Oliver EvansTravel nightmares are the worst. Too many hours spent stranded in an airport? Been there. Worse yet, checked into a hotel that was nothing like the pictures? Done that, and we’re still shuddering.
Travel fails like these aren’t just minor inconveniences; they are vacation-ruining disasters. Enough is enough. That’s why we, the Waterview Vancouver writing team, looked into the best travel agencies that make traveling easy.
We’ve sifted through the options, separating the stellar from the subpar, so you don’t have to gamble your precious vacation time.
If you’re ready to say goodbye to travel headaches, read on and see who made it onto our list.
How much does it cost to hire a travel agency in Vancouver?
Hiring a travel agency’s services in Vancouver costs at least a 50 CAD service fee.
The final cost depends on the travel itinerary you are planning, the agency, and more.
1. Flight Centre
Address: 2127 W 4th Ave
Contact Details: +1 888-243-2049
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 9:30 AM to 7 PM
- Saturday – 10 AM to 5 PM
Website: http://flightcentre.ca
We love how Flight Centre simplifies complex travel. With their wide global network, they act as a one-stop convenient shop for all things travel—flights, cruises, and more.
Customers we talked to appreciate how easy it is to rely on their agents for accurate bookings. Many especially praise their meticulous planning of multi-city rail trips, ensuring smooth station transfers and scenic routes that would’ve been too overwhelming to arrange alone.
Another impressive thing about Flight Centre is its agents’ ability to secure last-minute hotel upgrades. Who wouldn’t love a first class buffet breakfast and awesome top-class rooms?
We also love their 24/7 support, as it brings peace of mind to travelers.
However, we did hear of instances where travelers were surprised by baggage fees on budget airlines – a detail to double-check before you choose them.
It made our family trip to SE Asia so much easier to plan
“I have used Flight Centre a few times now and have been extremely pleased with every experience! For my most recent trip, Nicki helped me build out an itinerary, gave great suggestions, and adjusted based on my feedback. It made our family trip to SE Asia so much easier to plan. She was patient, kind, and excited for us. I highly recommend Nicki and all the agents at Flight Centre. We’ve worked with 3 people on various travel-related things and all were wonderful! Can’t wait to work with them to plan my next adventure!”
–Zahra Esmail, Google Reviews
Easily understood the trip that I wanted to create and guided me
“Aidan Thomas at the Flight Centre in Kits was so incredibly helpful in planning my trip to Europe. He easily understood the trip that I wanted to create and guided me with great patience in providing options to ensure every booking was what I wanted. He is very familiar with the logistics of travel and has a deep knowledge of the many countries he has extensively visited. He has the service excellence in providing information and always responds in a timely manner with enthusiasm. I would highly recommend Aidan!”
–Charmaine Silva, Google Reviews
2. Finisterra Travel LTD
Address: 550 E 6th Ave #106
Contact Details: +1 800-806-0761
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday – 9 AM to 5 PM
Website: http://finisterra.ca
If we’re planning the best international trip of our lives, Finisterra Travel LTD would be our first call. Their dedication to crafting custom, immersive, and sustainable trips is impressive and really sets them apart.
We appreciate that their “Travel Designers” are not just desk-bound planners. They use their firsthand destination experience to create itineraries and provide invaluable advice, expertly.
Customers also love their detailed guidance on foreign visas, currency exchange, getting mobile data and more.
Although they are a bit pricey, we like how they can coordinate anything from African safaris to Asian culinary tours. In fact, several travelers going to Thailand loved the Thai cooking classes Finsterra agents arranged for them, as well as the unforgettable elephant sanctuary walks.
Another thing we love about them is their focus on authentic experiences that will leave you with memories that are well worth the money.
We also appreciate that they are big on responsible travel, treading lightly and supporting local communities.
The Itinerary was perfect, hitting all the most interesting sites
“Keri and Nicola put together a fantastic trip to Turkey for me and a friend. The Itinerary was perfect, hitting all the most interesting sites. The hotels that they chose for us were all excellent. They also arranged private drivers and tour guides that were just outstanding. The guides were extremely friendly and knowledgeable and were able to avoid the big tour crowds, allowing us to have a much more relaxed experience. This is the third big trip that Finisterra Travel has arranged for me and they have all been excellent. I highly recommend them!”
–Bill Hawk, Google Reviews
All of our accommodations, guides, and tours were first class
“Finisterra Travel put together a wonderful trip to South America for us. We first went to Chile. We explored Santiago and Valparaiso with friendly and knowledgeable guides and drivers. We then flew to Punta Arenas and began an exploration of the southern Patagonia area including a four day cruise with Australia cruise line. We saw penguins, whales, and glaciers. We hiked some trails that led to breathtaking views of the area. We travelled as far south as Cape Horn and then sailed north again, finishing our cruise in Ushuaia, Argentina. We then flew to Iguazu to see the amazing Falls and back to Buenos Aires for 2 more days to experience the “Paris” of South America. All of our accommodations, guides, and tours were first class. We enjoyed our experience fully and would highly recommend Finisterra Travel Ltd.”
–Thomas Dart, Google Reviews
3. Fernweh Luxury Travel – Luxury Virtuoso Agency
Address: 470 Granville St #319
Contact Details: +1 604-568-3944
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday – 9 AM to 5:30 PM
Website: http://fernwehluxurytravel.com
Fernweh Luxury Travel is who you call if you want high-end travel. Their Virtuoso affiliation isn’t just a label; they put it to use here.
Many travelers we talked to raved about the exclusive perks – like being upgraded to a suite, convenient rental car discounts, and more simply because Fernweh booked it.
Others highlight the VIP treatment, like skip-the-line access at popular attractions, which adds an extra layer of ease and indulgence.
We love how their advisors—backed by 70+ years of collective luxury experience—invest in helping you have the finest of luxury travel.
Their 24/7 support is also a lifesaver, especially for cases when luggage is delayed—we love that they get on the phone immediately. They waste no time getting you a cash voucher, tracking it down, and ensuring it’s delivered to your hotel within hours.
However, Fenweh is all about luxury. They don’t focus on budget travel, and their hotel choices aren’t always sustainable. So, if sustainability and budget are what you are after, look elsewhere.
Able to add so much value to our trip
“Alyssa went above and beyond to help us book a hotel on fairly short notice. Communication was prompt and she was proactive and thoughtful of our needs travelling with a toddler. Being a busy mother who loves to travel, my experience with Alyssa blew my mind. She was able to add so much value to our trip, including recommending a property I hadn’t previously considered but the stay was so seamless I am convert and will book all future trips with Fernweh.”
–Cassandra Malach, Google Reviews
Suggestions were always excellent
“I highly recommend Alyssa! She helped me plan a solo trip to Italy. Everything went smoothly and she was always there for any questions I had. Her suggestions were always excellent and she was able to plan a wonderful trip within my budget.”
–Angela Codrington, Google Reviews
4. Renshaw Travel
Address: 2175 W 4th Ave
Contact Details: +1 604-733-1010
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday – 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Website: http://renshawtravel.com
Renshaw Travel is a genuine time-saver. We love how they handle flights, visas, and even last-minute cruise bookings with impressive ease.
As they are a Virtuoso Travel Advisor, they truly shine when it comes to cruise trips. People really appreciate the upgraded perks they secure, like ocean-view suites and extra onboard benefits.
We also love the range of cruise destinations they work with, from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean and beyond.
We also appreciate how they go the extra mile to make your trip successful and enjoyable. If something goes awry, having an agent who can secure resort credits or step in to rearrange plans is a huge relief.
We just wish their email response time was quicker. Some people told us when requesting a minor tweak to their cruise bookings, it took nearly four full business days to receive a response from them.
For anyone looking for a stress-free and perfectly curated travel experience
“I recently had the pleasure of working with Carly and her team at Renshaw Travels to book a hotel for my trip to San Francisco, and I couldn’t be more impressed. They recommended the Hyatt by Embarcadero, and it was absolutely perfect! The location was unbeatable—right in the heart of downtown, steps away from the pier, and with a cable car station conveniently right downstairs. The hotel itself was a 10/10! The stunning architecture and artwork really captured the modern essence of San Francisco. Carly and Stephanie were amazing throughout the entire process, catering to my every need and making sure everything went smoothly.
I highly recommend Renshaw Travels for anyone looking for a stress-free and perfectly curated travel experience. I will definitely be booking with them again for future trips!”
–Deone Nenji, Google Reviews
Attention to detail, thoughtful planning and incredibly thorough itinerary was impressive
“Just experienced our first vacation booked through Renshaw. Absolutely amazing! The attention to detail, thoughtful planning and incredibly thorough itinerary was impressive.
A very friendly and professional team to work with – we’ll be booking with Renshaw for all future vacations!”
–Janice Beattie, Google Reviews
5. Escapes.ca
Address: 525 W 8th Ave #600
Contact Details: +1 888-685-6888
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 6 AM to 6 PM
- Saturday & Sunday – 8 AM to 4 PM
Website: http://escapes.ca
Escapes.ca has awesome all-inclusive vacation packages, especially for those dreaming of Caribbean beaches or Mexican resorts.
Their partnerships with major players like Air Canada and WestJet Vacations mean they offer a wide selection of packages at competitive prices.
Beyond just packages, we like that they offer everything from guided tours to destination weddings.
We love that their agents help at every step of the way too. They handle flight bookings, hotels, scheduling activities and more.
Many travelers rave about their “Best Price Guarantee.” Plus, we found their “Lowest Price Finder” tool genuinely useful. We used it ourselves and found prices for a week in Cancun within a reasonable budget in minutes.
That said, we do wish their price guarantee also covers individual hotel deals found elsewhere. It’s a bit of a letdown if you spot a better standalone hotel rate.
Tickets and all associated travel documents arrived promptly
“Great travel agency! Friendly, professional service from a knowledgeable, experienced travel agent (Bernadeth). Our vacation package was at a very reasonable price and matched our available dates perfectly. Tickets and all associated travel documents arrived promptly by email. It was a great experience from start to finish!”
–Ruth, Google Reviews
Most definitely the best vacation I’ve ever had
“I just returned from a trip to Jamaica and had the best experience with the Escapes.ca travel expert Shelley Elkas. From the initial recommendation of the resort we visited to the outstanding service from Shelley, this was most definitely the best vacation I’ve ever had. I will not hesitate to book with Escapes.ca again and will be booking through Shelley for sure.”
–Donna Munro, Google Reviews
