The planning fee is charged upfront and due in full prior to any trip research and planning being done. This fee is paying for the time it takes to fully research trip options and look for the best rates/deals. The planning fee also includes customization of trip proposals, ongoing communication, and delivering the final itinerary as well as booking everything except flights, which is best done by the client unless part of a package. Typically, the planning fee is paid and planning starts once flights are booked by the client. If assistance on selecting flights or researching flights is needed, I would be happy to do that. Clients are provided with the itinerary via several options including via email which allows it to be printed off via pdf format. Clients will have access to a free phone app to pull up the itinerary and all documents while on the go. The app is accessible even without wifi services.