How I Get Paid as a Travel Advisor (and Why It’s a Win for You)

Christie Costello
May 6
3 min read

Updated: May 7

Transparency, trust, and how it all works behind the scenes

If you’ve never worked with a travel advisor before, you might be wondering:

A person in a black shirt and jeans writes in a small notebook with a white pen, set against a plain white background.

How do you get paid?
Do I pay you, or do the travel companies?
Is there a catch somewhere?

You’re not alone. These are smart, important questions—and I believe in being fully transparent about how things work. Because when we’re building something as personal as your travel experience, trust is everything.

So… How Do I Get Paid?

There are two main ways I’m compensated as a travel advisor:

1. Planning Fees (Paid by You)

This allows me to dedicate time, care, and expertise to your trip—especially for anything that requires customization, multiple moving parts, or carefully matched options.

2. Commissions (Paid by Travel Partners)

In many cases, the cruise line, hotel, or tour operator you book with also pays me a commission for managing your reservation. This is already built into their pricing and doesn’t cost you more.

But let’s break it down a little further…

How My Fees Work (and Why)

For travelers who already know exactly what they want:

If you’ve already chosen the specific cruise, resort, or organized tour you want, there’s no planning fee. (You've already done the initial research!) Instead, we collect a small $100 plan-to-go deposit to begin managing the details.
That deposit is fully returned to you when you travel.
If you need to cancel before traveling, it simply converts to a fee to fairly cover a bit of the time invested upfront.
Simple, clear, and designed to make moving forward easy and low-pressure.

For travelers who want expert guidance or custom planning:
If you’re asking me to help you find the right travel brand—or design a full custom itinerary from scratch—a planning fee applies.

Why a Planning Fee?

Here’s the heart of it:

When you choose Toastable Travel, you’re not just booking a trip—you’re partnering with someone who puts hours of research, curation, and care into building something personal and right for you.

I typically spend 5 to 20 hours preparing and researching a client’s draft trip plan and proposal before we even finalize a booking. Your planning fee covers that professional expertise, personalized recommendations, trusted supplier vetting, itinerary development, and collaborative design time.

It allows me to show up fully invested in your trip from the very beginning—and to deliver the kind of service and creativity you deserve.

What About Commissions?

Some travel suppliers—like cruise lines, hotels, and tour companies—pay me a commission when I book your trip.

This commission is already built into their pricing and doesn’t cost you anything extra.

One of the benefits of working with a professional advisor is that I often have access to exclusive perks through my travel industry relationships—things like room upgrades, onboard credits, early check-in, or VIP touches that aren't available when booking independently.

These special amenities are just one way I add extra value to your trip—helping make your experience even more memorable, without adding to your costs.

And as always, my loyalty is to you, not the supplier.

Every recommendation is made with your best experience in mind.

Why Don’t I Itemize Every Detail?

Sometimes travelers ask if they’ll get a breakdown of individual prices.

Here’s the honest answer: not always.

Many of the trusted suppliers I work with don’t release their component pricing publicly, and often I package several pieces together (flights, hotels, transfers, experiences) into one clean itinerary.

This simplifies the billing process for you—and allows me to adapt quickly if something needs adjusting behind the scenes.

You’ll always know the total trip cost and what’s included. You just might not see every individual item separated out—and that’s by design, to keep things smooth and stress-free.

(Think of it like ordering a beautifully prepared meal: you care more about how it tastes and comes together, not how each spice and ingredient was priced.)

What This Means for You

It means:

You have someone looking out for your best interest, not just making a sale
You save time, stress, and second-guessing
You gain access to perks, upgrades, and insider connections
You travel confidently, knowing someone has your back
You’re not just paying for bookings—you’re investing in expertise, advocacy, and thoughtful care for your journey from beginning to end.