Travel agent plan to go fee

Hmm.. I'm not overly familiar with travel agents so not sure if it is normal, but for me, I would say I would "plan to go with someone else" because I'd rather save the money

If she's doing work for you she should charge you for it. Otherwise do it yourself

I think this is typical of travel agents. We always book/plan our trips ourselves to avoid those fees.

I think I wrote this wrong. I pay her $250 before she plans, and then she would use that money to book the trip later. It's not a few its an insurance policy for her. I've never used a travel agent before so I was just wondering if this is standard practice or a red flag.

I've heard of this before. It kind of makes sense since travel agents only get paid when you actually book through them. She's probably been burned in the past by taking all that time to create a detailed itinerary, and then clients just went "gee thanks" and booked it themselves. Since it would be applied to your overall bill it just seems like she wants to make sure she is actually compensated for her time and expertise rather than trying to scam you.

No, my travel agent doesn't charge a fee. We actually just booked a honeymoon in Ireland last week. There are really good resources on the internet that you could book the trip through.

My travel agent doesn't charge a fee, but we did put down a $100 retainer that will go towards our trip in the end. Travel agents make their money from booking trips, so it's just a way to ensure they're paid for their time and energy. I'm honestly really glad we went through an agent who could give recommendations and get us the best deal possible!

Thank you for all the responses!

That makes sense though. It’s a lot of upfront work they do, and great if they can get you good deals.

I’ve used several travel agents over the last few years, but I’ve never had a travel agent ask for this type of fee. I wouldn’t pay the $250 because this agent now has zero reason to make sure you get the best deal on your trip. She could come back with numbers and you find a cheaper option elsewhere, but now you’re out $250. I’m guessing she thinks it’s more likely that you’ll stay with her versus losing the money.

Thank you for all the responses. I ended up talking to another agent who specializes in Ireland. He does not have a required deposit and seemed much more professional on the phone.