Frequently asked questions

Cobbling together an itinerary based on Google/ChatGPT/social media is exhausting. In an effort to find the best of everything by spending hours perusing through crowdsourced reviews, you’re likely to miss the actual local gems and hidden spots that you’re looking for and instead find yourself in a random line waiting for that “perfect” photo op that one TikTok influencer told you about.

Save yourself the time, effort, and stress by working with a travel advisor. We’re professionals who use our extensive knowledge of the industry and our own travel experiences to curate the most unforgettable vacations for you and your loved ones, with logistics that actually make sense.

Specifically, here’s what you get when you work with a travel advisor:

• You get the trip of your dreams without lifting a finger. We do the research and logistical balancing for you to create a custom itinerary you’re excited about.

• More time to focus on your family, your job, your life. Travel planning and organizing takes a lot of time. Wouldn’t you rather hand it off to someone whose done this hundreds of times before?

• Peace of mind: We’ll deal with the headaches and frustrations of travel logistics and/or itinerary changes on your behalf so you can maximize the time you spend enjoying your vacation.

• VIP upgrades: If you choose our luxury partners, you’ll get access to perks and upgrades you can’t find by booking yourself, thanks to our affiliations in the industry.

While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, the difference between a travel agent and a travel advisor is the level of service each offers. The term travel agent is often an outdated term that refers to an era where travel was more transactional pre-internet, and booking a flight or hotel required you to hire an agent to do so on your behalf. Travel agents typically focused on transactional bookings—like flights or hotel packages—often from a preset inventory. In contrast, the travel advisor is a modern evolution of the travel agent: travel advisors provide bespoke itineraries rooted in personal relationships with top hotels, luxury tour providers, and local experts around the world.

With our extensive travel experience and knowledge, we’ll make sure we check off everything you’re looking for, even if you’re not sure where to start. We can ideate an amazing trip for you off a vibe or an Instagram photo, and get you exactly what you’re looking for.

Yes, it is worth it to use a travel advisor — especially if you value your time, want access to exclusive perks, or are planning something meaningful like a honeymoon, anniversary trip, or executive retreat.

Planning travel is a trade off between your time and priorities. At The Travel Club, we save you hours of research, eliminate decision fatigue, and open doors to upgraded rooms, VIP amenities, and behind-the-scenes access through our global travel network. Our clients regularly tell us that working with a travel advisor actually enhanced their trip—turning great vacations into unforgettable ones.

Working with a travel professional who has built relationships within the industry means our clients get prioritized over direct bookings or bookings through third parties like Expedia.com. Not only that, but you have a team of people looking out for you when things go wrong — not just the team at TCC, but the hoteliers and partners who work with us to make your trip amazing.

For more complex itineraries or group retreats, we charge a planning fee to cover the time and attention that goes into crafting your perfect experience. By charging a fee, we are:

• Incentivized to create the best travel experience for you, rather push services with the highest commission.

• We can offer services, like dinner reservations, that don’t offer commission.

The planning fee is affordable because we earn the majority of our income through commissions from our travel partners after your trip is completed.

We’ll always be transparent about costs upfront so you can feel confident in the value you’re getting, and we pride ourselves in offering transparent, honest advice so you can experience a trip of a lifetime. If you have further questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at joanie@the-travel-club.co.

There are two key reasons why working with a travel advisor is the smartest way to travel.

1. Priority upgrades and exclusive perks
Not all bookings are treated equally. Hotels prioritize upgrades and special treatment based on how a reservation is made. Bookings through online travel sites or with points are typically the lowest priority, followed by direct hotel bookings and bookings through credit card travel portals, then top loyalty members.

But at the top of the hierarchy are bookings made through trusted travel advisors affiliated with preferred partner programs like Four Seasons Preferred, Rosewood Elite, and Aman’s Inner Circle. Thanks to our affiliation with Fora Travel, The Travel Club Co gives you insider access to VIP perks and priority upgrades that aren't available to the general public, even loyal guests.

2. Personalized support
When the unexpected happens, we're your advocate. As your advisor, I can communicate directly with hotels, tap into my relationships with on-the-ground partners, and often resolve issues more efficiently than any call center ever could. Unlike booking through a credit card portal—where you might speak to a different agent every time—working with me means having someone who knows your itinerary, your preferences, and your priorities.

We LOVE points! We believe the best way to use points is for flights, where they often offer the best value. Many travel cards also offer bonus transfer promotions to airlines, which we can help you take full advantage of. If you're unsure how to best use your points, we’re happy to guide you.

(And yes, you can still earn credit card points when booking hotels through The Travel Club!)

The short answer is, it depends. Check out our comprehensive travel insurance breakdown for more information.

We’re so glad you asked! Here’s how we work, and how you can get the process started.

1. Book a complimentary consultation to discuss your interests, needs, and budget.

2. Receive an outline of your trip with dates, destinations, hotels, logistics and an estimated budget for your review.

3. Secure your trip by submitting the planning fee.

4. Receive a detailed day-by-day itinerary with activities and real pricing for your review and feedback.

5. Adjust and approve the itinerary, and we’ll make confirm the reservations with our partners.

6. Receive the final trip itinerary, with all details in place.

7. Depart for your trip and enjoy!

8. Provide any post-trip feedback so we can continue to provide the best for you and our clients.