Booking consolidator airfare works a bit differently than published air, and the benefits are different, too. Understanding when best time to book consolidator air versus published air is important for you to know as an agent, as it could be a better choice for you and your clients.
- Air consolidator fares are cheaper for international travel than the fares travelers can find on their own.
Because air consolidators buy seats from airlines in bulk, they can resell them to travel agents for a lower fare than if a traveler bought airfare directly from an airline on their own, without an agent. - You can search a wide selection of international airfares.
Air consolidators are best for international air travel for a few reasons. First, as outlined above, air consolidators buy seats in bulk, and those seats are generally on long international flights. Second, airlines like working with air consolidators because the airlines may struggle to market to ethnic communities due to language barriers or general cultural differences. But by working with air consolidators, who often sell exclusively to travel agencies, airlines are able to overcome that obstacle and successfully reach that steady market of travelers. - You can compare the consolidator rate to the published rate and adjust your commission accordingly.
By seeing the price difference between the two products, you can adjust your commission to increase your profitability as much as you want while also saving your clients money on airfare.
VAX gives you air-only reservation options. Visit our Air Reservations page to learn more about the suppliers available to you on VAX.
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