Vacation planning has become a do-it-yourself project. You can do everything from researching your destination to choosing a flight, viewing hotel rooms, and renting a car online. Will you save time and money by handling everything yourself? Or are you better off calling a travel agent? 

The answer to these questions is “yes.” And “no.” It depends on how experienced a traveler you are, how savvy you are navigating the Web, how much personal attention you’d like, and how complex or simple your plans are. 

“Think of a travel agent as a concierge,” says Chris Loughlin, coeditor of Travelzoo, a Web site that publishes travel specials. “If you are going to, say, Costa Rica or London or Prague for seven nights, you might want to find a travel agent who understands the destination, has a direct relationship with the hotels, and can suggest some restaurants. Also, if you run into a glitch, your travel agent will help resolve it—while you’d have no one to call if you book online. But if you’re just taking a domestic flight from Point A to Point B, I don’t think a travel agent adds value. You’ll find many more options on the Internet, and you’ll often get [frequent flyer] miles for purchasing your ticket online.”

Almost three-fourths of the respondents to a 2003 survey by AvantGo, a service that delivers Internet content to PDAs and cell phones, purchased flights online, while 67 percent bought hotel rooms and half reserved rental cars online. Nearly a third said they booked all of their travel online, and more than 90 percent said they expect to make additional online travel purchases. A recent survey by the market research firm J.D. Power and Associates shows the percentage of Internet hotel bookings has increased by double digits in the past year alone.

However, even die-hard Web advocates, such as Amy Ziff, who writes the “Tips and Advice” column for online booking agent Travelocity, admit that for some journeys, the impersonal nature of “point, click, and pay” doesn’t quite cut it. “I recommend using an agent for specialized, high-end, complex, or once-in-a-lifetime trips,” Ziff says. “For example, if it’s your honeymoon, the agent can ensure that you get special treatment.”

Here’s a guide to getting the best travel experience at the greatest value with the least hassle.

Start with a plan

Whether you use an agent or handle every detail yourself, spend time learning about your destination first—something the Internet is perfect for. Major sites, such as Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz, and TripAdvisor, let you compare numerous airlines and hotels at once. And many airline, hotel, and tour suppliers bundle packages to include anything from airfare to accommodations, golf, or spa treatments. 

“Once you’ve narrowed down what you are interested in, then you can go to a travel agent,” says Edward Hasbrouck, the author of The Practical Nomad … travel guides. “By planning your trip in advance, you can customize it.”

Got questions?

If you prefer dealing with a person, need advice, or if your plans are complicated, a travel agent can help. Travel agencies also assist with details, such as travel insurance, third-party operators, which plan best suits your budget, and ground transportation.

“In general, international trips, vacation packages, cruises, exotic destinations, multiple-stop airline tickets, parents traveling with children, travelers with special needs, and special events such as honeymoons or family reunions will benefit from the expertise and hands-on approach of a travel agent,” says José Barreiro, a certified travel counselor and director of multichannel marketing for Liberty Travel in Ramsey, N.J. “Travel agents have extensive experience with these types of requests, as well as firsthand knowledge of the product and destination, so they can identify the most appropriate option and best deal for you.”

Finding a good travel agent

To find a good travel agent, ask friends for recommendations or get referrals from professional travel agent associations, such as the American Society of Travel Agents (www.astanet.com) or The Travel Institute (www.thetravelinstitute.com). Check with the Better Business Bureau to find out if complaints have been filed against the company. The tourism board or convention and visitors bureau of your destination might be able to refer you to travel agents who are local experts. 

Ask agents about their training and experience with your destination and situation before you work with them. Also ask about special offers or bonuses. Many travel companies give discounts to military servicemembers.

Tips for booking online

Just as using the wrong travel agent can cause headaches, using a less-than-reputable Web site to book your trip can ruin your vacation. To avoid this, check to see if the company is a member of the Better Business Bureau (look for the BBB Online logo) before booking your vacation. You can read its customer satisfaction record at www.bbbonline.com. Don’t give out your credit card number without ensuring the Web site is secure; it should have a privacy policy or written guarantee that your credit card information is safe. 

Get the company’s toll-free 24-hour customer service number so you can reach a person to resolve any problems. Call it to make sure it works. Read the terms and conditions of your purchase before you buy, and make sure you understand the cancellation, prepayment, price guarantee, and other policies.

Which is cheaper?

You’ll find great bargains online if your dates and times are flexible. A quick search found a $137 round-trip flight from Washington, D.C., to Montreal; a 14-night Caribbean cruise for $800; or five nights in Thailand for $500, including airfare from San Francisco. “And you can put technology to work for you by using ‘fare watcher’ services that send you e-mail alerts when the price drops from your home airport or to your specific destination,” Ziff says. “The Web also will let you search by alternate dates or airports, which might save you some money.”

But online bookings don’t always mean sweet deals. The J.D. Power and Associates study found that guests who made hotel reservations online paid up to 5 percent more than those who used traditional routes. Travel agents—who stay abreast of promotions and have access to special bulk fares and rates—often can get a better deal than you can find on your own. 

“On all but the simplest trips, travel agents typically can use their skill and expertise to save you enough money to be worth their fee,” Hasbrouck says. “Doing it yourself makes sense for people who already know exactly what they want. But in general, the higher the total price tag of a trip, the more likely it is to be worth getting the advice of a travel agent.”