Airport meet and assist for travel agents is a B2B service in which you book a greeter to meet your client at the aircraft door, gate or arrivals hall and escort them through the airport, then resell it at a margin you control. Sold well, it adds profit to bookings you already make and gives clients a visible reason to book with you again.
Airlines have shown how much revenue sits in add-ons. IdeaWorksCompany, which tracks airline ancillary revenue, estimated a record USD 157 billion for 2025 and reported that more than half of travellers buy extras beyond the base fare. Travel agencies can learn from this: the fare or hotel is often commission-thin and easy to compare online, while a well-chosen service on the ground is harder to price-check and easier to value.
Airport meet and assist suits agencies particularly well because:
You do not need to offer meet and assist to everyone. Target the clients for whom it changes the trip.
The best moment is when you send the quotation or confirm the ticket, not the day before departure. Add it as a priced line on the itinerary, with a one-line description of what the client gets. For corporate accounts, agree in advance which travellers or routes include it by default.
A stand-alone service sells, but a package sells more easily and is simpler for the client to understand.
| Package | What it combines | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival welcome | Meet and assist on arrival plus a private airport transfer to the hotel | First visits, families, executives |
| Departure ease | Hotel pick-up, assisted check-in and escort to security or the lounge | Seniors, groups, late check-outs |
| Hub transit | Transit meet and assist with escort between gates, plus lounge access where available | Short connections at hubs such as Dubai or Istanbul |
| Round trip | Arrival and departure services plus both transfers | Incentive groups, VIP delegations |
| Tour add-on | Arrival service, transfer and a private tour | Leisure packages and tailor-made trips |
Transit at large hubs deserves special attention. At airports such as Dubai International and Istanbul Airport, connecting passengers can face long distances between gates. A transit greeter who meets them off the aircraft and walks them to the connecting gate reduces the risk of a missed connection, and is easy to justify to the client.
Whatever you package, describe inclusions precisely. Say whether the greeter meets at the aircraft door, the gate or the arrivals hall, whether fast track is included where the airport allows it, and whether porter service is part of the price. Inclusions differ by airport, so copy them from your supplier’s written confirmation rather than from memory.
Most service failures start with an incomplete booking. Send the supplier everything they need in one message, in writing.
If a passenger needs a wheelchair, also request it through the airline. Airline and airport assistance for reduced mobility is a separate service, and in the EU it is a legal right under Regulation 1107/2006 when requested in advance.
Treat meet and assist like any other confirmed travel service: nothing is sold until it is confirmed in writing.
Keep confirmations and vouchers in the client file. If anything goes wrong on the day, the reference number is the fastest way to resolve it.
Schedule changes, rebookings and diversions are normal. Agree a simple rule with your client: they tell you, and you tell the supplier, as soon as anything changes. Send the new flight number and time in writing and wait for an updated confirmation. Ask your supplier how they handle delays: many monitor flight status, but a change of flight number or date usually needs a new instruction.
A no-show is usually charged in full, because the greeter was assigned and attended. Reduce the risk by:
Make sure your client-facing cancellation policy is at least as strict as the supplier’s, so you are not left covering the gap.
The supplier is your reputation on the ground. Compare candidates on the points that matter when something goes wrong.
Some airports also offer their own official service, such as marhaba at Dubai International and iGA Pass at Istanbul Airport. A good B2B partner can tell you honestly which option suits each airport and client.
Our B2B partner programme is built for travel agents, TMCs and tour operators. You register with your company details and trade licence; once our team approves the account, you see net B2B rates on the website and in your partner portal. You set your own selling price.
In the portal you can search airports and tours, book with your rates, and see your bookings grouped by client. Each service is confirmed separately with a confirmation number, and you can then download a voucher (confirmed services only, no prices, ready to forward to your client) and an invoice for your records. Bookings are payable once confirmed, by bank transfer, with the payment deadline shown on the booking, so you are not paying for a service before it is secured.
We arrange airport meet and assist, fast track, lounge access, airport transfers and private tours through vetted local partners at more than 200 airports. A greeter meets your client with a name board, every booking is confirmed in writing, and our operations desk works 24/7, including on WhatsApp.
If you would like net rates for your agency, apply through our travel agent programme or browse all meet and assist airports first.
The terms are often used interchangeably. Meet and greet sometimes means only a welcome in the arrivals hall, while meet and assist usually includes an escort through the airport, help with formalities and baggage, and fast track where the airport allows it. Always check the written inclusions for each airport rather than relying on the name of the service.
With a B2B supplier you buy at a net rate and resell at a price you set, keeping the difference as margin. Some agencies show the service as a separate line on the itinerary; others include it in a package price. Either way, make sure the client-facing cancellation terms match or exceed the supplier’s.
Book as soon as the flight is confirmed. Many suppliers need at least 24 to 48 hours’ notice, and some airports or peak dates need more. Last-minute requests can sometimes be arranged, but availability is not guaranteed, so do not promise the service to a client until you have written confirmation.
Suppliers usually monitor scheduled flights and adjust to delays, but a change of flight number, date or airport normally needs a new instruction. Tell the supplier in writing as soon as you know about a change and wait for an updated confirmation. Check the supplier’s policy on long delays and diversions before booking.
Yes, at many hubs. A transit greeter meets the passenger on arrival and escorts them to the connecting flight, sometimes with lounge access in between. Give the supplier both the inbound and outbound flight details, and check the transit and visa rules for the passenger’s nationality with the airline or official government sources.
No. Airline and airport assistance for passengers with reduced mobility is a separate service and, in the EU, a legal right when requested in advance. Request it through the airline as well, and tell your meet and assist supplier so the greeter can coordinate with the assistance team on the day.
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