How much does a travel agent make when booking a plane ticket for me?

That's a surprisingly complex question. In most countries airlines don't pay commission to agencies as a matter of course.   However, they do pay bonuses which can vary in the way they are structured and in value.   The amount the agent earns could depend on city pair, date, day of the week and even specfic class on specific flight.   There is no consistency at all.   It can also depend on volume. The fact that most airline pay no standard commission means that agencies publish a table of fees to the customer for the process of booking and issuing.   They also have charges for reissues, refunds and booking cars and hotels. (As an aside the hotel and rental car industries haven't YET stopped paying commission.) Whilst the agency publishes a table of fees in practice the actual fees will depend on the relationship with the agents suppliers and with the customer and what has been booked.   I'm a little surprised your agnt charged nothing for an ITA fare because they are often quite complex.   You're either a very good customer or they have a deal on with one of the airlines involved in your itinerary that made it worth their while.

Yes, the agents don't really get any commission per-se. The idea is that the airlines releases the tickets few months in advance with price increasing with time. The agents purchase the tickets in bulk in advance at pretty low price. This is where they get discount and low prices from the airlines. This ticket is sold by the agents after they have calculated their P&L. This is why at times you will notice an agent website selling ticket at a cost lower than the airlines website. Plus, obviously there is Hotel and other offers through which the agents make the earnings. Packaged tours are big money earners through the local transporters, guides etc.

If you were purchasing airfare within the United States, and it was not part of a package that included a hotel or other components, your agent did not make a penny. Domestic airlines in the US do not pay any commission at all.  Since that is the case, most travel agents charge a fee for our time and shipping if the client requests air only. Many of us are happy to do it for free if our client is also booking a hotel or something else with the airfare. For good customers with a history with our agency, we may also do air for free.

Not a whole lot. Here in the U.S it could be between $20 - $50. Bigger TMCs (travel management companies) can charge up to $100. And then there are A list agents who will charge you $100 just to consult, and then charge you a service fee for the ticket. My clients make appointments with me to book travel. I personally book some of the biggest names in Bollywood.

The Yield on Air Tickets has gone down considerably and the Travel Agents do not make much out of Air Tickets lest they trump-up a mammoth volume that help them Survive in the long run. Airlines across the Globe are vying to reach-out to the End-Consumer thereby ruling travel agents out of the equation. Airline do pay a cut from the total deal to the travel agent, however they are paltry and not even worth the mention. In Your Case, I Deduce the Travel Agent must have offered a Pre-Purchased Fare and there is a Possibility that he is Tied-Up with a Consolidator that has a Colossal Volume and they pass on that benefit to the Travel Agent, This is just a Possibility. With Dwindling Commissions the Travel Agent is left with no choice but to charge the Customer over-and-above the ticket price. He would've certianly not made a fortune out of it but just to Cast an Impression and Keep the Ball Rolling he Paires the Prices.