Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 109,200 people employed as reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks in the United States. The median annual salary is $39,900. Entry level employees earn approximately $29,110 per year and senior employees earn approximately $69,420 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Examine passenger documentation to determine destinations and to assign boarding passes.
• Trace lost, delayed, or misdirected baggage for customers.
• Check baggage and cargo and direct passengers to designated locations for loading.
• Provide boarding or disembarking assistance to passengers needing special assistance.
• Confer with customers to determine their service requirements and travel preferences.
• Announce arrival and departure information, using public address systems.
• Determine whether space is available on travel dates requested by customers, assigning requested spaces when available.
• Assemble and issue required documentation, such as tickets, travel insurance policies, or itineraries.
• Keep information facilities clean during operation.
• Provide clients with assistance in preparing required travel documents and forms.
• Prepare customer invoices and accept payment.
• Open or close information facilities.
• Provide customers with travel suggestions and information sources, such as guides, directories, brochures, or maps.
• Contact customers or travel agents to advise them of travel conveyance changes or to confirm reservations.
• Promote particular destinations, tour packages, and other travel services.
• Contact motel, hotel, resort, and travel operators to obtain current advertising literature.
• Maintain computerized inventories of available passenger space and provide information on space reserved or available.
• Inform clients of essential travel information, such as travel times, transportation connections, or medical and visa requirements.
• Answer inquiries regarding information, such as schedules, accommodations, procedures, or policies.
• Plan routes, itineraries, and accommodation details, and compute fares and fees, using schedules, rate books, and computers.
• Make and confirm reservations for transportation and accommodations, using telephones, faxes, mail, and computers.

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