Travel - How to do away with your travel agent

What is it about travelling to another country (or continent) which makes most people run to their nearest travel agent and beg them to sort it out? In this day and age, there really is no need.  "But why, when they can do it and save me the hassle?" I hear you ask.  For starters, it will save you.  A lot.  I remember the first time we were looking to travel - I had already done a bit of research on the cost of flights, but popped in to my local agent to find out what they could organise.  "$3,000 return" she said.  That's not bad, I thought, about what I was looking at for both of us.  Then came the kicker "Each".  From that day, I have not set foot in a travel agency.

 

So - where to start?  First things first, work out your budget.  You need to have a rough idea as to how much your trip is going to cost before you book anything.  You don't want to get there and have to spend most of your time in your hotel room because you didn't budget enough on spending money.  I like to break everything down into two categories - must haves and luxuries.  Your must haves are things you are not willing to move on.  This could be a preferred airline, minimum four start hotels or activities you aren't prepared to not do.  Your luxuries are things you will do if you have the money for them - hotel and airline upgrades, helicopter tours etc.  Your dates should also fall into this category.  If you have to travel on certain dates because you are attending an event or that's the only time you can get off work, then this is a must have.  If you have flexibility, don't lock your dates in just yet.  The next step is to work out the must have costs - remember you aren't booking anything yet, just getting an idea of the cost.  Start an excel spreadsheet and make a note of the rough cost.  Use comparative sites, such as Webjet, Hotels.com or Agoda.  If your dates aren't locked in, check out the difference in cost - you'd be surprised how much you can save by travelling in the 'shoulder' seasons.  This step can seem tedious, but it will save you nasty surprises and going over your budget.  Even if you use a travel agent, you should establish your budget first.  Next - check the Visa requirements of the country you are travelling to.  If you have any sort of criminal history, you should sort out your Visa before you book, in case you get rejected.  Many countries offer Visa waiver programs, but these don't apply if you have a criminal record.

 

Once you've got your budget and dates worked out, you can start the fun stuff - actually booking! First things first - your flights too and from.  A couple of pointers - sign up to multiple airlines to receive their specials (unless you have a preferred airline).  It is good planning rather than luck that sees you bag a good flight sale.  Have the money ready to go and be ready to book if a good sale comes up.  How to spot a sale?  Ask any friends or family who have travelled to your destination.  Next, ask your friend Google.  This will give you an idea what the average price of a return airfare is.  If you are booking connecting flights at either end, you should leave at least three hours between (four if you're travelling through another country).  Remember, you have to go through customs and check in.  If you can book your fare with the same airline, you may be able to reduce your time between flights, but the last thing you want is to miss your flight.  Some other things to consider - are you travelling with children (or really hate flying)?  If so, you might want to stay overnight between flights.  Make this part of your holiday and do some sightseeing! Does the airline offer a rewards program?  It could be worth signing up (see my previous post about baggage limits too).

 

 

Once your flights are booked, you need to consider your accommodation.  Part of this is working out your itinerary and how long you want to stay in each place.  I have a rule of thumb here - if you have to catch another plan, or drive or train for more than four hours, you want no less than three days at each destination, preferably four.  Otherwise you spend your entire trip in transit. You also want to consider what you want to do at each destination.  Tripadvisor will become your best friend here (actually, Tripadvisor will be your best friend throughout the booking process).  Make a list of sights you want to see, activities you want to do etc and make sure you have enough time.  This will also help in working out what neighbourhood you want to stay in.  I like to be close to the CBD as public transport is generally more accessible and it is usually close to most of the things I want to do.  Of course, there are exceptions to this (if you like to be away from the hustle and bustle, if you are travelling to LA, if you want to be on the water).  When booking accommodation use a comparison website (I use Hotels.com as it has an awesome rewards program) and use the 'map' feature to determine the location of your accommodation.  Once you have a few options, check the reviews on Tripadvisor - here's my list of tips for looking at Tripadvisor reviews:

 

• Look at the overall rating, not just the most recent reviews.  Some people are overly fussy, or unrealistic in their expectations.
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  Read the reviews and see where the hotel lost points - sometimes it's because the staff aren't overly helpful, or the lifts are too slow (yes, I have seen that one).  If it's because the room was unclean or the location poor, cross it off your list (make sure it is more than one review though, some people's opinion of unclean is ridiculous).
• Work out whether you are prepared to walk 10 minutes to the local train or subway station - many people mark down on Tripadvisor because of this.
• Look at the traveller photos to get a good idea of what the hotel actually looks like - much more realistic than the hotel website!!
• Read the forum on the best neighbourhoods - most major destinations have a bit of info and it can be worth its weight in gold.

Before deciding on a hotel, check what extras are included in the price.  Breakfast, free wifi and parking can all save you a lot if they are included in the price.  This is also where your 'luxuries' might come into play - if you want to upgrade, and it fits in your budget, now is the time! Once you have decided on your hotel, check the hotel website - you might be pleasantly surprised and find it is cheaper then on the comparison website.  This is the exception, not the rule, but it has saved me a fair bit in the past.  A couple of other things to note - if you are travelling with a family, or in a group, self contained accommodation may work out cheaper than hotels, especially as it will include cooking and laundry facilities.  Be aware though, it can be hard to get self contained places close to the CBD, and what you save in accommodation could be eaten up in cab fares.  Also, remember you do get what you pay for.  Awesome sales aside, if that five star 30th floor room seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Apart from your flights and accommodation, the main things to consider are:

• Internal flights/trains/buses (again, use a comparative website for flights).  Check your times, and work out how far your accommodation is from the transit centre. 
• Car rental - again, use a comparative site, but make sure you check the insurance provisions (and minimum age requirements).  Also, be aware of one way fees and deposit requirements.  These are often in the fine print, and can be hefty when you arrive to pick the car up.  Also, most places require you to be in the country for at least 24 hours if you have travelled on a long haul flight.
• Attractions - many places offer a discount for booking tickets online, but be careful of 'bundle' tickets - these can be scams - check Tripadvisor first.
• Airport transfers - find out what options are available.  If there is an airtrain, this could be a great option.  Check if your hotel offers transfers to and from.  Be aware of the shuttles that stop at multiple hotels - it may seem like a cheaper option, but could take you a long time to stop at the various hotels on the way.  Many cab companies (and Uber) offer flat fares to and from hotels.
• Read (and ask) the Tripadvisor forums - these contain a wealth of knowledge, and the answers are almost always super helpful.

Remember - booking your holiday is part of your trip!  Make it fun, not a chore.  It will help build the excitement, and you will likely learn a lot more about your destination than you read in a travel brochure!