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How Much Do Travel Agents Make? Travel Agent Salary 2024

There's a whoooole lot to consider when looking at how much travel agents make. Beyond the more obvious factors (like working hours or having more experience), here are a few things that impact a travel agent's income.

• Employee vs. Self-employed? The vast majority of leisure travel agents are now entrepreneurs (most of whom align with a host agency ). This is a change from the old-school days when most travel agents were storefront agency employees. Why does this matter? Because there are going to be a lot more factors that impact income for those who run their own business compared to employees who clock in and out of a 9 to 5.
• Travel Agent Niche: A corporate advisor will typically earn a higher salary than leisure/vacation travel agents. However, within the leisure sector, niche makes a big difference. Adventure and luxury travel, for example, earned higher averages than family and Disney travel in some of HAR's more recent research reports .
• Time Investment: Self employed travel advisors who set their own schedules work varied hours. Time investment also has a huge impact on earning potential.
• Industry Experience: Experience level also plays a large role in travel advisor income, with travel advisors typically making more as they get a foothold in the industry.

The thing with travel advisors in the 21st century is that there is no "norm." There are always more exceptions than rules, which is one of the great joys of becoming a travel agent. Organizations outside the industry that report on travel agent salaries are ill-equipped to offer a nuanced picture. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics , for example, doesn't include self-employed travel advisors in their data, only employees.

Here's the thing though. Being self employed is, by far, the most popular pathway to becoming a travel agent .

Organizations reporting on travel agent salaries outside the travel industry aren’t aware of the nuances of our field.

So that’s why we’re here! :)

As a company that focuses solely on travel advisors, we’ll break down some of those nuances so you can get a more accurate picture of travel agent salaries. We’re going to dig into some in-house data to break down travel agent salaries and earnings into digestible categories.

Here’s what you can expect:

• ALL travel agents (employees and self-employed: hosted and independent)
• Self-employed travel agents (includes hosted travel agents and independently accredited agents).
• Travel agent employees (advisors who get 'ye old W2, employed by a travel agency)
• Corporate travel advisor employees and corporate travel managers (employees who book corporate travel)

So take a seat. Pour a waterfall of melted butter on a mountain of popcorn and settle in!

How Much Do Travel Agents Make? All of 'Em.

Phocuswright's 2023 US Travel Agency Landscape offered a great overview of current travel advisor income. They offer a big picture look at how much all advisors earn based on experience.

Here's the key takeaways:

• Overall, 39% of advisors earned less than $25,000 per year. However, 80% of advisors in the lowest income bracket had been selling travel for two years or less.
• Experienced agents, typically earned $50,000+ annually and 25% of experienced travel agents earned $100,000+ annually.

In summary? Experience has a big impact on income! This is particularly true among travel advisors, where commissions are typically not paid until after a client travels or in the case of cruises, 30-60 days prior to departure.

But don't get discouraged if you're just starting out!

If you're becoming an independent/self-employed travel agent, it can take a hot minute to generate income. It takes time to develop a client base and build your brand. Not only that, but commissions from suppliers often don't land in your account until your client's trip is complete (which could be months out)!

Here's more details what income you can expect in the first few years when you start your own travel agency from home .

What does the Bureau of Labor and Statistics Say About Travel Agent Salaries?

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) offers a somewhat different vantage point. While Phocuswright's number reflect primarily home-based independent advisors, BLS data predominantly profiles travel advisor employees.

The BLS data has shown a 26% increase in travel advisor salaries over the past decade. The graph below illustrates how it's increased over time.

The BLS’ latest numbers (2024) reported an average travel agent salary of $46,400 1 .

Here’s a few things to keep in mind about the BLS numbers:

• BLS only profiles employees. The BLS site sums it up here: “Estimates do not include self-employed workers.” When calculating annual incomes. We survey full-time and part-time self-employed travel agents in addition to employees.
• BLS only looks at full-time travel agents. Here's how they crunch their numbers, "Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a 'year-round, full-time' hours." 2

So we took a look at the BLS data, which you now know skews heavily towards employees and doesn’t reflect the true industry landscape where the majority of travel advisors are self-employed.

What does HAR's research say about how much ALL travel agents make?

The graph below offers a counterpoint to the BLS data. Host Agency Reviews' in-house survey profiled 95% of self-employed advisors and 5% of employees.

Here's a birds-eye view of average income when looking at self-employed AND employee income.

Our site helps travel agencies start and grow their travel agencies so our readers skew heavily toward entrepreneurs. There’s also another huge reason HAR’s survey data on travel agent salaries are different than what the BLS reports.

When homing in on experienced and full-time advisors, results from HAR’s 2023 survey clock in higher than the BLS number, with data indicating that full-time travel advisors earned a $56,632 a year on average.

Since it’s hard to get accurate numbers on how much a travel agent makes when we look at everyone—corporate/leisure, employee/self-employed—next up, we’ll take a detailed look at average travel agent salaries for:

• self-employed advisors,
• travel advisor employees,
• travel managers,
• and corporate travel advisors.

Gotta cover all our bases! 😀

How Much Do Travel Agents Make? Self-Employed Travel Agents

Self-employed travel advisors are those who run their own businesses (rather than work as an employee).

I’m going to throw some industry lingo at you now. Are you ready? The self-employed category contains two primary segments of advisors:

• Hosted advisors (those who use another agency’s accreditation number, called a host agency ) and
• Independently accredited travel advisors (those who have their own travel accreditation)

Here’s the big picture you need to know about self-employed advisors. Over time, the number of self-employed advisors has been growing exponentially, while the number of storefront travel agencies has decreased over time.

In particular, hosted advisors have become the leading path to bringing new talent to the travel agency distribution channel.

We write research reports on both the hosted and independently-accredited travel advisor segment. In our 2023 report, full-time hosted advisors with 3+ years of experience earned $60,146 on average and their independently-accredited counterparts earned $76,252.

Why the income drop for hosted advisors? We know a big factor that influences how much a travel agent makes is their experience level. Hosted advisors are more likely to be newer to the industry. The median years of experience for hosted advisors was 5 years , compared to 18 years for independent travel agents.

Owner Deductions (and how it impacts how much self-employed travel agents make)

I want to bring up one last thing that complicates things when it comes to self-employed travel agent salaries. Because why not? You've already read this far! 😊

When we're talking about income for self-employed agents, income/salary numbers can be artificially deflated.

Why? Three things:

• Business owners may not be reporting all of their income. Since cash transactions leave no paper trail for the IRS to follow, many small businesses won't report cash transactions and in not doing so, they lower the income/earnings they report to the government.
• Business owners get write-offs. I can write off my office. I can write off my work trips. I can write off my work phone and meals with colleagues where I discuss business. When I do that, it lowers what I report for my taxable income (ahem, salary) to the IRS. Not only that, but travel agents will vary WILDLY in terms of how much of their income they write off. (Take a look at what travel expenses you can (and can't) write off .)
• Salary and income are separate things for some business structures. Depending on the agency's business structure, the owner may pay themselves a salary (say $45k) but the income of the company may actually be much higher. All the IRS requires with these S Corp business structures is that the owner pays themselves a “reasonable” salary.

Learn about the different types of travel agency business structures here. So, keep those things in mind when you're looking at earning potential.

How Much Do Travel Agents Make? Travel Agent Employees Only

This section on employee travel agent salary is going to give you numbers that will be close to what you can expect if you get hired on at an agency. Travel agent employee salaries have less variance when compared to self-employed travel agents.

For the majority of travel advisor employees, income is not dependent on commissions alone. Here’s a look at the travel agent employee compensation structures.

The set salary of a travel agent employee offers stability not afforded to self-employed advisors. Additionally, employees also often receive benefits and are not subject to the added complexity and expense of paying business taxes .

When looking at travel advisor employees only, HAR’s salary data lands much closer to what the BLS reports. In HAR’s 2023 survey, full-time travel agent employees earned $50,115 .

Employee compensation models play a substantial role when it comes to how much a travel agent employee makes. The graph below takes a look at the average income of the three most common compensation models.

Lesson on that? If you're looking for an employee position at a travel agency, find one that pays salary, plus commission! 😀

How Much Do Travel Agents Make? Corporate Employees & Travel Managers

Corporate travel advisors.

Corporate travel advisors (those who book travel for corporations) typically earn more than those who sell leisure travel. Below offers a look at corporate advisor income compared to leisure advisor income (among FT advisors).

Do you have an interest in becoming a Corporate Travel Agent? You can sink your teeth into a few juicy tidbits of info here: 

• HAR’s article, Breaking into corporate travel
• Our podcast interview (below) with corporate agent Karen Hurlbut:

Travel Managers

Looking ahead on the corporate travel agent career trajectory, Travel Manager/Supervisory positions start with a much higher baseline. Business Travel News (BTN) report profiling Travel Managers/Supervisors' salary working for corporate entities as an in-house advisor (not working for a travel agency). The overall average for a corporate travel manager salary registered at $128,439.

Beyond Travel Agent Salaries, Why Advisors Love Their Jobs

We've looked at travel agent salaries from a whole bunch of different perspectives. You made it through the spinning, twirling madness of data acrobats. 

HAR’s research reports offer a ton of info on travel agent salaries. But ultimately, how much you make as a travel agent depends on a lot of factors, including:

• what type of advisor you are (corporate, leisure, employee, self-employed, etc.),
• what type of travel you sell,
• your experience level,
• hours worked,
• and all that other fun stuff!

While naming one number for a travel agent salary is impossible, there is one thing that is consistent among all the surveys: the majority of travel advisors are happy with their career choice. 

HAR’s 2023 Hosted Travel Advisor Survey indicated that 95% of advisors would choose to become a travel advisor again if given the choice.

Corporate travel managers taking BTN’s survey were a bit more lukewarm in response to income satisfaction. 48% of travel managers reported their earnings were equitable, 12% felt “well compensated,” and 41% felt their salary was “low for responsibilities.”

And here’s the thing to remember about being in the travel industry. It goes beyond dollars.

Many advisors report that the primary benefit of working in travel is rooted in a personal passion for travel and the ability to share their love of travel with others.

Additionally, advisors often have access to great travel experiences they may not otherwise via familiarization trips or travel advisor rates for those who reach sales thresholds or meet requirements. 

In general, positions in travel offer a lower salary than other industries. But here’s the kicker, occupations in other industries don't include travel benefits and working in travel !

Interested in Becoming an Advisor? Here’s Where to Start

This leads us to the question of what type of travel advisor career you’d like to pursue.

Do you want to become a self-employed travel advisor so you can have the creativity to book the type of travel you love and the flexibility to be your own boss? Or do you want the structure of 9-5 with benefits and the income security of a travel advisor employee?

Employees at a travel agency may have a salary cap if their compensation model is strictly hourly/salary (about 42% of employees), but for those who own their own business, the sky's the limit. Plus, it's hard to put a price on visiting beautiful places, touring the newest properties, and the freedom and flexibility to work anywhere that goes with owning your own home-based travel agency.

How do you decide what type of travel you want to sell? Do you want to do leisure or corporate? If you do leisure, which types of travel agent niches are the most lucrative? If you go the corporate route, how do you break into booking business travel ? 

💕 If you're thinking of joining the industry, here are a few resources you're gonna love: 💕

• Starting a travel agency from home article
• Free 15-page travel agency business plan template
• HAR's nifty course on how to start a travel agency! (free trial)

We’re here to help! If you have questions about what route to take or how to get started, give us a holler in the comments or reach out to us at [email protected] .

• https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes413041.htm ↩
• Source: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes413041.htm ↩

About the Author

Steph grew up in the travel industry, helping on and off with her mom's homebased travel agency. She has worked with thousands of agents in her role as a former host agency director before leaving in 2012 to start HAR. She's insatiably curious, loves her pups Fennec and Orion, and -- in case you haven't noticed -- is pretty quirky and free-spirited.

If you’re looking for Steph, she leaves a trace where ever she goes! You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn (her fav) and Pinterest as 'iamstephly'. 🙂 You can also catch her on her Substack, Bumblin' Around, where she writes on things outside the world of HAR.

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Travel agent salary

The average salary for a travel agent in the United States is around $43,810 per year.

Travel agents earn an average yearly salary of $ 43,810 . Wages typically start from $ 28,280 and go up to $ 74,220 .

31 % below national average ● Updated in 2021

Travel agent earnings by seniority

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Travel agent salary by state

How do travel agent salaries compare to similar careers.

Travel agents earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than truck drivers but more than estheticians.

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)

Travel Agent salary

Average travel agent salary, how much does a travel agent make.

The average travel agent salary in the United States is $33,128. Travel agent salaries typically range between $26,000 and $41,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for travel agents is $15.93 per hour. Travel agent salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Travel agents earn the highest average salary in Wisconsin.

Where can a Travel Agent earn more?

Travel agent salary estimates from across the web, average travel agent salary by state.

The highest-paying states for travel agents are Wisconsin, Maine, and Indiana. The lowest average travel agent salary states are North Carolina, Alabama, and Nebraska.

• County View

Highest paying states for travel agents

Highest paying cities for travel agents.

The highest-paying cities for travel agents are Madison, WI, Chicago, IL, and Los Angeles, CA.

Travel Agent salary details

A travel agent's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $41,000 at the 90th percentile.

What is a travel agent's salary?

Highest paying travel agent jobs.

The highest paying types of travel agents are certified travel counselor, corporate travel expert, and travel manager.

Top companies hiring travel agents now:

• American Express Jobs (260)
• Expedia Group Jobs (103)
• The Walt Disney Company Jobs (77)
• RCI Jobs (32)
• World Travel Holdings Jobs (108)

Which companies pay travel agents the most?

Travel agent salaries at Perkins Coie and Rich Products are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average travel agent salary at companies like THS National and Volt Systems LLC are highly competitive.

Wage gap by gender, race and education

Travel agent salary by industry.

The average travel agent salary varies across industries:

• The average travel agent salary in the technology industry is $33,813, the highest of any industry.
• The average travel agent salary in the finance industry is $33,411.
• Travel agents in the professional industry earn an average salary of $32,486, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for travel agents

High paying travel agent jobs, travel agent salary trends.

The average travel agent salary has risen by $6,586 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average travel agent earned $26,542 annually, but today, they earn $33,128 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for travel agents over the last decade.

Compare travel agent salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average travel agent salary over time

Compare travel agent salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Travel Agent salary by year

Recently added travel agent salaries, travel agent salary faqs, what state pays travel agents the most, how do i know if i'm being paid fairly as a travel agent, how are travel agents paid, how do travel agents get paid, what benefits do travel agents get.

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Travel Agent Salary in the US

Travel agent - average salary, travel agent salary range, travel agent - salary differences, travel agent - pay by experience level in the united states, how work experience affects the salary of a travel agent, gender breakdown, travel agent - jobs by location, travel agent - related salaries.

Frequently asked questions about the salary of the Travel Agent

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Travel Agent Salary in The United States

The average Travel Agent Salary in The United States is $45,600 per year . Salaries range from $38,400 to $59,900 . The average Travel Agent Hourly Wage is $14.25 per hour . Hourly wages range from $12.00 to $18.70 . Salaries and wages depend on multiple factors including geographic location, experience, seniority, industry, education etc.

What is the Average Annual Salary of Travel Agent in The United States ?

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How Much Do Travel Agents Make?

Curious about travel agent salaries and commissions? You’re certainly in the right place! This detailed guide covers everything you need to know about travel agent salaries, from how commissions work to whether it’s better to be independent or work with an agency.

Whether you’re just curious or considering becoming a travel agent yourself, this guide is all you need to know what to expect from the job. Read on to learn how much travel agents make on average, and all the juicy details about commissions and fam trips!

What Does A Travel Agent Do?

A travel agent is someone who helps clients make travel plans. You just need to tell them when and where you want to travel, and they do all the other work – book flights, accommodation, arrange tours, etc., depending on what you asked them to do. Travel agents will consult with their clients before they book anything, to ensure that everything is exactly how the client wanted it to be.

They will also inform clients of any visa requirements, rules they need to know about, currency exchange rates, and other things. Using a travel agent is a great idea if you’re planning a special trip and you want everything to be perfect. You’re paying for their experience, connections, and vast knowledge of various international destinations, so you can be almost certain that the trip will turn out exactly how you want it to. Using travel agents for short trips to close destinations is not recommended, mostly because it’s just not worth it.

Travel Agent Salary

 According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of travel agents is $42,350 per year or $20.36 per hour. However, that’s just the average recorded salary – the actual amount of money travel agents make depends on a lot of different factors.

Travel agents earn most of their money through commissions, meaning that they take a percentage of everything clients book through them. It also depends on whether they’re an independent travel agent or if they work for an agency – if it’s the latter, there are even more factors in play.

Some travel agencies will give their agents base salaries, and then all the commissions are split between the agency and the agent – usually, it’s either 70/30 or 80/20 in favor of the agency. Other agencies will let their agents keep the entire commissions, but they don’t get a base salary, meaning that they earn all their money through commissions.

Travel Agents Commissions

Commissions are extremely important for travel agents because that’s how the vast majority of them earn money. In most cases, the minimum commission a travel agent takes is 10%, but again, this varies from supplier to supplier. Cruises will often offer higher commissions (16-18%), while Disney has a flat commission rate of 10% for their theme parks, but tiered commission rates for their cruises and adventure packages.

Tiered commissions usually start at the minimum rate, and then they increase the more sales an agent (or agency) makes. The Disney Cruise is a good example here – a new agent will get a 10% commission for every sale, but someone who has already made thousands of sales for the cruise will likely have a top-tier commission of 18%.

Let’s say you book a trip through an independent travel agent, and the total cost of everything is $5000. The minimum commission is 10%, so the travel agents will earn at least $500 from that trip. This is where all talk of average salary goes down the drain – if an agent can do two of these sales per week for an entire year, they’ll get paid around $52,000 just on commissions. Double the bookings, double the money, and that’s how some travel agents manage to earn six-figure salaries.

In addition to that, some travel agents will charge a consulting fee. Say you want to travel but you’re not ready to book anything just yet, you just want to talk to a travel agent to discuss the logistics of the trip. Some will talk to you for free, and others will charge you a consulting fee to give you all the information you want.

Independent Vs. Hosting Agents

What’s the difference between an independent agent and someone who is hosting through an agency? In terms of the work they do, there’s really not much of the difference – the job description is still the same.

An independent agent is someone who doesn’t have an agency to fall back on in case something goes awry, but they get to keep 100% of their commission. If you’re hosting or using the credentials of a travel agency, you need to give a percentage of your commission to that agency. The exact percentage varies from agency to agency, and it depends on a few other things.

Is it better to be an independent agent or work for an agency? It depends – independent agents have the luxury of working from wherever they want and keeping all of their commissions. But they also must do all the work themselves and take all the responsibility. Independent agents also need to purchase omissions and error insurance, which can get pricey but is ultimately worth the money.

That’s the main advantage of working for an agency – when the plans fall through or something unexpected happens, the agency takes the blow instead of the actual agents.

Do Travel Agents Travel For Free?

Yes, but it’s not as glamorous as it looks. Travel agents go on “fam” trips every few months, for the sole purpose of familiarizing themselves with a specific destination. They’ll also go on plenty of discounted trips to luxurious destinations, but they’re expected to work while they’re there. A travel agent needs to know a destination inside and out, in order to be able to book the best hotels, experiences, recommend restaurants, etc.

Hotels, tour operators, restaurant owners, and others see travel agents as giant talking advertisements. They want them to recommend you their hotel and their restaurant, and not anyone else’s. That’s also why most travel agents stop traveling for fun – if a hotel rep sees on your Instagram you’re in Dubai or Singapore , you can bet they’ll contact you to come to check out their brand new remodeled suite.

About the Author Anna Timbrook

Anna is the co-owner of expert world travel and can't wait to share her travel experience with the world. With over 54 countries under her belt she has a lot to write about! Including those insane encounters with black bears in Canada.

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Salary for Travel Agents

Also known as:  Auto Travel Counselor, Certified Corporate Travel Executive, Certified Travel Counselor, Corporate Travel Expert, Travel Agent, Travel Consultant, Travel Counselor, Travel Service Consultant

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The annual compensation for this career has gone up since 2004. Salaries have increased by an average of 57.37 percent nationwide in that time.

Travel Agents tend to make the most in the following industries:

In general, they earn less within the industries below:

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Travel Agent average salary in the USA, 2024

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THE JOURNAL

Travel Advisor Resources

How Much Do Travel Agents Make? Fora’s Full Guide

The Modern Travel Agency

Fora Travel

https://www.foratravel.com/the-journal/how-much-do-travel-agents-make

How much do travel agents make? What factors go into how much a travel agent — or as we prefer, travel advisor — earns? We’re telling all. 

Alternatively, you can learn exactly how much you can make by becoming a Fora Advisor . Sign up today and we’ll answer all your questions. 

First, is there a high demand for travel agents? (Hint: yes!)

And demand is growing. Since travel restrictions were lifted after the COVID-19 pandemic, more people than ever are going on vacations and business trips (check out jobs where you travel ) — more importantly, they’re smarter about how they go about it. And there’s no better way to book a trip than to use a travel advisor to get awesome perks, deals and the kind of personal touches that turns a good trip into a great one. 

(Wondering how to become a travel agent ? Our guide has you covered.)

How do travel agents get compensated?

There are a few different ways travel advisors earn income, and the source typically depends on the service. Here’s how it breaks down.

(Wondering about startup and upkeep costs? Check out our guide to how much it costs to become a travel agent .)

Travel partners (or suppliers, in industry lingo) pay commissions: think hotels, travel insurance, rental cars, cruise incentives, tours…

Image courtesy of Turtle Bay Resort

A large portion of a travel advisor’s income comes from commissions, which are a percentage — usually between 10 and 15 percent — of whatever service their client is benefiting from, be it a hotel reservation, travel insurance and so on. (Here are 5 types of bookings you can make as a Fora Advisor that aren’t hotels .)

Suppliers, such as hotel brands, cruise lines and rental car providers pay these commissions; and Fora Advisors don’t charge their clients for commissionable services. In other words? Fora Advisors get paid, and their clients don't have to pay anything extra.

The cool thing is that many of the best hotels and services know that happy travel advisors will send new clients back, so the suppliers will throw in complimentary perks to sweeten the deal. This is why Fora Advisors can offer the same rate as an online travel agency for a hotel room at, say, Virgin Hotels New Orleans (one of the most unique places to stay in New Orleans , by the way), yet offer cool extras for their clients at no additional cost. 

Our guide to how much do travel agents make per booking gets into the details of the process if you’re curious.

Clients pay planning & service fees: non-commissionable bookings, vacation packages & custom itineraries…

Besides commissions, planning and service fees are the other major sources of income for travel advisors. 

Why might advisors charge fees? In most cases, an advisor may charge a fee to develop a custom itinerary for a client. In this case, the client compensates the advisor for their time, much in the same way one would pay a financial advisor. 

At Fora, it’s generally up to the advisor to decide how much to charge (if at all) for custom itineraries.

How much do travel agents make exactly? It depends

There’s no simple answer to this question, because Fora Advisors have the flexibility to work as much or as little as they want. Some treat their advisor position as a travel side hustle , only spending a few hours per month on booking rooms for friends and family, while others make a very lucrative living. 

Can you make ‘good’ money as a travel agent? You bet

Is being a travel agent worth it ? Fora Advisors will say yes. Many top Fora Advisors earn six figures per year. Again, when you join Fora, you can work as much or as little as you'd like, so the money earned will vary, but regardless, we'll teach you how to maximize your earnings.

Ready to start your lucrative career in travel? Become a Fora Advisor today .

What’s the average travel agent salary in the USA?

We can’t speak for all travel agencies, but some of the top Fora travel advisor salaries are measured in seven figures. And while such a salary is quite a bit above average, these top earners put in a lot of work, and have been doing this for a while.

On the flip side, plenty of Fora Advisors treat their travel business like a side hustle on top of their day job, earning an extra couple of hundred to several thousand dollars per month.

Factors that might affect how much a travel agent makes

A lot of factors go into how much travel agents make per month. Here are some of the most common.

Remote vs. brick-and-mortar travel agencies

There are a lot of advantages to becoming a travel agent online , but the biggest might be the substantial difference in overhead. 

Travel agents who work from brick-and-mortar establishments have to pay rent or property taxes for office space. Remote travel agents only have to worry about internet connection and a comfy spot to sit.

In either case, you have to factor in your expenses when calculating how much you’re making as a travel agent, and remote agents have a clear advantage.

Independent vs. employed travel agents

Let's break it down. There are essentially three different types of travel agent jobs .

Employed travel advisors — that is, advisors who work for a company that sells travel — typically earn base pay, but there are a lot of trade-offs that make this business model less attractive to the advisor. Most importantly, there may be caps on the number of clients you have and / or reduced commissions that severely impact your bottom line. 

One potential positive: marketing resources may be available through the company, but oftentimes, they’re not exactly modern in their approach (unlike Fora's!). And finally, employed travel advisors generally have to adhere to a traditional nine-to-five schedule — with little flexibility.

Fully independent travel advisors, on the other hand, can enjoy all the flexibility they want. But, as business owners, they also have to consider things like licensing fees, marketing materials, business insurance and so on that employed advisors don’t have to worry about. These fees and extra expenses can dampen profit margins, and can be prohibitive for prospective advisors who don’t necessarily want to risk the startup costs. 

Our guide on how to start a travel agency from scratch provides more details, but we’ll be frank: there’s a much easier path to making great money as a travel agent.

The third option (and sweet spot)? Join Fora. Fora Advisors are technically independent travel agents — sometimes referred to as independent contractors — except they operate under Fora’s licenses and have access to an incredible wealth of resources (including extensive travel agent training ).

Plus, thanks to Fora's global network of travel partners, our advisors unlock tons of exclusive client perks at thousands of hotels. 

Want to learn more? Here’s how to become an independent travel agent through Fora. 

In a literal sense, how do travel agents get paid?

Across the industry, travel advisors are paid via the old-school, commission-check-in-the-mail method. At Fora, travel advisors are paid via direct deposit. And our advisors don't have to chase down their commission payments. We take care of all that.

Read about how travel agents get paid for more details.

Are there ways to maximize the earnings a travel agent makes?

Certainly. How much a travel agent makes depends heavily on factors like their niche, host agency (if applicable) and — of course — travel planning skills.

Can’t wait to start your travel career? Become a Fora Advisor .

1. Consider adopting a niche

A niche can go a long way in boosting how much a travel agent makes because it gives them a focus. Rather than trying to be good at everything, niche travel agents become great at only one or two aspects of travel — at least to start. This allows them to build a wealth of knowledge in their niche that will impress clients, potentially drawing in business from new clients seeking a similar trip. 

At Fora, there’s no limit to the type of niches an advisor adopts. You could specialize in selling cruises, Disney vacations, trips to a certain location (such as Las Vegas or Barcelona) — whatever you’re most passionate about.

(BTW: learn how to become a cruise travel agent or how to become a Disney travel agent .)

2. Expand your partnerships with hotel reps, tour operators and other travel-related services

Image courtesy of The Rubens at the Palace

Incentives like VIP hotel perks — complimentary hotel upgrades, meals, etc. — give travel advisors an edge over online travel agencies (OTAs) like Booking.com. As such, expanding these partnerships allows travel advisors to offer a wider range of trip benefits while remaining competitive. 

Fora Advisors can unlock awesome perks for their clients at over 4,500 hotels around the world and counting. And Fora’s HQ is constantly working to expand its network of partnerships.

3. Work with a travel company that cares about your success

This may be a shameless plug, but our advisors will back us up on this one. Just check out our advisor-sourced guide to the best reasons to become a Fora Advisor . 

In any case, your choice of host agency is critical. Plenty of old-school agencies essentially throw their advisors into the wild, only stepping in if sales quotas aren’t met.

At Fora, we offer unwavering support to all our advisors, plus loads of awesome resources, including a bevy of marketing materials, thorough travel agent training and access to an engaged community filled with travel experts. 

Here are a few insider tips for how to be a successful travel advisor . 

4. Give your clients the star treatment (because thoughtful advisors will get repeat business)

Possibly the most important factor affecting how much a travel agent makes: their customer service skills. 

The simple truth is that clients will only use your services if you actually help them. Putting the time and effort into making sure your clients have an amazing experience will pay dividends later. Not only will you likely win their future business, but you could win the business of their family members, friends and peers, too. 

(Read about how travel agents get clients .)

5. Keep at it: being a travel agent can be stressful, but so worth it

Finally, patience and dedication have a dramatic effect on how much travel agents make. 

Chances are, you’re not going to start with a dozen clients planning 20 trips. It takes a lot of time and effort to get to that point, but if you can, you’ll find that travel planning can be a very rewarding career. 

Need to know more? See what it takes to become a travel agent .

How much do travel agents make? Ask (or become) a Fora Advisor

Ultimately, the best way to find out how much you can make as a travel agent is to try it out for yourself. Sign up to become a Fora Advisor today .

Not quite ready? Check out these travel advisor resources, too:

How to Market Your Travel Business Like a Pro: Tips from the Experts  

How to Become a Luxury Travel Agent: the 2023 Guide  

Travel Agent Certification: Options and FAQs  

Debunking 3 Myths about Becoming a Travel Advisor  

A Window into Fora's Certified Training   

Book a Cruise With a Virgin Voyages Travel Agent   

Why Group Bookings Are Great: Tips from an Expert

Are you the go-to person for travel tips?

Transform your passion for travel into your dream job. We'll set you up with everything you need to succeed as a travel advisor. From training to top-notch tech, marketing assets, community, commission tracking & payments (and more), we've got you.

Hey there, future Rockstar! Give us a call now to get started: 1-800-730-6392

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How Much Do Travel Agents Make?

If you possess an entrepreneurial spirit, love visiting amazing destinations and enjoy the freedom to work practically anywhere, then becoming a travel agent may be just the right career move for you. Best of all, you’ll get paid for doing what you love!

Therefore, one of your first questions before making the decision to start your own travel business will most likely be, “How much money do travel agents make?” Providing an answer to the seemingly simple question of travel agent pay is a lot more complex than you might think.

Our comprehensive guide below will address all your travel agent salary questions as you consider embarking on an exciting new career in the travel industry!

How Much Do Travel Agents Make Working From Home?

If you are considering starting your own home-based travel business, you’ll naturally want to know how much your travel agent salary will be. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to the question, “How much do travel agents make working from home?” That’s because travel agent salary varies depending on several factors, including:

• Location — Average travel agent salaries vary considerably according to where you locate your business. Remember that it doesn’t necessarily matter where you live, it’s more important how and where you market to travelers that will make the difference.
• Niche — Setting yourself apart from other travel agents by specializing in specific types of travel or destinations can increase your travel agent salary.
• Experience — Becoming an expert in specific destinations can help you gain new clients and increase your travel agent income.
• Marketing Strategy — Marketing your business directly to target clients will determine the amount of leads you will receive and sales you will make.

Other issues to consider when trying to figure out how much travel agents make include the average hours worked per week, travel industry training, and whether being a travel agent will serve as your primary income.

Another important factor when considering travel agent salary is getting the right tools and partnerships in place to make your travel business successful. This involves connecting with a host agency such as TPI to provide the expertise and resources you need to start your own travel business. Your travel agent salary can increase significantly through the partnership with a host agency.

What Do Travel Agent Salary Surveys Tell Us About Travel Agent Income?

Beware of typing “travel agent salary surveys” into Google because you will come across a lot of wildly fluctuating travel agent salary data. For one thing, there are a variety of different types of travel agents – ranging from home-based travel businesses that partner with host agencies to traditional storefront travel agents and corporate travel agents.

Therefore, lumping all the different kinds of travel agents into an average travel agent salary can result in very misleading data to say the least. If you want to find out more specific data related to travel agent salaries, you’ll need to search by the specific type of travel agent (for example, “average home-based travel agent salary for 2021”).

In addition, Host Agency Reviews offers a detailed breakdown of different travel agent salaries in its annual Travel Agent Income Survey. Another important travel agent salary resource to consult is the Travel Institute’s report, The Changing Face of Travel Agents, which covers the four “Cs” of today’s rapidly changing travel agency environment: composition, certification, contentment and compensation.

How to Become a Higher-Earning Travel Agent with TPI

Higher-earning travel agents usually possess more travel industry training and experience than those less experienced travel agents who are just starting out. However, by partnering with a host agency like TPI, these higher-earning travel agents can get even more revenue out of their travel business. That’s because they can enjoy the rewards of the host agency’s strong vendor relationships, which will, in turn, allow them to earn higher commissions.

Why Earning Commission Means You Can Make More As A Travel Agent

Starting a travel business out of your home means that your earnings will typically come in the form of commissions, as well as service fees. A commission is simply a percent-age of the total cost of the booking that gets set aside for the travel agent who booked the trip. Therefore, the more you book, the more commissions you earn!

Travel agents receive commissions from various suppliers such as:

• Hotels and Resorts
• Ocean and River Cruises
• Tour Operators
• Car Rental Agencies
• Travel Insurance Carriers

For example, if you book a cruise for a client that costs $1,500 and your commission is 10 percent, you will earn approximately $150 from booking the cruise.

When you work with a host agency like TPI, you pay a travel agency fee. TPI determines its fees based on our commission split structures. We offer multiple split structures, so you decide how much you pay in fees and how much of your commission you keep.

In exchange for the resources and benefits of partnering with a host agency like TPI, you can expect to take home approximately 70 to 90% of your total earned commissions. Since major vendors work in bulk with host agencies, you can expect to earn higher commissions.

Now Is The Perfect Time To Become A Travel Agent

After a turbulent year in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, now is the perfect time to become a travel agent and run you own travel business! That’s because the travel industry has regained momentum in 2021 for the following reasons:

• Travel restrictions have become less stringent in many of the most sought-after destinations.
• Most Americans have received vaccinations and are anxious to travel and explore the world again.
• These travelers will want to rely on the expertise of travel agents to navigate the ever-changing travel landscape brought forth by the pandemic.

Best of all, an experienced host agency like TPI can support you on the journey to a successful career as a travel agent. With our extensive training and support system, you will learn all the ins and outs of the travel industry. From then on, you’ll be on the path to achieving success as a travel agent in no time!

Rockstar Success Stories

I started my career like many others, with big dreams and a passion for travel. I opened my business in 2010 as an independent agent — working on my own trying to take on the world. After finding a mentor in the industry, I was introduced to the idea of host agencies. I worked with several host agencies over the years, but joining TPI in 2012 was the best move for my business.

Steven Gould Goulds Travel

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a travel agent’s salary.

How much money a travel agent makes depends on a variety of factors, including where you live, how much experience you have, your marketing strategy, and what kind of travel niche you choose to focus on, among others.

How much money does a travel agent make in Florida?

As one of the world’s top vacation destinations, Florida is home to world-famous theme parks and a cruise industry that’s on the verge of a major post-pandemic comeback. Therefore, travel agents who start their businesses in Florida typically make salaries slightly above the national average.

How much money do travel agents make per booking?

How much a travel agent makes per booking varies widely depending on the type of booking. That’s why many travel agents wisely choose to specialize in a lucrative niche travel market.

What is the average salary of a travel agent?

According to Host Agency Reviews, the average annual salary for a hosted travel agent with 3+ years of experience was $44,312 in 2020. Keep in mind that travel agent salaries fluctuate significantly based on many of the factors listed throughout this article. In addition, since the travel industry is gaining post-pandemic momentum, the average 2021 travel agent salary should end up being higher than the past year.

How do travel agents get paid?

Travel agent pay usually comes from commissions vendors provide on vacation packages, tours, cruises, hotels, resorts, travel insurance and other add-ons.

Partner with TPI for Travel Agent Success

If you’re ready to become a successful travel agent and rock the travel industry, TPI is here for you! At TPI, we will provide you with all the training, marketing tools and latest technology you need to get started as a home-based travel agent. Then you can start growing your travel business very quickly. Find out how you can connect with TPI today.

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Travel Agency Manager Salary

How much does a Travel Agency Manager make? The average Travel Agency Manager salary is $111,469 as of March 26, 2024, but the salary range typically falls between $92,988 and $128,840 . Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education , certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target. 

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Last Update: March 26, 2024