Air can be one of the most intimidating parts of planning a trip.
There are schedules, connections, fare types, baggage rules, seat assignments, and plenty of other details to consider. For some travel advisors, it can feel easier to simply let clients handle their own flights. But even if you are not the one ticketing the air, understanding how flights fit into the overall trip can help you spot potential problems, ask better questions and provide a more complete level of service.
If air is an area of the business you would like to better understand, The Travel Institute’s Air Immersion Program is designed to make air more approachable and practical for travel professionals. The program combines expert-led sessions with practical resources to help advisors better understand and apply some of the more complicated parts of air in their business. Advisors also have the opportunity to test their knowledge and earn a certificate of completion.
Click here to learn more about the Air Immersion Program
Whether you currently book air, leave it to your clients or fall somewhere in between, stronger air knowledge can help you ask smarter questions and recognize details that could impact the overall trip.
Before you or your client book that next flight, here are a few things worth checking.
Look Beyond the Price
The lowest fare is not always the best value. Before choosing a flight based on price alone, look at what is actually included. Does the fare allow seat selection? What are the baggage allowances? Are there restrictions on changes? Is the client comparing similar fare types?
A slightly higher fare may make much more sense once you consider what the traveler actually needs.
Check the Connection
A short connection may look great on paper, but there is more to consider than the number of minutes between flights. Think about the airport, whether the traveler needs to change terminals, where they will clear customs and immigration, and whether the connection makes sense for that particular client.
A connection that works for an experienced traveler may not be comfortable for a family with young children, an older traveler, or someone navigating an unfamiliar international airport for the first time.
Look at the Entire Itinerary
The flight is only one part of the trip, so pay attention to what happens before and after.
A late-night arrival may limit transfer options or require an extra hotel night. An early departure could require leaving a resort hours before sunrise. And when a cruise is involved, arriving the same day the ship departs can create unnecessary risk if a flight is delayed or canceled.
Small details matter, too. Make sure traveler names match their identification exactly. Don’t assume the names they normally use are the names that should appear on their tickets. Your client may introduce himself as Bob, but if his identification says Robert, that’s what you need to know before booking the flight. Check spelling, dates, and airports carefully as well, especially in cities served by more than one airport.
It also is important to understand entry requirements, passport validity, and any documentation the travelers may need for their destinations or connection points. This is one area where slowing down and checking everything twice is worth the extra few minutes.
Know What You Don’t Know
Air travel can be complicated, and you do not need to know every airline rule, airport code, or fare type from memory. But you should know where to find reliable information and recognize when you need to ask more questions.
The goal is not necessarily to become an air expert overnight. It is to better understand an important part of the travel experience, so you can have more informed conversations with your clients and recognize the details that deserve a closer look.
So, before the next flight is booked, remember to look beyond the airfare itself. Check the fare rules, connections, timing, traveler needs, and how the flight fits into the bigger trip.
Sometimes the difference between simply booking a flight and providing great service is knowing what else to look for.
