You’re planning an overseas holiday, a trip to see family, or an important business journey — and the questions start to mount. Is now the right time to book? Can I find a lie-flat Business Class seat that fits my budget? Have I found the best fare, and have I overlooked anything? When am I going to find the time to sort it all out?
Last updated 3 June 2026
You’ve travelled before, but the same things give you pause: finding genuine value, making sure the trip ticks every box, and the sheer time it takes. There are hundreds of travel websites at your fingertips — and they all look great — which can make it harder, not easier, to know what to trust and what to include.
This is exactly where a boutique travel agent earns their place. As a full-service agency we have the day-to-day experience and the booking tools to manage the logistics, plus access to specialist wholesalers with in-depth, unbiased knowledge of destinations and airlines. Here’s what that means for you — and, since people often ask, exactly how our service fee works.
Why use a boutique travel agent?
Even a seasoned traveller benefits from sharing their plans with an expert. Think of that spark when you meet someone at a barbecue who’s just back from where you’re headed — now imagine that person could plan and book the whole trip for you. There are few worse feelings than booking a holiday only to discover, too late, the advice or deal you missed.
One point of contact. Deal with one person rather than a dozen browser tabs and providers. Your consultant coordinates everything behind the scenes and brings you a single, considered solution.
Someone who knows how you travel. Over time your consultant learns your preferences — so you find yourself pre-seated, with your gluten-free meal already ordered, without having to ask.
Access to specialist partners. You tap into our wholesale partners, who are knowledgeable and as enthusiastic about your destination as you are.
Someone in your corner. If something unexpected comes up mid-trip, you have a real person to call — not an overseas call centre.
Independent advice, on your side
Airlines once paid travel agents a commission, but those commissions have been cut to the point where they no longer reflect the work involved in arranging a quality itinerary. We see that as a good thing for you: at Fine Travel we act as independent advocates for our clients, not for any airline. The itineraries we recommend are shaped by your needs and nothing else — we’re free to suggest the routing and airline that genuinely suit you.
How our Professional Travel Services Fee works
Because commissions no longer cover the service we provide, we include a Professional Travel Services Fee. It reflects the genuine work of researching, booking and looking after your travel — much of which happens out of sight. For a typical airfare booking, that work includes:
A dedicated consultant. A personal consultant — generally with at least 10 years’ industry experience — who builds up a history of your preferences, rather than an overseas call centre or website chat.
Researching and presenting options. Comparing airlines, routes and prices using our direct access to airline reservation systems — and holding seats while you decide.
Arranging everything with the airline. Ticketing in your passport name, seat pre-selection where available, frequent-flyer details, special meals, and add-ons like a wheelchair request, the Emirates chauffeur service or Singapore Airlines Book the Cook.
A consolidated itinerary. Flight details, confirmed seats and meals, stopover information, baggage allowances, key travel notes (SafeTravel registration, check-in requirements), any accommodation, cruises and transfers booked with us, and the airline’s change and cancellation policy — all in one place.
Ongoing care after you book. We monitor airline schedule changes and update your tickets and itinerary as needed.
The details that catch people out. Passport validity, visa and even vaccination requirements, if not managed carefully can result in surprises at the airport.
The fee varies with the complexity of the itinerary and the services required. As a guide, it’s generally no more than 3.5% of a Business Class airfare to the UK or Europe — a small share of the total for the time saved, the stress avoided, and the reassurance of knowing it’s been done properly.
Our point of difference
Fine Travel is a full-service agency providing bespoke travel for leisure and business clients across New Zealand. Wherever you are in the country, our consultants love sharing their industry and personal knowledge to shape an itinerary that’s genuinely tailored to you. Backed by our Travel Agents Association of New Zealand (TAANZ) membership and bonding and IATA Accreditation, we take the stress out of planning and booking — leaving you the easy part: packing.
Plan your trip with Fine Travel
Let’s take it off your plate
From the right Business Class fare to the small details that make a trip run smoothly, we’ll handle the logistics so you don’t have to. Tell us where you’re headed.
Contact the Fine Travel team
