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L.A. TIMES TRAVEL SHOW NOTES |
I was asked if I wanted to provide a handout for my panel session.
Since I'm not sure exactly which websites I am going to mention I have put together a list of websites that I either use the most and/or think will be most useful to you.
Most of these have appeared as "website of the week" in Johnny Jet's Travel News, Tips and Stories weekly newsletter (so if you like them and want more don't forget to sign up for it at JohnnyJet.com -- it's free and all we need is your email address.
Obviously, I can't list all the sites I use and I am sure I am forgetting some - that's why I created JohnnyJet.com in the first place - it contains links to 5,000 neatly organized travel websites.
BOOKING TRAVEL
- BookingBuddy.com
This handy resource lists a variety of online travel agencies like Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity ... which help users search for the best deals for Air, Hotel, and Car Rentals one supplier at a time -- without having to insert your travel dates, times and cities more than once.
- OneTime.com
OneTime.com is similar to BookingBuddy.com (the probably will soon be merging since Booking Buddy's parent company bought them)
but users can search all its sites at once. I prefer doing it this way because once I click search all the sites open up and I can go one by one down the list looking for the best deal. Just be sure to have your popup blocker off.
- Momondo.com
Last week I spoke at the Education Travel Conference in Providence, Rhode Island. What fascinated me the most was a search engine built by a small Danish company called Momondo. What sets these guys apart from the other meta-search engines is that the results also show low fare carriers like Southwest Airlines and Ryan Air. They even pick up deals from travel agents and their search includes thousands of European high speed train routes. They are trying to build a loyal customer base and with information like this -they are going to be very successful. I'm a fan.
- Kayak.com
They do an okay job sifting through airfares by searching multiple resources. *Just remember there is no travel website that has the lowest price -- that's why you need to search them all over and over.
- Yapta.com
As you may have noticed, airfare prices are highly volatile.
The same trans-continental flight may be offered for $450 one day and $250 the next.
It's a sophisticated game of "supply and demand" being orchestrated by automated yield management systems that are designed to do one thing:
maximize revenue. So, how is the average traveler supposed to know when to book a flight or hotel -
and feel confident that they're getting a good deal? Use Yapta.
Yapta is intended to help you get a handle on fluctuating travel prices so that you know when to "buy low".
Yapta conducts daily price checks on the specific flights that you choose and alerts you when prices drop or when they fall within your budget.
If you already booked an airline ticket Yapta can still help you save.
Most U.S. airlines have "guaranteed airfare" policies that enable you to claim a travel credit if the price of your flight drops after booking it.
Not many people know that the policy even exists - nor do they bother to check the price of their flight after purchasing it.
Yapta will track the price of the flights you've already booked and -
if the price drops below what you paid - it will alert you when you're eligible for a refund or travel credit from the airline.
- Southwest.com and JetBlue.com
These two low-fare airlines are not on most search engines so if they provide service from your area, be sure to check with them. Also, sign up for Southwest's "Ding Fares" which are limited time deal alerts.
- AirfareWatchDog.com
Sign up for their deal alerts, which inform users of hidden airfare deals and sale fares.
- AirTreks.com
AirTreks.com specializes in providing customized, efficient and affordable air tickets for complex international trips. This is the site to go to for a trip around the world. BTW: Sometimes a round-the-world trip might be cheaper than a round-trip ticket to Asia. Check it out: price quotes are fast.
- WhichBudget.com
Find out which budget airline flies where. They cover 147 different countries, 136 airlines, 1049 airports and 36,693 routes! By using this site I saved $200 on a ticket from Rome to Prague.
- Dohop.com
Dohop's flight search contains the flight schedules of more than 600 airlines and quickly calculates all possible routes and connections for a given trip
- BetterBidding.com
If using Hotwire.com to book your travel, log on here first to find helpful tips and user feedback on their message boards -- including which hotels customers have been receiving when they booked rooms from Hotwire. It also has how much they paid for which date.
- BiddingForTravel.com
Same as BetterBidding.com but their message boards specialize in tips for using Priceline.com.
- TripAdvisor.com
I like it to read or place a review on hotels around the world.
- RENT A HOUSE
I recently attended a conference in Orlando and I thought I was getting a good deal at a 4-star hotel for $135 a night. It turns out my
buddies rented a whole house (four bedrooms and a pool) for $450 for the week! And the place was sweet! If you want to save on travel that's the way to go.
A couple good websites to rent houses from are Homeaway.com & Rentalo.com.
- Twitter Travel Resource Page
Twitter is the social networking microblog (which requires you to express yourself in 140 characters or less)
has really gained popularity. To keep up with the times and refresh Johnny Jet's Travel Portal, I created a mini travel Twitter resource page.
It should be helpful to new Twitter-ers and even to Twitmasters. There are a bunch of websites on there like TwitPic.com,
which allows users to upload photos to their account and TwisitorCenter.com for travelers looking for insider information from those who know,
the local tourism authorities. Plus you'll find Twitter addresses of airlines, hotels, car rentals, cruisers and of course, the most popular travel writer Tweeters. So what are you waiting for? Get tweeting, Twitter-ers!
PHONE NUMBERS AND WEBSITES
I created a bunch of websites that are very useful for consumers as they list every Airline, Hotel, Car Rental and Cruise line phone number and website. It's always a good idea to check with their sites as well as a live representative when pricing out trips.
- AirlineNumbers.com
- HotelNumbers.com
- CarRentalNumbers.com
- CruiselineNumbers.com
ALTERNATE AIRPORTS
Another website JohnnyJet.com created that is helpful for planning travel is AlternateAirports.com. This lists all the major U.S. airports with the surrounding airports (by actual driving miles) that might just save you a lot of money by flying into or out of.
RESEARCHING TRAVEL
There are lots of websites that I use but I am usually surfing: Frommers.com, LonelyPlanet.com, RickSteves, FlyerTalk.com, EuropeForVisitors.com, SmarterTravel.com and of course LATimes.com/travel when researching trips. Some of these have message boards which can also be very helpful.
MORE USEFUL WEBSITES
- CostToDrive.com
CostToDrive.com gives drivers a guess-timate (some searches aren't that accurate) of how much your fuel will cost for a future trip.
Not only do users input their start and end points but they choose from a drop down menu what make, year and model their car is.
It will then show total distance, drive time, gas stations along the way with current gas prices and even your carbon footprint.
Note: If you're traveling by yourself, it's definitely not cheaper to drive than fly (depending on your distance).
For example, my dad just asked me to get him a one-way, last-minute ticket from Palm Beach, Florida to Erie, Pennsylvania and I found a ticket
(using JohnnyJet.com's search engines, of course!) for $154. He asked me if that was a good deal. I said, "You tell me.
How much will it cost you to drive?" He thought about gas, food, lodging and time, then said, "That's a great deal!" You got that right, Daddy-o!
- BusJunction.com
There are all kinds of search engines for airline tickets and car rental agencies but there hasn't been one (to my knowledge) of a bus ticket search engine until BusJunction.com came along. What's genius about the site is that they gather thousands of schedules and fares from bus carrier websites such as Greyhound, Megabus, Bolt Bus, Trailways, Peter Pan and Lakefront ... and provide the information to you in an easily searchable format. Then they send you directly to the carrier to make your purchase. Downside: they don't service the whole country - it's mostly the Northeast and the Midwest but it's still wicked. I had no idea I could take the bus from NYC to Toronto for $41 - not that I would want to since it takes 10 hours but if you're afraid to fly, this may be your new favorite search engine.
- XE.com
Currency converter. Find out how much your US Dollars equals in local currency and vice versa.
- Weather.com
I always check the 10-day weather forecast before leaving - you need to know what to pack, RIGHT?
- TimeAndDate.com
Their world clock lists current local times around the world.
- XE.com
In keeping with the simple travel website theme, have you seen UmbrellaToday.com? My friend
@JenLeo turned me on to it and all it does is tell users if they need an umbrella for that day or not. There's no weather forecast or extended data. Just input your city and get a 'yes' or 'no' answer. My only beef about this site is that if you try multiple cities, it states, "We've just sent you a message with a confirmation code. Enter the code to confirm your subscription." I never received the code but I don't like the fact that they even claim to grab your email when it was never required.
- Win a FREE Gogo Internet Session
We're all getting more and more addicted to the Internet and since more and more airlines are adding Wi-Fi, it's only adding to the vice. Travelers can play "The Great Gogo Race" either on the ground or on Gogo-equipped airlines, including AirTran Airways, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. It's an online scratch card of sorts as Gogo is racing three pieces of urgent information to your plane, and you need to guess which one will make it to 35,000 feet first. If you play the game and guess correctly, you receive a free Gogo session; second place winners receive 50% off promotional codes and third place participants receive 25% off a purchased Gogo session from $4.95 - $12.95.
As an added bonus, each Gogo user who uses a code generated from the game will be entered into a daily draw for a Netbook through February 28, 2010.
- Babelfish.Altavista.com
This website should be bookmarked on every traveler's computer. Users can translate passages of text or entire web pages in eleven languages (Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish) or quickly translate a page into their language of choice. The best part is that it's free and easy.
- WhatPlug.info
This is a helpful website for international travelers. When you first log on it will identify what country you're from (if you log on from home). The next page lists every country by region (Europe, Americas, Africa, Asia, Oceania). Click your destination country, and learn the type of plug, socket, voltage and hertz that's used there. Not only can you see what type of adapter to bring, but you'll know if it's okay to plug equipment into the wall without a transformer (if the voltage is different, you can't).
- PassportSupport.com
This website brings up an excellent point. For years travel experts (including me) have been urging travelers to photocopy all important documents,
such as credit cards (front and back), driver's license, travelers checks and passports, and to keep one copy separate from the originals and another
with a loved one or friend back home. That way, in case of loss or theft they can quickly access phone numbers to cancel or get duplicates.
I still do that but since the invention of scanners and web-based email I have scanned all of my important documents, and kept them on a web-
based email account I rarely use (these accounts are free). That way I have another option.
If you don't feel that a web-based email account is safe, you can now store up to 20 MB (plenty of space) for $15AUD ($13 USD) per year on this Australian site which was developed
specifically to store digital photos of your passport, visas, airline tickets, driver's license, travelers checks and other travel documents.
- AirportParkingReservations.com
You can reserve a parking spot in advance at practically any U.S. Airport to guarantee yourself a parking space at the airport- and avoid worrying that the garage may be full.
- FlightCaster.com
Doesn't it just drive you nuts when you show up early for your flight and it's delayed -- especially those early morning flights? It irks me even more to know that I could have had a couple more hours sleep if the airline just had the courtesy to notify me if it was obvious there was going to be a delay (they have all of our contact info). I know most of the time when the delays keep getting longer, it's not the gate agent's fault and shockingly, I usually get updated departure info before they do since I sign up to the airline's flight paging service.
However, before I leave the house, I now log on to FlightCaster.com, which recently launched. FlightCaster predicts flight delays by using a proprietary advanced algorithm that scours data on every domestic flight for the past 10 years and matches it to real-time conditions. They help travelers determine if they should change itineraries, notify colleagues or alter their plans before anyone else. The service is free if you log on to the web - remember it works best six hours or less prior to departure -- or you can pay $4.99 for their iPhone and Blackberry apps.
- Travel.FlightExplorer.net/index.aspx
Track a flight! Just enter the airline and a flight number to find out when it's due to land.
- FlightStats.com
You can look up flights between almost every city. Track a flight, see their performance summaries, and even set up mobile and e-mail alerts.
- Fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/usmap.jsp
See live flight delay information from the FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center.
- AvoidDelays.com
Travelers can arm themselves with historical data from the past year of airline delays. Therefore, airplane passengers can get a good idea of which flights, airports and times to avoid. (Air traffic activity follows cyclical patterns, so comparisons with the same month last year are often better predictors of performance than using last month's data). Click on their map to see a live radar of planes currently over the U.S. - it's mind boggling how many there actually are. A Johnny Jet Tip: The best way to avoid delays is to take the first flight of the day. AvoidDelays.com proves that. It also shows visitors which flights are the most delayed, and gives real-time information on delays.
- FlightAware.com/live
See live airport radar of LAX and other airports throughout the country. And track any flight.
- RailEurope.com
Traveling in or around Europe? Save money by getting a rail pass.
STAYING IN TOUCH
- Skype.com
Skype changed the world - especially for travelers. I now hardly use my cell phone when I travel overseas, because Skype's rates can't be beat.
In addition, Skype is very easy to use. To get started you need a computer with high-speed internet.
You also need a headset, which you can buy at any electronics store. Just tell the clerk you want to Skype, and they'll
show you several options. I advise a small headset, so it won't take up too much room in your suitcase (and it shouldn't cost more than $15).
Then log on to Skype.com, download the free software, create a Skype name and password, and follow instructions.
You should add $10 (the minimum) to your Skype Credit, so you can start dialing international friends.
Calls to another Skype user are free, but you can call any number in the world - including cell phones -- at ridiculously cheap rates.
It's usually about 2 cents a minute to call anywhere in the world -- and free for domestic calls.
At those rates, there's no excuse not to stay connected to friends, business associates, or anyone you meet on the road.
- Oovoo.com
I love Skype but sometimes it's blocked so I use Oovoo.
This lesser known company with a funky name is giving Skype some competition with its incredible technology. Think: Skype on steroids. With Oovoo, you can have a live teleconference with up to six people! It's perfect for people who are trying to save on business travel because they can have that all-important meeting now from each person's office. You can also record video messages. Small print: The two-way service plan is free and so are one-minute video messages. However, if you want the good stuff, such as a three-way teleconferencing, at least one person has to be a member, which is $7.95 a month. That price also includes five-minute video messages, 500mb video storage and 10mb file transfer. The six-way plan comes with everything listed above, 1000mb video storage and 25mb file transfer and that goes for $17.95 a month. It may seem steep but it sure beats the price of airline tickets, taxis, hotel, meals and, of course, schlepping through security.
- GotVoice.com
Thanks to GotVoice you can now have voicemails from either your home or cell phone sent to your email in a .wav file.
That means you can listen to all your messages without calling your phone! Just log on to GotVoice.com, put in your kind of phone (cell or landline); your service provider; your phone number, pin, and which email to send the voicemails to. You can set it up to check your voicemail daily, on weekends, or just once. What I love (besides the fact that it's free, and that I don't have to waste time or money calling my voicemail while overseas) is the simple fact that if someone leaves me a special message I want to keep forever, I can easily download it to my computer.
- CellularAbroad.com
The most popular question I get each week is what phone service I use when I am abroad.
I travel with my laptop, and try to use Skype as much as possible. But I always bring my international (GSM) cellular phone,
because I'm always on the go (Skype requires a computer and internet connection). Most U.S. cell phone companies don't even have GSM tri-band phones,
and the ones that do (like T-Mobile) charge way too much for incoming and outgoing calls.
Instead of paying their high rates, save money and get your own GSM phone. It's not expensive, and there are a couple of options.
Renting is one, but it's not worth the cost down the road if you plan on traveling internationally again in a year.
I got an unlocked phone from Cellular Abroad and before I leave for overseas, I have them send me a local SIM (Subscriber Information Module) chip
for the place I'm headed to. I insert the chip into the phone,
where it serves as the brain (it contains such information as the cell phone number, voice mail and call logs). The SIM gives me a local number,
so no one needs to dial long distance to reach me. Best of all, when my friends and family back home call, it's free.
That's right: All incoming calls are free in most countries! Another huge plus is that when I call them, it costs me no more than half what a U.S. cell company would charge.
- GetHuman.com
If you're like me, you probably go batty when you call an airline for a reservation and the automated phone system makes you wait forever just to find out which numbers to press to get in touch with a human. Thankfully Paul English, a co-founder of Kayak.com, has created a website that lists which buttons to press so you don't have to waste time listening to annoying automation. There are over 500 categories, including credit cards, finance, government, hardware, insurance, internet, mobile, pharmaceuticals, retail shipping, software, stores, and of course travel.
RANDOM
- 16 products/tips that I almost never leave home without
They range from clothing to electronic gadgets, and cost from $3 to $1,500.
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John E. DiScala (a.k.a. Johnny Jet) travels around 150,000 miles and visits over 20 countries each year. He and his website JohnnyJet.com have been featured over 1,800 times in major publications, including USA Today, Time, Fortune and The New York Times, and he has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNBC, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, FOX News Channel and PBS. JohnnyJet.com has been named "one of the top best money-saving web sites for travel" by Budget Travel Magazine, while the L.A. Times calls it "one of the top 10 essential travel resources on the internet." Outside Magazine touted Johnny for having one of the world's best "dream jobs". Every week, Johnny hosts a "travel website of the week" for several radio stations around the country, he writes weekly for Frommers.com and he has written for USAToday, The Boston Herald, LAX Magazine and Coast Magazine. Sign up today for Johnny Jet's free weekly travel newsletter at JohnnyJet.com.
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