My favourite "app" (three years ago I would not have said this sentence) is TripIt. I absolutely love Tripit!  And so do others, it has won the Business Traveler Innovation Award winners.   Tripit works like this:Whenever I get an itinerary from an airline, rail company, hotel (pictured below) I forward the confirmation to  Tripit. Users can currently forward confirmation emails from over 1,000 different booking sites. 


Thirty seconds after Tripit has got my email, they send one back:





To me, its like magic!  Every now and then one doesn't work (Interislander ferries in NZ didnt work yesterday!). Tripit creates an itinerary from the confirmation. You can see my upcoming trips below on my Tripit homepage:


 Each of these Trips will include the Confirmations I send and it adds useful info like maps showing how to get from my hotel to the airport etc.
This means that by the time I fly out, I have an entire Master Itinerary for the whole trip with all my conformation numbers, airfares, times etc plus maps, directions, weather and more. For me that saves me hours per trip cutting, pasting, typing, printing and emailing. 


! I can look at that itinerary on-line and I now carry it on my iphone. I can print it for myself and others. I can email it to staff, family and clients. Aspects of it will pop up on my Facebook and on Linked In so friends and colleagues can see when they will be close to me and where I will be! It even links into my computer's calendar and Google calendar.


Tripit then texts me with reminders through my trip. For example, it tells me when I need to check in. It lets me know which gate I will be taking off from and landing at. As soon as a flight is delayed or cancelled, it texts me. It will even recommend alternate flights I can discuss with the ticketing agent. With other add on apps, my phone can automatically trigger emails and texts to friends, family and staff telling them that I have arrived OK!


Tripit even monitors my frequent flyer programs!


There are two versions. A freebie and a paid one. I m not being given any incentive to tell you about Tripit-simply doing the viral thing because it really does help simplify travel!! Let me know how you get on with Tripit or other tools you might be using!

Just booked myself on a Tiger Airways flight from Melbourne to Adelaide next week. I saved a mere $6 off Qantas but I want the experience as Tiger will be my 66th airline I have flown on!

Have you flown them yet?

The views today  were  amazing. We could see 200km (120 miles to the Southern Highlands) and 100km (60 miles)  to the West into the centre of the Blue Mountains, Sydney Harbour was spread out before us with views up the Parramatta River, across the city, and, the Opera House, botanic gardens and Government House (pictured right).

Find reduced hotel rates  by looking at Hotels.com, Zuji.com , kayak.com,  expedia.com.  In Portland, Dave used the conference hotel for $165 a night. I am confident enough to use Priceline.com (an online tool where you bid for hotels in a city but you don't know the hotel until your bid has been accepted. I use it to get hotels in Asia, Canada, Europe, UK, and USA, having checked the aforementioned websites first). In this case, I was amused to find that I was staying at the official Conference Hotel but paying $99 a night! - saving $66 a night over Dave!

Join the Hotel Rewards/Frequent Traveller Scheme- members get special deals and the more you travel, the better the deals. They can  include free stays, free drinks, free internet. In this case, I could not earn any points because I had booked with Priceline. To add insult to Dave's injury, when I checked in, the hotel offered me as a member of their Rewards Program,  an upgrade to a suite for an extra $42 a night (including taxes).  So I ended up staying in a room five times bigger than Dave for less than his closet sized room. In addition, there were some other freebies with the upgrade including free Internet and local calls. Hotel internet cost Dave $22.95 a day.

I always look for Starbucks or Mcdonalds or a cafe with free Internet before I will pay for Internet in my hotel room. Sometimes the hotel may offer free wifi in the lobby. Be warned. I was in a very swish hotel in Singapore (using Priceline) and wandered down to the lobby bar to use the free wifi and have a drink. The cheapest drink at this hotel was $14! If you travel regularly, get a mobile broadband account.

Also, look for apartments. I use apartments a lot and I like them because I can feel at home,  wash clothes and spread out  If there are a number of you traveling, an apartment is much cheaper than multiple hotel rooms. Renting an apartment, means I can cook in my room which has been fun. I like cooking and have had guests over in some very interesting places, saving even more money!

Use Public Transit 
On arrival at Portland airport, I trundled my suitcase off the plane, ignored the frustrated faces waiting at baggage and went to the TriMet ticket machine to buy a public transit ride into downtown. My Light rail fare is $2.30. I then walked the short walk to the light rail line. After a 7 minute wait, the ride is then 40 minutes but I can work and read on the light rail easily and I answer emails all the way in. Its a 3 minute walk to my hotel.

Dave having waited at  the airport for his luggage then picks up his car. The car collection process takes about 20 minutes and the drive to downtown about 25.  Dave's car cost $294.00 plus fuel. He then garaged it at the hotel (it never left the entire time) at a cost of $75.00 plus tips. His transfer cost $369.00 plus tips and fuel - mine - $4.60. There is transit at many airports-consider it as an option before car rental and taxis. There are times when I will opt for the more expensive option when the PT option is not as convenient.

In the USA when I do rent cars I use Priceline for Car Rental Savings-works fine for simple round trip rentals. Elsewhere and the USA I use Vroomvroomvroom which is a brilliant car rental site-saves me heaps of money and allows me to compare all of the options in a location. (sometimes Vroomvroomvroom has been cheaper than Priceline!).

Dave enjoyed a buffet breakfast each morning in the hotel for $24.95. I went to the nearest supermarket and bought cereal, milk, juice and fruit for $18.60. I stored the cold things in my fridge (check your hotel policy).  I saved $55.35! Plus buffet breakfasts lead to over-indulgence of unhealthy foods. When I travel as much as I do, I am trying to reduce my calorie intake and stay healthy! I eat the cereal from a cup using a handy utensil i travel with which is combined spoon, fork, knife. Not classy but healthy and cheap. I have taken those packet soups for lunch which again is not classy but can save money plus picnic supplies from supermarkets cut the costs again!

Dave and I had the same meals for lunch and dinner.


Where did I save the money?

Baggage:  $50
Hotel and internet: $140.85 -had i not taken the upgrade, it could have been more.
Transfers:   a massive $387.70
Breakfasts:  $56.25


Consider the money I saved could pay for another 4 nights in the location!


Any other tips that you have found?

Ok, everyone has a horror story...weather delays, lost bags, line ups etc etc. I am not talking about those hiccups in travel but the consistent poor treatment of customers by an airline. The continual treatment of us as if passengers were an on-going nuisance.

Martin's DO NOT FLY LIST
This does not include the airlines I wont even try at all:  airlines in most of Africa, Kyoro North Korean Airlines, Biman Bangledeshi and Cubana- find all  airlines banned from Europe airspace here.

My do not fly list is ordered from THE worst to the not as worst!

1. Air Zimbabwe- no confidence in them at all-very sad state of affairs
2. DELTA...delayed Late and TArdy-In 2002, I vowed never, never, never will I fly them ever, ever again. Delta also tops the list for the most complained about airline in the USA! Things seem to be moving there, however and I am curious to see what things are like now
3. Alitalia- Italy has style, passion, beautiful women, good food and wine- none of that seems to have got to an Alitalia plane
4. Jetstar - as a Qantas subsidiary there are certain things they get right but fundamentally I cannot join the ads with leaping people with excitement. Herded onto crowded planes by harassed staff with no luxuries such as food and entertainment means grumpy passengers and some horrible incidents. I feel sorry for JQ staff but not sorry enough to fly them.
5. Air Asia - The times I flew Air Asia, my heart was in my mouth. Boarding the always late flights consisted of the staff opening the doors and standing back as the passengers stampeded the plane-no one was safe! I saw grandmothers bowled over by people wanting the "best seat". Ironically this was not the emergency exit which is where I sat! I hope their safety provisions and pilot training was better than everything else I saw. Cabin crew minimally helpful and in an emergency, I would have no confidence in them. 
6. Us Airways ...I was always told US stands for unserviceable...enough said
7. American Airlines - operating as a fragment of their once proud selves, American is tatty, rude, and uncomfortable. Unfortunately for Qantas customers like me, they are part of One World and offer codeshares, joint lounges, combined frequent flyer programs etc. The Contrast of getting off a gleaming Qantas or British or Cathay Pacific craft onto an American flight is extraordinary. Qantas Premium Economy is better than American's Domestic First Class (I have flown both a few times)! If you see me on American its because I am grabbing at One World Frequent flyer points. If I am on American and enjoying it, offer up thanks for a miracle.
8. Ryanair- I actually had an all right experience with Ryan and many of my friends do. I flew them because I specifically wanted to see what they are like. In fact, I would fly them again-in a pinch.  Note well their hidden costs (fares start at pennies but you then add seat cost, booking fees etc etc. NB their airports  are often miles from where you expect them to be, their cabin crew are almost rude and I frankly don't trust Ryanair's safety and I wonder at some of their ethics. (picture is the Ryanair safety card printed on seat back as they have removed the pocket on the back of the seat)

Will do my ranking of all my airlines I have ever flown by the end of 2010. See my list of worst airlines I have flown.

I have waited a long time to give the Qantas (QF) A380 a go. My Singapore Airlines (SQ) A380 experience was in Nov, 2009 so was very very excited to finally have the QF experience. It has been 28 years 1 week since I first flew in a 747 the other jumbo of the skies. Today was my 632nd flight in my life and my 210th with Qantas.

My experience was improved when Qantas upgraded me at Check in from Economy to Premium Economy (thanks Qantas!). This put me in the upper deck in seat 38K - I think the best seat on the plane. Huge amount of legroom! (It did put me at the end of Upper deck de-planing though which may be an issue for some. When I land @ LAX, I like to be off ASAP to get into the horrible immigration lines faster).

Take off out of LAX was MARVELOUS. The A380 clearly loves to fly. We trundled smoothly out onto the runway after a jerky pushback. Then we moved onto the main runway for takeoff. With not a lot of fuss, engines fired up and we rolled down the runway picking up speed before a gentle leap into the Los Angeles sky.

The seat was wonderful. The service fantastic and food superb. On Board Customer Service Manager Kim personally welcomed me as a Platinum (NB to Qantas and other airlines, I like the welcome and I remember it when it does and doesn't happen) She arranged for a tour of the whole plane (including a peek into First). Thank you!

It is a beautiful plane inside ( I still think the 747 looks better externally). Prior to the A380 launch, Qantas said: "We think it will be the best in the sky and when people see it on board they will be bowled over." I was not bowled over by the Economy sections especially the Green coloured seats in the middle section. In addiiton, the on-board Business lounge area is rather underwhelming. The feeling of spaciousness is, however, marvellous.

The A380 compared to the 747 is so quiet-some pilots have actually complained its too quiet.