Last week, an agent messaged me at 11 PM asking why her client complained about sharing a van when they booked an "airport transfer." She'd quoted SGD 45 per person for what turned out to be a seat-in-coach service, and the client expected a private car. That's a SGD 180 refund she had to process because the booking confirmation wasn't clear.
This happens more than you'd think. Airport transfer bookings seem straightforward until you realize there are different service levels, and your profit margin depends entirely on knowing which one to recommend.
What's Actually Different Between SIC and Private
SIC stands for "Seat-In-Coach" but nobody calls it that with clients. You'll see it listed as "shared transfer" or "shuttle service" on most DMC booking platforms. The vehicle picks up multiple passengers from different flights and drops them at various hotels.
Private means exactly what it sounds like – one vehicle, one party, direct route. No waiting for other passengers, no extra stops.
How SIC Transfers Actually Work
Here's what your clients experience with SIC:
- Wait time at airport: 15-45 minutes after landing while the driver collects other passengers
- Multiple stops: Could be 3-5 hotels before theirs if they're unlucky
- Fixed schedule: Departure times are set, usually hourly during peak hours
- Vehicle type: Usually a 12-16 seat minibus or van
- Luggage limits: One checked bag plus one carry-on per person
The pricing structure for SIC is per person. When you're booking Singapore airport transfers, you'll typically see SGD 15-25 per adult for SIC service to city hotels.
Private Transfer Reality Check
Private doesn't always mean luxury sedan. You're booking the entire vehicle, which could be:
- Standard sedan: Up to 3 passengers, SGD 45-65
- Premium sedan: Up to 3 passengers, SGD 75-95
- Van/MPV: Up to 6 passengers, SGD 85-120
- Minibus: Up to 12 passengers, SGD 150-200
The price is per vehicle, not per person. That's where agents either make great margins or leave money on the table.
When SIC Makes Sense (And When It Doesn't)
I've seen agents default to SIC for every budget-conscious client, but that's not always the smart play. Let's do the math.
Family of four flying into Dubai:
- SIC option: 4 people × SGD 22 = SGD 88
- Private sedan: Won't fit (max 3 pax)
- Private van: SGD 95 flat rate
You'd recommend SIC and save them SGD 7, right? But what if they land at 10 PM with two young kids after a 7-hour flight? That 30-minute wait at the airport plus multiple hotel stops means they're getting to their room 90 minutes later than they would with private.
Now they're annoyed, the kids are melting down, and you've saved them less than the cost of airport coffee.
SIC Sweet Spots
Recommend SIC when:
- Solo travelers or couples on tight budgets
- Daytime arrivals (less fatigue, more patience)
- Clients specifically requested cheapest option
- Hotels are in the main tourist zone (fewer stops)
- No time pressure for check-in or connections
For Malaysia airport transfers, SIC works well for Kuala Lumpur arrivals because most hotels cluster in Bukit Bintang or KLCC. The shuttle routes are efficient.
When Private Is Worth Pushing
You should actively recommend private for:
- Groups of 3+ people (price per person becomes competitive)
- Late night or early morning arrivals
- Clients with excessive luggage (golf clubs, diving gear)
- Airport to cruise port transfers (timing is critical)
- Clients who mentioned "seamless" or "hassle-free" in their brief
Business travelers almost always want private even if they don't say it. Just quote both options with a note like "Private recommended for your 11 PM arrival – direct to hotel in 25 minutes vs 60-90 minutes with shared shuttle."
Pricing Strategies That Protect Your Margins
Here's where most agents mess up. They quote net rates from the DMC without building in proper margins.
Your DMC might offer:
- SIC: SGD 18 net per person
- Private sedan: SGD 55 net per vehicle
If you're adding 15% markup across the board, you're quoting:
- SIC: SGD 20.70 per person
- Private sedan: SGD 63.25 per vehicle
That works fine for SIC, but you're underselling private. Here's a better approach.
Tiered Markup System
Use different markup percentages based on service level:
- SIC transfers: 15-20% markup (commodity service, price-sensitive)
- Private standard: 25-30% markup (more value-add)
- Private premium: 30-40% markup (luxury positioning)
Same example with tiered markup:
- SIC: SGD 18 net + 15% = SGD 20.70 (competitive)
- Private sedan: SGD 55 net + 30% = SGD 71.50 (still attractive vs SIC for 3+ pax)
You've just increased your margin from SGD 8.25 to SGD 16.50 on the private transfer without pricing yourself out of the market.
How to Present Both Options Without Confusing Clients
Don't send a quote with 6 different transfer options. That's decision paralysis. Send two options max, positioned clearly.
Quote Presentation Template
For a couple traveling to Thailand:
Option 1: Shared Airport Shuttle (SGD 42 total)
- SGD 21 per person
- Comfortable air-conditioned minibus
- Departs every 45-60 minutes
- Estimated journey: 45-75 minutes including other hotel stops
- Best for: Budget-conscious travelers with flexible timing
Option 2: Private Car Transfer (SGD 68 total) – RECOMMENDED
- Fixed price for your party
- Direct to your hotel, no stops
- Meet & greet with name board
- Estimated journey: 30 minutes
- Best for: Comfort and convenience after your flight
See what I did there? The SGD 26 difference seems worth it when you frame it as "direct vs stops" and "30 minutes vs 75 minutes." You're not pushing hard, just presenting facts.
Common Mistakes That Cost You Money
I've reviewed hundreds of agent bookings, and these errors keep showing up.
Mistake 1: Not Checking Vehicle Capacity
Agent books private sedan for 4 adults. DMC sends a van instead and charges van rate (SGD 95 vs SGD 65). Client complains about the price difference on the voucher.
Always verify passenger count and luggage. If they're over capacity for a sedan, quote the van from the start.
Mistake 2: Ignoring Return Transfers
You book arrival transfer and forget the return. Client books directly with a taxi at the hotel and pays SGD 80 when you could've pre-booked for SGD 55 and earned SGD 15 margin.
Always quote round-trip unless they specifically said one-way.
Mistake 3: Not Clarifying Meeting Point
SIC transfers usually meet at designated shuttle counters. Private transfers offer meet & greet at arrivals with name board. If you don't specify this clearly, clients assume they'll be met at arrivals for SIC service and get confused.
Add to your confirmation: "Your driver will meet you at the arrivals hall holding a sign with your name" for private, or "Please proceed to the shuttle counter in arrivals hall, Zone 3" for SIC.
Regional Differences That Matter
Transfer booking rules aren't universal. What works in Singapore doesn't apply in Maldives.
Singapore and Malaysia
SIC services are reliable and professional. Fixed departure schedules, modern vehicles, good English-speaking drivers. You can confidently recommend SIC here for budget travelers.
Thailand and Indonesia
SIC exists but quality varies wildly. Vehicles might be older, wait times longer. Private transfers have better reliability. I usually default to private recommendations here unless the client absolutely needs the lowest price.
Middle East (Dubai, Abu Dhabi)
Private is the norm. SIC services exist but aren't widely used. The cultural expectation is private car service, and the price difference is smaller. Most Dubai DMC partners will push you toward private anyway.
Tech Tools That Make This Easier
You don't need to manually calculate margins and compare options for every quote. Good B2B travel platforms show you both SIC and private rates side by side.
Look for platforms that display:
- Price per person AND total cost for your group size
- Vehicle capacity with luggage allowance
- Journey time estimates for both options
- Real-time availability (especially for SIC with fixed schedules)
The platform should auto-calculate your markup and show both net and sell rates so you know your margin immediately.
Scripts for Common Client Questions
When clients push back on private pricing, here's what works.
Client: "Why is private so much more expensive?"
"The shared shuttle is SGD 21 per person because the cost is split among all passengers. Private is SGD 68 total because you're reserving the entire vehicle. For two people, you're paying SGD 34 per person for private – just SGD 13 more each for direct service and 45 minutes saved. Most couples find that worth it after a long flight."
Client: "Can we just get a taxi at the airport?"
"You can, but metered taxis from the airport often cost SGD 75-90 depending on traffic and time of day, plus you'll wait in the taxi queue. Our pre-booked private transfer is SGD 68 fixed price, and your driver will be waiting with a name board. No queue, no surprises."
Client: "Is the shuttle really that bad?"
"Not bad at all – it's a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle with a professional driver. The trade-off is time. You'll likely wait 20-30 minutes at the airport while other passengers are collected, then stop at 2-4 hotels before yours. If you're landing midday and not in a rush, it's a perfectly good option."
What Your Confirmation Should Include
Whichever option they book, your transfer voucher needs these details:
- Service type (Private Car Transfer or Shared Shuttle)
- Vehicle type and capacity
- Exact meeting point with terminal/zone info
- Driver contact number (for private)
- Flight details (so driver can track delays)
- Drop-off hotel with full address
- Total journey time (estimated)
For SIC, add shuttle departure schedule: "Shuttles depart every 60 minutes. Next available shuttle after your landing time will be confirmed 24 hours before arrival."
For private, add: "Your driver will wait up to 90 minutes after landing at no extra charge. If your flight is delayed beyond that, please contact the number provided."
Bottom Line for Agent Profitability
Airport transfers aren't where you make massive margins, but they're where you either look professional or create problems that eat into your time and reputation.
The agents who do this well:
- Quote both options with clear differentiation
- Use tiered markup (higher for private, lower for SIC)
- Present private as recommended for 3+ people or late arrivals
- Include return transfers in every quote
- Send crystal-clear confirmations with meeting instructions
Those confirmation details prevent 90% of transfer-related client complaints. That 11 PM message I mentioned at the start? Could've been avoided with one line in the confirmation: "Shared shuttle service with multiple hotel stops."
Get your transfer bookings right, and they become the easiest upsell in your package. Get them wrong, and you're processing refunds instead of earning commissions. The platform you use matters less than how clearly you present the options to your clients.
