
Mostly from the travel they sell. BLS says earnings for many travel agents depend on commissions and service fees. There are three parts to know.
Supplier commission. The hotel, cruise line or tour operator pays the agent a percentage of the booking. Expedia's agent program, for example, lets agents earn commission on total booking value, inclusive of taxes and fees. Supplier commission explains how and when it is paid, and supplier commission rates lists what suppliers publish.
Service fees. Some agents charge the traveler directly for planning time. One host agency notes that many bespoke advisors charge planning or service fees alongside commission, because a complex trip can take hours to design whatever it ends up costing.
Host splits. Independent agents who work under a host agency share their commission with the host. One host-published guide says splits generally run anywhere from 60/40 to 90/10 in the advisor's favour, sometimes with setup or monthly fees.
Commission is not a salary. A booking pays nothing until the supplier pays out, and different trips pay very different amounts.
For employed agents, BLS reports a median annual wage of $50,160 in May 2025, including commissions. That survey does not include the self-employed. How much travel agents make covers the rest.
What are the types of travel agents?
BLS names two main kinds by client: leisure travel agents sell vacation packages to the public, while corporate travel agents primarily make travel arrangements for businesses. Agents also differ by how they're set up.
| Type | Who they serve | How they usually work |
|---|---|---|
| Leisure agent | Individuals, families and groups on vacation | Employed or self-employed |
| Corporate agent | A company's employees traveling for work or conferences | Usually employed by an agency or travel management company |
| Specialist | A niche, such as one region or adventure tours | Either. BLS says leisure agents often focus on a specific geographic area or type of travel |
| Hosted independent | Their own client list | Self-employed, booking under a host agency's accreditation and supplier contracts |
| Employee | The agency's or supplier's customers | On payroll, often with training on the company's systems |
Most agents work for someone else. BLS counts 72% in travel arrangement and reservation services and 12% self-employed. Travel agent jobs compares the five job routes and how each one pays.
Do people still use travel agents?
Yes, according to BLS. Its outlook says people are expected to continue relying on travel agents for their advice on popular or unique destinations and for their ability to handle travel issues.
BLS also names the pressure. Travelers' ability to use online resources, including artificial intelligence (AI) tools, to research vacations and book their own trips may limit demand. It projects little or no change in employment from 2025 to 2035, with about 5,900 openings a year, mostly to replace people who leave.
The work that lasts is judgment and support. Booking a single hotel is easy online. A multi-stop trip that goes wrong in the middle is not.
Travel agent vs online travel agency
A travel agent is a person. An online travel agency (OTA) is a website or app where travelers book for themselves. OTAs and agents both earn supplier commission, but only the agent plans the trip with you and picks up the phone when it breaks. What is an OTA? covers how the big booking sites make money, and online travel agent covers agents who work fully online.
Should you become a travel agent?
It fits if people already ask you to plan their trips, you like detail, and you can sell. BLS lists communication, customer-service, organizational and sales skills as important.
Start employed if you want a paycheck and on-the-job training. BLS says employers typically provide on-the-job training that lasts at least 1 month.
Go independent with a host if you have clients, or a host that sends you leads, and you're fine being paid in commission. The hub guide, how to become a travel agent, walks through both routes.
Where Tripdash fits
Tripdash is a host agency platform that certifies travel advisors and sends qualified leads. Advisors keep 80%+ of every booking, with IATA accreditation, E&O insurance and supplier access included. See how Tripdash works for advisors.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Travel Agents, last modified August 27, 2026 (May 2025 wages, 2025–35 projections).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: scope of the survey.
- US Department of Labor, O*NET OnLine. Travel Agents, 41-3041.00, updated 2026.
- Ernie Smith, Associations Now (ASAE trade press). In association rebrand, travel agents become travel advisors, August 27, 2018.
- Expedia Group. Expedia TAAP, accessed October 2026.
- Waybird (runs its own hosted program). 9 questions to ask a host agency before you join, August 19, 2026.
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