Travel Agency vs Online Booking Tool: What’s Better for Business Travel in 2025?

If you're managing business travel, there's a good chance you've asked this: Should we continue using a travel agent, or is it time to switch to an online booking tool?

With travel picking up again and new tech tools entering the scene, it's a smart question to ask. The answer depends on your company’s needs, and both options have their strengths.

In this guide, we’ll break down the pros and cons in simple, honest language so you can choose what works best for your team.

What Travel Agencies Do Well

Travel agents are still a great fit for many businesses, especially those who:

• Need help with complex or multi-leg trips
  If your travelers often go to multiple cities, international destinations, or have layovers that require careful planning, a travel agent can build a seamless itinerary.
• Want access to offline or negotiated fares
  Some agents have relationships with airlines and hotels that give them access to special deals or corporate rates not always visible online.
• Have VIP travelers or top executives
  For CXOs or high-profile clients, agents can ensure that everything is taken care of, from priority seating to hotel upgrades and special requests.
• Need help with paperwork or extras
  Many agents assist with things like visa appointments, forex arrangements, and travel insurance, saving your team from dealing with red tape.

That said, working with agents can come with a few challenges

Challenges Working with Travel Agents

• Manual communication takes time
  You might need to send multiple emails or wait for callbacks to make simple changes or get confirmations.
• Limited visibility into costs
  Some agents add markups or don’t clearly break down fees, making it harder to track travel spend.
• No real-time access for employees
  Travelers can’t instantly search or book on their own; they depend on the agent.
• No built-in automation or policy checks
  Approvals, budgets, or compliance usually need to be tracked manually by your admin team.

What a Self-Booking Tool Like TripGain Offers

A self-booking tool (SBT) is an online platform where employees can book their own business travel while following your company’s rules. Think of it as a smarter way to manage travel for both employees and admins.

Why more companies are switching to SBTs

• Book anytime, anywhere
  No need to wait for an agent’s business hours. Employees can log in, search for flights or hotels, and book instantly, even on weekends or during holidays.
• Faster and easier bookings
  Just like using a personal travel app, but with company policies built in. Booking a flight takes minutes, not hours.
• Built-in travel policy checks
  The tool only shows travel options that fit your company’s rules, like staying within budget or only flying economy class for short trips.
• Smart travel recommendations
  AI can suggest the best travel options based on price trends, previous bookings, preferred airlines or hotels, and what’s most cost-effective.
• Travel and expense in one place
  No need for a separate expense tool. Employees can upload receipts, match them with bookings, and submit claims automatically.
• Reports and insights for admins
  Know where your team is going, how much they’re spending, and how you can save. All data is available in easy-to-read dashboards.
• Better for growing teams
  As your company grows, a digital platform can easily support more users, more locations, and more policies, without needing more people to manage it.

That said, a self-booking tool may not fully replace agents in every case, like very complex travel or VIP-level service.

Travel Agency vs Online Tool: Quick Comparison

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So, What’s Best for Your Company?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It really depends on your team and how you travel.

Choose a travel agent if you:

• Book a lot of complex international trips
• Need high-touch, white-glove service
• Have travelers who prefer talking to a human

Go with a self-booking tool if you:

• Want faster, policy-compliant bookings
• Need more control and visibility over travel spend
• Prefer automation over back-and-forth emails

Some businesses use both. The online tool handles 90 percent of travel, and agents step in only for rare or tricky cases.

Why TripGain is a Smart Option

TripGain gives you the best of both worlds. Automation and control for admins, freedom and convenience for employees.

With TripGain, you get:

• AI-powered offerings
• Company-specific travel policies and approval workflows
• Built-in expense management
• WhatsApp, chat, and voice support
• Real-time insights and spend analytics
• A single platform that connects with your HR, finance, and ERP tools

And yes, there’s always human support available when you need it most.

Final Thoughts

Both travel agents and online booking tools have their place in business travel. But as more companies go digital, tools like TripGain are becoming the go-to choice for smarter, faster, and more efficient corporate travel management.

If your team is growing and you want more control, less back-and-forth, and real-time visibility, it might be time to explore a better way to manage business travel.

Want to see TripGain in action?
Book a free consultation or explore our features to find out how we can help your company travel better.