Are travel agents back?

This question, posed by The New York Times, got us thinking. According to the piece, nearly one in three leisure travel agencies is hiring, and in 2011 travel agencies experienced a second consecutive year of growth; in fact, their bookings accounted for a third of the $284 billion U.S. travel market.

Silly us, we thought travel agents had become passé.

To find out, we consulted Barbara Vong, a travel agent withWright Travel Agency, the 2011 winner of the Best of the Best Globe Award from Travel Impressions.

The first thing we learned? Travel agents usually don’t charge customers for their services! Their payment actually comes through the hotels and wholesalers, meaning that we can simply tap into a free service. That also means using a travel agent should never be more expensive than booking by yourself online … and these are experts well-versed in where to find the best deals.

Of course, booking your flights in 30 seconds with a few clicks sounds a lot easier than playing phone tag with a live person, so it pays to know when a travel agent can help the most, and when you might as well DIY it. Vong let us in on the best times to call an agent, and some money-saving travel tips she’s picked up in her line of work:

Use a Travel Agent If …

You’re Traveling With a Group

For group bookings that involve coordinating travel for multiple people, it’s always easier to use a travel agent, says Vong. “I just had a bride call me because one of the groomsmen booked his own trip through a discount travel site, and he wanted to add someone to the room,” says Vong. “The customer service representative from the travel site he used told him they couldn’t do it, but they were probably just being lazy. This is a great example of when you’d rather hand the responsibility of changing that booking to a travel agent, rather than trying to fix it on your own.”

You’re Not Sure Where You Want to Go

Reading online reviews of a specific resort or city can take lots of time and effort. If you’re booking a getaway for your family, but your destination is still a question mark, an experienced travel agent can help steer you toward what you’re looking for (Family friendly? Beach town? Non-touristy?) “What I’ve noticed is that often our suppliers have better rates than what discount sites are offering, even when they advertise for ‘cheap last minute trips,’” says Vong. “Plus, if you start working with the same agent over and over for your travel, they become familiar with you and your needs, which makes it easier for them to help you pick out a spot you’ll enjoy.” (As a side note, check out our editor’s review of one new personal travel service that could help you plan your next trip.)

You’re Traveling Internationally

If you’re planning to travel somewhere out of the country, and you’ve never been there before, it might be a good idea to go through a travel agent. When you use an agent to book international travel, you’ll be able to ask a million questions, says Vong, and your agent will be sure to gather all the information you’ll need to make sure you’re traveling safely.

You Don’t Need a Travel Agent If …

You’re Only Booking a Flight

Let’s say you’re visiting a friend in Arizona and all you need is the flight out there. With all of the discount flight sites available, it’s usually easier, and generally about the same price, to just book it yourself. (Check out our rundown of popular travel sites to see which one might work best for you.)

You Want to Use Your Miles

Travel agents aren’t able to use your points or rewards card miles to book a flight or hotel for you—you’ll have to book on your own if you’d like to use them. “If you’re booking on your own, though, sites like Expedia or Orbitz, they usually offer a place for you to input your rewards information,” says Vong.

You Find a Fantastic Deal on a Deal Site

Go ahead and book a travel deal that you find on a site like LivingSocial, Groupon orTravelzoo. Just remember that you’ll need to be flexible with the travel dates (most deals are offered for off-peak times, like travel on a weekday only, or for a Sunday night at a hotel), and be wary of expiration dates.

Some Travel Tips to Save Money

In her years as a travel agent, Vong has discovered a few things that help her save money on her own travel. Here are a few of her favorites:

1. Fly at the Right Time

If you can, avoid flying out on a Thursday or Friday, or flying back on a Sunday, when Vong says flights tend to be the most expensive. “It’s hard to say exactly how much a traveler could save, as it depends on the specific flight and how much space is available on it, but you could find yourself saving up to $50 or more for longer flights,” says Vong. We’ll cover this and more ways to nab the absolute cheapest airfare in our upcoming story on when to buy plane tickets for just about everything–so keep your eyes out!

2. Factor in Your Transfer

Set up transportation from the airport to your hotel through a shuttle or van service online prior to arriving at your destination. Local taxis in some countries have been known to charge more to foreigners traveling to and from airports. If you’re working with a travel agent, she should always be able to book transportation for you from the airport. If you’re booking on your own, try calling your airline for suggestions, or searching on the tourism website for the place where you’re going (most major tourist cities have a tourism website.) If you’re booking a tour on your vacation, most tour operators also offer transfers with the purchase of certain products, says Vong.

3. Try the Go City Card

The Go City Card is available in nine U.S. cities (including Boston, Chicago, New York, Orlando and more), and it allows you to pick and choose which sightseeing you want to do and to buy those activities as a bundle, which will be much cheaper than buying them individually.

4. Use Your Email

If you’re traveling within the U.S., sign yourself up for emails from deal sites likeGroupon, Livingsocial and Bloomspot from the city you’re traveling to for potential discounts. In other words, if you live in Chicago but are traveling to San Francisco, subscribe to the San Fran deal sites shortly before your trip–you can always unsubscribe later.

5. Be Smart About Exchanging Currency

If you’ll be traveling to a country where you’ll need a different currency, Vong suggests exchanging money at your hotel. “They usually have the best rates, they don’t charge a fee and you can put any extra money you don’t need back in the safe deposit box in your room as soon as you get it,” she says.

Tell us—how do you save money on travel?