Travel agencies help businesses and individuals prepare for travel, issuing airline tickets, making hotel reservations, and reserving rental cars or other types of transportation.

In addition to offering these basic functions, travel agents can offer a range of services such as ticket delivery, detailed travel expense reports, and 24-hour emergency service to handle problems. For larger accounts, travel agencies can also help negotiate custom discounts with travel vendors. Some agencies even provide complimentary copies of air flight guides and detailed information about destinations to help businesses plan their travels.