Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Booking Agent

🎯 Role Definition

The Booking Agent (also called Reservations Specialist or Travel Agent) is responsible for managing end-to-end travel and hospitality reservations across air, hotel, car, and ancillary services. This role requires expert use of Global Distribution Systems (GDS), strong customer-service and sales skills, accurate fare and itinerary management, and the ability to coordinate with suppliers and internal teams to deliver timely, compliant bookings and positive traveler experiences. Primary objectives include maximizing revenue through upsell and add-on sales, ensuring fare and ticketing accuracy, resolving complex itinerary disruptions, and maintaining operational SLAs.

Keywords: Booking Agent, Reservations, GDS (Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo), ticketing, PNR management, travel documentation, customer service, sales, itinerary management.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Customer Service Representative with travel exposure
Front-desk or reservations associate (hotel/transport)
Call center agent in travel or hospitality sectors

Advancement To:

Senior Booking Agent / Reservations Lead
Reservations Supervisor or Team Lead
Corporate Travel Manager or Account Manager
Operations Manager (Travel Services)
Revenue or Yield Manager (if focused on sales)

Lateral Moves:

Travel Sales Specialist
Ticketing / Fare Rules Specialist
Group & Events Coordinator
Customer Success / Retention Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage end-to-end booking processes for air, hotel, car rental, rail, and ancillary services using GDS (Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo/Travelport) or proprietary booking platforms, ensuring each Passenger Name Record (PNR) is complete, accurate, and compliant with supplier rules.
Process reservations, ticketing and e-tickets according to fare rules and IATA regulations, including issuing tickets, endorsements, refunds, reissues, and exchanges while maintaining audit trails.
Advise customers on travel documentation requirements (passports, visas, vaccinations), special assistance needs, baggage rules, and airline-specific policies to minimize travel disruptions and ensure regulatory compliance.
Handle complex itinerary building and multi-segment bookings, including round-the-world and multi-carrier itineraries, while optimizing pricing and routing to meet traveler constraints and corporate policy.
Respond to inbound and outbound customer interactions (phone, email, chat, CRM) with professional communication and timely follow-up to meet SLA and KPI targets for response time and resolution.
Analyze and apply fare construction rules and ticketing policies to calculate correct fares, taxes, surcharges and service fees; perform manual fare calculations when necessary.
Monitor airline schedule changes, cancellations and operational irregularities and proactively rebook affected passengers, coordinating with suppliers and ground operations to minimize traveler impact.
Upsell ancillaries and value-added services such as seat selection, extra baggage, travel insurance, hotel upgrades and transfers while tracking conversion rates and revenue per booking.
Maintain and update customer profiles and corporate account preferences in CRM systems, ensuring correct billing codes, fare classes, cost centers and negotiated rates are applied consistently.
Coordinate group bookings, block rooming lists and manage allocation releases, handling deposits, amendments and finalization of group manifests in collaboration with hotels and suppliers.
Manage refunds, voids and chargebacks by gathering required documentation, applying supplier policies, and liaising with finance to expedite customer credits.
Reconcile daily booking transactions, payments and commission statements; prepare reports for finance and resolve discrepancies in commissions, invoices and supplier billing.
Escalate and resolve customer complaints, service failures and compensation claims in line with company policies, documenting root causes and providing mitigation recommendations.
Provide frontline support for corporate travel programs by applying negotiated rate agreements, preferred supplier contracts, and travel policy rules to bookings and exceptions.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of fare promotions, airline sales, hotel contract changes and destination advisories; incorporate relevant information into customer guidance and booking strategies.
Conduct quality control reviews of PNRs and issued tickets to identify and correct errors before travel commences, reducing involuntary re-accommodations and associated costs.
Liaise with airport operations, ground handling and third-party suppliers to coordinate special requests (wheelchair assistance, unaccompanied minors, VIP handling) and ensure seamless traveler experiences.
Support contingency planning during disruptions (weather, strikes, cancellations) by coordinating alternative routing, negotiating waivers, and managing temporary accommodation and transfer arrangements.
Participate in cross-functional projects such as system migrations, GDS updates, testing of booking tools and process improvements by providing subject-matter expertise and user acceptance testing feedback.
Train and mentor junior booking agents and seasonal staff on booking protocols, PNR hygiene, ticketing procedures and customer service best practices to maintain team performance standards.
Monitor and report on KPIs including average handle time, booking accuracy, upsell conversion, on-time rebooking rate and customer satisfaction scores; implement corrective actions where necessary.
Maintain confidentiality and data security for traveler information, following GDPR, PCI and company privacy policies during all transaction and communications.
Build and maintain strong supplier relationships (airlines, hotels, car rental companies) to escalate issues, secure upgrades or inventory and negotiate ad-hoc solutions for high-value corporate clients.
Create and maintain standard operating procedures, knowledge base articles and troubleshooting guides for common booking scenarios, fare rules and exception handling.
Perform manual overrides, voids and insurance claims processing when automated systems fail, ensuring accurate documentation for auditability and customer support continuity.

Secondary Functions

Support marketing and sales teams by providing operational input on promotions, campaign feasibility, and booking flow implications to help maximize conversion.
Participate in continuous improvement initiatives by proposing process changes, automation opportunities and error-reduction strategies based on booking data and customer feedback.
Assist product and IT teams in testing new booking features, GDS updates or CRM integrations and provide user feedback to improve usability and reduce friction in the booking lifecycle.
Generate and distribute regular operational reports (bookings by channel, lost sales, rebook rate) to stakeholders and use data to recommend service improvements.
Act as backup for after-hours on-call shifts or emergency travel desks during peak seasons and disruptions, ensuring 24/7 coverage where required.
Maintain supplier contact directories and escalation matrices, updating vendor SLA data and service-level expectations to speed resolution of operational issues.
Provide input to training materials and onboarding for new hires, reviewing curriculum for accuracy and alignment with current systems and supplier rules.
Collaborate with fraud prevention and finance teams to flag suspicious transactions, verify payment authenticity and support chargeback investigations.
Help coordinate logistics for corporate events and group travel, including contract negotiation support and post-event reconciliation.
Support sustainability and corporate responsibility initiatives by advising on low-carbon routing, carbon offset options and eco-friendly supplier alternatives.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Expert use of Global Distribution Systems (GDS) such as Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo/Travelport — creating, modifying and auditing PNRs and issuing tickets.
Airline ticketing and fare construction knowledge (IATA rules, fare classes, ticket endorsements, refunds, reissues, involuntary reroutes).
Experience with online booking engines (OBE), CRS, and proprietary reservation platforms and the ability to troubleshoot booking errors.
Strong CRM proficiency (Salesforce, Zendesk, Microsoft Dynamics or similar) for managing customer records, communication history and corporate account preferences.
Payment processing and reconciliations skills including PCI-compliant handling of credit card data, virtual card (VCC) settlement, invoicing and refunds.
Knowledge of travel documentation and regulatory requirements: passports, visas, health advisories, customs and immigration restrictions.
Familiarity with corporate travel policy enforcement and application of negotiated rates, corporate fares and third-party vendor contracts.
Proficiency with MS Office (Excel for reporting and reconciliation, Outlook for communication) and experience generating operational reports and dashboards.
Experience handling group bookings, rooming lists, inventory management and contracting procedures for hotels and ground operators.
Practical knowledge of travel insurance products, claim processes and ancillary product bundling to improve customer protection and revenue per booking.
Ability to interpret supplier service-level agreements and commission structures, and to reconcile supplier statements for accounting.
Basic understanding of GDPR, PCI and data privacy best practices related to storing and transmitting traveler information.

Soft Skills

Exceptional verbal and written communication skills with the ability to explain complex itinerary and fare rules in plain language.
Strong customer-service orientation, empathy and the ability to de-escalate frustrated travelers in high-stress situations.
Sales and persuasion skills to upsell ancillaries, upgrades and value-add services while maintaining customer trust.
High attention to detail and accuracy when inputting PNR data, fare calculations and ticketing information.
Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills, including the ability to prioritize rebookings and allocate limited inventory under pressure.
Time management and multitasking capability to handle concurrent calls, emails and system actions without sacrificing quality.
Team collaboration and knowledge-sharing mindset, including coaching junior staff and contributing to a positive team culture.
Resilience and adaptability to changing schedules, system updates and rapid operational shifts during travel disruptions.
Analytical mindset for identifying trends in booking errors, revenue leakage and opportunities for process optimization.
Conflict-resolution and negotiation skills for mediating between customers and suppliers to reach equitable solutions.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent; proven experience in reservations or customer service may substitute for formal education.

Preferred Education:

Associate or Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Tourism, Business Administration, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Hospitality and Tourism Management
Business Administration
Travel & Tourism
Customer Experience / Service Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–5 years experience in travel reservations, airline ticketing, hotel or car rental booking, or a contact center handling travel products.

Preferred:

2+ years working with GDS systems (Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo)
Prior experience in corporate travel management, group bookings, or agency environment
Certifications such as IATA/UFTAA accreditation, Certified Travel Associate (CTA) or industry-specific training are advantageous