Transparent travel consulting
How pricing works.
Emerald Reserve Travel offers both commission-supported bookings and fee-based consulting services, depending on the type of trip and the level of planning involved. Most bookings run through Fora Travel's partner programs; work that falls outside them carries a fee of its own, handled case by case.
Commission-supported
Select luxury hotel, cruise, villa, tour, and partner bookings, generally made through Fora Travel, compensate the desk through the supplier or partner network. The booking itself supports the service.
Fee-based consulting
Specialized work, premium flight research, award bookings made with points, complex itinerary research and planning, non-commissionable fares, is handled by Emerald Reserve and carries a separate fee, set case by case.
Hybrid
Some trips combine both: supplier compensation on the bookings, plus a clearly scoped fee where the research and coordination go beyond what the booking supports.
Fee structure by service
- Luxury Hotels
- Many luxury hotel bookings are commission-supported through travel partners, with preferred perks where available. Perks, upgrades, and amenities are never guaranteed unless confirmed by the property.
- Business & First Class Flights
- Premium-cabin research, fare comparison, routing strategy, and booking support may involve a service fee, especially where the booking itself is non-commissionable, such as award tickets and most economy fares, which are booked directly by the desk.
- Points & Miles Consulting
- Award searches and bookings made with your points are fee-based and handled directly by the desk, with service fees from $199: they require research, transfer routing, availability searches, and ticketing follow-through.
- Full Trip Planning
- Multi-part trips, honeymoons, luxury weekends, family travel, and complex itineraries may include a planning fee based on scope.
- Cruises, Villas, Tours & Specialty Travel
- Some specialty bookings are commission-supported through travel partners; highly customized planning or coordination may involve a separate fee.
- Private Aviation & Semi-Private Flights
- Arranged by request through our aviation partners and quoted per trip. Aircraft options, timing, and pricing presented before anything is confirmed.
Fee schedule coming soon. Planning and consulting fees are set after reviewing your request, based on scope, complexity, and booking type, and handled case by case. You will never be charged a fee you haven't agreed to.
Start a request, we'll take it from thereDo you charge a fee?
It depends on the request. Many bookings are commission-supported through travel partners, while specialized work such as premium flight research, award bookings, and complex itineraries carries a separate fee, handled case by case. For some of that work, such as award tickets booked with your points or fares outside our partner programs, the fee means the total can cost more than booking it yourself. What it buys is the time, the expertise, and someone accountable for the outcome.
Will I know the cost before committing?
You will never be charged a fee you haven't agreed to. Fee structure varies with the request, and we'll tell you whether your trip is commission-supported, fee-based, or a mix of both.
How do payments and personal documents work?
Never through this website, and never over plain email. Bookings are processed through secure, established channels, and if payment details, passport information, or traveler profiles are needed, you'll receive a secure link or an approved booking process. Our trip request form will never ask for card or passport numbers.