Travel Associates Reviews

The TA is just fantastic. Milli, in particular, is awesome!

I honestly didn’t think I could book a flight from the UK to Australia during the peak of the pandemic with such low flight limits, but Bruce pulled it off. He was awesome, accommodating my UK schedule and always quick to respond right up to my departure day, even checking in to see if I arrived safely. Excellent service, and I’d wholeheartedly suggest this company to ensure your travels are hassle-free.

We used to handle our own travel plans, but that’s a thing of the past. We stumbled upon Rachel from Travel Associates at a travel expo in Victoria Point back in 2018, and her expertise and enthusiasm for travel really caught our attention. Now, Rachel is our go-to for everything, whether it’s booking a simple flight to the Whitsundays or planning a complex five-month journey. It feels like she knows us well, yet she maintains a professional demeanor. She always prioritizes our needs and goes above and beyond what we could ever expect. A standout moment was when we were in England as COVID hit in March 2020, and we needed to return home fast. More recently, we found ourselves stuck in Alice Springs during lockdown, with our tour abruptly ending. Half of our group had a travel agent, while the other half made their own arrangements. It was a tough situation for everyone, but we saw how much harder it was for those who didn’t have an agent to navigate cancellations and refunds. Rachel made everything so much smoother for us. She put in a superwoman effort to get us back on track, even working during her days off and late at night to keep us updated and handle our bookings. She truly deserves a medal! We’ve also interacted with Nicola and other team members when Rachel was away, and they’ve always been just as responsive and helpful. Even though we live a good 40 minutes from Victoria Point, we wouldn’t dream of going anywhere else for travel advice and bookings. Big thanks to Rachel and the whole team!

Our time collaborating with Carole Parker has been nothing short of excellent on numerous occasions. One instance really shines: we were set for a trip to Western Australia, but our itinerary had to be adjusted several times (and ultimately scrapped) because of shifting COVID rules. Thank goodness for Carole's enthusiasm, expertise, and positive attitude! We truly couldn't have navigated this without her.

Anya at Travel Associates was fantastic in assisting me with my journey from the UK to Australia during the pandemic. The risk of being bumped or having my flight cancelled was greatly reduced, and I received plenty of useful info along the way to make sure I had all the necessary paperwork. I can't recommend her highly enough!

Awesome support. I had set up a month-long backpacking adventure in Tasmania, and even when the borders shut down and things looked bleak, my agent Michelle kept me in the loop all the time. I even managed to secure my return flights from the summit of Mt Ossa, and everything was sorted out in no time. I’ll surely suggest this company to any buddy interested in traveling.

We had booked a river cruise with Evergreen (Scenic) Tours to Vietnam/Cambodia for September 2020. Unfortunately, they canceled our trip because of the China virus. Despite providing medical proof that we can't get the vaccine, Evergreen/Scenic is refusing to give us a refund for the money we spent on this trip. Our travel agent from Travel Associates has left, and now we're stuck dealing with Darin Warburton. He told me in an email that there's not much he can do and has pretty much washed his hands of the whole situation, telling us to reach out to Evergreen Tours instead (Scenic Tours is their parent company). The customer service has been really disappointing, and they seem to have no grasp of our predicament. It feels like they’ve taken our money, and I bet Travel Associates got their commission while we’re left without a holiday. Given the travel restrictions and the vaccine rollout, it looks like we won’t be able to travel abroad anytime soon. (Booking Ref. 670928)...You made an effort to respond, but you already have my name and booking reference, so finding my contact info shouldn’t be that tough...just need to put in a little effort...

30/10 - Just to update this situation. I got a call last week saying my refund would hit my account on Tuesday or Wednesday, and guess what? IT'S NOT THERE!!!! Travel Associates haven't seen the cash from Qantas yet, and it might (don’t hold your breath) show up next Monday, 2nd Nov! To say I’m frustrated and annoyed is putting it mildly!

I canceled my US flights back in April, booked through Travel Associates in Camberwell. Now, it’s almost the end of October 2020, and I’m still waiting for my QF refund for a trip I never went on! I keep checking in and all I hear is 'We’re waiting on the funds from Qantas'! They even sent me a screenshot from May!

Can someone please explain how long it takes for Qantas to send a refund to Travel Associates, and then how long you folks take to sort it out on your end? I’ve gotten all my accommodation refunds from the US in 30 days since they keep it in a trust account, and I booked directly with the hotel! I think I’ve been more than patient, don’t you think?

Travel Associates consistently deliver top-notch service, offering fantastic advice and ensuring our vacations are smooth and enjoyable. They never seem to find anything too much trouble. When COVID hit, we had a trip planned for June. Ness from the Tweed Heads branch worked relentlessly to secure refunds from various overseas companies, tour operators, and airlines. She was persistent and kept us updated throughout the process. I’m sure she put in way more hours than her schedule required just to assist her clients. We finally got our last refund (which was tough since most companies preferred to issue credits) and it’s such a relief. Ness was incredible; Travel Associates genuinely prioritize their clients. I’ll always choose Travel Associates, and I’m looking forward to traveling again once this pandemic is behind us. In the meantime, they’ve got some fantastic ideas and offers for trips within Australia. Keep up the great work!

We arranged an international trip via Travel Associates, which is under the Flight Centre Travel Group umbrella. They hit us with two cancellation charges: one for $600 and another for $260 from Infinity Holidays, who, by the way, doesn’t even impose cancellation fees! To top it off, we didn’t even cancel our trip; we just chose to get a refund. All the communication and receipts come from Travel Associates, and their site even promotes the refund policy along with the ACCC's stance on refunding cancellation fees! We've spent over three months trying to get our money back, only to be told they’re a franchise and not directly linked to Flight Centre Travel Group. This feels like deceptive behavior, and it’s downright misleading to advertise differently on their site while claiming they follow a unique set of 'franchise rules.' The relationship with the parent company shouldn’t matter to us as consumers! Honestly, what does Flight Centre Travel Group have to do with this whole mess?

I had booked four flights to the UK for July, but the airline has cancelled them. The adviser I went through is not willing to drop the 300 AUD cancellation fee per person. She insists that she isn’t obligated to follow the Travel Associations' policy on waiving fees because this agreement 'doesn't apply to clients who booked with a Travel Associates Franchise or TA Contractor.' When I made the flight reservations, all the emails and the travel itinerary clearly indicated Travel Associates, so I thought I was dealing with them and accepting their terms and conditions. The relationship between the operator and the company doesn’t matter in this case. Can you please confirm that all cancellation fees should be waived, no matter how I booked?

Absolutely untrustworthy. Back in September 2019, I made a reservation and paid for a trip to Hawaii for 10 folks in April 2020. I didn’t alter this booking at all. The airline canceled, and on March 16, they mentioned a refund would be issued. I reached out to Travel Associates in Wagga Wagga, and they responded with disagreement. I possess a letter from Hawaiian Airlines that includes a reference number and the names of the passengers, confirming they refunded the travel agent. The lodging I booked could be canceled just 24 hours before we were set to arrive, so I’m certain that wasn’t paid for. I’ve consulted with a solicitor and Consumer Affairs. Initially, in March 2020, Travel Associates claimed they would investigate it the following week. Now, they’re saying it could take up to 12 weeks. The total amount exceeds $35,000.00. They plan to impose a cancellation fee of $3,000.00 for ten people for their so-called service. I haven’t received any service at all. I want my money back. I would never use this agent again, and I’ll make sure others hear about my experience.

Our cruise to Alaska got called off by the Operator, but Travel Associates are trying to hit us with a $300 per person cancellation fee! The terms and conditions say we’d owe that if we canceled, which is fair enough, but we didn’t pull the plug! They’re getting a complete refund and pocketing their commission, yet they still want to charge us! Plus, they expect us to hang tight for up to 12 weeks before we see any cash back! Totally unethical business practices.

Chloe was super professional, really thorough, and quite pleasant, keeping in touch excellently the whole time. Frances also lent a hand and was just as great.

Fantastic service, pricing, and creativity from Nathan Dare at the Oracle Broadbeach office. The flights we booked had excellent connections, and the transfers were top-notch. I’m definitely coming back for all my future travel plans.