Via California - March/April 2020 - 12

SMART LIFE

You need help with hiccups. Say
your flight is delayed and your cruise
ship leaves without you. Or you get
sick and can't continue with your trip.
If you booked online, good luck
making changes or reaching a customer service agent. "We're with you
for your entire journey," says AAA
Travel counselor Tonya Powell. "So
if anything goes wrong-beginning,
middle or end-help is just a phone
call away."

TRAVEL

When to use
a travel agent
Sure, you could plan and book
a trip yourself. But there are
times when it really pays
to hire a professional.

These days, you can book some
basic travel reservations online. But
figuring out where to go, how to get
there, and what to do once you've
arrived can take more time than the
trip itself. That's why the expertise
of a travel professional can still be
indispensable. When should you
rely on such assistance? Here are a
few of the reasons you should consider calling an agent.
You want the inside scoop. The
Internet is great for finding low
prices. It's not so great at giving
you the lowdown. No matter where
you're going, odds are that a travel
agent has been there, done that-or
knows someone who has. "You might
think you have a great deal on a hotel,
but it turns out it's not in a prime location, so you wind up spending extra
on transportation," says AAA Travel
product marketer Roberta Christman.
With their insider info, travel counselors can ensure that the vacation you
want is the one you really get.

12

V I A | M A R C H +A P R I L 2 0 2 0

You like value-adds and perks.
A voucher for a luau in Hawaii.
A guided walking tour when your
European river cruise comes to
port. A room with priority check-in.
Because they book so many trips and
have close relationships with so many
clients, travel pros have access to
complimentary add-ons that you'd
never get online.
You don't like surprises. When you
book online, hidden expenses such
as daily resort fees or seat-change
charges can jump up and bite you.
"You might not know about that $40a-day resort fee," says AAA Travel
counselor Ron Heisler. "On a 10-day
vacation, that's another $400 you
didn't budget for."
You value your time. Doing your
own travel planning can be deeply
satisfying, but it can also be really
time-consuming. "This is our job,"
Heisler says. "We do it all day long.
There's a very good chance we can
match or beat whatever deals you've
found online. And you won't have to
deal with the busywork." - j o s h s e n s

↘ Want to plan a trip? AAA Travel can
help you chart a course for your next
vacation. Visit AAA.com/travel or call
(877) 835-2233.

IAN SHIVE / TANDEM STOCK

Worry about logistics less,
and enjoy Florence more.
http://www.AAA.com/travel
Via California - March/April 2020

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