Travel Agent Side Hustle: Can You Run a Travel Business Part-Time?

Originally published: 12th October 2025 |  Last reviewed and updated: 13th August 2026

Can you build a travel agent side hustle while keeping your existing job?

Yes.

In the UK, it is perfectly possible to be employed and self-employed at the same time. GOV.UK specifically gives the example of somebody working for an employer during the day while running their own business in the evenings.

But there is an important distinction.

A travel agent side hustle is not the same as a casual money-making app, selling a few unwanted items online or doing an occasional weekend job.

When somebody trusts you with thousands of pounds of holiday arrangements, you are operating a real client-facing travel business.

Customers still need:

• accurate advice;
• professional communication;
• correct booking processes;
• appropriate financial protection;
• payment deadlines managed;
• changes and cancellations dealt with;
• support when travel is disrupted;
• and somebody who takes responsibility for their booking.

Those responsibilities do not become “part-time” simply because you are building the business around another job.

That does not mean you need to resign on Friday and become a full-time travel consultant on Monday.

For many people, starting part-time is actually the more sensible way to find out whether they enjoy selling travel, can build a client base and want the business to become something bigger.

Can Being a Travel Agent Really Work as a Side Hustle?

Yes - provided you treat it as a business rather than as easy extra income.

A travel agent side hustle can work particularly well for somebody who wants to:

• build an additional source of income;
• test a career change before leaving employment;
• work around caring or family responsibilities;
• develop a business gradually;
• use existing sales or customer-service skills;
• build a specialist travel brand;
• or eventually move from employment into self-employment.

What makes travel slightly different from many other side hustles is that your customer relationship can continue for months after the sale.

You might receive an enquiry tonight, make the booking next week and have that customer travelling nine months later.

During that period there could be:

• balance payments;
• passport questions;
• amendments;
• schedule changes;
• supplier updates;
• documentation;
• entry requirements;
• cancellations;
• or unexpected disruption.

So the question isn't simply:

“Can I find five hours a week to sell holidays?”

It's:

“Can I organise my business so my customers continue to receive a professional service when they need me?”

If the answer is yes, part-time travel homeworking can be a very practical route into the industry.

A Travel Agent Side Hustle Is Still Self-Employment

This is one of the first things to understand.

With The Independent Travel Consultants, you are not taking a second employed job with Jamie Wake Travel.

You are developing your own self-employed travel business while operating through the wider travel infrastructure provided by Jamie Wake Travel.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority defines a homeworking travel agent as a self-employed travel professional operating their business from home and providing travel-booking services to consumers.

That means you need to think like a business owner even if you initially work only part-time.

You are responsible for things such as:

• building your client base;
• organising your time;
• marketing yourself;
• keeping appropriate business records;
• understanding your income and expenses;
• meeting your tax responsibilities;
• following the processes required for the bookings you make;
• and providing an appropriate level of service to your customers.

You have flexibility.

You also have responsibility.

Can You Be Employed and Self-Employed at the Same Time?

Yes.

GOV.UK confirms that you can be employed and self-employed simultaneously.

For example, you might work:

Monday to Friday in your employed role

while developing your travel business:

during selected evenings, weekends or other agreed periods.

Your employed income and self-employed business income are treated differently for tax purposes, so you should understand your HMRC responsibilities as the business develops.

You should also check your employment contract.

Some employers have clauses relating to:

• secondary employment;
• outside business interests;
• conflicts of interest;
• confidentiality;
• use of company equipment;
• or competing businesses.

That does not automatically prevent you from starting a travel business, but it is better to understand your existing obligations before you launch.

What About Tax on a Travel Agent Side Hustle?

If you start earning money from self-employment, you need to understand whether you must report it to HMRC.

There is currently a £1,000 trading allowance for qualifying trading income. GOV.UK explains that if your annual gross trading income exceeds £1,000, you may need to register for Self Assessment and report the income. Different rules and exceptions can apply depending on your circumstances.

Importantly, the £1,000 figure relates to gross trading income, not simply the amount you eventually regard as profit.

You may also have allowable business expenses, and GOV.UK lists examples including office costs, phone use, advertising, websites and qualifying business-related costs.

Tax circumstances vary, so do not build your financial plan around assumptions taken from somebody else's social-media post.

How Much Time Do You Need for a Part-Time Travel Business?

There is no magic number.

I would avoid anyone telling you:

“You only need five hours a week.”

or:

“Ten hours guarantees success.”

It depends on:

• how many customers you have;
• the complexity of their bookings;
• how quickly you work;
• how much marketing you do;
• your experience;
• what products you sell;
• how many enquiries convert;
• and what is happening with existing bookings.

A new consultant might initially divide their available time between:

Learning

Training, systems, suppliers and booking processes.

Marketing

Creating visibility and finding potential customers.

Enquiries

Speaking to clients and understanding what they want.

Research and quoting

Finding suitable options and presenting them properly.

Follow-up

Turning quotes into decisions.

Existing bookings

Payments, documentation, amendments and customer questions.

Administration

Business records, deadlines and future commission.

The goal isn't to cram travel into every free minute you have.

It is to create predictable working time and a reliable customer-service system.

Don't Promise Customers That You're Available 24/7

One of the advantages of self-employment is flexibility.

That does not mean every customer gets unrestricted access to you at any hour.

Set sensible expectations.

For example:

“I work my travel business around other professional commitments, but I check client messages regularly and will always acknowledge anything urgent as soon as I can.”

Your exact arrangements will be personal to you.

What matters is that customers understand:

• how to contact you;
• when they can normally expect a response;
• what to do if something urgent happens while travelling;
• and how appropriate support is accessed when you are unavailable.

Professional boundaries are not poor customer service.

Often they produce better customer service because the consultant is organised rather than permanently reactive.

What Happens If a Client Needs Help While You're at Your Day Job?

This is one of the most important questions for anyone considering a travel agent side hustle.

You need a plan.

Some messages can wait until an agreed response time.

Others cannot.

For example:

“Can you recommend a hotel in Tenerife for next August?”

is very different from:

“Our flight has been cancelled and we're at the airport.”

Before taking live bookings, understand:

• the support available through your homeworking company;
• supplier emergency procedures;
• who can assist with urgent operational issues;
• what information customers receive;
• and what you are personally responsible for.

This is one reason why the company behind your homeworking business matters.

Our guide to choosing the right travel homeworking company explains what to compare before joining.

Start With Capacity, Not Ambition

Someone building a part-time travel business can make a common mistake:

They spend months trying to generate as many enquiries as possible.

Then they succeed.

And suddenly they cannot service them properly.

Instead, decide what you can realistically handle.

If you have limited availability, you might initially aim for:

• a manageable number of enquiries;
• a smaller number of good-quality bookings;
• excellent follow-up;
• strong customer service;
• and repeat/referral business.

There is no prize for having 50 enquiries if you can only properly look after ten.

A smaller, well-managed customer base is a much stronger foundation.

You Still Need to Find Customers

This is another area where the phrase “side hustle” can create unrealistic expectations.

Customers do not simply appear because you gain access to travel-booking systems.

With The Independent Travel Consultants, consultants should join on the basis that they are responsible for developing their own client base. ITC does not promise a guaranteed stream of leads or automatic income.

Your initial customers might come through:

• personal contacts;
• recommendations;
• local networking;
• community groups;
• social media;
• existing professional networks;
• specialist interests;
• local marketing;
• referrals;
• email;
• or search.

You do not need thousands of followers.

You do need people who know:

what you do, why they should trust you and how to contact you.

Read How to Build a Travel Client Base from Scratch if this is the part of the business you are most unsure about.

Don't Confuse Posting Holiday Deals With Building a Travel Business

Another common side-hustle misconception is:

“I'll post cheap holidays on Facebook and people will book.”

Sometimes they will.

But a sustainable travel business needs more than offers.

You need to become useful.

That could mean:

• explaining destinations;
• answering real travel questions;
• helping clients compare options;
• sharing genuine expertise;
• giving people confidence;
• following up enquiries;
• remembering previous customers;
• solving problems;
• and creating reasons for somebody to come back to you.

A travel consultant's value is not simply access to prices.

It's the service around the booking.

Can You Start Without Travel Industry Experience?

Potentially, yes.

The Independent Travel Consultants accepts applications from people with previous travel-industry experience and from complete newcomers.

Being part-time does not mean training matters less.

In some ways, it matters more, because limited working time makes good processes essential.

A beginner needs to become confident in areas such as:

• qualifying enquiries;
• researching suitable products;
• explaining booking terms;
• pricing and commission;
• customer payments;
• financial protection;
• documenting a booking;
• follow-up;
• amendments and cancellations;
• and knowing when to ask for help.

You don't need to memorise the entire travel industry.

You need to learn how to work professionally within it.

If this is your main concern, read Do You Need Travel Experience to Become a Homeworker?

How Much Can a Part-Time Travel Agent Earn?

There is no fixed figure.

Your income depends on factors including:

• number of bookings;
• booking values;
• supplier commission or margin;
• booking costs;
• your consultant commission share;
• cancellations or amendments;
• client retention;
• and when your customers travel.

With The Independent Travel Consultants, the current standard consultant share starts at 80% of commission after applicable booking costs and payment-processing charges. Standard membership is currently £50 per month with no joining fee.

But the percentage alone does not tell you what you will earn.

Imagine two consultants both working part-time.

One produces ten low-margin bookings.

Another produces four commercially stronger bookings for repeat customers.

The second consultant might generate more commission with fewer transactions.

That is why your business plan should track:

enquiries → bookings → gross commission/margin → consultant commission → payment timing

rather than simply:

“How many holidays did I sell?”

For more detail, read How Much Can You Earn as an Independent Travel Consultant?.

When Do You Actually Get Paid?

This is particularly important if you are hoping your travel agent side hustle will provide immediate extra spending money.

With The Independent Travel Consultants, consultant commission is paid when the customer has paid in full and the supplier(s) have been paid which can in some cases be after the customer has travelled.

So imagine you make a £6,000 family-holiday booking today for travel in August next year.

That may be an excellent piece of business.

But it does not mean your consultant commission lands in your bank account today.

This creates two different numbers:

Commission pipeline

Money associated with confirmed bookings that may become payable in future.

Commission received

Money actually paid to you now.

Part-time consultants need to understand that difference from the beginning.

If you need immediate predictable monthly income, self-employed travel commission should not be treated like a second salary.

A Travel Agent Side Hustle Is Not Passive Income

This deserves saying clearly.

Selling travel is not passive income.

Customers ask questions.

Prices change.

Payments are due.

Bookings need checking.

Suppliers issue updates.

Flights change.

People cancel.

People travel.

People come home.

And hopefully they book again.

The business can become more efficient as you develop:

• templates;
• CRM habits;
• automated reminders;
• marketing systems;
• repeat customers;
• and better supplier knowledge.

But efficient does not mean passive.

If somebody is selling a travel opportunity primarily as effortless passive income, ask much more detailed questions about what the work actually involves.

Be Careful With Recruitment-Led “Travel Side Hustles”

This is another important distinction.

A travel business should primarily be about serving travel customers and generating genuine travel bookings.

If an opportunity puts significantly more emphasis on:

• recruiting other sellers;
• building teams beneath you;
• earning recruitment bonuses;
• or persuading other people to buy the opportunity

than it does on learning how to serve travel customers professionally, make sure you understand the business model before joining.

With The Independent Travel Consultants, you do not need to recruit other consultants to generate your travel-business income.

The focus is on:

building clients and making travel bookings.

What Does Starting Part-Time Look Like in Practice?

A sensible first stage could look something like this.

Month 1: Learn and prepare

Focus on:

• onboarding;
• core training;
• systems;
• business identity;
• customer processes;
• and understanding what you are actually selling.

Month 2: Become visible

Begin:

• telling appropriate contacts what you do;
• creating useful content;
• networking;
• building your enquiry pipeline;
• and practising customer consultations.

Month 3: Build consistency

Start tracking:

• enquiries;
• quotes;
• bookings;
• conversion;
• commission pipeline;
• marketing sources;
• and how much time each part of the business consumes.

This gives you evidence.

You can then decide whether to:

• maintain the same level;
• increase your hours;
• narrow your niche;
• change your marketing;
• or eventually consider reducing employed work.

Read Your First 30 Days as a New Travel Homeworker for a closer look at the launch period.

Build the Business Around Your Actual Life

If you work full-time and have ten usable hours each week, create a business plan around ten hours.

Do not create a 30-hour business and hope you somehow squeeze it in.

For example:

Two evenings

Customer enquiries and quoting.

One evening

Follow-up and administration.

Weekend block

Marketing, content, training and more involved research.

Then leave contingency space.

Travel does not always respect your calendar.

A delayed flight or urgent amendment can change your planned evening.

The more realistic your schedule is, the more sustainable the business becomes.

When Should You Consider Going Full-Time?

There is no universal point.

And I would be very cautious about leaving secure employment because you had one strong sales month.

Instead, look for evidence over time.

You might consider the question when:

• your client base is consistently growing;
• repeat and referral bookings are appearing;
• you understand your average commission;
• your future commission pipeline is becoming more predictable;
• your available hours are genuinely restricting growth;
• you have appropriate financial reserves;
• and the business has demonstrated that demand exists beyond a short seasonal peak.

Even then, remaining part-time is perfectly valid.

Full-time is not the definition of success.

A sustainable part-time business that gives you the flexibility and additional income you wanted can be successful in its own right.

What Does The Independent Travel Consultants Offer Part-Time Consultants?

The Independent Travel Consultants is the homeworking division of Jamie Wake Travel.

Consultants are self-employed and build their own client relationships while operating through the wider professional infrastructure provided by Jamie Wake Travel.

Our current standard proposition includes:

• no joining fee;
• £50 monthly membership;
• an 80% starting consultant commission share after applicable booking costs and payment-processing charges;
• training before go-live;
• ongoing operational support;
• supplier access;
• booking systems;
• professional customer-payment processes;
• and the ability to develop your own compliant customer-facing business identity.

Part-time consultants are not treated as less serious because they have another job or commitment.

The expectation is simply that customers continue to receive a professional service.

We also do not promise:

• guaranteed earnings;
• automatic customers;
• instant bookings;
• free holidays;
• passive income;
• or success without work.

We provide the infrastructure and support.



You build the business.

Frequently Asked Questions About Starting a Travel Agent Side Hustle

Is a Travel Agent Side Hustle Right for You?

It could be a good fit if you:

• want to build something alongside your current career;
• enjoy helping people;
• can organise your own time;
• are willing to learn;
• understand that clients need professional service;
• are prepared to market yourself;
• accept that income is not guaranteed;
• and want the possibility of growing a business gradually.

It probably isn't right for you if you are looking for:

• an easy second wage;
• passive income;
• guaranteed customers;
• instant commission;
• free holidays;
• or something you can ignore whenever your main job becomes busy.

The phrase travel agent side hustle may describe how you start.

It should not describe the standard of service you deliver.

Ready to Explore Starting Part-Time?

You do not have to know today whether travel will eventually become your full-time career.

You can start by answering a much smaller question:

Would I like to build a genuine travel business alongside the life I already have?

If the answer is yes, explore Join Our Team to see how The Independent Travel Consultants works, including our current fees, commission structure, training, systems and application process.

And compare us properly.

Read How to Choose the Right Travel Homeworking Company before making your decision.

Starting part-time can reduce the pressure to make travel replace your salary immediately.

It gives you something more useful instead:

time to learn, build clients and find out what kind of travel business you are capable of creating.