Dear Babcia and YiaYia
I want to plan a trip to Europe but I have no idea what I’m doing! I don’t want to go on a tour but I’m so nervous about all of the details of my plans. What can I do to make my experience as hassle free as possible?
Our answer is simple!!! USE A TRAVEL AGENT TO BOOK YOUR AIR!!!!
We know! We are all about making things DIY but, in this day and age, it’s helpful to have a true professional on your side. Truth be told, agent tickets are usually about the same as Expedia or other third party flight choices. You may say that’s impossible! But, in all reality, by the time you add in your seat fee, your luggage, and even that meager snack, the price winds up being pretty much the same. That is unless you are looking for the uber cheap air that’s going to cancel on you at the very last minute!
Travel agents also know more about air options than anyone. They often know how to look at which routes may work around certain issues or help make a layover worth your while. Our agent once helped me circumvent the fireworks in Washington DC when I flew in on the 4th of July. I hadn’t even thought of how my air travel could be affected! So, how do you go about
When booking air, consider asking about these basic questions:
- Is that the best price or the best layover?
- Does that come with baggage?
- What are the seat assignments with that ticket?
- Is my ticket refundable or reschedulable?
Have your air travel backed up with a little help.
- If something happens while I’m on my travels, can I call you for help?
- Most airlines won’t help you if things get serious, they will insist that you call your agent.
- However, there is a trend that airlines will automatically rebook and reroute you to your final destination if they have you running behind. Check with the airline for automatic updates and if your issue is not resolved, go ahead and call your travel agent to negotiate the best moves.
- Agents can be a home base to call should something go wrong but they can also be a source of information if you find yourself stranded. They often know the reimbursement rules and can advise you to ask certain questions to the airlines to ensure you get that information. For example, if your bag is lost (and I mean really lost) in Europe, you could be reimbursed up to $1,800.00 if you choose to close the help ticket on your bag.
Get your travel insurance plan together.
The best help you can give yourself is peace of mind when it comes to your travels. And the easiest way to accomplish that is by purchasing travel insurance. A little investment goes a long way when you feel stranded far from home. And there are all kinds of insurance policies out there. Here are a few questions to ask your travel agent about insurance choices:
- What is the best kind of insurance to cover this trip?
- What is the fastest way to take care of an issue away from home?
- What exactly does this policy cover? Air ambulance, luggage, flights, delays, hospitals…. We offer two great policies through our affiliate partnerships. MEDJET is for air evacuation and can help get you home should you find yourself ill of injured. This policy is great for travelers over 69. World Nomad Insurance is a comprehensive policy that is super easy to purchase for travelers under 70. You can learn more about both of these policies here.
- Who do I call if there is an emergency? Like ask for the number!