I haven't used one in a long time, but there are occasions when you may have to find a travel agent (yes, they are still in business, though they are fewer and hard to find). So don't even bother calling an agent if you are simply going to Cancun. Just pick an airline on a website like Kayak and then make a reservation at a resort.

Related: How to find cheap travel deals?

I have found that travel agents can be better for traveling to remote countries or for complex itineraries. I also do not like to book a hotel through a non-US based website. Let us say that you are going to Bora Bora from St. Louis but also want to stop by meet your cousins in New York and London. If you tried to book this ticket yourself over the web, you will pay a lot more. A travel agent can actually move things around and while you might end up on different airlines and several tickets, you will pay just a little more than a standard St. Louis-Bora Bora ticket.

Virgin America Airline review

Have you ever traveled by Virgin Atlantic? Maybe you took a flight to go to London. Like Southwest Airlines, they are fun to fly, but that is where the similarity ends. They also provide a lot more comforts - more like JetBlue Airline. Until now you could fly Virgin only if you lived in Europe or flew to/from Europe. The good news for us here in America is that this cool airline (now called Virgin America) is here. They offer very low fares, so apart from checking other airlines, make sure that you look at them as well. I love their food ordering system too. Whenever you feel like snacking, simply order it on your seat electronically and a smiling flight attendant shows up with your order.