How Long Does It Take to Become a Travel Agent?

How long does it take to become a travel agent? Days? Weeks? Months? We’re breaking down the answer below. But here’s a hint: it doesn’t take as long as some travel agent schools would make you believe.

Spoiler alert: sign up to become a Fora Advisor to begin booking travel right away (seriously). 

First question: how do you become a travel agent?

Our guide to how to become a travel agent answers this question thoroughly, but here’s the simple version. You can either start a travel agency (this is no easy task) or you can learn how to become an independent travel agent with a host agency like Fora. 

Each host agency has its own set of requirements, so we can’t speak for them all. But at Fora, we don’t require any prior experience or education. Rather, we provide all the travel-agent training you’ll need to be successful within your niche, should you choose one. We’ll circle back to this below. 

(P.S. Asking youself, "How much does it cost to become a travel agent?" Read our guide.)

Second question: how much money can you make as a travel agent?

That’s really up to you. Fora-travel-advisor salaries are varied because we prioritize flexibility above all else. With us, you have the choice to plan vacations and trips as a travel side hustle or a full-time gig. Some Fora Advisors earn six figures (and beyond) annually, while many simply use Fora as a means to fund their own vacations and hobbies.

Check out our guide to how much travel agents make for more specifics. And if you’re curious, check out our guide to how travel agents get paid.

Third question: how long does it take to become a travel agent?

How long does it take to become a travel agent? Traditionally, that answer was measured in weeks and months. But if you sign up to become a Fora Advisor, you can start booking travel right away once your application is approved. But don’t worry, we won’t throw you into the fire — we offer extensive, expert-led travel-agent training that’ll get you up to speed at your own pace.

Need more details? Read on. 

Traditionally, travel agent school would take weeks or months to complete

The traditional path to becoming a travel agent probably made a lot of people ask “Is being a travel agent worth it?” How long does it take to become a travel agent this way? Six weeks is about the norm.

Many of these travel agent schools still exist, but they’re slowly losing out to more flexible programs like ours. Fora’s training, for example, is modern, fun and always relevant, constantly being updated to stay up to date with the times. Many travel agent schools haven’t changed their curriculums in decades, even though the travel industry of today is almost unrecognizable from what it was even 20 years ago. 

Nowadays, travel-agent training is much more efficient

Fora’s self-paced, online course teaches you everything you need to know about booking hotels and other travel experiences (tours, rentals, safaris) for clients. Additionally, we offer extensive optional courses, like how to market a travel business, how to make group reservations (here’s why group bookings are great) and much more. 

Compared to traditional schooling, Fora's training is specific, up to date and always on top of the industry’s evolution.

There aren’t many requirements to become a travel agent

One thing that really cuts down the time it takes to become a travel agent with Fora is that we don’t require prior education or experience. In fact, needing to be a travel expert before signing up is one of the great myths about becoming a travel advisor. 

On the flip side, we should note that having prior experience or education won’t necessarily hurt you. Some topics may simply need to be “re-learned” if your original curriculum was outdated.

With Fora, you can learn at your own pace and upgrade your travel business over time

We touched on this before, but it’s worth highlighting again. Flexibility is one of the best reasons to become a Fora Advisor. Unless you’re a member of our elite Fora X program, there are no bookings quotas, sales targets, time commitments or anything of that nature. You control when and where you work — and we’ll provide you with everything you need to be a successful travel advisor.

Does the type of travel agent you become affect how long it takes?

It can. Different travel-agent niches can take longer to learn depending on what’s being offered. For example, it’s fairly easy to learn how to become a cruise travel agent because there’s less nuance to the subfield — each vacation is fairly similar to one another even if the destination or cruise line changes.

The same can be said for how to become a Disney travel agent, because you’re operating within one ecosystem, so to speak. 

Learning how to become a luxury travel agent, however, can take a lot longer because you’re typically offering a higher tier of customer service and booking travel to unique, ritzy and exclusive destinations and attractions. 

How long does it take to become a travel agent? Ask Fora

Have more questions about how long it takes to become a travel agent with Fora? Apply to become a Fora Advisor today and we’ll help you every step of the way.

Unsure if a job in the travel industry is right for you? Check out more of our travel-advisor resources below:

• 5 Types of Bookings You Can Make as a Fora Advisor (That Aren’t Hotels!) 

• How Do Travel Agents Get Clients? Fora's Top 4 Tips 

• Room Blocks 101: Mastering the Art of Group Bookings 

• Travel Agent Certification: Options and FAQs 

• How Much Do Travel Agents Make Per Booking? 

• Book a Cruise With a Virgin Voyages Travel Agent