Sunday, June 30, 2024
Travel

The 5 best online travel agencies in Australia

Australia is a travel hotspot, full of comings and goings. Corporate travelers are constantly jetting in for business meetings in Sydney or Melbourne, while tourists arrive excited to tick Bondi Beach and Uluru off their bucket lists. 

While these trips may appear pretty seamless, planning a trip can be a very complex task—especially when you’re heading off halfway across the world. To make sure you’re getting the most out of every journey, business, or leisure, it pays off to put the planning in the hands of travel experts. 

Taking into account numerous factors like customer reviews, inventory size, and flexibility, we’ve put together the best agencies for travelers based in Australia. Whether you’re jetting off to Asia for board meetings, visiting New Zealand or Fiji for a group getaway, or embarking on a first-time dream vacation to Europe, these are the travel companies you can count on.

Let’s get going!

Best online travel agency for business travel

1. TravelPerk: your all-in-one solution for corporate travel

TravelPerk is a modern solution for modern corporate travel. Its easy-to-use online booking tool is a refreshing change from the clunky UI often associated with business travel. TravelPerk enables you to make flexible bookings for employees, and even offers the option to offset your carbon footprint. 

This platform is more than just an OTA, it’s a comprehensive corporate travel management tool that helps your team book, manage, and report on business travel. TravelPerk ensures employees are traveling stress-free on the cheapest flights available, at no sacrifice to experience.

TravelPerk gives employees access to the information and the security they need to travel with peace of mind. It gives organizations and travel managers access to the best corporate travel rates that you won’t find on the market.

Main offerings and features: 

  • Extensive inventory of travel services
  • Safety alerts with TravelCare
  • Integrated travel policy & approval flows
  • Centralized invoicing
  • Easy & real-time expense reports
  • Carbon offsetting with GreenPerk
  • 24/7 customer support with a 15s target
  • Integration with 3rd party tools, such as expense management or HR software like Expensify and BambooHR

See how to save money by automating your booking process

The best online travel agencies for leisure travel

If you’re looking for leisure travel options, we’ve got you covered. Here are the best online leisure travel agencies to make your trip from the Australian outback to the Great Barrier Reef and beyond as easy as 1, 2, 3. 

Australian through-and-through, Flight Centre was set up over 40 years ago. The flagship brand of Flight Centre Travel Group, it is recognized as one of the top five largest travel agencies in the world, with over 2000 leisure and corporate businesses in 11 countries.

With a large inventory offering flights and accommodation across the world, Flight Centre also offers holiday packages, cruises, and top tour companies. Their bonus extras include Travel Money Oz, where you can build up points and redeem them with discounted flights, insurance support, and 24/7 customer service.

Additionally, through their partnership with Reforest, they aim to offset their carbon emissions by planting 1 million trees through insurance purchases made on their website. Whether it’s a homestay down under you’re looking for, or a trip further afield, Flight Centre is a popular choice among Australians.

Main offerings and features: 

  • ‘Captain’s Pack’ insurance packages
  • Insurance consultations
  • Carbon offsetting options
  • Partnerships with hotels and home rentals
  • Wide range of tourist activities
  • Affordable package deals

3. Webjet: finding cheap deals made easy

One of Australia and New Zealand’s most popular online travel agencies, Webjet is a great choice for customers looking for more economical options. From car hire to travel insurance, Webjet offers its customers some of the best deals on the market with its all-in-one platform, which compares eight domestic airlines and 140+ global airlines to offer its clients the most competitive rates. 

Despite the cheap deals, Webjet is known to add administrative fees at the end of the booking process, adding significant expense.

Main offerings and features:

  • IATA-accredited agent
  • Intuitive website and comprehensive app
  • 30-minute price guarantee when booking
  • Wide inventory of flights and hotels
  • 24/7 customer service

4. Wotif: the best for last-minute deals

Also proudly Australian, Wotif was set up in Brisbane in 2000. It’s grown from a small group to an internationally recognized leader in the online travel industry, offering accommodation in nearly 70 countries, with a broad range of hotels and homestays. 

It’s well-trusted by Aussies and favored for its affordable rates and accessible full service. With discounts of up to 70% on budget hotels to luxury travel, it caters to varied travel needs.

A stand-out feature of Wotif’s offering is their last-minute deals, providing cheap solutions to travelers in need of a place to stay. However, their bookings are non-refundable, so proceed with caution and avoid cancellations where possible.

Additionally, Wotif’s popularity means that their deals are often subject to availability, so speedy booking is advised. To secure those deals, you’ll need to hop on them faster than a kangaroo. We’d also recommend keeping an eye out for any hidden fees applied during the booking process.

Main offerings and features:

  • 24/7 customer service
  • Good discounts and package deals
  • Customer loyalty program
  • User-friendly booking site
  • Real-time travel notifications

5. TripADeal: the one for long-distance travel itineraries

For those Aussies with long bucket lists to tick off, TripADeal might be for you. From group tours to private tours to guided tours, they specialize in competitive package deals to destinations as far-flung as India, Japan, China, and South Africa. 

Their partnership with the Qantas Frequent Flyer program offers further discounts for any jet setters out there, allowing customers to earn and use points on their range of bucket list holidays.

Set up in 2011 in Byron Bay, TripADeal is also totally Australian and has risen to become one of the most popular options for Australians traveling long distances. They’re travel specialists with the goal of making bucket-list holidays more accessible, with affordable deals and group packages.

Main offerings and features:

  • Accredited by AFTA and IATA
  • Team of travel experts available 24/7
  • Frequent Flyer membership
  • Top last-minute deals
  • Monthly newsletter
  • Intuitive, easy-to-use app

Calling all Australians, ready for take-off?

So, there we have it: the top five best travel management companies in Australia. Whether you’re heading over to Adelaide or the Blue Mountains for a mini-break, Singapore for a conference, or the US for a long-awaited road trip, these are the agencies that’ll help you make the best travel plans.

When you’re choosing the right travel professional for you, it’s important to look for those who prioritize flexibility, responsiveness, and comprehensiveness. Making travel arrangements can be a headache in itself, so you want to look for a tour operator who will eliminate all the headaches and put together a hassle-free trip.

With its user-oriented platform, world-class travel inventory, and fast, helpful customer support, TravelPerk consistently comes out on top for corporate travel. All you have to do now is pack your bags and get ready for your trip with the best travel agency for your needs. 

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