Even though travel has gotten more expensive, people are increasingly finding value in hiring someone to help them do it.
According to the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), travel agency sales are estimated to reach $165 billion by 2028, up from $128 billion in 2025. More than a quarter of travel is now booked through travel agencies, as travelers seek help navigating complex trips and planning higher-end experiences.
But if you don’t want to pay for a travel agent — ahem, “travel adviser” — the solution may already be in your wallet. With the right credit card, you can get help booking flights, hotels and all sorts of experiences. Still, they can’t fully replace the human touch and expertise of a real travel adviser.
Here’s how a premium travel credit card can act as your travel agent.
Make the most of your next trip with one of these top travel credit cards
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Dedicated 24/7 concierges
Yes, some premium credit cards do offer access to “concierge” services that take the hassle out of booking your next dinner spot or scoring tickets to an event. For instance, the American Express Platinum Card® offers a service called Platinum Card®Concierge, which is free for eligible card members. The service can help you shop, make reservations and purchase event tickets.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card gets you 24-hour access to a concierge line that helps you book travel, make dinner reservations and snag event tickets. You may also receive travel assistance through the concierge service. You’ll want to review your Cardholder Benefits Guide to make sure your card is eligible for these services, though.
Booking portals
With certain credit cards, you can redeem rewards points toward free or discounted travel when you book through their dedicated travel portal. Sign into your account to browse pricing on flights, hotels and rentals, and you can view pricing in points/miles, cash or a combination of points/miles and cash. It can take some time to rack up enough points to get a free flight or free accommodations, but by simply using your card you earn points for purchasing things you were going to buy anyway (think groceries and dining out).
With the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, for instance, your points can go further when you redeem them through transfer partners like World of Hyatt, United Airlines and more. This card also gets you a $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit. For even more statement credits, the American Express Platinum Card® gets you up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings when you reserve them through American Express Travel®.
*The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay. Certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade.
Also of note, the Capital One Travel portal offers curated vacation packages that include hotel stays. For some packages, the itinerary may include accommodations, tours and admission costs, transportation to and from the activities and some gratuities. For example, as of writing this article, a four-day trip to Vienna that includes a hotel stay, museum entry, walking tour, a classical music concert, vineyard exploration, dinner reservation and more costs $3,200 per person, or $400,000 miles. Availability for these offers is limited and many of them sell out. Of course, to access these packages you’ll need an eligible Capital One credit card with a Capital One account.
Get closer to your next vacation with a Capital One card
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
Earn a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles
Travel protections
Where credit cards fall short
Credit cards can definitely do a lot in the way of travel perks but they can’t do it all. In some cases, it’s actually better for you to bite the bullet and spend the extra cash on a good travel agent who can help you plan your next adventure.
The more elaborate your trip, the greater the reason for a travel agent, like going on a multi-city adventure or a cruise. Travel agents also get unique access to travel deals like group rates and can offer personalized peace of mind when something goes wrong that your credit card can’t help with.
Also, if you’re planning a trip for a large group, i.e. a family reunion, a travel agent takes some of the headache out of planning an itinerary that keeps everyone on the same page. Spending more for a travel agent can actually wind up helping you save more; they can help you avoid making costly mistakes you might’ve made if you had tried planning and booking on your own. Also, travel agents typically have a lot of knowledge when it comes to what to do and where to eat, so they can make those types of recommendations.
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