How to become an airline ticket and service agent
Official title: Airline ticket and service agents
Also called: Flight agent, Airline cargo agent, Airline load planner, Airline ticket agent, Load agent - airline, Airline baggage agent, Cargo agent - airline, Airline passenger agent, Baggage agent - airline, Station agent - airline, Baggage tracer - airline, Check-in agent - airline
Airline ticket and service agents issue tickets, provide fare quotations, make reservations, conduct passenger check-in, trace missing baggage, arrange for cargo shipments and perform other related customer service duties to assist airline passengers. They are employed by airline companies.
Main tasks
- Airline passenger, baggage and ticket agents
- Help customers plan travel time and routes, prepare and issue tickets, assign seats, prepare boarding passes, check baggage, attend boarding gates
- Assist pre-boarding passengers and provide information on fares and flight schedules and routes
- Trace lost, delayed or misdirected baggage for customers
- Airline cargo and freight agents
- Weigh cargo and compute freight costs, calculate charges for services and insurance, process bills of lading, cargo manifests and other documents
- Trace lost or misdirected cargo and maintain shipping and other records
- Complete pre-flight documents regarding passenger and cargo load, catering count, special requests and other flight information
How to become one
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Several weeks of on-the-job and classroom training are provided for all occupations in this unit group. Airline station agents usually require experience as a ticket, baggage or cargo agent. Load planners require a restricted radio operator's licence and usually require airline operations experience.
Ways in
- Licence or registration: Load planners require a restricted radio operator's licence and usually require airline operations experience.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $40,950 a year The middle half earn $35,100 to $48,750.
- About 15,900 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 17,200 are projected by 2033. (+8.2%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
Related jobs
- Travel counsellors
- Pursers and flight attendants
- Ground and water transport ticket agents, cargo service representatives and related clerks
- Hotel front desk clerks
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Questions people ask
How do I become an airline ticket and service agent?
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Several weeks of on-the-job and classroom training are provided for all occupations in this unit group. Airline station agents usually require experience as a ticket, baggage or cargo agent. Load planners require a restricted radio operator's licence and usually require airline operations experience.
How much does an airline ticket and service agent earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $40,950 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $35,100 to $48,750.
Is an airline ticket and service agent a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 8% by 2033, from about 15,900 to about 17,200 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become an airline ticket and service agent?
Usually not. Only 22% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03