Here at VacationLab, our mission is simple. We help travel advisors grow, succeed and enjoy what they do. We are one of the fastest growing companies in the industry, and we got here by staying transparent, offering support and giving our advisors the tools they need to shine.
Below are the three pillars that make VacationLab such an amazing place for travel agents worldwide.
Once you join us, you will have access to weekly team meetings, our legendary Advisor Academy and calls with other travel agents. Have a question? You can schedule a call with the CEO at any time and he will be happy to help you. Our sister website, Famvia, also provides more than 3,000 free guides, reviews and FAQs from the most popular travel destinations in the world, which will support your growth and help you build a strong client base.
VacationLab offers new webinars and courses every month that are created just for you and remain available for life. We also have a social media wizard (hi, Sofia!) who will be happy to set up a call with you. All of this is here to help you get started and develop your expertise in the way that works best for you.
We do not charge entry fees or monthly fees, and we never will. At VacationLab, you start at a 70% commission split and it only goes up from there. We pay on time, stay transparent and make sure your contracts and payments are always clear and straightforward.
Departure Lounge charges a one-time $500 onboarding fee which covers training. From there, their commission split varies by the advisor's location with incentive tiers that improve as sales grow. Advisors at $100,000 or more in gross commissions per year can opt into a flat-fee structure of $650 per month to keep 100% of commissions. That monthly fee is significant and only makes financial sense at sustained high volume.
At VacationLab, there are no onboarding fees and no monthly fees at any level to access our full platform.
Departure Lounge's service menu is extraordinary: private yacht charters, private jet trips and family office support go far beyond what most travel agencies offer. For advisors whose clients need that level of service, Departure Lounge is definitely built for it. Their active advisor community is selective by design and certainly not for the majority of advisors.
VacationLab builds advisors across all luxury tiers, with 80+ partners and an AI planning tool that supports everything from first-time cruisers to high-end bespoke itineraries.
$500 to start then costs vary per year based on commission volume.
No entry or monthly fees ever, and you start at a minimum of 70% commission.
30+ hours of training courses and free travel agent guides for over a dozen destinations
Disney and theme parks, sure, but also cruises and beach resorts, with multiple guides about each one.
Weekly meetings, private calls with the CEO, travel dashboard, dedicated webinars
Famvia, our sister website with thousands of curated guides and reviews for your guests to browse
Trainings covered by fee but specific courses not listed online.
Ultra high net worth individuals seeking bespoke experiences.
Specifics are not outlined on their site regarding advisor support.
No specifics offered about curating content for guests.
Short on time?
If you want the highest commissions and want to sell theme parks, cruises, beach resorts... basically all destinations and trips, VacationLab is your best choice!
Departure Lounge charges a $500 one-time onboarding fee that covers training. Their ongoing commission split varies by advisor location and includes incentive tiers that improve with sales volume. Advisors who generate $100,000 or more in gross commissions annually can opt into a flat monthly fee of $650 to retain 100% of their commissions. The 100% commission flat-fee option is only financially efficient at sustained high production levels.
VacationLab has zero entry fees and no monthly costs. Zero. Nothing. Nada. You don’t pay to join us, and we are more than happy to help you succeed as a travel agent and build a strong client base. As we said before, your success is our success, so we always have each other’s back. We also pay on time, and any questions about contracts or payments can be discussed with the CEO whenever you like.
Departure Lounge's commission structure is tiered based on sales performance, with the split improving as advisors generate more volume. Advisors can also elect a flat $650/month fee to retain 100% of commissions — but only when they meet the $100,000+ gross commission threshold. Below that threshold, a standard commission split applies with specific percentages shared during onboarding.
At VacationLab, we keep things simple and transparent. Every travel agent who joins starts with at least a 70% commission, and experienced agents can earn even more. With time and a growing client base, you can increase your earnings up to 90%, all with no entry or monthly fees.
Departure Lounge's $500 onboarding fee covers training provided through a combination of live webinars, recorded online content, Virtuoso network training and access to supplier resources. An in-person training element is available at Virtuoso conferences and at Departure Lounge's own annual fall advisor meeting in addition to the onboarding content.
At VacationLab, we offer over 30 hours of self-paced courses you can watch online, along with monthly courses, weekly team meetings and webinars covering a variety of topics. We also provide specialized courses, like social media-focused training, and you can always set up a call with our CEO, our social media expert, or other travel agents.
Departure Lounge has a private community platform where advisors ask questions and share knowledge in real time. They describe it as creating a strong sense of community despite remote working.
Being a travel agent should be fun, and you should know who’s part of your family. At VacationLab, we have a private Slack channel running all day and team calls more than once a week, with the CEO present and ready to answer your questions. You can also set up calls with our content creator, social media expert, or fellow travel agents. Need a guide focused only on luxury resorts at Disney World? Talk to us, and we’ll get it done in no time so you can share it with your guests. After all, we’re here to help each other.
Departure Lounge maintains a travel blog and destination content on their website. Advisors operate their own client communications within the Departure Lounge ecosystem.
VacationLab does things differently. We have a sister website called Famvia that is entirely dedicated to travelers and content. We offer more than 3,000 free guides, reviews and FAQs covering the most popular theme parks, cruises and beach resorts in the world. Have a client who wants to go on a Celebrity Cruises vacation? Send them our planning, dining and room guides, most of which are around 2000 words and packed with helpful information and details. We also have curated reviews of top cruise ships, resorts and theme park rides, with ratings and clear pros and cons for each one. Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure received a perfect 10 out of 10, and the same goes for Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios. Curious to see what else earned a perfect score? Well, we will not spoil that here.
Departure Lounge does not offer specifics for the types of perks and opportunities that are available for advisors.
At VacationLab, we offer not only the best experiences for your guests, but also the best benefits for travel agents. You have the opportunity to access special deals for your guests and save on your own personal travel. On top of that, we run giveaways from time to time and offer a perk called Tier Skip. Every month, we select three special travel suppliers, and you can earn bonus commission and prizes when you sell them. For example, if you are earning 70% commission and the travel supplier of the month is Disney World, selling Disney World vacations could give you 75% or more in commission. Yes, that’s definitely a great way to boost your income!
