Jim's Travel Tips » Trip Planning

International Flights

Jim — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:04:41 +0000

Traveling over seas and want a site that specializes in International flight planning? I found as much as a $2000 saving on a Business Class ticket to Rome. They also have a 3D seating chart. TIP: go to www.vayama.com

Fare Quotes

Jim — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:22:01 +0000

When this next site provides you with a fare quote, it gives you a forecast indicator arrow. Green means the fare will likely be going up, so buy it now. A red arrow means to wait as it will likely be going down. My son tried out this page for a recent trip, but found that both airports he was using (Grand Rapids, MI and Tampa, FL) were not part of the system, so he couldn’t get any rate forecast information. So, I’m guessing this will only forecast for very large airports. However, there is a feature to request future forecasting for your airport if it isn’t already supported. Again, I haven’t tried it personally, but just thought I’d pass it along. TIP: Try www.farecast.live.com

Best Flight Prices

Jim — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:03:13 +0000

Here is an airline booking site that finds you the best flights and tracks the price and notifies you when the price drops. They claim you can get refunds if the fare drops even after you buy the ticket. I haven’t tried it so if someone out there can post a comment we would appreciate it. TIP: Try www.yapta.com

Packing Lists

Jim — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:20:26 +0000

Standard packing lists always aid in assuring proper items are packed. We personally have lists in different categories like standard trip packing, condo trip, and camping trips. Here are two websites that can assist in list making. TIP: utilize sites like: www.onebag.com and www.dontforgetyourtoothbrush.com to at least get you started.

Travel Videos

Jim — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:08:23 +0000

Here’s a quick, fun tip: Want a preview of travel destinations? The web site here is kind of like the Youtube of travel. www.travelistic.com

Health Concerns with Foreign Travel

Jim — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:52:26 +0000

Traveling to foreign countries can bring up health concerns. Here is a web site that provides information and guidance for the individual traveler. It provides a “search by country section” and a health topic search for information. As with all health issues your personal physician should be consulted. TIP: go to: www.tripprep.com/scripts/main/default.asp

Railway Passes

Jim — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:52:57 +0000

Rail passes are a good way to travel when your travel plans are not set in concrete. You will also save costs over specific point to point tickets. TIP: go to http://www.railpass.com/ This site includes access to regional passes, system passes and even country passes. These are not limited to just Europe.

Travel Insurance

Jim — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:40:07 +0000

Travel insurance is something that most people don’t use for “everyday” travel. However, when a cruise is involved, the topic usually comes up. The cruise companies may offer or include it as an option. I can tell you from experience that you can usually get better coverage, and less expensive coverage, by purchasing your cruise insurance from a third party. I just went through this process and saved some considerable money. I used a web site that gives you easy comparisons to choose from. TIP: go to http://www.squaremouth.com/travel-insurance/index.pl

This web site works very easily. I called the 800 number on the site with a question and actually got a real person without going through a series of number options – that’s what I call service!

Airport Information

Jim — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 06:05:33 +0000

Airport maps and information can be helpful if one is traveling to a new city or connecting through a large overseas airport. This web site can help you find both airport maps and information. http://www.amadeus.net/home/triptools/index_gb.html

Just click on the airport guides tab on the left.

Online Map Making

Jim — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 20:42:44 +0000

Many map products exist online to help in trip planning. I ran across a web site that has a unique “hybrid” feature that lets you roll across the aerial terrain view and see exactly where the roads are. If it isn’t useful for a particular trip you are planning, it is at least pretty cool to play with. TIP: Go to www.multimap.com