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IndustryMay 16, 2026 · 8 min read

Why Some Travellers Still Use a Phone-Based Travel Agent in 2025

Travel agents have not disappeared. Here is when calling an agent beats clicking through an online travel engine.

Online travel engines are fine for simple round-trips. They struggle the moment your itinerary gets complicated.

When does calling an agent actually beat the website? Multi-city trips. Long-haul economy on international carriers. Award-ticket bookings. Last-minute travel. Anything where the fare rules matter.

Travel agents have direct access to consolidator inventory — bulk-purchased seats that airlines unload through agencies rather than public sites. That doesn't always mean a lower price, but it widens the option set.

The other quiet advantage is post-booking support. If your flight is cancelled mid-itinerary, the agent calls the airline on your behalf — no two-hour airline hold queue from a hotel room in another country.

It's not the right channel for everyone. If you're booking a $200 domestic round-trip with no complications, the website is faster and free. For anything else, a five-minute call can save hours and dollars later.

Want a specialist to plan this for you?

A AeroTicketHub agent will find private fares and lock in the right itinerary in minutes.

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Travel desk: +1 888 339 7199