To meet PCI DSS, a travel agency needs to protect every system that stores, processes or transmits card data with a defined set of controls: a secured network and firewall, encryption, strict access control with multi-factor authentication, logging and monitoring, regular vulnerability scans, and trained staff, plus the right annual self-assessment questionnaire. Most agencies achieve and maintain this as part of managed IT at about £45 to £100 per user per month, and getting it right protects both your customers and your ability to take payments at all.
Because travel agencies take card payments for flights, hotels and packages, PCI DSS is not optional, and a failure can mean fines or losing the ability to process cards. The good news is that most of what PCI asks for is simply good IT security done properly and documented. Here is what it involves and how to stay compliant without it becoming a burden.
What PCI DSS actually asks for
PCI DSS is built around protecting cardholder data through a set of common-sense controls: keep a secure network with a properly configured firewall, do not store card data you do not need, encrypt data in transit, use strong access control so only the right people can reach payment systems, track and monitor access, test your security regularly, and maintain a security policy with trained staff. For most agencies the practical route is the relevant Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) plus, where required, quarterly external vulnerability scans.
Secure your network and payment systems
A correctly configured firewall, segmented so payment-handling systems are separated from the rest of the network, is foundational. For agencies running hosted desktops, that environment must be locked down and patched, and any system that touches card data kept within a controlled, monitored boundary. This is exactly the kind of setup a managed IT partner maintains as standard rather than leaving to chance.
Access control, MFA and logging
PCI expects that only authorised people can reach payment systems, each with their own account, protected by multi-factor authentication, and that access is logged so you can see who did what. Strong identity management and monitoring satisfy several PCI requirements at once, and they are the same controls that protect you from the account-takeover attacks travel agencies face anyway.
Patching, vulnerability scans and monitoring
Keeping systems patched, running regular vulnerability scans, and monitoring for suspicious activity are core PCI requirements and core security practice. A managed service applies updates promptly, arranges the scans you need, and watches the environment, so you can answer the questionnaire honestly and fix issues before they become findings.
People and policy
PCI also expects a written information-security policy and staff who are trained to handle card data and spot threats. Regular security awareness training and clear processes, especially around verifying payment requests, keep the human side compliant and reduce the fraud risk that comes with handling money.
Staying compliant, not just passing once
PCI DSS is an annual cycle, not a one-off. Controls drift, staff change and questionnaires come round again, which is where a managed partner earns its place: the protections are maintained year-round and the evidence builds up automatically, so each renewal is a quick, honest exercise rather than a scramble. The cost of getting this right is modest and predictable per user; the cost of a breach or losing card processing is not.
A real example
We support a travel agency that handles card payments and completes its PCI requirements each year. Because the underlying security, firewalling, MFA, patching, monitoring and staff training, is managed continuously, the annual questionnaire and any scans are straightforward, and the agency can keep taking payments with confidence rather than worrying about compliance at renewal time.
What good IT means for a travel agency
For a travel agency, good IT is mostly invisible. Consultants sign in securely from any office or country and their booking systems are simply there and fast; payments reach the right accounts because the security and the process make fraud hard; and when something does go wrong it is caught early and fixed by people who understand travel systems. The desk keeps moving travellers around the clock, and the technology stops being something anyone has to think about.
That reliability is not luck; it is the result of a setup that is designed, secured and maintained rather than left to grow on its own. For a business that runs 24/7, handles money and depends on a handful of specialist systems, paying a predictable amount per user for that peace of mind works out far cheaper than the cost of downtime, a successful fraud, or a breach of client and crew data.
Why travel agencies choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including travel agencies and travel management companies, and we understand the systems a travel desk runs on: Amadeus, Navitas, FareXpert and TRAMS, delivered securely over hosted desktops, alongside Microsoft 365. We support travel businesses based in Essex, Hertfordshire and London with teams working worldwide. Our credentials include:
- Cyber Essentials Certified
- IASME Cyber Assurance (Gold)
- NCSC Assured Service Provider (Cyber Advisor for Cyber Essentials)
- Microsoft Partner
- Crown Commercial Service Supplier (G-Cloud)
- Quality Principles Certified
We look after more than 2,000 endpoints across 50 companies, we have been named a Top 50 UK MSP for three years running, and we support organisations with 10 to 100 employees across Essex, Hertfordshire and London, including teams working internationally.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Want this handled properly for your travel desk? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT.