This Is the No. 1 Secret to Cheap Travel That Your Travel Agent Won’t Tell You

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If the idea of planning a holiday trip overwhelms you, perhaps you should consider using a travel agent. Before you do, however, read about the secrets travel agents don’t want you to know, and make sure you learn the No. 1 — on Page 5 — thing they keep hidden from customers.

1. They can’t book or price all airline carriers

Booking Southwest has restrictions. | Rypson/iStock/Getty Images

Believe it or not, travel agents can’t book — or get prices from — all airline carriers, according to Travel Weekly. Agents cannot book Southwest when they’re putting together wholesale packages that include air, hotel, and transfers. Because they can’t use Southwest for these types of packages, you might end up spending more than you have to. Southwest often offers the lowest prices across the board for flights.

Next: Save the agent for something special.