Nowadays most people under the age of 40 probably look to book a holiday online, it cuts out the middleman costs and can give you much more value for money. But if I've learned anything about recent events (BA Strikes, Volcanic Ash grounding etc etc) I wouldn't rule out an agent just yet. And of all the travel agents, I've always found The Flight Centre to be the most consistent. A fairly small, West-based company, The Flight Centre feels more like a personal experience than a conveyer belt of customers and undertrained Little Britain-esque staff (compooter says nah anyone?). I booked some flights to Australia with these guys and they sure did find me a good deal £600 for return flights to Sydney via Dubai. Sadly, I missed out on the same priced flights with a free stopover in Tokyo but the on the ball staff did everything they could to help me make alternative plans and we had ever such a smooth journey. Win win. read more