17 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.
You start by checking the computer reservation system (CRS) — for example Amadeus Altea or Galileo 360 — to review bookings, seat inventory, and daily flight movements. Mornings often mean processing bookings, issuing tickets, and preparing invoices while answering email in Microsoft Outlook.
Afternoons usually handle customer service: selling tickets, fitting reservations to customer needs, directing passengers to gates, announcing arrivals/departures over the PA, and coordinating with carriers or ground staff about delayed baggage or schedule changes. You also update inventory and log special-assistance requests in GuestServe or similar systems.
Start with the main CRS used by your employer: Amadeus Altea or Galileo 360 Fares. Learn how to search availability, hold or sell seats, and issue tickets. Those are core daily tasks.
Also learn GuestServe (for passenger service records and special needs), Delphi Technology if your office uses it for inventory, plus Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and Word for emails, reports, and invoices. Practice real booking flows and payment entries until they feel routine.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for 2025, there were about 118,710 people in this occupation. The median pay is $44,390 per year; the lowest tenth earn around $32,140, and the top tenth about $78,150. These are national figures from BLS and can vary by city, employer, and union status.
Overtime, commissions from upselling packages, or working at a busy hub can push pay higher, while part-time retail or small agency roles often sit near the lower end.
Employers often expect a high school diploma plus training on a CRS. Look for short courses that teach Amadeus, Galileo, or general ticketing rules, or apprenticeships at travel agencies and airlines. On-the-job training covers reservation flows, fare construction, and baggage tracing.
Practice with mock bookings, learn common fare codes and seating classes, and be comfortable with Excel and Outlook. Customer service experience (retail, call centers) helps a lot.
A Ticketing Executive focuses on selling and issuing transport tickets, managing seat inventory in systems like Amadeus or Galileo, handling airport announcements, baggage tracing, and immediate passenger service. They often work at airlines, airports, or ticketing desks.
A Travel Agent offers broader trip planning: promoting tour packages, booking lodging, and building multi-leg itineraries. Agents may use the same CRS but spend more time creating travel packages and upselling tours, not daily gate or baggage operations.
You can use AI for draft emails, summarizing flight disruptions, or turning booking notes into clear messages — but never paste full passenger data into public AI tools. Passenger names, PNRs, payment details, and special-needs info are sensitive and must stay in secure systems like Amadeus or GuestServe.
Use AI offline or within company-approved platforms that meet data-protection rules. Always verify AI outputs against the CRS and airline policies before sending to customers or updating bookings.
Accuracy with reservation systems (Amadeus, Galileo, Delphi) and payment processing is critical — mistakes cost money and customer trust. Fast, error-free ticket issuance and correct inventory handling matter.
Equally important: clear spoken announcements, calm problem-solving during delays or lost baggage, and upselling relevant products without pushing. Good Excel and Outlook use for reports and communication rounds out the role.