Every TravelFirst booking follows the same transparent process — from your first request to ticket delivery.
Nine steps. Full transparency at every one.
Everything begins with your request. Use our online request form to tell us about your trip: origin and destination, travel dates (or date flexibility), number of travelers, cabin preference, and any routing preferences or constraints. The more detail you provide, the more targeted your quote will be.
You can also note special circumstances — tight connections, accessibility requirements, frequent flyer programs you want us to consider, or preferred airlines. There is no fee to submit a request, and submitting a request does not create any payment obligation.
A travel advisor at TravelFirst reviews your submitted request — typically within 24 hours of submission during normal business hours. The advisor reads your request, notes any special requirements, and determines the scope of research needed to prepare your quote.
If your request is missing information we need to research effectively, the advisor may contact you with clarifying questions before proceeding to research. This step is entirely human — no automated processing decides the scope of your itinerary research.
Your advisor researches available flight options based on the parameters you provided. This includes reviewing routing options, available fare classes, and combinations that best match your stated preferences. TravelFirst does not offer a live search engine on our website — this research is conducted by your advisor using professional tools.
Availability and pricing reflect conditions at the time of research. Fares are subject to change until a ticket is issued and payment is confirmed. If there is a material change between the quote and authorization, we will notify you before processing any payment.
Based on the flight options researched, your advisor prepares a written quote. The quote itemizes every cost component:
The quote also identifies the charging party for the airfare component — whether the airline will charge you directly or our accredited ticketing partner will charge on behalf of the carrier. Both the airline's name and ticketing partner identity are disclosed where applicable.
Your written quote is delivered to the email address you provided in your request. The quote email includes a full breakdown of all costs, the proposed itinerary (flights, times, airlines, and connections), the fare conditions (refundability, change fees, baggage allowances), and instructions for how to authorize if you decide to proceed.
The quote is not a reservation and does not hold any seats. It is a written estimate of what your trip will cost if you decide to authorize. Fares are subject to availability and may change between quote and authorization.
Take the time you need to review your quote. At this stage, you have no obligation — no payment has been initiated, no reservation has been made, and no fee has been charged. You may ask questions, request changes, or request an alternate quote for a different routing or cabin class.
If you decide not to proceed, simply do not authorize. There is nothing to cancel and nothing to pay. If your review takes more than 24–48 hours, we recommend confirming with your advisor that the quoted fare is still available before authorizing.
If you decide to proceed, you provide written authorization. This is a deliberate, explicit step — TravelFirst does not interpret silence, verbal confirmation, or casual email replies as authorization. Written authorization means a clear, documented statement of your intent to proceed with the quoted booking at the disclosed amounts.
Your authorization confirms that you have reviewed and agree to: the total airfare amount, the agency fee, the charging parties, the fare conditions, and the statement descriptor (TRAVELFIRST). Once you authorize, the amounts disclosed cannot increase.
Authorization is Binding
Once written authorization is provided and payment processing begins, the booking is considered confirmed. Cancellation after authorization is subject to the fare rules and our Refund & Cancellation Policy.
After receiving your written authorization, TravelFirst initiates payment processing. Depending on your itinerary, this may involve two separate charges:
Both charges are limited to the amounts disclosed in your written quote. No additional amounts are charged after authorization without your express written consent.
Once payment has cleared, your advisor coordinates with our accredited ticketing partners to issue your ticket through airline reservation systems. TravelFirst does not issue tickets directly — ticketing is handled by entities with the appropriate ARC or IATA accreditations.
Your e-ticket confirmation is sent to the email address on file. The confirmation will include your ticket number(s), booking reference(s), flight details, and itinerary. Your contract of carriage is with the operating carrier — TravelFirst is not a party to that contract.
Quote ≠ Reservation ≠ Ticket
A quote is not a reservation. A reservation is not a ticket. A ticket is not issued until payment has cleared and the booking has been confirmed by the carrier.
A written estimate of what your trip will cost, based on fares researched by your advisor at a point in time. A quote does not hold seats, does not create a reservation, and does not initiate any payment. It is informational only.
A temporary hold on specific seats on a specific flight, typically created in an airline reservation system. TravelFirst may create a temporary hold during the booking process, but a hold is not a ticket and does not guarantee your seat until ticketing is confirmed.
A confirmed, issued document — specifically, an Electronic Miscellaneous Document (EMD) or e-ticket — issued through airline reservation systems after payment has cleared. Only a ticket confirms your travel. Tickets are issued by our accredited ticketing partners.
Your e-ticket confirmation is sent to your email address with ticket numbers, booking references, and complete flight details. Keep this confirmation — you will need it to check in, manage your reservation with the airline, and request any post-booking changes.
Your written itinerary includes all flight segments, layover times, airline and flight numbers, and booking class for each segment. It also reflects the fare conditions that apply to your ticket — including any change or cancellation fees.
For questions after your ticket is issued, contact TravelFirst at support@travelfirst.us or +1 (888) 992-4455. Please note the limitations below regarding what we can and cannot assist with post-issuance.
TravelFirst can assist with some post-booking situations, but not all. Here's what to expect.
Contact Us Post-Booking
Email support@travelfirst.us with your booking reference and a description of the issue. Response times may vary; urgent travel disruptions should also be addressed directly with the airline.
For airline-initiated disruptions (cancellations, delays, involuntary rebooking), your rights are governed by the airline's contract of carriage and applicable DOT regulations. Contact the airline directly for immediate rebooking.
Submit a travel request and a specialist will review it within 24 hours. No booking, no payment, no obligation — just a written quote.