Travel Planning In The New Millenium
By Ramona Creel
There’s no denying it – travel has gotten a lot more complicated these days. For a lot of us, just trying to get through airport security has become a stressful and time-consuming process. However, there are many ways that you can make your trip easier and more enjoyable (and shouldn’t travel be enjoyable? – particularly when you harness the power of the internet. Let’s take a step-by-step look at everything that has to happen for you to plan a safe, successful, and technologically-advanced trip.
PLANNING YOUR ITINERARY
The days of pulling out the road atlas to figure out where you want to go are over! Now you can use the web to plan your route with just the click of a mouse. Frommer’s and Fodors websites – based on the popular travel guides – will help you find sightseeing destinations that best suit your family’s tastes and provide you with lots of free advice from the leading travel experts.
Websites like Free Trip also offer online travel planners that create a detailed itinerary for your trip – complete with lodging and restaurant suggestions, local attractions, and even travel advisories. You may also check out the more popular travel “portals” – such as Johnny Jet, Find Travel To, and News Directory – filled with links to a variety of travel-related websites.
PILING INTO THE CAR
If you are planning to hit the open road (literally!), the next step is to decide on a route. Members of AAA can use their website to create TripTiks®, view online TourBooks®, and have maps to be delivered directly to their door. And there is always the old reliable MapQuest – helping you arrange your road trip so you will never miss a KOA or Cracker Barrel along the way!
WHEN TRAVELING OVERSEAS
Take a minute to find out what will be expected of you if you plan to travel abroad. The US Department Of State website posts travel warnings, entry requirements, and customs regulations for all parts of the world. You may also download a passport application and requirements at the same time. But be sure to apply for your passport early – it takes 6 weeks to process unless you pay for expedited service. Also make sure that your medical records are in order for your trip. The Centers For Disease Control website includes information about required immunizations, outbreaks, and health warnings around the world. Finally, determine what currency you will need and how much using XE.Net’s real-time currency rates and a free currency converter.
FIND THE BEST DEAL
These days, great bargains are available for the asking on the internet – you just have to know where to look. Websites like Travelocity, Expedia, and Orbitz allow you to search for the best rates on hotel rooms, airfare, rental cars, cruises, vacation packages – you name it. However, be ready to purchase before you start checking fares. Some websites only honor the offered rate for a limited time (usually 30-60 minutes) – and then require you to wait at least 24 hours before re-submitting your request if you miss that window.
Hotwire has some of the best prices on the web, but they require a bit of flexibility on your part. You can’t choose the time of day that you fly (only the date) – and you aren’t told which airline you will be flying until you purchase the ticket. If you are willing to travel any time between 5AM and 10PM and are not monogamous to one particular airline, you can save a lot of money using Hotwire. But if you need to arrive at a specific time or absolutely have to fly Delta, try another travel site.
Beware of sites like Priceline.com that require you to “name your own price” for a hotel room or airline ticket. You can waste a lot of time trying to find an acceptable “bid” – and you will often discover lower rates at other sites. You will often get better deals at websites like TravelZoo, 4 Vacations, and Value Voyager – which advertise special travel packages that don’t require any bidding.
TALK TO A TRAVEL AGENT
Many people simply don’t want to spend time searching the web for travel deals – they would rather let a professional do the work for them. But how do you find an agent you can trust? The American Society Of Travel Agents boasts a strict professional code of ethics, and their “find an agent” feature will help you locate a travel professional in your area. Another wonderful resource is The Association Of Special Fares Agents – offering discount fares and consolidator rates that are lower than are normally available. Finally, The Institute Of Certified Travel Agents is a nonprofit organization that publishes an online directory of certified travel professionals.
GETTING THE LOW-DOWN
There is nothing worse than arriving at your destination and wearily trudging to your hotel room – only to find that the place which sounded so great in the travel brochure is a complete dump. But how can you accurately judge the quality of your accommodations without a first-hand visit? Websites such as Net Travel and Trip Advisor offer unbiased reviews of hotels, travel packages, and transportation companies around the world.
CHECK THE FACTS
As a last precautionary step, be sure to double check all of your reservations, hotel accommodations, and other travel arrangements before you head out for your trip. You should be able to check your airline’s website to see if your flight is scheduled to be on time – and many airlines now allow you to “check in” online. You may select your seat and print out a boarding pass before you ever set foot in the airport (what a huge timesaver!) Or you can stop by websites like Flight Lookup.Com and Flight Arrivals.Com for real-time information about incoming and outgoing flights.
Remember, the internet is one of the greatest “free” resources out there – so be sure to put it to use the next time you head out the door. Happy travels!
About the Author:
Ramona Creel is a Professional Organizer and the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com -- a web-based one-stop shop offering everything that you need to get organized at home or at work. At OnlineOrganizing.com, you may get a referral to an organizer near you, shop for the latest organizing products, get tons of free tips, and even learn how to become a professional organizer or build your existing organizing business. And if you would like to read more articles about organizing your life or building your business, get a free subscription to the "Get Organized" and "Organized For A Living" newsletters. Please visit www.onlineorganizing.com or contact Ramona directly at ramona@onlineorganizing.com for more information.
