Should Travel Agents Book Flights? GDS Ticketing, Air Consolidators & Service Fees

Airline ticketing can be a source of profit or a customer service headache. Here is how modern travel advisors handle domestic and international flights profitably.

1. Why GDS Ticketing Isn't Required for Leisure Advisors

Traditional Global Distribution Systems (Sabre, Amadeus, Travelport) require extensive training. Modern leisure advisors use air consolidators (such as Centrav or host air desks) to book negotiated business and first-class fares with built-in markups.

2. Charging Airline Ticketing Fees

Never book flights without charging a dedicated ticketing fee ($50 to $100 per domestic ticket, $100 to $250 per international business class ticket) to cover schedule monitoring and rebooking support.